HORTICULTURE 



July 5, 1913 



FRUIT AND VEGETABLES UNDER GLASS 



CONDUCTED BT 



i>thrs^. 



Questions by our readers In line with any of the topics presented on this page will be cordiaUy received and promptly answered 

 hv \fr Ponson Such communications should invariably be addressed to the omce of HORTICLLTURE. 



by Mr. Penson. Such communications should 



Layering: Strawberries 



In some localities this work will have been on hand 

 for some little time yet there are others who will only 

 just be ready to proceed, such is the territory covered by 

 Horticulture. Before commencing the job let your 

 mind travel back to last January and the three succeed- 

 ing months; study up the growth and crops produced 

 from the forcing strawberries; were there any trials 

 made ? If so, did any one surpass the standard variety 

 that has occupied the forcing house or shelves as the 

 case may be for the past few seasons? If so, increase 

 the number to be grown this season. Also if any new 

 varieties have come into prominence during the past sea- 

 son give a few of them a try-out in the pots this time. 

 At the time of layering, a complete list should be made 

 up of the varieties to be grown and the requisite num- 

 ber, which makes the job so much easier for the one 

 who is doing it. Most establishments will have a favor- 

 ite variety for forcing and if this has proved itself worthy 

 of the place entrusted to it continue to grow it with a 

 few try-outs. These latter are always interesting if not 

 always profitable. With us Marshall is a prime favorite. 



Have sufficient three-inch pots clean and also enough 

 soil sifted through the half-inch sieve. It is essential 

 the pots be clean, so they will turn out good at the time 

 of potting up. The soil is not so particular — anything 

 sweet the plants will root into freely. Young plants 

 that have not fruited this year will be found to possess 

 the strongest runners, which should always be selected 

 for pot work. The best method of procedure is to clean 

 the stock plants first, remove all weeds, bad leaves and 

 also any runners that are too old. It is useless to put in 

 any that are dry and hard. Those remaining should be 

 drawn to one side of the plant so that the small pots can 

 be placed close together to facilitate watering and also 

 to, in some degree, prevent a rapid drying out. Those 

 pots that are unfortunate enough to be on the outside 

 can have some soil or straw mulch that has been on the 

 bed drawn up around them which will help to keep them 

 evenly moist with the others. The work itself is easy 

 after all the preparatory work is done. Have the pots 

 placed in position, select the layer for each one, remove 

 any more plants that may be on the same wire, (or rhi- 

 zome) see that this wire will reach to the bottom of the 

 pot, leaving the crown of the plant to be level with the 

 top of the soil. Fill in tlie soil on top of the wire 

 which will keep it in position until such time as the 

 roots push out to perform their duties. See that the 

 pots are stood level to retain the water which must be 



given them frequently to keep the soil moist for the 

 roots to grow into. When the pots are nicely filled with 

 roots cut the wire and transfer them to a convenient 

 place to await the final potting. 



Rivets Orange Nectarine 

 When we are confronted with the problem of selecting 

 varieties to do us service, whether it be to replace old 

 and wornout stock, additional pot-trees or the planting 

 of a new house there will generally creep in one or two 

 of some variety which we have a personal liking for in 

 addition to what might be called its face value. After 

 weighing iip the merits and demerits of most of the 

 varieties of nectarines grown, Rivers' Orange always 

 finds a warm spot on account of its flavor. It is differ- 

 ent from most of the others; the fruit is inclined to be 

 small when compared with such varieties as Early 

 Rivers or Newton but the eating is not to be surpassed 

 if my palate could judge. Others may not be of the 

 same opinion yet no one to my knowledge has ever 

 . turned it down. Those who are not acquainted with 

 this variety will do well to "get next to it" as it is a most 

 delightful thing and something different from the 

 general run of things when you talk of flavor. It is 

 described by the raisers, Messrs. T. Rivers & Son, as 

 medium in size, melting, with the rich saccharine flavor 

 of its parent, Pitmaston Orange. 



Do It Now 



To speak of ordering stock for next fall or winter 

 delivery may at first glance appear to be away ahead of 

 time but tliink it over. Some of the crops are already 

 gone, those remaining can be gauged very well as to 

 what the actual results will be. Trees not giving satis- 

 faction are best replaced. It so happens that once in 

 a while a tree does not come up to its reputation, or a 

 singularity may be that a certain variety refuses to grow 

 as it ought to do. These and other conditions can be 

 taken into consideration and the order placed at once 

 thus ensuring a sure delivery or an early notification 

 that the particular size and quality you require are not 

 in stock. Orders are generally filled in rotation as they 

 are received, — see what it means to have stock selected 

 before it has done growing. Horticulture is willing 

 to assist anyone in making selections, being governed by 

 the performances and crops of said varieties growing 

 under glass in America. 



We would call attention to Mr. Penson's note on 

 "Pears in Pots" in last week's issue, and "Propping 

 Apples" which starts olT with "Apples can be treated In a 

 similar manner." meaning similar to the pears. The ar- 

 ticle on pears should have come in first, followed up by the 

 apples, in which case that first sentence would be intelli- 

 gible. The paragraphs were inadvertently transposed. — 

 Ed. 



Edwin Jenkins is taking a few weeks' vacation, at the 

 end of which he will rosume his notes on outdoor veg- 

 etables and fruit. 



