July 26, 1913 



HORTICULTUBE 



103 



FRUIT AND VEGETABLES UNDER GLASS 



CONDUCTED BY 



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

 by Mr. Penson. Such communications should Invariably be addressed to the office of HOKTICuLTURB. 



Pot Vines 



About the first of August is an ideal time to com- 

 mence ripening up the pot vines for forcing next winter. 

 Presuming they are at present growing in a young vinery 

 or other suitable house, let them be transferred to an 

 outside position where they will have the full sun and 

 weather. This will ripen up the wood, making the 

 buds quite firm by fall. Half-ripened cane is never so 

 productive as one that is ripened well. It will be neces- 

 sary to provide shade for these young vines for a time if 

 they have been shaded, either by growing vines or shad- 

 ing on the glass, or the foliage will burn. Not only is 

 the sun's power to be reckoned with but the air will be 

 considerably dryer than that they have just come from, 

 which makes a greater strain on the foliage until it has 

 got accustomed to the new atmosphere. A double thick- 

 ness of cheese cloth tied to stout poles on the south side 

 of the vines will answer the purpose; they will then get 

 the early morning and late afternoon sun which will be 

 the first stage of receiving the full sun. After a few 

 days of this reduce the thickness of cheese cloth to one, 

 taking this up a little earlier each evening and leaving it 

 correspondingly late in the morning before putting it on, 

 until it can be dispensed with altogether. Keep the 

 vines well watered all this time and also for the remain- 

 der of the season, syringing them twice daily. We find 

 it is a big advantage to place the pots in a straight row 

 from east to west and have strong stakes drove in the 

 ground at intervals of twelve feet, stretching a piece of 

 wire on to these and tying the canes to it which prevents 

 them from being broken by the wind and rain. 



Watering 



Those fruit houses that have finished their crop and 

 are now staying wide open right along will be found to 

 dry out very quickly. See that they do not want for 

 water. Continually syringing the trees or vines will 

 often keep the surface soil looking half dry; this is not 

 enough for some time yet. Any trees that may be in a 

 draught tlirough leaving doors, etc., open in an endeavor 

 to keep the house as cool as possible will dry out quicker 

 than the others in the same house. See they all get a 

 thorough soaking when they are watered. At no time 

 during the growth of any tree should a little water be 

 given, — that is, when the object is watering. There are 

 times when we have given them just enough to water in 

 some feeding when a watering is not needed; in such 

 a case just enough to answer the purpose is all that is 



needed, but a note must be made of this or it will be 

 deceiving later on. 



Damping 



Damping should be done at the accustomed regular 

 times in all houses until along in the late fall. Do not 

 get slack on this because the crop has been cut and there 

 seems little to bother about. Damping plays just as- 

 important a part now as it did in the earlier stages of 

 growth. Grapes hanging ripe at this time of year will' 

 stand more moisture around them than at any other 

 time. 



Vacation 



It is with pleasure that we all look forward to vaca- 

 tion time, with its many and varied pleasures, each indi- 

 vidual choosing his or her own way of recuperating for 

 the strain of another year. It is the season of "cast care 

 aside" and forget the business, with the majority, but 

 how often do we find gardeners making a pleasure of 

 their business even during a vacation. Such men are so 

 truly wrapped up in their business that it becomes a 

 pleasure. To such men work is not a bore during the 

 other part of the year. From a physical standpoint 

 should wc labor on through this, our time of ease? as 

 labor it is, — although we take pleasure in laboring — or 

 should the mind as well as body be given a rest ? Some 

 will say they know acquaintances that could not rest 

 away from it, which is so, and makes the whole question 

 very complicated when we discuss it technically. Let 

 every one drink of the fountain that is most refreshing 

 to them and so shall they receive the greatest amount of 

 benefit. 



August is one of the slackest months in the fruit 

 department (and a good vacation month, too). After 

 the rush of the spring, often in sweltering houses, vaca- 

 tions feel good and are a benefit to employer as well as 

 employee, for a man returns to work greatly invigorated 

 and when that time comes again in the spring when 

 work looms up big on every side there is one bright spot 

 in the distance- — a vacation to look forward to. 



Mr. Penson calls attention to a rather indefinite note ia 

 his contribution of last week. In reference to benches, 

 where sides or bottoms may need renewing he meant to 

 say, "it is very annoying to have to stop to repair these 

 when the bench is emptied out during the winter and the- 

 weather is good, so that it could be filled in again without 

 delay, if it were not for the repairs." 



years before they ever dreamed of starting, is in prac- 

 tically the same place as he was, making little headway 

 with his old poorly-built houses. 



A Word to Beginners 



Many holding a position at a good salary will figure 

 that they could do better for themselves. All well and 

 true. Capital is needed, and take our advice and do not 

 think of buying second-hand greenhouses standing, to be 

 taken down and rebuilt. Such houses have to be gotten 



almost for nothing to be worth bothering with. There 

 are firms who make a business of buying old houses, but 

 they are well experienced in that line, have all the neces- 

 sary tools and can therefore make a good quick job of 

 taking down the house. Once in a while a nice place 

 can be rented. This is very seldom, for any place that 

 can be made to pay will be in operation by the owners 

 regardless of old age, death, sickness, and many other 

 reasons given for selling. In the end it will pay to- 

 start with a new outfit if at all possible. 



