September 27, 1913 



HORTICULTURE 



431 



ROSE GROWING UNDER GLASS 



^ CONDUCTED BY 



Questions by ouv readers in line with any of the topics presented on this page will be cordially received and promptly answered 

 by Mr. Ruzicka. Such communications should Invariably be addressed to the office of HORTICULTURE. 



Tying the Teas 



With the Tea roses it is well to heed the danger that 

 will arise from bunching up the plants too much while 

 tying. The old method of running a string around the 

 whole plant with the stake for the center, is a very poor 

 one indeed, and we can pity the man who ties all his 

 roses thus. The loss of the foliage in such cases is very 

 large, and that is not the only way that the plants suf- 

 fer. By carefully investigating the difference we find 

 that tlie plants thus tied do not break from the bottom 

 very freely, not as freely as the plants where the shoots 

 have been tied separately, or at least tied to one another, 

 so that the bottom of the plant has some chance to get 

 some of tlie sunshine that we get at times. Needless to 

 say, the plants that lose all their bottom leaves will be- 

 come very hard, and not only will it be difficult to get 

 them to break from the bottom but it will interfere with 

 the flowing of the sap, which will mean flowers of a 

 poorer quality. 



The Rainy Weather of the Past Week 



We do not know if all the rose growers that happen 

 to read these notes have experienced any rainy weather, 

 but with us we consider it a very trying time for the 

 rose grower, especially those that have given their plants 

 a little more water than was necessary, and find that 

 their plants are rather soft. Mildew will threaten the 

 soft gi-owths and foliage and it will be only with the 

 greatest care that the disease will be kept at bay. It 

 has been almost too warm to use steam, but a little of it 

 can be turned in during the night, if the growers are 

 wide awake. And it pays to be awake on occasions such 

 as these. Where a trustworthy night fireman is on duty 

 the grower need have very little fear that his roses will 

 be damaged in any way through neglect. 



The Cold Nights 



Then, too, there are the cold nights that have already 

 well set in, and the grower who will not turn on suf- 

 ficient heat to allow them to be comfortable, will have a 

 good chance to regret his actions. A pipe or two of 

 steam is all that may be necessary, and the benefit thus 

 derived will far exceed the expense for the coal that ie 

 burned or the labor expended on the fires, and the care 

 of the boilers during the night and early hours of the 

 morning. 



Sulphur on the Steam Pipes 



Whether mildew is visible or not it is well to apply a 

 little sulphur to the pipes here and there all through the 

 houses, allowing one one-inch pipe for twenty feet of 

 width. This pipe can be safely painted every ten or 

 fifteen feet, painting a piece about two feet long. This 

 will be sufficient to kill any of the mildew spores that 

 may be lounging around awaiting a chance to work havoc 

 with the plants should conditions become ideal for their 

 rapid development. It is a mistake, however, to use too 

 much sulphur on the pipes, and it is dangerous as well, 

 for sulphur fumes will kill the plants much quicker 

 than the mildew itself if they are allowed to become too 

 strong. 



Fumigation 



Never for a moment forget this important item in the 

 routine, of rose growing. Whether you decide to use 

 hydrocyanic acid gas or some of the tobacco products 

 that are offered to the trade at the present time, never 

 let a week go by without its weekly fumigation. If you 

 spray let it be the same. Never let the fly make its ap- 

 pearance, for once it does it will take quite some time to 

 clean it out again. It is much better to give the plants 

 a mild dose of either smoke or spray, and do it oftener, 

 than to apply a heavy dose at long intervals, for the lat- 

 ter is very injurious to the plants, to say the least, and 

 the harm thus resulting will be traced, not only in the 

 growth of the plants but in the flowers themselves. 



BRITISH HORTICULTURE. 

 Trade Chances. 



Sutton & Sons already control one 

 of the largest seed firms in Great 

 Britain. The firm has been estab- 

 lished over a century, and a large 

 army of employees are engaged in the 

 seed warehouses and extensive trial 

 grounds at Reading. Messrs, Sutton's 

 business is now to be extended by the 

 acquisition of the seed branch carried 

 on by Veitch & Sons, at Chelsea, for 

 the last 60 years. Messrs. Sutton 

 have also purchased .from Messrs, 

 Veitch the chief portion of the seed 

 grounds at Langley, near Slough. The 

 nursery business of Messrs. Veitch 

 will still be carried on for sometime, 

 until Sir Harry Veitch finally retires 

 from the business. 



A Dahlia Display. 



Although growers have experienced 



an unfavorable season there was a big 

 display of dahlias at the annual show 

 organized by the National Society, at 

 the Crystal Palace, Sydenham, on 

 Sept, 9 and 10. The quality of the 

 blooms in many cases was not up to 

 the usual standard. There was an 

 extensive show of the new collarette 

 and paeony-flowered kinds, which at- 

 tracted considerable notice. Cheal & 

 Sons showed Crawley Star, the new 

 cosmea-flowered dahlia. This novelty 

 has been awarded a first-class certifi- 

 cate from the Society, in addition to 

 other awards. 



Autumn Roses. 



The National Rose society had every 

 reason to be satisfied with its autumn 

 show in London, on Sept. 11th and 

 12th. Some excellent groups were 

 staged by the trade. Paul & Sons, re- 

 ceived a gold medal for their collec- 



tion. The seedlings, of course, aroused 

 keen interest. Once again the Irish 

 raisers were well to the fore. Alex- 

 ander Dickson & Sons, Ltd., received 

 a gold medal for Red Letter Day, 

 and another for Edward Bohane, two 

 new H. T.'s. S. McGredy & Son, ob- 

 tained a gold medal for Edgar M. 

 Burnett, a new H. T. The same 

 awards were made to Hugh Dickson 

 for Murial Dickson a new . hybrid 

 brier; and to the Rev. J. H. Pember- 

 ton. for Moonlight, a new H. T. The 

 table decorations were a special fea- 

 ture. The first prize was secured with 

 a pleasing arrangement of Melody, 

 the popular yellow H. T. 



