806 



HORTICULTURE 



December 13, 1913 



FRUIT AND VEGETABLES UNDER GLASS 



CONDUCTED BY 



i>t!hrs^l 



Questions by tur readers In line with any of the topics presented on this page will be cordially received and promptly auw*M4 

 ky Mr. Penson. Such communications should Invariably be addressed to the office of HORTICULTURE. 



Making Peach Border 



The construction of a border for the growing of 

 jjeach or nectarine trees is very similar to that of the 

 vine. It is equally essential that the roots be under 

 absolute control, not only from the standijoint of feed- 

 ing, but if allowed to roam too much they only make a 

 ([uantity of worthless wood. As is well known, the new 

 wood has the production of next year's crop and if this 

 is not right the following crop will suffer in consequence. 

 All that was written last week respecting drainage of a 

 border can be applied to The peach Imrder. One 

 difference to ■ be found between a vine border 

 and a peach Iwrdor is that the former is made 

 up in sections, about every second year seeing an addi- 

 tion, while the latter is generally made up all together. 

 The system of training usually adopted in America 

 known as the "cross-trellis" makes this nccesary. The 

 trees could be allotted a very limited space and restrained 

 in it, which would bo equal to being planted in a box- 

 but this would entail a lot of work and also look un- 

 sightly unless a false top was put on the whole border 

 and covered over with soil. 



The greatest difference to be found in the two borders 

 is the composition of the soil. A vine will stand the soil 

 enriching while the pcacli is best grown in a poor soil 

 for the reason iircvioiisly j-taled — too nuich growth. Chop 

 down the sod heap roughly, add some rough charcoal 

 and also some broken bricks taken from the same 

 material that forms the drainage. These should 

 have been broken up into pieces about the size 

 of a hen's egg or a little larger; this W'ill keep the soil 

 open at all times. Notice that nothing has been said 

 about siimulants or additional food for the trees. Have 

 the inaleriat tlioroughly mixed just as you would if there 

 were a dozen different ingredients before placing it in 

 position. Just a word about mixing soils. It fre- 

 quently hajtpens tliat we have to mix several wagon loads 

 of soil at a time, which is not like having a small pile 

 on the potting shed bench but one that takes time and 

 labor especially if the heap has to be turned twice. Soiiv 

 will say at once that it is impossible" to "mix" a heap of 

 soil by only turning it once. They may be right and 

 they may be wrong; it all depends on the men who arc 

 using the shovels. If they have the right idea in their 

 heads it can be mixed at one turning and being placed 

 in the wheelbarrows. On the contrary if they pick up a 

 shovel full from here and dump it down there in the 

 same solid lump as it was when they picked it up verv 

 little mixing will be done, but, if that same shovelful 

 and all the succeeding ones are taken up with the idea 

 of mixing, and spread out as it leaves the shovel, by the 

 time it reaches the border the ingredients will be mixed 

 at a great saving of labor. Make the peach border quite 

 firm. It should be liardcr than a vine border. 

 Tying Peach Trees 



This job usually comes after all the other more or 

 less laborious work and to the writer has many pleasant 

 reflections. Not only is it the last of all 1;he winter 

 work in tliat house hut the weather can do just as it 



pleases (as it usually does) and there will be nothing to 

 disturb the peace inside. The work is interesting to 

 those who take an interest in their work. It is like con- 

 structing a giant fan. Lay all the heavy wood in first, 

 placing it in position and then making it secure with 

 strong string. A piece of old hose pipe is the best 

 thing that can be put between the tree and the trellis 

 to prevent gumming in the summer time. These trel- 

 lises get very hot at times through the summer and 

 injure the tree, — a fact that must never be lost sight of. 

 No two branches should cross each other and the smaller 

 wood should be laid in so that if each one was extended 

 on, it would not cross its neighbor. The whole should 

 be evenly distributed each having room to grow and 

 develop its foliage. A point should be made to keep the 

 center of the tree open; fill the sides in well and the 

 center w ill always fill up. It may seem a waste of good 

 trellis room to have this space left down the center but 

 it is well for the future benefit of the tree. 



Light 



At this season of the year with the short and often dull 

 days which have a very great effect on all plant growth 

 we can never have too much light or sunshine in the 

 houses. Do we avail ourselves of all that is to be got? 

 If the glass is in any. way dirty it will equal a light 

 shade which must exclude some of the light and sim- 

 shine. This should not be if the plants are to get all 

 that is coming to them. It would be a big job to clean 

 off some of the large houses through the country but 

 the larger the liouse the chances of "drawing" seem cor- 

 lesponding less. We usually make a practice of wash- 

 ing all fruit houses thoroughly inside but seldom do we 

 hear of washing the glass on the outside. Take a 

 house of melons, for instance, growing through the 

 winter months. Suppose this to be near a chimney 

 that is continuallv throwing out smut through burning 

 of soft coal. Wash the glass off and it will surprise you 

 what a quantity of light is being excluded through 

 allowing this corrosive matter to remain. At this season 

 it may not be easy to iind a suitable day for the job 

 but there is sure to be a time when it can be got in and 

 it will pay for the doing. 



Turnip Tops 



Turnip tojih are often used in lieu of seakale. Some- 

 times, I have been told, they are substituted without the 

 knowledge of the diners and pass successfully without 

 being detected. This course is not always necessary for 

 many will relish them with a due knowledge of what 

 they are eating. They are very easily raised. All that 

 is necessary is good large turnips, a small space in the 

 forcing house where the light is excluded and the roots 

 can be kept .moist and syringed occasionally. Failing a 

 house of this description place them under a bench in 

 a house having a temperature of about 55 to 60 at night 

 and keep thcni fi'om the light. Sec they are kept moist 

 at the root and also that they are syringed at least twice 

 a day. It is an easy matter to forget things in these 

 I'laces. 



