February 23, 1918 



HORTICULTURE 



175 



Vegetable Culture 



Questions by our readers iii line with any of tlie topics presented 

 on this page will be cordially received and promptly answered 

 by Mr. Johnson. Such communications should invariably be ad- 

 dressed to the office of HORTICULTURE. 



CONDUCTED BY 



Hot Beds 



The ambition of every gardeuer sliould be to grow 

 high-quality vegetables as well as to push the veg- 

 etable garden to the utmost capacity throughout the 

 entire growing season. To facilitate a continued pro- 

 duction over an extended period, the aid of a certain 

 amount of glass becomes a necessity. Assuming that 

 the average cultivator possesses this facility, a busy 

 time is now at hand. Whether it be with the help of a 

 small greenhouse or a few hot-bed frames only, much 

 can be accomplished. If the frames are unheated, 

 collect manure for making a hot bed at once. To be 

 successful this liot-bed must not only generate heat but 

 at the same time it must be of a lasting quality. It 

 must be made to conserve heat. For making a reli- 

 able hat-bed nothing surpasses fresh horse manure. 

 While horse droppings alone generate a maximum of 

 heat when piled together, to make a bed retentive of 

 heat, it will be necessary to allow short strawy litter 

 or forest leaves to enter the formation. Having the 

 material in a thoroughly fit condition before making 

 up the bed is of greatest importance. The manure 

 should be turned a sufficient number of times to 

 sweeten, and should be neither too wet nor too dry. At 

 each turning, work the outer portions of the heap into 

 the interior to insure equal fermentation of the entire 

 mass. When ready the material will be of a dark color, 

 damp enough to pack under pressure but not so wet 

 as to pa.rt with moisture. The depth to which the bed 

 should be made will depend on local conditions, but a 

 well-made and well-trodden bed twenty inches deep 

 will meet ordinary requirements at this season. Make 

 sowings of cauliflower, cabbage, tomato, onion, ieek, 

 lettuce and a pinch of celery for first supplies outdoors. 

 In the green house these same kinds may be raised with 

 much less trouble. Aim to raise a stock of the various 

 jkinds sufficient but in proportionate quantities to the 

 ■demand of the establishment. 



Preparedness 



A little foresight now will do much to lessen the 

 perplexities which .sometimes arise at planting time. 

 Now while the ground is snow clad is the time to fore- 

 cast future work, the disposition of ground for the 



various crops and so on. Have everything in readiness 

 before the spring rush. Procure pea brush, and bean 

 poles, and have tliem sharpened if not already done. 

 Varieties to Plant Now 



Mustard, cress and the small leaf radish may be sown 

 in odd corners of the greenhouse and will be appreci- 

 ated long before those in the open ground turn in. If 

 you have room don't forget to start beets, carrots, spin- 

 ach and string beans. All will grow to maturity in the 

 hot-bed if planted now. Indeed, string beans may be 

 grown to perfection in pots. Use 9 in. or 10 in. pots 

 half filled with a rich porous compost and plant half a 

 dozen seeds in each. Stand the pots in a newly started 

 fruit house, either grapery or peach house. When the 

 pots are filled with roots give the plants a top dressing. 

 Masterpiece and Bountiful are good varieties for this 

 purpose. A few seeds of a variety of long cucumber if 

 started now may be later planted in the bench now used 

 for propagating bedding stock. If cucumbers are not 

 approved, substitute melons. A brisk heat is essential 

 to these plants from the lieginning. 



Cauliflower and Lettuce 



Cauliflower and lettuce approaching maturity should 

 not be unduly forced. Keep the house cool, water more 

 copiously with the lengthened days and admit air freely 

 when conditions warrant. Both are gross feeders and 

 weak liquid manure applied at this stage of their 

 growth -^nll be helpful. Maintain vigilant watch for 

 insect pests and fumigate lightly on the first appear- 

 ance, or lietter still, fumigate systematically as a pre- 

 ventive. 



Tomatoes 



Tomatoes raised from seed last month should be 

 kept in a temperature of not less than 60 degrees and 

 should be kept on the move by frequent potting. Use 

 good porous soil in the early stages but avoid richness. 

 These plants require very little feeding in the begin- 

 ning but after fruit is "set" may be given generous 

 treatment. Plants started already will furnish ripe 

 fruit in three or four months' time and will continue 

 bearing until the outdoor plants come into bearing. 

 Support the plants in good time and remove lateral 

 trrowths as they appear. 



TWO GREAT ROSE NOVELTIES. 



American Beauty roses of first qual- 

 ity and in abundance are seldom found 

 at this season of the year but V. R. 

 Pierson has a crop coming on now of 

 stalwart specials such as one miglit be 

 proud of at any season. They are fully 

 a month ahead of last year. Chief in- 

 terest in a visit to Scarborough now, 

 however, centers in the two new 

 Ophelia sports, Rosalind and Silvia 

 which are being disseminated this 

 spring, and are destined to take a per- 

 manent i;lace in the cut flower market. 

 Rosalind excels its parent chiefly in 

 color and petalage. It has about 



double the number of petals, forming 

 a beautifully filled flower as it expands. 

 The color is much deeper than Ophelia 

 and at the base of the petals there is a 

 lively luminosity not easy to describe 

 but lovely to see. As the flower ages 

 it assumes a pure pink color with no 

 suggestion of fading. Silvia, on the 

 other hand, is lighter than her parent, 

 carrying extremely wide and long 

 petals of wliite, pearly flushed and few 

 in number. When fully open it forms 

 a flower of enormous size with a mass 

 of bright stamens, on the order of 

 Silver .Moon, and for vase work in this 

 form it should make a decided hit as 



the petals are very persistent. It is a 

 remarkably strong grower, producing 

 flowers on towering stems and of great 

 substance. 



Mr. Pierson has all his roses, 

 American Beauty included, on low ce- 

 ment-bordered beds — no raised benches. 

 The Beauties in one big house are five 

 and six years old and their vigor is 

 remarkable. They bore a full crop at 

 Christmas and, as above mentioned, 

 are again at it. Hoosier Beauty does 

 better here than in most places, mak- 

 ing a fine growth and blooming with 

 great freedom, color of flower and 

 strength of stem very satisfactory. 



