-278 



HORTICULTURE 



March 4, 1911 



ciiiiiinative, but in regard to the excellent qualities of 

 Kheinkoenig they have been unanimous. Rhoinkoenig 

 ivill lie dis^FPininatcd this coining reason. 



-^ieAyQjui-^c/&uy 



Northeast Harbor, Maine. 



Fruit and Vegetables Under Glass 



PEACHES AND NECTARINES 



Early peaches and nectarines will now be swelling 

 their fruit and if a good set has been obtained it 

 •will be necessary to thin out some of the weaker and 

 deformed ones. If the set is light no good fruits need 

 be removed at this stage. Take ofE any that may have 

 had two pistils (a frequent occurrence) to the flower — 

 which will look like two fruits joined. If these are left 

 the chances are they will not finish, failing to stone alto- 

 gether or having split stones. Two fruits resulting from 

 flowers being on either side of one growth bud should 

 not be left together, as there is not room for fruit to 

 swell to a good size without deforming each other, even 

 if the growth is strong enough to carry them. Fi'uit set 

 on wood without a growth in front of it must not be 

 relied on as these, in all probability, will drop through 

 lack of sap. 



Use care and judgment in thinning at this early stage. 

 A few can always be taken off, where a "vis-a-vis" is im- 

 possible. Trees should always carry a double crop up to 

 and through stoning period as this is a critical time, 

 when many fruits may drop, apparently without a cause. 



Disbudding of growth buds should be completed, 

 leaving each shoot room to grow without over-crowding. 

 Maintain a night temperature of 55 degrees to 58 degrees 

 in mild weather, dropping a few degrees should the 

 night be frosty. Give the usual advance by day. Syringe 

 evei'y bright morning and dampen around thoroughly 

 when closing up. This should be done early enough to 

 allow the temperature to run up to 70 degrees to 75 de- 

 grees which will cause a good sweat. 



Later houses will now be coming into flower. Give as 

 much air as possible up to noon. With the sun to bring 

 the flowers to a fit state to receive the pollen, there is no 

 difficulty to get a good set, but with such a sunless time 

 as we had here in Jersey during the early part of Feb- 

 ruary, it is no easy task. One good day is enough to get 

 a set if it is at the right time, but when this is not forth- 

 coming for weeks we find the only course is to turn on a 

 little more heat and admit a crack of air during the 

 morning hours, raising the temperature to 65 degrees by 

 noon and going over the flowers in the usual way. There 

 is no advantage in getting a few pipes hot ; instead more 

 pipes should be used, making a nice buoyant atmosphere. 

 Even this is no guarantee; sunshine is the thing. 



VINES IN FLOWER 



What has been said in the preceding notes is applica- 

 ble to vines in flower. Black Hamburghs are easy set- 

 ters — a great point at this time of year. This, combined 

 with its other qualities makes it what it is — the best for 

 early work. Give a night temperature of 65 degrees to 

 70 degrees, raising witli sun heat to 80 degrees to 85 

 degrees. Admit air enough to keep a dry atmosphere 

 even though it is necessary to keep the pipes warm, but 

 avoid draughts. Fertilize as soon as pollen can be seen 

 on the stamens. Now that j)ot vines have fully expanded 

 foliage, a sharp look-out must be maintained to keep 

 the roots properly moist, for dryness at the root from 

 now on spells disaster. 



HOT BEDS 



From now on, according to locality, hot beds can be 



made and used to great advantage. Get good fresh 

 horse manure, straw included, just as it is turned out of 

 the stables and mix in clean oak leaves, using three parts 

 of manure to two of leaves. This should be thrown to- 

 gether, turned, and mixed up once a day for a week or 

 ten days, before placing in the sash. Wlien filling in, 

 tread down firmly and leave it for two or three days 

 before covering with soil. The temperature can he 

 gauged by pushing a sharp-pointed stick into the bed" 

 after making up and feeling with the hand as it is with- 

 drawn. 



The earliest and best vegetables are obtained when 

 grown on a mild bottom heat as is afforded by such a 

 hot bed. Hot water pipes have been employed to fur- 

 nish this but are not so satisfactory, for, in spite of 

 careful watching they are liable to get hot and conse- 

 quently dry out anything above them. Heated pits or 

 sash with a sufficiently thick wall or side are a great ac- 

 quisition to any establishment where early vegetables are 

 looked for ; even where a vegetable house is at command, 

 better results can be obtained along in the spring from a 

 heated frame. Seedlings are near the glass all the time, 

 lots of air can be admitted when weather permits and, as 

 the season advances, sash can be lifted off altogether 

 during the day. Should cold nights set in a little heat 

 can be turned on to keep a good growing temperature. 

 One 2-inch pipe run around the frame is all that is neces- 

 sary. Where heat cannot be given material should be 

 piled up around the sides and blankets used for covering 

 over the sash. 



Cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce, endive, etc., can be sown 

 in drills or flats and planted out later on, or early sown- 

 plants now in pots and flats can be planted at once. 

 Beans, spinach, radishes, parsley, potatoes, etc., etc., can 

 also be put in in the usual way and good crops obtained. 



RHUBARB 



This will now force easily if large pots, barrels or 

 boxes are inverted over each root and sufficient ferment- 

 ing material placed around them. This will warm the 

 soil below and also the limited space above. A whole 

 block can be forced on this way, by covering over a few 

 each week. 



ONIONS AND LEEKS 



Onions and leeks will now be ready for a shift into 

 fours. Use a well enriched soil, clean pots, and give 

 good drainage. Keep near the glass if possible: this 

 helps to keep the plants sturdy. 



6 ^f-^^ 



-<^^Vv., 



Cropping Pear and Apple Trees 



These trees are often weakened and ruined by over 

 cropping while in the young stage. The soil and situa- 

 tion may be all that can be desired, but if the trees 

 are not treated carefully when young, good results can- 

 not be expected. Some varieties may need root-i)run- 

 ing to check rank growth and induce fruitfuluess, but 

 tlie early, free-bearing sorts often get crippled at 

 the start. Sometimes fniit buds will form on the 

 ends of the leading shoots and if allowed to bloom and 

 produce fruit, cripple the trees and prevent any progress 

 being made. These fruit buds should be removed at 

 pruning time, also any that may be near the ends of 

 the leading shoots as they, too, have a crippling ten- 

 dency. Some people are naturally anxious to secure 



