354 



HOKTICULTUHE 



March 18, 1911 



and the others should have their stems run at right an- 

 gles to the main stem of the bunch, or, in other words, 

 should look to be in tiers, each tier of berries being one 

 flat row. In nearly every case this will necessitate all 

 the underneath berries and any growing upwards being 

 removed. Seedless berries are useless and can be re- 

 moved right away. Do not allow berries to get too large 

 and over-crowded before thinning, otherwise it will take 

 double the amount of time and berries are often pricked 

 with the scissors. The grafting of bunches can be re- 

 duced at time of thinning. Five is enough for a pot vine 

 to carry successfully. 



STEAWBERRIES 



Cease feeding strawberries as soon as the fruit begins 

 to show color. Give as much clear water as they will 

 take, and all the air and light possible. A shelf near the 

 glass is an ideal place. Leave a crack of air on the house 

 all night if the weather will allow. Other batches can be 

 brought in at intervals and will come along much more 

 quickly than formerly. 



MELONS 



Melons started the first of the year will now be swell- 

 ing their fruit and will need nets to support them. Two 

 or three fruits are all that plants will carry successfully 

 now. If surface roots are plentiful give a light top dress- 

 ing, adding some good manure to the soil. This can be 

 repeated as the roots show through again, but do not put 

 any soil around the stem or later on it may cause canker. 

 Feed twice a week if no top dressing is added. Syringe 

 morning and afternoon, shutting up early enough to run 

 the house up to 90 degrees and taking care to have the 

 plants dry again before night. 



PEAS AND DVyAEF BUSH BEANS 



These can be sown in boxes 3 feet by 6 inches, having 

 bottoms which are easily removed. These can be brought 

 on inside and as soon as the weather is safe can be trans- 

 ferred to the open ground, by removing the bottom, with- 

 out damaging the young plants. They will be in several 

 weeks ahead of any sown in the open ground. 



*^--v^ 



^ 



--tTw., 



Mr. Penson's next notes will be on: Care of Muscat vines; 

 Packing strawberries; Apples and pears; Late peach houses; 

 Work In the kitchen garden. 



The Cultivation of Gardenias for 

 Winter Blooming 



To cultivate the gardenia successfully and profitably 

 it is necessary to have good strong plants well rooted in 

 3-inch pots ready to plant in the benches by the middle 

 of May. To have plants this size the cuttings should 

 have been rooted in January in a good bottom heat, 

 placed inside a glass case, and will as a rule be ready to 

 pot into small pots in about three weeks, when they 

 should be returned to the case until they are nicely 

 rooted in the soil, after which they should be taken out 

 and placed on a bed of ashes as close to the glass as is 

 reasonable. 



If possible lay up a heap of good sod with alternate 

 layers of green cow manure, the latter to be spread so 

 that it is about one third the thickness of the layers of 



sod. This should be laid up as long as possible before 

 using and, as above stated, the plants should be ready 

 for benching by about the middle of May. Cover the 

 bottom of the benches with a thinly-cut sod, laying the 

 grass side downwards. Chop down and bring in the soil 

 which has been laid up, and fill the benches level to the 

 top which, I presume, will be about five inches deep in- 

 side, and which is all the depth necessary. Let the soil 

 lie in this state exposed to the sun three or four days to 

 dry it out thoroughly, then give the bed a thorough 

 pounding all over, making it as level as possible. This 

 will incorporate the cow manure with the soil so that it 

 will be scarcely noticeable and also counteract the crude- 

 ness of the same. Now set the plants out fifteen inches 

 apart each way. 



I prefer benches that are not too wide — about four 

 feet and five or six inches wide as they dry out better and 

 are more easy to get at in syringing. These will take 

 three rows of plants planted about four inches from the 

 outside of the benches and it also gives a better circula- 

 tion of air through the plants. Use no shade on the glass 

 whatsoever, giving them all the sun possible, and syringe- 

 them five or six times a day all through the summer, 

 keeping plenty of moisture on the floors at all times. 

 Toward the fall some of the syringing can be dispensed 

 with, but not entirely so all through the year, as these 

 plants should be sprayed over at least twice a day even 

 in winter, providing you have your temperature right ; in 

 the morning and again early in the afternoon. This is 

 very essential as if applied with force it tends to keep- 

 down red spider and mealy bug to which they are an easy 

 prey. 



Water the plants individually after they are first 

 planted until the roots begin to run well in the soil when 

 the benches should be watered all over. It would be 

 well, in fact it is almost necessary — to have water in the 

 winter time, both for syringing and watering, the same 

 temperature as the house they are growing in. This 

 prevents any check, helps the buds to expand and open 

 more quickly and also is one of the preventives of the- 

 falling of the buds. Plenty of air should be given all 

 through the summer and the early fall. Throw the ven- 

 tilators wide open both on the top and front all through 

 the hot weather, not even closing the top ones at night 

 and if the nights are warm leave the front air on as well. 

 This is very important as it helps to solidify and ripen- 

 the wood without which your show of flowers will be very 

 scant. Even in the winter time air should be given in- 

 small qiiantities on all favorable occasions raising the 

 ventilators on top about half an inch when the inside 

 temperature reaches 75 degrees and increase in small 

 quantities as the glass continues to rise, without giving 

 any chilling effects, closing them down when the ther- 

 mometer touches 72 degrees and at the same time damp- 

 ing the floors down well. The night temperature in the- 

 winter should be kept about 68 to 70 degrees. 



After the plants have grown six or seven inches pinch 

 back all the leading shoots on each plant to make them 

 break and give them a foundation. Continue this up 

 until the latter part of July, at the same time taking oS 

 any flower beds which may appear. Now let the plants 

 make all the growth possible after which when completed 

 they will set their flower buds for the winter. Be sure 

 that the plants never suffer for water- as this is likely tO' 

 cause the buds to fall off in a shower. 



Another very essential thing is the position of the hot 

 water pipes. It is almost useless to attempt to grow 

 these plants unless the pipes run underneath each bench 

 as there is nothing in my estimation which will give gar- 

 denias the sickly foliage sometimes seen, as to have their 

 feet all the time wet and cold. As the beds become filled' 



