June 3, 1911 



HORTICULT U R E 



811 



Fruits and Vegetables Under Glass 



-ML'LCHIXG 



Now tliiit the liot woatlier is with us all borders will 

 he lit'ttiT with a ii)nl(!i of some kind over them. This 

 will hcl]) til retain their moi^iture ; keeps the borders 

 cool, forms a eover as it were, which can be damped 

 often witiiniit injury to the roots, and this will help 

 draw n|) surface roots. Where cow-manure was used as 

 a stimulant, little more will lie wanted, but if this was 

 applied to early houses and has worn down, a light 

 mulching of old mushroom lied can be added. Young 

 vines growing in newly-made borders will need no stim- 

 ulants, yet a mulching is lieneficial. Spent muslu-oom 

 hed can be used on these or new leafsoil will also an- 

 swer the purpose. There is just a chance if the leafsoil 

 is not good, that it may contain the mycelium of some 

 fungus wluch may work its way into the soil to the det- 

 riment of the roots. All sticks and other rubbish must 

 be picked out and only the half-decayed leaves used. 

 Mulchings will need to be four inches thick to answer 

 the purpose. Young peach trees making their first sea- 

 son's growth will not need mulching. 



ORCHAKD HOUSE 



As orchard house fruit conunences to show signs of 

 ripening cea.-^e feeding and use less atmospheric mois- 

 ture. All ventilators can be left wide open and a light 

 shade will prolong the season of the fruit. One-half of 

 the house can be so treated and the other left without 

 shade. The early varieties could be worked up to this 

 latter end, which all helps to make a succession. To be 

 sure of finishing ])ears to perfection they should be tied 

 to the tree to prevent bruising should they fall. A pear 

 often requires a week or ten days to finish up after 

 picking and will often drop off so long before being ripe. 

 Bv tying a piece of raffia on the stalk of the fniit and 

 then an inch or so back on the wood the fruit can he 

 left to hang until it is ripe without fear of bruising. 

 Apples are best propped up to the sun similar to peaches. 

 A few strong stakes will need to be put to the tree to 

 pull it into shape and get the fruit on one side. Wire 

 of moderate strength should be bent into the shape of a 

 dipper (rim and handle) and cotton wool twisted 

 around the rim to prevent bruising. When this is re- 

 versed and tied into position by the handle the apple 

 will rest on the rim and get all the benefits of the air 

 and being exposed both apples and pears can be finished 

 outside. Plunge the pots to the rim in ashes and 

 give a light shade with cheese cloth through the hottest 

 hours of tlie day. 



KEEPING PK.VCIIES AXD XECT.\EINES 



At times we find ourselves confronted with the prob- 

 lem of holding peaches and nectarines for a week or so 

 to have them in tor some special occasion, which may 

 have suddenly presented itself. This is no easy task as 

 peaches and nectarines giown inside are hard subjects to 

 keep for any lengtli of time. A few days or a week per- 

 haps is tlie limit, after tliey are ripe. They should be 



left on the trees iintil there is danger of their falling 

 and then handle with the ixtmost care, as a slight 

 bruise on a ripe fniit soon shows itself. Some varieties 

 are given to drop their fruit, while others will hold 

 them for sometime. Duke of York has every other good 

 point but this. It finishes its fruit in record time and 

 seems to want to lie rid of them Just as quickly. Alex- 

 ander is another instance of this. Hale's Early, Pere- 

 grine and Thomas Rivers are not so liable to drop their 

 fniit. Pot trees can lie kept back by placing them in; 

 a cool shady place, but after the second swelling has 

 commenced with those planted out little else can be- 

 done excepting keeping the hoiise wide open. The fruit 

 can be kept for a few days in an ice box if handled care- 

 fully when being gathered. 



MELONS 



Melons will now be easily grown in cold frames.. 

 Make a good sized mound in the center of the sash and 

 when planting press down firmly. Do not allow too 

 many lateral growths to remain; leave enough only to 

 get a crop. After fruit is set close the sash up to one 

 inch when syringing late in the afternoon. After they 

 attain the size of eggs place a piece of wood on an in- 

 verted pot for them to rest on, to keep them off the wet 

 soil where snails and other things are liable to nuirk 

 them. 



*^fe^-x^ 



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'''«^>'V.i. 



Lilium myriophyllum 



The subject of our cover illustration this week is- 

 one that bids fair to be a very familiar object in com- 

 mercial floriculture within a very few years. Lilium- 

 myriophyllum, although introduced some years ago in 

 Endand, is a new-comer in this country, the bulbs hav- 

 ing been collected for R. & J. Farquhar & Co. of Bos- 

 ton by E. H. Wilson on Ids last Chinese collecting expe- 

 dition. It is said that the climate in this country suits 

 L. myriophyllum much better than that of England. 

 Mr. Wilson considers it the best of all lilies. It grows 

 naturally on sluillow soil and moss on rocks and is a 

 great favorite with the natives of Northwestern China- 

 who grow it universally on the roofs of their porches. 

 It is absolutely hardy, more so even than speciosum. 

 Its forcing qualities are such that the prediction that it 

 is to be the Easter lily of the future — and home-grown- 

 at tliat — seems not unreasonable. The flower is white,, 

 with a slight suffusion of pink on the outside and a tint 

 of almost canary yellow at the centre. It is delightfully 

 perfumed, reminding of the Jasmine and lacking the- 

 heavy oppressive odor of most lilies. It usually throws 

 u]i secondary stems from the bulb which give a second 

 crop of flowers. It grows to a height of four to five- 

 feet. 



