July 25, 1914 



HORTICULTURE 



103 



ROSE GROWING UNDER GLASS 



CONDUCTED BY 



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Questions by our readers in line n itb any of the topics presented on this page will be cordially received and promptly answered 

 by Mr. Ruzicka. Such communications should invariably be addressed to the office of HORTICULTURE. 



Weeds 



This is the time of the year when the weeds wliieh 

 have been allowed to grow undisturbed since spring, will 

 be in their full glorj-, and if they are not cut down 

 before very many days, there will be an excellent crop 

 of seeds to blow into the greenhouse soil, and all the cul- 

 tivated plots around the greenhouses. It will take but 

 little time to cut these all down with a scythe and burn 

 them when they are dry enough. It pays to keep the 

 place free from all weeds, for the seed will be bound to 

 get into the garden, or somewhere, where it will take 

 time and money to remove them. The weeds especially 

 delight in growing in old soil that has been wheeled out 

 of the houses and ;iot disposed of. If these are allowed 

 to go to seed the old soil will be full of them, and then 

 when the soil is spread on the field or garden there will 

 be an excellent crop of weeds to contend with. Cut all 

 the weeds down, and if they are through blossoming, bet- 

 ter burn them. Should they not be in blossom as yet, 

 they will make excellent humus, and it would be a shame 

 to burn them. Turn them under while they are green. 



Lawns Around the Greenhouses 



There is nothing more pleasing tban a nice short-cut 

 lawn around the greenhouse, and it is surprising how 

 little trouble it is to make one, and then to keep it made 

 after it starts to grow. With plenty of old grass around, 

 old sod, etc., it will be difficult to start a lawn that will 

 be free from weeds. There is only one way to do this, 

 and that is to keep all the ground plowed up for one 

 season, destroying all the vegetation that appears. It 

 i.< well to plow the ground once in a while, and liarrow 

 it again and again, so that at the end of the season, not 

 (inly will all the weeds, old sod and grass of all sorts be 

 dead, but the ground will be in an excellent shape to 

 receive the grass seed. Manure or old greenhouse soil 

 can be mixed in when it is being jdowed and harrowed, 

 and then there will be no trouble to keep a lawn after 

 it gets established, for the soil will lie in good shape, well 

 broken and loose for quite a deptb. 



Signs 



You seldom see a factors- without a sign on it as to 

 the name of the firm and the articles manufactured, and 

 we think all florists should have signs over their green- 

 houses with their name, and their specialty. The re- 

 turns on the investment might not come in at once, but 

 in time the sign would not only pay for itself, but would 



earn good dividends. Just to illustrate, a man of means 

 passed a greenhouse place in his car for several years 

 without ever Icnowing who owned the greenhouses, 

 and what he grew. He bought flowers in the city, and 

 was real surprised when once he learned that he could 

 liuy better flowers right on bis way home. A yeai"'s trade 

 with this man would have paid for the sign that the 

 florist might have had. Keep advertising, and adver- 

 tising will keep you. 



Syringing: 



Do not neglect to syringe your plants as often as is 

 possible. It has a limit, too, but as a rule the plants 

 are not syringed enough. By syringing we do not mean 

 just taking the hose and sprinkling the water all over 

 tlie bouse, wetting the plants and the walls. We would 

 call that "sprinkling."" When syringing, it should be 

 (lone thoroughly, taking care to syringe well into all the 

 corners, and around all the braces, and where the hose 

 meets between the faucets. Always try to get as little 

 water on the benches as possible, and always syringe 

 from the back of the benches to the front so as to 

 throw as much water into the walks, and when syring- 

 ing the front rows syringe so as to keep the water right 

 in front without throwing it on the back rows too much. 

 This is not so very impoi-tant in the summer when the 

 lienches will dry out anyhow, but it afEords a good chance 

 to get into good practice for the winter, for it is easy to 

 see where the water falls, now when the plants are small. 

 Use plenty of pressure, but not enough to tear all the 

 leaves to pieces. 



The Pots 



There never was a better time than the hot days of 

 summer to get all the pots washed and into shape for 

 the coming season when they will be needed again. 

 Pot washers can be bought reasonably, and they will 

 certainly save a lot of time. A handy man on the place 

 will make one very easily, and a small electric motor will 

 not cost much to run it. Where neither pot washer or 

 motor are to be had, the good old-fashioned way of wash- 

 ing by hand will do. At any rate it is best to wash all 

 the pots clean, and never use a dirty pot. We would 

 never wear soiled clothes, or change into soiled clothes. 

 Plants are much the same way. They have to be kept 

 clean to do at all well. Wash the pots now and see that 

 they are washed clean. It is very important to remove 

 all green scum and dirt, leaving the pot fresh and sweet, 

 as good as new. 



The Special Convention Number of Horticulture 



WILL BE ISSUED ON AUGUST 15 



This will be an issue of exceptional Interest and will be widely circulated and widely read. Its value 

 as an advertising medium for all floral and horticultural material cannot be over estimated. S. A. F. 

 trade is always worth a special effort at Convention time. Send your order in early and it will have 

 our best attention. 



