February 12, 1916 



HOKTICULTUKE 



ROSE GROWING UNDER GLASS 



^ . CONDCCTKD BY 



uestlons by our readers In line with any of the topics presented on tbls page will be cordially received and promptly answered 

 by Mr. Ruzicka. Such commanlcatlona should InTariably be addressed to the office of HORTICULTURE. 



Clear, Cold Weather 



After quite a cloudy spell the weather is clear ouce 

 more for which A\e are grateful even though it should 

 come off verj' cold, making big holes into the coal bin. 

 As soon as the plants arc hardened off a little, get right 

 after the spider by syringing all the houses thoroughly, 

 especially those from which wood is to be taken for 

 propagation, >Syriuge as rapidly as possible, as there is 

 nothing to gain by drenching the plants from top to 

 bottom. Good pressure should be used, and care taken 

 not to tear the leaves. If possible fumigate the houses 

 the night before, and the syringing will do away with 

 a great many greenfly which w^ould otherwise come back 

 to life. Among these are a good many of the old ones 

 which are very liard to kill, but if they are thoroughly 

 sick from nicotine the water will do the rest. 



Temperature 



Do not let the temperature drop too low right after 

 the warm spell, 62 the first night will be about right, 

 with 60 or 58 the next night if the weather turns out 

 to be very severe. 73 will be plenty on the first day 

 or two, not raising the houses to 76 or 78 until the 

 third clear day. This will harden the plants very nice- 

 ly, and will not be too sudden a change for them. 



Sulphur on the Pipes 



After the warm weather it is best to watch out for 

 sulphur fumes in the houses. There may have been 

 more sulphur applied tlien was customary for the low- 

 pressure in the pipes made it evaporate very slowly. 

 Now, with the pipes quite hot, the sulphur will evapor- 

 ate rapidly and if there is too much of it the fumes 

 will become strong enough to do harm. This is all the 

 more possible in tight houses and if there is a good 

 deal of sulphur on the pipes, it is best to go around 

 and brush some of it off or else turn the heat into other 

 pipes which have not been painted with sulphur. As 

 soon as the fumes disapjiear the heat can again he turn- 

 ed into the sulphur pi[M's, iiiniing it olT again as soon 

 as the fumes are becoming strong. This will kill all 

 traces of mildew that may have worked in during the 

 warm cloudy weather and with a good syringing the 

 plants should be clean. 



Feeding 



Houses that are growing very rapidly and have had 

 the feed held away because of cloudy weather, will do 

 better if they get their regular feeding as soon as the 

 plants are hardened a bit and the weather settles to 

 clear and cold. Liquid manure will be used a good deal 

 from now on as it is very good and about as cheap as 



anything that can be purchased. It can be made as rich 

 as the pumps will take it, being careful to have it ^vell 

 strained so as to have no straw and other coarse ma- 

 terials to stop up the pi})es and cut up all the washers in 

 the faucets. Be sure that the plants are wet enough 

 when applying the liquid. It is better to water Hith 

 clear water first, following this with the liquid and us- 

 ing only enough of the latter to saturate the soil, -bus 

 making a tank full go much further than it would if the 

 liquid manure were used same a,s clear water. 



Glass Repairs 



Growers who were wise repaired all broken glass last 

 summer when repairing was comparatively easy. There 

 were a large numlier of panes that were merely cracked 

 and looked as though they were there to stay, yet it is 

 these very ones that are making all the trouble now. 

 They are not as strong as the unbroken gla.ss and as 

 soon as a little snow or ice collects over them, or merely 

 slides over them they go all to pieces. Watch these 

 broken places and see that they are properly cai-ed for 

 until the weather will permit repairing them properly. 

 There is little to he gained in trying to repair glass in 

 bad weather. With the bars coated with ice the work 

 is dangerous, let alone unprofitable, for if the person 

 can feel safe some glass is sure to be broken while being 

 handled when the iiands are stifF with cold. 



Warped Ventilators 



In the older houses, and especially those that are iu 

 bad need of paint, the wood will absorb so much water 

 that it will warp at times. As long as this is in other 

 parts of the house it does not matter so much, but as 

 soon as it comes to the ventilators the warping of these 

 will admit a good deal of cold aii'. which is not wanteil, 

 and as the rest of (he house may W quite tight the coM 

 air currents resulting are likely to cause spots ol' mildew 

 right where they come down on the plants. If the 

 ventilators cannot be fixed by drawing down the arms 

 and tightening the set screws it will be best to tack 

 waterproof paper or cloth over tiiese places so that the 

 cold air will be kept out or at least the curivut broken 

 so that it will not liarni the plants any. Wateli out 

 where the ventilators come together, as the wood often 

 swells and they will not close light. 'Phis may result in 

 broken glass if not remedied so it is well to note jusl 

 which ventilators are giving trouble and have these 

 planed oft as soon as the weather permits. Paint on 

 these will keep a good deal of the water out of the 

 wood and thus keep it from swelling. Thus the green- 

 house that i- >"■" . ii'd f'T will Ldve Ihe least trouhl,'. 



