May 13, 1916 



HORTICULTURE 



661 



ROSE GROWING UNDER GLASS 



CONDLCTKU BV 



•C4t^(^^-y^'<y'^-^<^ 



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

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



Late Mulching 



The houses that are to lie run for a little while yet and 

 will not be planted until about July, will produce much 

 more and of a much l)etter quality if they are kept 

 mulched all the time. For tliese late mulches only well- 

 decayed cow manure should be used, for the fresh ma- 

 nure would prove too much of a stimulant to the plants, 

 making a lot of soft growth which would mildew at the 

 very first cause and from this the disease would likely 

 spread to the growth surrounding. When applying these 

 late mulches do not put on too much manure all at once. 

 It would take a lot of time to do this and a good deal of 

 manure, a good portion of which would be wasted as the 

 plants could not begin to take up all of it at once. It 

 would be much better to apply a little more in two weeks 

 or so. If good decayed manure is used it will not be 

 necessary to use any soil with it, for the latter would only 

 prove a nuisance when the soil has to be wheeled out. 

 Do not have the plants too dry when the manure is ap- 

 plied, so that when it is watered it will not harm the 

 roots of the plants. It should be watered as soon as it 

 is applied, even though this may be late in the afternoon 

 or almost evening. Tliis watering will kill any heat that 

 may be in the manure and will also wash down the am- 

 monia which would otherwise escape and be a loss even 

 though it did no damage to the leaves and flowers. Quick 

 growers such as Shawyer, Ophelia, Sunburst, etc., will 

 take hold of the manure at once and will show different 

 color is two days; yes, even in one day if the ])lants have 

 been a little starved. Wliere cow tiianure is not to be liad 

 or when no time can be spared to apjjly it tiierc are ninny 

 other fertilizers that can be given as substitutes. Bone 

 meal, tankage, dried blood, sheep manure, hen manure. 

 etc., all are highly concentrated fertilizers and must be 

 applied with care, and for best results must l)c experi- 

 mented with right on the place, for a set rule cnninit-bc 

 laid down for all places because of the difference in the 

 soils. The best time we find to apjdy manure or other 

 fertilizers is when a crop liegins to come on and while 

 the young shoots are only an Inch long or even when the 

 buds begin to break. As soon as the plants get in this 

 stage they will take more water and the manure applied 

 will help them along ever so much. Owing to the fact 

 that we have to depend on foreign labor to do a large 

 part of the work in the greenhouses, we use and recom- 

 mend cow manure as much as is possible for we find 

 from experience that chemicals applied by unskilled 

 hands often do more hann than good, where with cow 

 manure no one can go very far wrong. Even if it 

 should be applied at tlie wroiiff time it is not very likely 

 to ruin the plants, merely holding them back a bit, frotii 

 which they soon recover and then grow better than ever. 

 Do not use manures or fertilizers that are too rich in 

 nitrogen as this forces the plants too much, causing 

 soft growtli. and trouble will result sooner or later. Pure 



nitrate of soda should never be used on roses except in 

 rare cases and then only under direction of someone who 

 knows what he is doing. 



The Side Ventilators 



With the first few hot days comes the temptation to 

 open the side ventilators to keep the houses cool. We 

 never use the side vents except when the houses are 

 being planted and for a while after that so as not to 

 roast the young plants that have just been planted. We 

 would advise every one to be very careful when using 

 these side ventilators unless one has previous experience 

 on the very place. It often happens that the buildings, 

 trees, hills, etc., surrounding the greenhouses will be so 

 situated as to cause the air currents to run so that no 

 harm will result and the plants will be better off if the 

 side vents are used. This, however, is an exception as 

 we have found most jilaces would be ruined by the use 

 of side air in the spring of the year. It will also be 

 necessary to be very careful with the ventilators in tlie 

 wide houses, we finding it necessary to change the air 

 from side to side as the wind changes, seldom if ever 

 having the ventilators open full on both sides of the 

 ridge. On real hot days we open the vents up full on 

 one side and about one-third or so on the windward side, 

 this depending on the velocity of the wind and its direc- 

 tion, and according to the "feel" of the air. Some day 

 we may see things so that we shall say carry so much air 

 when the- thermometer is so much, the barometer so 

 much, the humidity, etc., with the wind so blowing at 

 such many miles an hour, but those highly scientific days 

 have not come yet to commercial places, although we 

 have no doubt that some greenhouses may be run that 

 way here and there on a private place or college. 



Yucca filamentosa 



Our cover illustration this week well illustrates one 

 of the handsomest flowering plants of the hardy gar- 

 den. A native of Xorth America, it has been used very 

 extensively in European gardens for many years, and 

 though there are niinierous other species and varieties 

 the typical Y. filamentosa still remains the hardiest and 

 one of the most beautiful for this climate. The ever- 

 green foliage forms a dense rosette, from the center of 

 which i-ises in midsuninier a stately branching spike, 

 s(mie five to six feet high, carrying numerous large de- 

 liciously j>erfumed creamy white flowers, and these 

 prwlucc a very striking ai)pearance if groups are planted 

 on the lawn or in some isolated position. Being im- 

 patient of removal, yuccas should not l>e disturbed after 

 i)ecoming established and all that is necessary to ensure 

 success is a well draim-d loamy soil and a light covering 

 of leaves in the winter. Our [ihotograph was taken iu 

 the garden of George P.. Dorr at \\;w Ifarbor, Maine. 



