June 17. 1016 



HOKTICULTURE 



ROSE GROWING UNDER GLASS 



CONDCCTED BY 



e *- . *-" 



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

 by Mr. Ruzicka. Such communleatlons Bbould Invariably be addressed to the office of HORTICTJLTDEE. 



Do Not Neglect the Young Plants 



With tlie rush of phuiting, repairing, building and 

 wliat not, it is always best to take time to look after the 

 young stock. It is from this tliat the money will come 

 ill for the coming .season and, more than that, it will 

 have to furnish wood for plants in the future. It should 

 therefore receive all the care possible to insure strong. 

 healthy vigorous plants. To begin with it is best to 

 liave at least twenty-five extra plants for every hundred 

 in two-and-a-cpiarter in. pots. When these are shifted 

 the plants should be carefully selected and all culls 

 thrown out, thus reducing the number of extras to 

 about ten for every hundred. When the plants are 

 shifted again, the culls or all \inpromising plants should 

 be thrown out again, bringing the number of extras to 

 about five. Of course the cuttings must be selected 

 when potting the first time so that the plants will be 

 good nearly all the way through. Then when planting 

 time comes the best plants can be [)icked out and the 

 remaining poor ones thrown away. With this system 

 there will be plenty of nice plants to start with if they 

 are kept going all the time, and that is why they should 

 not be neglected now. The plants grow very fast now if 

 given a chance, and all that are not to be planted for 

 three weeks or more and are well rooted, had better be 

 put into larger pots unless they are already in the fours, 

 in which case they sboidd be spread a lea.?t bit and top 

 dressed with fine bonemeal. In spreading the jjlants it 

 will be as well not to give them too much room as the 

 pots would dry out too quickly, even though they are 

 sunk about half into the ashes on the bench. With 

 Beauties, the tallest should be staked and tied to keep 

 them from laying ,all over. Keep free from weeds as 

 these are great robbers of plant food, sun and air. To 

 clean the plants properly, it is best to go over them every 

 so often and pick off all yellow leaves, watching out for 

 spot, remove all weeds and then set the plants on the 

 bench again, being careful to set the taller in the rear or 

 the north side of the bench, and the .smaller and weaker 

 on the south side which will give them a better chance 

 to grow, not being shaded by the tall ones as they would 

 be if the plants were all mixed. Wliile cleaning it is 

 well to note any trace of spider or fly, or any otlier dis- 

 ease that may be about starting in. 



Keep the Fires Going 



We said the same thing a wliile ago, and the way the 

 weather has been lately we need not be afraid to repeal 

 it. The nights are very cool and the wet rainy days 

 real chilly, which means mildew unless beat is turned 

 on. A pipe of steam even at low pressure will be of 

 great benefit to the roses, carrying a little air at the same 

 time, which will give the plants fresh warm air to 

 breathe. Sulphur will have to be used quite fi-ecly on the 



pipes as with low pressure they will not be very hot and 

 the sulphur will evaporate very slowly. If a trace of 

 mildew appears here and there a little sulpliur mixed 

 with lime and dusted on the plants will help to keep it 

 from spreading. Keep all doors closed all the time and 

 see that everybody does the same. Often a dose of mil- 

 dew may be traced to an open door, where a few plants 

 got it and it spread all over from them. If the plants 

 have been well cared for, there will be plenty of roses to 

 cut for quite a while yet, and if these can be kept free 

 from mildew they will bring a good price compared to 

 the returns for the mildewed stock. Keep the fires going 

 and keep mildew out. 



Spraying Roses 



Mr. Arthur C. Ruzicka: 



Dear Sir. — From time fo time you have recommended 

 for leaf spot, black spot, etc., a spray of ammoniacal cop- 

 per carbonate. Will yo>i kindly tell how to prepare tliis 

 for spraying outdoor roses and how often to apply. Will 

 appreciate very much your help. 



Yours truly. A. C. 



Aiiswci-.— To mix this preiiaraiion in small (juantities 

 take two ounces of cojiper carbonate and put same into 

 cai'then pot, adding enough ammonia to dissolve the 

 i'op]jer. AVheu thoroughly dissolving the copper, add the 

 I'esulting mixture to two gallons of water, mix well, and 

 then apply at once, as the mixture loses strength very 

 fast if left exposed to the air. ITnlike ai)plying nicotine, 

 it is best to apply this mi a clear day when the venti- 

 lators are open at least a little. This gives the ammonia 

 fumes a chance to escape without doing any damage to 

 the plants and flowers. For outside work the mixture 

 can b(! made a little stronger, using about five jiounds of 

 copper carbonate to fifty gallons of water, with enough 

 ammonia to dissolve the copper. It should be apjilied 

 late in I lie afternoon, and only to plants that are plenty 

 u-et enough at the root, as it will surely bum all that ar(> 

 (Irv, so tliat if there has been no rain for a while it will 

 lie best to water the |ilants well in the morning before 

 spraving. The spraying can be 'X'.ww witli an ordinaiT 

 compressed air sprayer, known to nie as Auto-Spray, and 

 if vou have to buy one to do the work get one with a 

 brass tank. They cost more but last ever so much 

 longer. Where only a few plants are grown they can be 

 syrayed with a small hand sprayer, which is very inex- 

 ])ensive. The spray should be applied as soon as a trace 

 of the spot is found and after as often as is necessary, 

 sav once a week under ordinary conditions and oftener 

 if heavy rains follow the spraying. If you will require 

 a great deal of the mixture it may l)e better to buy it 

 ready mixed as it is not very pleasant work to make it. 

 '{'be spray is no cure-all by any means, but it will help 

 to keep the spot from sjireading and' by giving careful 

 culture the plants can be grown out of it. 



