November 3, 1906 



HORTICULTURE 



467 



nels open. The next liitnr formed conducting vessels 

 are larger and pitted instead of spiral. 



The large water conducting vessels are formed only 

 early in tlie season. A cross section of a one-year-old twig- 

 shows them all on the side next the pith farthest from 

 the cambium tissue. All tlic intervening tracheids and 

 wood cells have been formed later and have gradually 

 become thicker walled and smaller in diameter as the 

 close of the growing season approached. These later 

 thicker walled cells undoubtedly functiims as .-trength- 

 ening tissue. 



The production of water conducting tissue early in 

 the season and strengthening tissue later in the season 

 has been explained by some as a direct adaptation to 

 function. At the beginning of the growing season, 

 whatever that may be, the tender shoots are unfolding 

 and the outer walls of the epidennis have not yet become 

 thickened and cutinized. At this time there is an enor- 

 mous evaporation of moisture from the unprotected 

 plant surfaces. The equililirium must be maintained by 

 rapid and abundant conduction of water upward from 

 the roots. The result is a large pored conductive tissue 

 produced early in the season. Later as the epidermal 

 walls become cutinized evaporation is reduced, the need 

 for rapid water conduction is lessened and smaller pored 

 strengthening tissue is developed. 



(The next article will conclude the series.) 



Strawberry Forcing 



strawberry forcing involves a large amount of work, 

 and careful attention, to be successful, and the culti- 

 vator who is not prepared to put this into it had bet- 

 ter not attempt to force strawberries at all. as the re- 

 sults would be very indifferent. 



THE START. 



A good beginning must be made with young plants; 

 this is indispensable. About the beginning of July the 

 strongest runners that are just rooted into the ground 

 must be selected from the strawberry bed. And here 

 let it be observed that young plants throw very much 

 stronger runners than old worn-out plants. Pot these 

 small plants in 3-ineh pots in good loam, and stand 

 them in a shady place for a week or so, on a hard bot- 

 tom. When the roots begin to work through to the 

 sides of the pots they should be stood out in tiie full 

 sunlight. 



POTTING INTO FRUITING POTS. 



When the small pots are full of roots no time must 

 be lost in transferring them to 6-inch pots. This is 

 the best size for general purposes, although I have seen 

 good results in 5-inch. The best compost is a good 

 foam inclining to heavy, rather than light; any good 

 rose soil should grow good strawberries. The addition 

 of a little bone-meal will be beneficial. One large 

 crock in the bottom of the pot is sufficient, covered 

 with the rougher portions of the compost. Place the 

 plant in position, so that the crown will be just above 

 the surface, and proceed to pot very firmly with the 

 aid of potting stick. Very firm potting is most essen- 

 tial if the material is in good working condition. 



SUMMER POSITION FOl! PLANTS AND TREATMENT. 



When finally potted they should be stood upon a 

 2ood bottom of cinder ashes in the full sunlight with a 



space of six inches between the pots. Watering must 



be carefully done, as the strawberry quickly resents 

 careless watering. A good syringing should be given 

 toward evening of all hot days to keep down red spider 

 and promote a healthy growth. .\11 strawberries for 

 forcing should be in their fruiting pots by the middle 

 of August. Attention to watering, syringing, and keep- 

 ing free from weeds, and stirring the surface soil occa- 

 sionally, constitutes the after treatment through the 

 summer. 



I am not in favor of giving any feeding during the 

 period of summer growth, as very large plants do not 

 give the best results; the object should be to get a good 

 crown and a sturdy plant. 



Before very hard frost sets in the plants should be 

 stored in cold frames, with the pots packed well in 

 leaves. The strawberry ]jlant will stand a lot of freez- 

 ing, but this would burst the pots; therefore the neces- 

 sity of storing in frames. 



COMMENCIXO TO FORCE. 



About November 1st is soon enough to start the first 

 batch, and if the plants have had some light frosts on 

 them, so much the better. Ripe berries from these 

 may be expected about the end of March, which is just 

 about as early as the average man can get them. A 

 temperature of 45 degrees is about right to commence; 

 when the plants have grown a little it can be increased 

 to 50 degrees night temperature. They must be kept 

 around 50 to 55 degrees until the fruit has set, when 

 it may be increased to GO degrees. As the flowers ex- 

 pand they should be gone over every day with a camel- 

 liair brush to ensure setting, and, of course, syringing 

 must be discontinued at this stage. If a batch of plants 

 is brought in about every three weeks a succession will 

 be maintained. 



POSITION IN GREENHOUSE. 



The best position in the greenhouse is a good sunny 

 bench, covered with fine coal ashes. The worst place 

 probably is a shelf hung up to the rafters. The plants 

 on shelves are very awkward to water, and they are not 

 accessible to the syringe, and soon become covered with 

 red spider, and later on mildew. As soon as the flow- 

 er spikes are long enough they should be tied straight 

 up to a small stick and by this method the plants can 

 stand comparatively close together. When enough are 

 set they must be thinned down to six or eight berries 

 to a plant, which is ample, removing everything else in 

 the shape of flowers or unopened flowers. 



And now we come to one of the most important 

 points in the forcing of the strawberry, from my point 

 of view. From the time the berries are set until the 

 crop is gathered the plants must be well .syringed every 

 fine dav in the early foreiiddii. .Vttacb a spray nozzle 

 to the hose and go over them carefully, even when the 

 fruit is coloring. No harm will be done, and no ber- 

 ries white with mildew (so often the case) will be seen, 

 if this syringing be practiced ]x>rsistently : but instead, 

 the berries come out a bright scarlet color. 



Judicious waterings of weak manure water and a lit- 

 tle Clay's fertilizer sprinkled on the surface of the soil 

 durint' the swelling of the fruit will be beneficial. It 

 is also advisable to lightly shade the plants during the 

 period of ripening. 



The old variety Sharpless will take a lot of beating 

 todav as a forcer. 



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