AugUBt 28, 1915 



HOETICULTURE 



279 



ROSE GROWING UNDER GLASS 



CONDITTEI) UV 



CSi^^y^C^'-^y' 



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

 by Mr. Ruzicka. Such, communications should Invariably be addressed to the office of HORTICULTLKh.. 



Lime 



If the soil u.-^ed in niakiiiir .sod heaps had the least 

 trace of acid in it, it will not lie very long after planting 

 that the houses will need a liglit dose of lime. If green 

 appears here and there on tlie surface of the soil, and 

 the plants have not the dark color that they should have, 

 or are a litile soft, it is a sure sign that lime ought to 

 be applied. Use pure air slacked lime, prefering lime 

 bought in barrels and slacked at home, to any mixture 

 that is on the market as agricultural lime. To slack 

 a barrel of lime quickly, dump it into a large box and 

 theii sprinkle a can or two of water over it. Avoid 

 using too much water as the lime might remain damp, 

 and altliough it would be just as good for applying to 

 the benches it would be worthless. to blow around the 

 houses at night and it is best to have the lime so that it 

 can be used for both purposes at the same time. AVhen 

 applying have the lime cold and free from unslacked 

 lumps. Do not apply too much all at once but just enough 

 to whiten the benches nicely. We find it best to apply it 

 right after watering, after tlie benches have dried oil" just 

 a little, then going over the surface and rubbing tlie lime 

 in a little. Avoid going deep, as the roots are sure to 

 be disturbed, and this would harm the plants. After this 

 the plants can be watered wiieii they require it, which 

 will be a little sooner, for the lime and the rubbing over 

 of the surfac(! will make them dry out a little quicker. 

 Do not apply lime if the benches have just beeii mulched 

 or if the}' have jusi received a dressing of l)onenieal, 

 soot, or sheep manure. The lime coming into contact 

 with the last named fertilizers would release a large 

 portion of the ammonia and other fertilizing elements, 

 and these, suddenly turned into gases would lie sure to 

 harm the plants. 



Blackspot 



When tying or cutting, in fact when doing anything 

 at all around the plants, always watch out for spot. 

 ViHierever it appears see that it is picked off at once, 

 and then .see that the foliage is dry at night as it siiould 

 be. Al.«o see that the rain docs not beat in when showers 

 corne up and should it happen that the houses are open 

 and do get wet, care for tlie plants properly. This 

 applies especially to Beauties which are more apt to get 

 it than any other rose we grow. Wlien tying, distribute 

 the wood well so that it is not bunched up too much, 

 shutting out air and making it easy for the disease to 

 gain a foothold. Once it gets in it will not be very 

 easy to rid the plants of it. and only by good culture 

 and keeping the plants growing all the time will they 

 evemually grow out of it. It is well to apply a spray 

 of the ammoniacal copper carbonate mixture if the at- 

 tack pnniiises to be bad at all. This is no cure, by any 

 means, but it will do a good deal to keeji the spot from 

 spreading. Avoid overwatering at all times, at the same 

 time bcin;; careful not to i\r\ the plants out so that they 

 will get a bad setback. Beauties are very particular in 

 this respect, and once severely checked it is a big under- 

 taking to get ihcm going right again. If the first few 

 spots that appear are remove<l at once the danger of 

 their spreading will be very small. Keep right after it. 



Fumigation 



As soon £ts the plants begin cutting, the use of tobacco 

 stems for smoking should be stopped at once and other 

 iiialcrials used to keej) out the always-on-hand greenfly. 

 It is strange where these little rascals come from, for 

 no matter how clean the house was they will be sure to 

 appear unless it is smoked or sprayed regularly. T17 

 to spray or fumigate the night before syringing. If it 

 is raining so much tiie better for then the houses are 

 sure to be tight. If hydro-cyanic acid gas is used be 

 very careful to inform every one of the fact or else 

 lock the house, or better still have a sign on chains 

 str<'tched across the door, with the word, "Cyanide." 

 That ought to be .sufficient warning for every one to 

 keep out. The gas is very poisonus and it does not take 

 very iQuch of it to kill a person, so great care should 

 be taken in using it. It is very good, however, and very 

 effective and will clean out insects quicker tlian anything 

 we know. Even snails and sow bugs were found dead in 

 the moiiiing under the benches after it had been used 

 the night before. Avoid using it too strong and be sure 

 to figure out the volume of air in your houses instead 

 of guessing at it. You will then know just what you 

 arc doing and there will be no iiarm done by using too 

 much of till deadly gas. Make sure that the houses 

 are wet enough, no matter what is used for fumigation 

 or spraying, otherwise the foliage is likely to get scorched 

 and this is bad for the plants, for they are still young 

 and need all the loaves that ihcy can hold. 



The Boilers 



Katydids are already singing at night, and they are 

 the very first sign that frost will soon be here. It may 

 not be true that frost will be here in six weeks, but 

 nevertheless with tiieir song they serve as a reminder of 

 what we should prepare for. Are the boilers all right? 

 Have they been looked over? Have all the necessary 

 repairs arrived ? All these things should be attended to 

 at once. Clean all flues well and see that the smoke 

 ])ipes are good enough to last all winter. Every loose 

 joint in these interferes with the draft so they should 

 all be made tight with asbestos. Make sure the dampers 

 work well and that the grates are in good condition. If 

 poor at all order a new set, keejiing the old for emer- 

 gency. Make sure that the ash pit under the boiler is 

 deep" enough. Shallow boiler pits are responsible for 

 more grate troubles than all the flaws that may be in 

 the grates themselves. Try to have at least a foot of 

 air between the grates and the highest level of ashes 

 ever in the pit. This will keep the grates cool and avoid 

 their burning out. We once had occasion to see a new 

 set of grates iiunied out the very first time a fire was 

 made in a steam boiler, all because the ash pit was not 

 clean and the gratt's had no chance to cool, for the heat 

 icdeiled from thi" ashes ^^■as terrific. It is better to 

 have the ash pit deeper than to have it too shallow. It 

 can still be changed if it is not deep enough. It will 

 also make a big dilTcrenre in the draft if there is plenty 

 of air s])ace under the grates. See to it now that the 

 boilers are all in good shape for thecoming cool, and 

 cver-getting-coMcr nights. 



