March 15, 191'J 



H RTICULTURE 



245 



Rose Growing 

 Under Glass 



Growing Roses in Old Soil 



I have a large house devoted to lettuce growing at 

 present. Will this soil be suitable to plant roses in, 

 say, by the end of March? Benches are 5 inches deep; 

 soil is good sod and cow manure. If so, it will save 

 me a big item in spring, with saving of labor, soil and 

 manure. Also do you think 5 inches sufficient depth for 

 grafted plants, and are they the most profitable; also 

 should the union be necessarily buried? I have heard of 

 good results from both. If planted at time named, what 

 treatment ought I to give them regarding building up a 

 satisfactory bush to bloom from, say, end of September 

 through winter? Any kind advice gratefully received. I 

 always look forward for your article in Horticulture. 



A. R. 



Although it may be possible to grow roses in old soil 

 that way, I have never tried it- or seen it tried, a,nd I 

 certainly would never advise any one to plant roses for 

 profit in any old soil if they are to be grown the whole 

 season. If you were planting them for the summer 

 Bowers only it would lie different. There are more fail- 

 ures in roses due to just such savings as you mention 

 than to any other cause. My advice would be, get fresh 

 soil, clean the old soil out very clean, especially if your 

 benches are solid, see that all the drains are well open, 

 then dust some lime. over the bottom, or else sprinkle a 

 strong solution of copper sulphite evenly over the drain- 

 age in the bottom of the benches, whitewash the sides 

 thoroughly, and see that all old soil is removed from the 

 walks; if there are any leaky water pipes see that they 

 are repaired. Also see that the sides of the benches are 

 well straightened out and properly braced so that they 

 will not give when the soil is put in. Another impor- 

 tant item, see that the bottom of the benches are per- 

 fectly level so that the soil will not be deeper iu one 

 place than in another. If you have raised benches, see 

 that they are well cleaned, washed oil' with a good pres- 

 sure hose while the soil is still moist after wheeling. 

 Needless to say all old soil must be scraped out front 

 under the benches before any washing out is done. Then 

 add some copper sulphate to your lime using wooden 

 pails, as tin 1 copper sulphate would soon eat up any 

 metal pail you used. Use hoi fresh slacked lime, repair 

 all benches first, making sure that there is enough drain- 

 age between the boards, then sprinkle your benches and 

 apply the hot lime using it aboul the thickness id' paste. 

 The sprinkling is important as that will get your lime 

 into all nooks and crevices which would remain un- 

 whitewashed if you went over the benches when they 

 were dry. See thai every inch is well covered with lime, 

 the thicker the better. It will help preserve the bench 

 and be much healthier for the plants. Now as to soil. 

 Get fresh soil and cow manure, chop the sod up well and 

 see that it is evenly mixed. If you have never done it 

 better wheel your soil in. then spread your manure over 



_ - CONDUCTED BY 



Questions by our readerB in line with any of the topics pre- 

 sented on this page will be cordially received and prompt y 

 nnswred by Mr. Ruzloka. Such communications should 

 invariably be addressed to the office of HORTICULTURE. 



it, then dust your bonemeal on, and then work the soil 

 up with a trowel. It will lie hard work but u will pay 

 when you consider that you may grow the roses Eor two 

 or three years iu the same soil. As to the depth of the 

 soil, do lict use any more than four inches of soil in the • 

 benches when you wheel in. This will settle down to 

 three as the sod and manure settle. See that you firm 

 the soil well around the edges of the benches or you will 

 have trouble with your watering later. In measuring 

 for depth of soil rather have less than more as you can 

 always add more soil. Regarding grafted stock you will 

 have to try it out. Some growers do better with one, 

 some with' the other, and some have good results from 

 both. If you plant four inch stock you will not be able 

 to plant with the union below the soil, but get them 

 down as low as you can without burying the plants, i. e., 

 planting too deep, but there will be no danger from this 

 if you use large plants. In planting, see that the ball 

 of "the plant does not get broken up. Some growers 

 press the plant into the soil which is a sad mistake, as 

 this breaks up the ball, and of course tears the roots all 

 to pieces, and that is why some growers will say that 

 the plants get a set back when they are planted out. 

 Open the soil enough to make room for the ball of the 

 plant and then bring your soil around it and press the 

 soil to the ball, li' the plants are at all rooted, you 

 should be able to dig them out after planting with the 

 hall intact as it came out of the pot. If you will plant 

 by the end of March you should begin cutting in dune 

 unless you use very small plants. 1 would not pinch 

 much unless vmi plant small plants and then only for 

 the first four weeks, as the roses will have plenty of time 

 to make large plants if you take care of them at all, and 

 should bloom plenty dining the fall and winter. Be 

 sure, however, that you have heat enough, and that you 

 have steam, and that your pipes are placed properly; If 

 you are at all in doubt as to this, better have some en- 

 gineer from one of the greenhouse building concerns go 

 over the house for von. and then do as he says regard- 

 ins the heat. This is very important, meaning success 

 or failure. The charge for his s.t\ ice will be moderate, 

 and will be money well spent. Then. to... you want to 

 see that you repair all broken glass, that your ventilators 

 are tuned up so that they open evenly, and you want to 

 lest the house for temporal ures. as it mav be necessary 



to break up the ventilators into different lengths to give 

 vmi proper temperatures anil air for roses. Also make 

 sure von take out all glass that has too long a lap, cut 



Off tl'i fending part, and replace. Also rip down any 



lean-to that mav be built on the front, that is. the south 

 side of the house, so that the roses will get all the sun- 

 lighl possible. It would also be to advantage to paint 

 Die house white inside next summer to make it as light 

 as possible, and it will be necessary to go over the house 

 with some preparation on the outside to seal it tight, so 

 that there will be no leaks to drip down on the plants all 

 the time. There will be more notes in Houthtltitre 

 every now and then, and if there is anything further that 

 I can do for you. I shall he pleased to do so. 



