November 4, 1916 



HORTICULTURE 



599 



ROSE GROWING UNDER GLASS 



CONDVCTKD BT 



<A/Cyf2^iX^yzA-^ 



jBeatlODS by our readers In line with any of the topic* prtaented on this pa^e will be cordially recelTed and promptly anawered 

 by Mr. Razlcka. Such eommuDlcatlons ahoall larailably be addreased to the office of HOETICDliTURH. 



Spraying with Copper 



The weather hitely has Ix'eu exceptionally fine for 

 roses, but just how long it will last is a question. It 

 will therefore be well to keep the plants copper plated, 

 which will be a gxeat preventive of blackspot. Just after 

 a crop is cut off is a fine time to apply the copper in the 

 form of the animoniacal copper carbonate. With only 

 a few buds here and there, growers will have an ex- 

 cellent chance to get at the lower leaves with the copper, 

 which is very important as it is usually these that get 

 the spot first, and from these it is bound to spread to the 

 others. To prepare the mixture we dissolve two ounces 

 of copper carbonate in ammonia, using just enough of 

 the latter to thoroughly dissolve the copper. Then the 

 mixture is added to two gallons of water or about enough 

 for one tank full. Care should be taken when mixing 

 to keep away from cut roses or plants, or not to prepare 

 it in the greenhouse, as the strong ammonia fumes 

 would surely damage the leaves or buds. If the mix- 

 ture is prepared in the sink, care should be taken not 

 to pour any of the ammonia down the waste pipe, un- 

 less all waste pipes connected to the sewer have traps 

 in them, as should be the case, but often the pipes have 

 no traps and the ammonia fumes are very penetrating 

 and will back right up and enter any room or building 

 to which the pipes may be connected. We know a case 

 where an ice box was installed and the drain from it 

 was connected to the sewer which accommodated the 

 greenhouse sink and other plumbing. Xo traps were 

 put on this drain from the ice box, which was kept cold 

 by a modern ice-making machine. One operation in 

 running this was to draw off anv ammonia wliich would 

 find its way into the oil. This was done by drawing it 

 off into a pail of water through a waste pipe. This pail 

 of waste water and ammonia was poured into the sink 

 as was proper, but there being no traps on the ice box 

 drains, the fumes got into tbc ice box and ruined a hun- 

 dred dollars worth of choice flowers. It was thought 

 that tlie pipes in the cold storage leaked. Init this was 

 not the case. Xeedless to say traps were at once put on 

 all waste pipes from the icelwx to the sewer. When ap- 

 plying the mixture to the plants, Tuake sure that the 

 tank is in good condition, and tliat the hose is good and 

 securely fastened, for if the hose should blow off when 

 the tank is pumped up, the operator would likely get 

 the mixture into his face and might be blinded. Use a 



fine nozzle and as much pressure as jwssible, for the 

 spores of spot are very small and the finer tlie spray 

 the better. 



Cutting Roses 



As it is no longer summer, care should be taken not 

 to cut the roses too tight, as they will not open as readily 

 as they did when tbc weather was warmer. Be careful 

 to get all the buds cut at about the same stage, so that 

 they will be as near alike as possible. They can be al- 

 lowed to remain on the plants much longer. The larger 

 the buds the greater their value in the market. When 

 cutting, keep the buds together rather than the stems if 

 this is possible. If the ends of the stems are put to- 

 gether there will be some short roses that will get 

 bruised, or punctured by the big thorns of the longer 

 stemmed buds. Where it is impossible to grade right 

 after cutting, and the stems have to be kept together 

 in order that the roses may be put right into water, see 

 that the bunches are not made too big and do not try to 

 crowd too many roses into each vase. When cutting 

 lieavy it will pay to cut twice, getting all the long stems 

 first, and then cutting the sliorter grades the second 

 time. This will help grading later and prevent the 

 short roses from getting all bruised among the longer 

 stems. 



Fresh Water for Vases 



Nothing will make roses go back faster than bad water 

 in the vases. Where time will permit it is best to empty 

 the water daily, and then refill with fresh water, giving 

 the jars a good scrubbing about once every week. There 

 is no l)etter time to do this than Saturday morning 

 when all the roses have been shipped and the ice box is 

 empty. Some good soap or washing powder should be 

 used with wannor hoi water, and then if possible set the 

 jars out in the sun to diT, being sure that they are well 

 rinsed first. Tliis will sweeten them wonderfully, 

 which is a.s it should be. All jars should be clean enough 

 to drink out of, and then flowers stored in them will 

 keep fresh. Stagnant water in the vases will kill all 

 the bottom loaves on the cut blooms thus greatly re- 

 ducing their value. 'I'iien, too, roses that have been in 

 bad w-ater are dangerous to handle as the thorns prick- 

 ing tlie hands are likely to give blood poisoning, of which 

 there have been several cases in the history of the flower 

 market. 



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