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HOETICULTURE 



August 17, 3912 



FRUIT AND VEGETABLES UNDER GLASS 



CONnrCTED BY 



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

 by Mr. Penson. Such communications shoLld Invariably be addressed to the office of HOBTICUtTDKB. 



Ffoit Rooms 



The advantages of having a proper room in which to 

 store fruit for winter use are legion. This is not only 

 applicable to greenhouse-grown fruit, but all fruit 

 grown for keeping purposes. Earlier in the season the 

 necessity of such a place will have presented itself when 

 there has been a crop in and a few would have been 

 very acceptable for next week. True, there is the ice 

 box, but our experience has taught us that a thing can 

 be kept on the ice long enough to lose all its flavor. A 

 second detriment to the ice box for extended keeping is 

 that after removing the fruit and the sweat has passed 

 away, it is more easily bruised than at any other time. 

 This sweating does nothing any good and is the direct 

 reverse condition to what we seek when keeping fruit, 

 yet all fruit will sweat after removing it from an ice 

 box to a warmer room. An ideal fruit room will be 

 easily kept at an even (cool) temperature, the air will 

 be buoyant and fresh, regulated by ventilators placed 

 in the proper place, and also be dry at the same time. 

 This dryness is sometimes carried to excess and causes 

 the fruit to shrivel. To define the exact conditions one 

 might be excused for using the negative tenn of "not 

 damp." The conditions inside the room are the things 

 to be considered. Of the outside appearance and con- 

 struction I will say nothing further than that the walls 

 should be thick enough or contain a chamber to insulate 

 against any quick changes in the outside temperature. 

 The roof should be made of the coolest material. Water 

 towers in some instances have been built over them. In 

 Scotland a "thae o' bonny heather" is used. Wliatever 

 the building may be, if it is not frost proof a small 

 heating pipe should pass around the base. Hot water 

 is better than steam as it is cooler and more even. The 

 interior offers a great variety of ways for equipment 

 from glazed-brick walls, enameled fittings and glass 

 shelves, down to the crudest of shelving, etc. Let it be 

 what it will, keep the essential points in mind. A good 

 lay-out of such a room would be to erect shelves not 

 more than 3 ft. 6 in. wide around the sides having a 

 2 ft. 6 in. elevation. This will offer good facilities for 

 looking over the fruits and detecting any going wrong. 

 Such shelves would store apples and pears well. Through 

 the center could be erected a stand for holding bottles 

 into which at a later date grapes will be placed (of this 

 more in due season). If grapes are not a prospective 

 tenant shelves can be erected in the center as on the 

 sides. If space permits a double width can be installed, 

 operating half from each walk. Do not cut the walk 

 down to a minimum or trays and baskets will always be 

 in the way, getting upset, etc. Careful handling of all 

 fruit is the key to good keeping. A bruise soon shows 

 itself and the punctured flesh becomes useless and is a 



menace to good fruits near it. Before building have the 

 subsoil drained, also have a drain from the interior. 



Peas fof Christmas 



By making a sowing now, culinary peas will be in for 

 Christmas. Well-drained solid benches will be found 

 more advantageous than raised ones. Peas require a 

 good depth of soil and consideration must also be given 

 to the amount of head-room required. The dwarfer 

 growing varieties will generally be found the most use- 

 ful. Peas require the very richest soil in which to grow 

 to perfection during the winter season. If the bench 

 is deep enough place a layer of half-decayed manure 

 over the drainage instead of the non-feeding materials 

 often used for keeping tlie soil in its place. Let the 

 rows run from north to south on the bench to give all 

 an equal amount of sun. The distance apart must be 

 governed by the height of the variety grown. Through- 

 out the growing period it must be borne in mind that a 

 pea likes a good supply of water and requires to be kept 

 free from all insect pests. Later on when nearing matur- 

 ity liquid feed can be given to them. 



A Review 



Xi)w that we are in the midst of the "quiet season" 

 in this department there will be time enough to look 

 around, look ahead and look back. The first implies 

 the present, the second our future and the "has beens" 

 we may be able to gain valuable assistance from. This 

 time of the year is the "betwixt and between" time of 

 our two seasons — the growing and the winter season. 

 Therefore there is no time like the present to weigh 

 things up. Tlie question of pots is one which stands 

 out prominently. There is nothing so annoying as to 

 find that you are a few short to finish a job. With 

 handling trees in pots we use sizes which are seldom 

 bought and used by the thousand; this makes it all the 

 more important that we should "do it now." Look over 

 what is on hand, ascertain how many are cracked, dis- 

 card these latter as useless for growing fruit trees in. 

 Have all sound ones washed up and stored handy for 

 using. Then there are the trees as th'ey are growing 

 now ; a percentage of these will be disabled and by look- 

 ing tliem over you can form an idea of how many are 

 good and how many of each size will be needed to give 

 the trees the necessary shift. This done now will help 

 you out when the leaves are falling and potting, root- 

 pruning and no end of preparatory work is on hand 

 heralding winter. Enough soil should be laid by to use 

 on the pot fruit trees. At the time of potting this 

 should be in a semi-decomposed condition. This not 

 only helps it to work good, but the roots will find ready 

 nourishment as soon as they commence activities. After 

 the severe handling some of them are subjected to 

 this will be relished. 



