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HORTICULTUEE 



December 21, 1912 



FRUIT AND VEGETABLES UNDER GLASS 



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nnoatinns iiv niir rpiders in line wltb anv "t the topics presented on tliis page will be cordially rereived and promtply answered 

 Questions •^^^oi^j^'^^^'^'^^Jg^o^" SucU ccmmunioations should invariably be addressed to the offloe of HORTICULTURE. 



Melons 



Melons at Christmas will be acceptable anywhere no 

 matter what the extent of other delicacies. At this time 

 of year it is a difficult matter to always get the same 

 flavor into the fruits as that attained during the summer 

 months. With a cooler air outside, the ventilators have 

 to be kept closer which is a disadvantage when the fin- 

 ishing period commences. Keep the heating pipes warm 

 always, reduce the night temperature 5 degrees, and 

 give as much air as the weather permits. During very 

 severe weather or with cold winds blowing the vents will 

 probably have to be kept closed, but get a crack of air 

 on, however, as soon as possible. Keep the roots on the 

 dry side, yet keep the plants from wilting. Very little 

 moisture will be needed in the house at this time. Some 

 varieties are liable to crack open the fruits when watered 

 after being half dry for a time. This can be checked 

 by partly cutting the stem of any fruit not ripening. 



Pruning Figs 



A fig tree is a weird looking object when divested of 

 its foliage. The pruning is of the same order as a 

 peach tree, only twice the distance must be left between 

 each growth. Cut away any weak or superfluous growths, 

 leaving all the young wood possible; this carries the 

 first of the three crops a fig should bear. As with all 

 other trees early pruning is advisable and a clean cut 

 should always be made with a knife. Wliere any very 

 -thick wood necessitates the use of a saw the cut should 

 be smoothed off with a sharp knife afterwards. Any 

 trees growing in pots or tubs, having a bush-shaped top 

 should have the center opened out well, otherwise the 

 crowding will produce weak and useless wood. Each 

 growth must have space in which to develop its large 

 foliage. 



Making a Peach Border 



A peach requires the same root confinement as a vine 

 and also a good drainage. Up to the time of mixing the 

 soil their requirements are identical. The walls are to 

 extend down to the floor or bottom of the border, this 

 to be properly graded to a drain to carry off the water, 

 and sufficient drainage made of broken bricks to cover 

 the whole floor. The soil does not need to be so rich as 

 that composing a vine border. Fresh sod should be 

 used without the addition of any manures. Sufficient 

 broken bricks, about the size of one's fist, and a little 

 charcoal should be added to keep the soil porous. If 

 lime rubble is on hand mix in some of this also. This 

 is applicable to all heavy soils. Sandy or gravelly soils 

 will not require the opening material. A peach will 

 often make heavy growths devoid of flower buds when 

 planted in a new border having a full complement of 

 soil. This can only be avoided by using shallow boxes 

 for the first season, that is, where cross trellises are 

 used. Borders in lean-to houses can be made up gradu- 

 ally as a vine border is. Eoot pruning will check all 

 trees having a tendency to make heavy wood and i? 

 quite safe when done at" the proper time. The compost 



must be properly mixed and as each layer of soil is 

 added have it rammed down firm, which will help to 

 make a sturdier and better growth and there is no 

 danger of the water not passing through, as the broken 

 bricks and charcoal facilitate this. 'Wlien planting young 

 trees see that the roots are spread out evenly and are 

 not put more than three inches deep. 



Beans (Bush) 



When beans are grown under ordinary normal condi- 

 tions the chances of trouble are much less than when 

 they are being rushed. It frequently happens that a 

 bench or house of beans is put in as a catch crop and 

 has to be out in quick time. Such conditions demand 

 the maximum heat, resulting in a weaker plant with 

 less resistant powers against disease ; 58 to 60 is a good 

 growing (night) temperature for beans, yet they will 

 grow in one of 70 to 75. When you have a house with 

 the latter temperature for beans, keep a sharp lookout 

 for trouble of one kind or another. Damping and mil- 

 dew will be the two worst. Careful airing is the only 

 thing to prevent the latter and where it does appear 

 dust over the plants with a little sulphur. Damping 

 can be caused by excessive watering or too humid an 

 atmosphere. Crowded parts of the rows are always the 

 first to become affected. Wliere two or three seeds have 

 l)een dropped together it will pay to thin them out. Any 

 seedlings that have decayed at the collar should be re- 

 moved at once to prevent the disease from spreading. 

 The greatest preventive of all this trouble is a crack of 

 air on the house all day (and night too, if it should be 

 mild). This keeps the atmosphere buoyant and fresh. 



The older generation of gardeners were always insis- 

 tent for that crack of air to be put on right early and 

 they knew what they were doing. That alone will keep 

 the plants healthy and strong. Even where a crop is 

 traveling at express speed it will pay to keep a "crack 

 of air" on during mild weather. Too close an atmos- 

 phere is the cause of lots of our troubles in the vegetable 

 houses. 



Using Cyanide 



We have an inquiry from J. B., Aubumdale, relative 

 to fumigating tomatoes with cyanide potassium to kill 

 white fly. The proportions usually used are 1 oz. cya- 

 nide potassium, 8 oz. sulphuric acid, and 4 oz. water to 

 10,000 cubic feet. This is using Merck's 98 to 100 

 per cent pure cyanide, which is a reliable article. By 

 using this only you can be sure of attaining the same 

 results each time, which is not always the case when 

 buying the loose stuff at the drug stores. This variation 

 in "strength of the cyanide, together with the temperature 

 of the liouse at the time of using it is accountable for so 

 many accidents and criticisms of its use. Always have 

 the house dry and cool, about 5 degrees cooler than the 

 usual night temperature and no harm will be done to the 

 plants. When using this in the summer time wait for 

 a cool night. One oz. of cyanide has been used in a 

 house of 8000 cubic feet with good and safe results. It 

 takes experience to use it at this rate. 



