894 



HOETICULTURE 



December 28, 1912 



FRUIT AND VEGETABLES UNDER GLASS 



CONDUCTED BY 



>-^?Vv.i 



Questions by our readers in line with any of tlie topics presented on tills page wlil be Lordially received and promtply answered 

 by Mr. Penson. Such communications should invariably be addressed to the office of HORTICULTURE. 



Late Grapes 



Frequently Lady Hutt has been referred to as a first- 

 class white grape and true to its reputation it has again 

 produced good fruit for Christmas. The keeping qual- 

 ities of this grape are not widely enough known. It is 

 on a par with Barbarossa and Gros Colman and with 

 some growers the former is considered one of the latest. 

 AVith us Barbarossa and Lady Hutt are growing side by 

 side and since ripening have had exactly the same treat- 

 ment, with the result that the latter wins out on the test. 

 Out of fourteen bunches cut for Christmas there were 

 not as many bad berries to be removed and the whole 

 were good firm fruit, while Barbarossa was considerably 

 shrivelled. 



Wliite gi-apes of good quality are good any time and 

 wlien kept right on the vine the flavor does not de- 

 teriorate as it would do if they were "bottled." It takes 

 so much vitality to support the bunches as they hang, 

 that this must be considered and the crop reduced off all 

 the vines as they are used, not taking all the bunches 

 from one vine and leaving the next one to support its 

 entire crop several weeks later. Soon after the New 

 Year comes in the foliage will commence to fall, when all 

 the bunches that remain will be best cut and bottled — a 

 subject to be dealt with later. 



Cleaning 



Push along with any cleaning that remains to be done, 

 as time gathered now will be acceptable when the spring 

 rush comes in. Take advantage of any mild days that 

 may come to do any house washing that still has to be 

 done, for if left until a hard freezing day the water will 

 freeze on the glass unless the house is heated well. All 

 pruning should be done without delay ; late vines can be 

 pruned soon after the crop is removed. 



Vegetable Houses 



The dullest period of the year for vegetable growing 

 is with us, consequently every encouragement should be 

 given the plants. Do not leave the house to take its 

 chance as no damage can be done with a weak sun power. 

 Keep right after them, giving them a lift up wherever 

 you can. Benches anyway green or hard on the surface 

 will not give the plants the air to the root which they 

 require and will not dry out as rapidly or as evenly as 

 those regularly cultivated. Loosen up the surface soil 

 regularly, but do not attempt it when the benches are 



wet. 



Looking Backward and Forward 



Now that another year is fast closing on us it behooves 

 us to look back before making all our resolutions for the 

 coming year. Some of these are doomed like pie crusts 

 "to be broken," but rather make less of them and raise 

 them above the breaking level. 



With the passing of the year and resolutions for 1913 

 a glance backward over these columns will be interesting 

 — interesting at least to the writer, as it is gratifying 

 to know so many of Horticulture's readers are inter- 

 ested in them. 



Fruit growing under glass is attaining more promi- 

 nence than at any other time in the horticultural history 

 of America, and rightly so. The number of fruit houses 

 built and also inquiries made, indicates a live interest 

 never before experienced. 



I should hope the time is not far distant when show 

 committees will recognize this department as it deserves 

 to be, by awarding prizes in keeping with the amount of 

 skill required to produce the results. When the prizes 

 are put up it will be found that a display of this kind 

 will attract the public's eye (and make their mouth 

 water) quite as much as a group of orchids or chrys- 

 anthemums. This was demonstrated at one show during 

 the past summer. 



For two seasons Horticulture's readers have wel- 

 comed these brief notes and, as a continuation has been 

 requested, I would like to say right here that they are 

 what practice has taught and, while new methods, ideas, 

 and varieties are continually being tried out, it is prac- 

 tice which has proved itself reliable and is likely to do so 

 for others who adopt it. 



Wliile every season brings round a repetition of events 

 we are forced to revolve the correspondence wheel in some 

 degree also. To those who practice different methods 

 successfully Horticulture extends an invitation to all 

 to take up that weapon "mightier than the sword"- — the 

 pen, and give their brother growers the benefit of their 

 experience. 



In conclusion, I would extend to our readers and 

 worthy editor and staff a wish that the coming year 

 will be happy and prosperous for all. 



Chysis bractescens 



Ci-iTsis bractescens 



Chysis bractescens is a splendid orchid when well 

 grown. Its sweet scented, pure white, waxy flowers, of 

 which only the inside of the lip is yellow, are produced 



