January 10, 1914 



HORTICULTURE 



S» 



ROSE GROWING UNDER GLASS 



^,__— — ^ CONDUCTED BI 



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

 by Mr. Ruzlcka. Such communications should Invariably be addressed to the office of HORTICULTURE. 



Buying Some Novelties 



If you have been shipping to one commission man 

 for quite a long time he or his firm will be glad to advise 

 you which of the novelties are very likely to take a hold 

 in the market, the coming season. Few of the firms- that 

 distribute the" new varieties would do so unless they 

 were sure that they are all right, for, to take a chance at 

 any thing that would sell, would soon put these firms out 

 of business. Before buying any of the new roses, sec 

 them growing and study the conditions under which they 

 are growing so well. Then go over your own place and 

 see if your own houses could be made to give the same. 

 If this is so there is no reason why you should not suc- 

 ceed. Now for the buying part. It will be better to 

 buy the plants in small pots than to buy the wood or the 

 rooted cuttings, especially if they have to be shipped a 

 long distance. The express or parcels post degree will 

 not be any too good for them, and the plants will stand 

 it a great deal better. As soon as they arrive pot them 

 up at once into nice clean pots, preferably the same 

 size pots that they had been in, unless they are very well 

 rooted, when they can receive a larger size. We find 

 that the plants will start ofE much better if not put into 

 pots that are too large for them. As soon as they start, 

 and the roots work around so as to hold the ball firm, 

 they can then be shifted into larger pots, and receive the 

 same treatment that other plants would under like cir- 

 cumstances. 



Winter Syringing 



With cold weather here, syringing should be done as 

 soon as the houses run up a little in the morning, and 

 only on nice clear days, when the plants will have plenty 

 of chance to dry before the night comes. Do not try to 

 keep the houses warm by shutting down the ventilators 

 and keeping them so all morning ; ventilate as usual, and 

 if it is necessary, keep a pipe of steam on all the time. 

 If no steam is to be had, shut ofl: all the hot water pipes, 

 save one flow and return, and then keep the boiler on 

 the move a little bit. The object of closing all the 

 pipes is to get a better circulation with less fire, as it 

 would require a good fire to circulate the water in all the 

 pipes. Where the pipes are laid very good it will not 

 be diificult to keep the water going without a strong 

 fire. 



Using Lime 



Do not neglect to blow plenty of air-slacked lime 

 underneath the plants as soon as the day draws to a 

 close. This should be done after each syringing or after 

 each watering. It will help dry out the air around the 

 plants and by so doing will help prevent blackspot, also 

 prove distasteful to many of the insects that inhabit the 

 benches around the roots of the plants. 



Soil for Potting 



If this is exposed to the weather, it will be advisable 

 to bring some of it under cover now so that it will have 

 a chance to diy out before it will be used. Dry soil can 

 be mixed very easily, and if it is then necessary it can 

 easily be moistened to the proper degree. If time per- 

 mits screen it as soon as it is dry enough, and it will 

 then be ready to use at any time. A little bone meal is 

 an excellent fertilizer to mix into the soil. A little soot 

 is very good, too, but the quantity used should be very 

 small especially if a considerable amount of bone is 

 used. There is a reason for this in the fact that the 

 lime in the bone would set the ammonia in the soot free, 

 and it would be likely to do some damage to the roots 

 of the plants. 



Leaf Mold 



Although it is not used as much as it used to be in the 

 days gone by, there is still a large amount of it used 

 here and there all through the country. We like to use 

 a little leaf mold for the first potting, especially if the 

 soil is rather heavy. It helps to open it and thus in- 

 sures good drainage, and also gives the air a chance to 

 get into the soil thus heating it to almost the same tem- 

 perature as the air surrounding, which will greatly help 

 to promote root growth. 



The Cold "Weather 



.\lthough the weather has been remarkably warm up 

 to this time, there is no reason why you should allow 

 3'our coal bin to get empty. There is nothing to promise 

 us this weather in the future, and should it turn out to 

 be the same as the winter of 1911-1918 then we would 

 he up against it if we were not prepared. Better get 

 your coal so as to have a cellar full all the time. 



BOOM YOUR BUSINESS 



hy advertising yout goods in the 



HorticuJitiuire 



Publicity among the kind of readers readied 

 by this paper is THE SORT OF PUBLI- 

 CITY THAT PAYS. 



