March 21, 1914 



HORTICULTURE 



409 



ROSE GROWING UNDER GLASS 



CONDUCTED BY 



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Qneitlons by our readers In line with any of tbe topics presented on tbls page will be cordially received and promptly answered 

 by Mr. Hnzl'-ka. Sucb commnnlcatlons sboold Inrariably be addressed to tbe office of HOBTICULTURE. 



Lime 



It is a fact that there are several grades of lime, and 

 it is advisable for growers to see what kind they are 

 getting when they buy lime, already slacked, and named 

 Agricultural Lime. Find out whether this is burned 

 lime, or whether it is just the ground limestone. The 

 latter may be all right to use on fields where its action 

 does not have to be immediate, but for the greenhouse 

 where it is desired that the lime act at once, we must 

 have good burned lime, and thoroughly air slacked, or, 

 better still, hydrated, as it will then be slacked very 

 evenly. Where this lime cannot be had, and it is not 

 used to an extent to warrant getting it by the car, the 

 best way is to get good barrel lime, and make a box for 

 it in the cellar, and then slack it in the box by sprinkling 

 a little water over it. Not too much water, so that the 

 lime will not remain wet after it has slacked. It may 

 appear quite damp for a little while but it will dry out 

 very fast as it cools. The ground limestone is too slow 

 in action for the greenhouse and should not be used 

 unless in vine borders or such, where it is wanted to 

 act slowly for a very long time. 



Mulching 



With the coming of April, the days will begin to be 

 warm, and as a result the houses will be aired very 

 freely, and will consequently dry out a good deal. Too 

 much of this drying out is not good for the plants, and 

 in order not to waste too much time watering it is well 

 to mulch the houses quite freely with manure. A little 

 Boil may be added, but let it be coarse chunks of sod 

 that will keep the surface of the benches rough, and will 

 keep the water from running all over the benches when 

 the plants are being watered. Where good manure is 

 not to be had, use the coarse sod alone, and then give 

 the plants an extra dose of liquid manure. A little 

 sheep manure or bonemeal may be added to the soil 

 giving preference to the bonemeal. See that it is well 

 mixed in so that it is evenly distributed when the soil, 

 or rather the coarse sod, is a])plied to the benches. 



Tying 



Do not for a day neglect this very important part of 

 the work, for if this is let go the plants will go back 

 very rapidly, this being especially true with Beauties. 

 The houses will do a great deal toward paying the coal 

 bill, and if they are given half a chance they will pro- 

 duce enough flowers to make up for all the extra 

 trouble that we may have taken with them. It will not 

 take long to keep the plants tied if this is done regularly, 

 and the labor will be well spent. 



Blind Wood on Beauties 



There is no need of much lilind wood on the Beauties 

 now, and where there is too much of it some of it can 

 be removed without any harm whatever. Of course it 

 would not do to cut too much of it away. Plants can 

 be cut down now and if well cared for will make ex- 

 cellent houses for the early summer months. To do this 

 we would cut them right down to the soil, and then let 



them come along as fast as they want to. Needless to 

 say, plants that are treated in this way will have to be 

 kept a little dry and it will not do to water them well 

 until after the growth starts to come. Some growers- 

 will apply a coat of manure as soon as the plants are 

 cut down but we find it better to wait until the plants 

 are well started and then let them have all the feed that 

 they can take. A little lime scattered among the plants 

 after these are cut down will help dry them out a little 

 bit, and also sweeten the soil that remains in the benches. 

 We always remove all the loose soil, and washed out 

 manure that lies on the surface of the benches, as soon 

 as the plants are cut off. This not only removes all the 

 loose dirt and rubbish but it will take a large number 

 of such things as sow bugs, wire worms and thrips. 

 This refreshes the plants, as the old manure around 

 them often causes a little harm, and the little new root- 

 lets will soon find their way into the new soil that is 

 applied afterward. As soon as the plants start after 

 being cut down watering can commence, but only in the 

 way that young plants are watered, and that is only 

 around the ball, gradually increasing this circle until 

 the whole bench is covered as is the case with the yoimg 

 l>lants. Liquid manure will help these plants along a 

 good deal, too. It should be made very strong and 

 applied as often as possible, or rather as often as the 

 plants will take it. Make sure that the plants are not 

 too dry when it is applied as it will then singe off the 

 roots a little bit and may even hurt the foliage. 



Cutting 



The warmer weather being here to stay now, more 

 attention will have to be given so as to make sure that 

 tlie buds are cut when they are at the right stage, and 

 that they are not allowed to become too open, and again 

 not cut so tight that they will never open up. Cut them 

 just a little tighter as the spring advances, and get them 

 into the icebox as soon as possible afterward. It is not 

 advisable to run the icebox too cold, for then the buds 

 are checked. By this we mean that if the buds are stored 

 in a cool but not an ice-cold box they will go on growing 

 larger, even though they do not open out much more. 

 Buds are sometimes drawn in this way for exhibition 

 purposes but they generally lose color if they are al- 

 lowed to remain in the box too long, so we would much 

 rather leave them right on the plants to develop to their 

 full size and then cut them, cool, and they are ready to 

 be put up at the show. 



Cracked Ice 



Now the weather will be quite warm during the day, 

 even though the nights are cold and frosty. A little 

 cracked ice can be used with safety now, and the roses 

 will benefit by it a good deal as they will aiTive in the 

 market as fresh as if they were just cut. Do not let the 

 ice come in contact with the flowers as that would linrm 

 the petals, and would no doubt bleach them to some 

 extent. Cover the ice well with paper, or, when packing 

 the longer grades of roses, put the ice at the foot of the 

 stems. 



