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HORTICULTURE 



April 4. 1914 



ROSE GROWING UNDER GLASS 



CONDICXBD BY 



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Qnestions by oar readers iu line with any of tbe topios presented on tliis page will be cordially received and promptly answered 

 by Mr. Euzicba. Such communications stiould invariably be addressed to the office of HORTICIiLTUKE. 



Selection of Sod for Next Fall 



A'ow will be the tune to select the plot of ground that 

 is to furnish the sod heaps next fall. Select a piece that 

 has a good sod on it, and then as soon as possible spread 

 a good coat of manure over the field, and then keep the 

 grass cut. It is not best to rake it o£E. Much better 

 results will be had where the grass is allowed to lie 

 there after it is cut, thus making an additional coat of 

 fibre that is so badly wanted in greenhouse soils. If the 

 grass is kept cut short all through the growing season it 

 wiU produce an enormous quantity of roots, and it is 

 these that hold the earth together and make the sod. 

 A little bonemeal may also be applied everj' once in a 

 while, if the season is wet so that the grass will take it. 

 Do not think that it is wasted if applied to grass land. 

 There is only one way that manures applied to a grass 

 field are wasted and that is where it is on a hillside 

 where the soil will wash. Of course under such con- 

 ditions it would not be advisable to apply the manure as 

 a good deal of it will be lost in the first heavy rain that 

 comes along. Where the ground is almost level and the 

 water will not run into the creek, but wiU slowly sink 

 into the land, the grass roots will quickly catch all the 

 raaniu-e that may be washed out. These roots wiU hold 

 this plant, and as soon as warm weather comes will turn 

 it into a heavy coat of grass. This if cut and allowed 

 to lie will help thicken the sod. It may seem a waste 

 to allow a perfectly good crop of hay go to waste, but 

 unless the hay would be of exceptional quality, and very 

 high priced, it will pay to simply mow it down. Where 

 manure is plentiful this may be used instead of the 

 cover of grass cut green, but we think tliere are a few 

 places indeed where there is a surplus of this much 

 needed plantfood. 



Turning Over the Sod Heaps 

 Even wuth the rush of the spring work, it will pay 

 in the end to take a 'little time, and turn all the sod 

 that is to be used for the houses this summer. The 

 manure that has been put in will be mixed with the soil 

 much better and as a result it will be in much better 

 condition at planting time. If aU the turning is left 

 until planting time, there will be some places in the 

 benches that will be all manure and then there wiU be 

 places where there will be none at all. And what is 

 worse, the soil has been packed so between the layers of 

 manure that all the water and plant food that has been 

 leaching out has managed to run off to one side and out 

 of the heap. This would be avoided if the manure was 

 mixed with the soil as it should be. Therefore it is 

 well to turn the heaps over, and break up the sod and 



mix the manure well with it. If you can, add some 

 very coarse bone. This will take time to dissolve and 

 will be about right when the soil is put into the benches. 

 Witli the ever-mcreasing expenses, no time must be lost 

 between crops. Eun the old plants as long as they are 

 paying, and then lose as little time as possible in get- 

 ting the young plants to produce flowers. This must 

 not be overdone, however, for too much summer forcing 

 means dead plants in the winter when the prices are 

 liigher, although the margin of profit may not be much 

 greater, for the summer expenses are much smaller. 



Syringing 



With the warmer weather will come the spider, if 

 allowed to go unchecked. Syriuge the plants as often 

 as possible using a good force and clean water, for if 

 the water is taken from ponds or similar places there 

 may be a little sand in it, and this will tear the leaves 

 all to pieces. Water alone will do this if the hose is 

 handled a least bit carelessly. See that the water reaches 

 well tmderneath the leaves, and that the plants are 

 syringed more from the inner walks toward the front of 

 the benches, then taking only the one row from the 

 front. If the plants are syringed in this way there will 

 be little danger of getting the plants too wet on the north 

 side of the benches. 



Liquid Manure 



If the roses are growing at aU they will take as much 

 of this as it is possible to give them. It can hardly be 

 made too strong for the plants are well rooted by this 

 time, and will take it without harm if they are not too 

 dry at the time it is applied. This can be overcome by 

 watering with clear water just before the manure water 

 is applied, and it will save a good deal of the liquid as 

 well as protect the plants. If this is done there is no 

 need to apply too much of the liquid manure — just 

 enough to soak the soil with it. See that there is not 

 too much nitrate used, or other chemical fertilizer. Use 

 cow manure alone with a little bonemeal dumped iu, or 

 a Little soot. Wliere two sets of pipes are used it will 

 be a very easy matter to water with clear water and then 

 follow with the liquid manure. We are sure growers 

 that have been using the one set only and have installed 

 the other set will say that they cannot see how they ever 

 got along with one set before. One good thing about 

 two sets of pipe is that you may be syringing in one 

 house, watering in another, and using liquid manure in 

 the third. This is impossible with one set and where 

 the strictest economy is practised it will pay to have the 

 two sets. The liquid manure pipes should be of good 

 size so that they will not be very likely to get stopped 

 up every few minutes. Time is worth a good deal of 

 money, and time saved means money saved, and more. 



