June 20, 1914 



HOKTICULTUEE 



896 



ROSE GROWING UNDER GLASS 



^ CONDUCTBD BY 



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

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



Planting 



With the middle ui' Juue already past, plauting will be 

 in full swing on most places. To have the work go 

 along without a stop is the ambition of all, and liow 

 much better we do feel when the last wheelbarrow load 

 of soil is put into the benches, and the last plant placed ! 

 In emptying the benches see that all old soil is removed. 

 Scrape out clean under the benches, and carry all this 

 out with the old soil. As soon as the benches are all 

 emptied, wash them out thoroughly with the hose. It 

 is best to follow with the whitewash as soon as the 

 benches are washed, and while they are still wet. It is 

 surprising how much easier it is to whitewash a bench 

 that is wet, than one that is dry. The work does not 

 wear out the brushes so much either, and it can be done 

 in less time, with better work as a result. When the 

 benches are whitewashed dry, there will always be some 

 spots left that will not receive their coat of lime, and it 

 will be just spots like these that will breed fungus to 

 start at the young plants. 



Copper Sulphate 



Use a little copper sulphate in the lime, or else throw 

 a few handfuls of sulphur into the lime barrel when it 

 starts to slack. This should be stirred in well, and will 

 help wonderfully in cleaning out the disease germs and 

 fungus that may be hiding in the benches. The copper 

 sulphate is very corrosive, and had better be dissolved 

 in an eartlien crock, and then added to the lime as it is 

 needed. 



Straw for the Benches 



The straw that was saved (?) from the pot crates will 

 come in real handy now to put into the benches to keep 

 the soil from sifting through the cracks between the 

 boards that form the necessary drainage. If no straw 

 is on hand, grass will do, so will salt or bog hay, any- 

 thing that is clean. It is not necessary to use very much 

 of this material, just enough to cover the bench bottom 

 very lightly. 



Depth of Soil in Benches 



This is very important, and should never be overlooked 

 when the benches are filled. To have the benches too 

 full may mean ruin or something almost as bad, and yet 



some growers are quite careless when it comes to this. 

 We would never use more than four inches of good soil, 

 with plenty of sod in it, and about one-third of the bulk 

 in good, well rotted cow manure. In filling the bench 

 have two men leveling, and see that the coarsest stuff goes 

 to the bottom leaving at least one-half of an inch of fine 

 soil on top. It is not necessary to have this too fine, as 

 that would not be of any benefit, on the contrary may 

 prove harmful. Firm the soil well right next to the 

 bench sides. If this is not done, it -will settle after 

 a while, and will leave holes here and there. Wliere the 

 houses are shaded in the winter as sometimes happens 

 when they are built quite close together we would advise 

 using even less than four inches of soil. More can be 

 added at any time, when it is needed, but none can be 

 taken away. When too much soil is used, the plants will 

 be too weit biggest part of the time, and will not have 

 the root system that plants which are easily controlled in 

 watering,"will have. Then when the foggy fall weather 

 comes, the soil is very apt to turn sour, and will not dry 

 out. This means soft and poor growth which will as 

 likely as not get a dose of mildew. 



Distribution of Plants 



When setting the plants on the benches just before 

 planting, see that the smallest and weakest of the lot 

 are set in the first row, placing the next size in the next 

 and so on, imtil the largest are placed in the very last 

 row. If this is not done and the plants put in haphaz- 

 ard, there may be some regrets on the growers' part, for 

 the plants will not start off the same, and will be more 

 difficult to handle. Where it is possible to have them 

 all the same size, there is nothing better, for then it is 

 a very simple thing to water and feed and all the rest of 

 the little happenings that fall to the plants' lot. It is a 

 o-reat mistake to plant the small plants among the big 

 ones, thinking they have a better show. Put them by 

 themselves somewhere, and give them a little extra care. 

 If you mix the two the big strong vigorous plants will 

 lie held back' by the poorer ones. Growers who grow a 

 few more than they really need are wise, for they can 

 then select the very best, and throw the rest away. It 

 pays in the end to do this, too. 



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