484 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST, 



green color. To inoculate them a sterile 

 platinum needle was dipped into the pure 

 culture and thrust into the stem. After one 

 day at room temperature the rot was some- 

 times evident, and, in about four days, juice 

 from the rotting stem had accumulated in 

 the bottom of the test tube, and the stem was 

 softened throughout so that it could be 

 shaken down into a soft pulp in the bottom 

 of the test tube. Plates from such inocu- 

 lated and rotted stems developed colonies of 

 Ps. fluorescens in pure cultures. 



While the weather continued cold the 

 celery in the cellar remained sound, although 

 it developed a sweet taste ; but, when warm 

 weather came in early spring, what had not 

 been consumed, rotted. 



By such study we learn that bacteria cause 

 decay, and that decay takes place under con- 

 ditions in some measures known to us and 

 under our control. To keep celery well, it 

 sihould be packed with the roots in clean soil. 

 For this purpose it is best to use the humus, 

 or muck soil, in which the celery is common- 

 ly grown. The soil in which the roots are 

 packed should be kept moist, but not wet, 

 with good water. The cellar or storage 

 room should be kept at a uniform low tem- 

 perature, a little above freezing. Free ven- 

 tilation should be provided, both as a means 

 of regulating the temperature and for the 

 health of the plants. It should be remem- 

 bered, also, that celery kept in a close, foul 

 atmosphere becomes tainted. 



GROWING LETTUCE FOR THE WINTER MARKET 



THE growing of several lines of vegeta- 

 bles under glass is a profitable occu- 

 pation for market gardeners in many lead- 

 ing cities. Quite a little of this work is car- 

 ried on in Toronto. One of the most suc- 

 cessful growers is Mr. J. W. Johnson, of 

 Queen street east, who makes a specialty of 

 raising lettuce, he having two greenhouses, 

 one 10 X 18, and the other 10 x 70 feet. 



" My method," said Mr. Johnson recently 

 to The Horticulturist, " is to start my lettuce 

 as soon as the cucumbers are out of the way. 

 It is started in the greenhouse, as I prefer 

 using the greenhouse to growing the lettuce 

 outside under frames. They usually keep 

 freer from the green flies than when started 

 outside. It is difficult to destroy these in- 

 sects when they once get into the green- 

 house, and if the plants are brought into the 

 greenhouse the place is often stocked up with 

 the flies for the winter. When the plants 

 are grown in the greenhouse it is possible 

 to fumigate and keep the insects under con- 

 trol. 



" I sow Grand Rapids and some varieties 

 of Boston Market. The first is a bunch let- 

 tuce and the second a head lettuce, which I 

 find is coming into greater demand, it being 

 a more tender variety, and with a nice crisp 

 white head. For a fertilizer I find barn- 

 yard manure gives better results than any 

 thing else I have ever used. Planting is 

 started about September and continued until 

 March or April, when cucumbers and toma- 

 toes are started again. These latter vege- 

 tables are started about a month or s'x 

 weeks before the last crop of lettuce is ready 

 to be cut. I start cutting the Grand Rapids 

 variety of lettuce about a month after plant- 

 ing, or October i, while the head lettuce is 

 not ready until about December i. 



" The wholesale dealers of Toronto ake 

 all the lettuce I can produce. These deal- 

 ers say they have to import large quantities 

 from the United States because they cannot 

 get sufficient quantities here to supply the 

 demand. The imported article is not nearly 

 as crisp or nice as the home grown." 



Do you like the changes we are making in 

 The Horticulturist? If you do, tell your friends 

 about them. 



I am well pleased with The Horticulturist. 

 Find it a great Tjeneflt and entertainment. — (G. 

 E. Russell, Stamford, Ont. 



