598 



FORCING 



FORCING 



have not become accustomed to the lou;^, thin fruit of 

 the English varieties. The English or forcing varieties 

 require partial shade through tlieir season of growth. 

 Seeds sown singly in 'S- 

 iueti pots in August will, 

 if they have no check, 

 J^\ bloum and set fruits in 

 (•^pr December. The fruits of 

 the White Spine type 

 reach edible maturity 2 

 and often 3 weeks before 

 the Engli:<h type. The 

 houses in which cucum- 

 bers are grown must be 

 arranged with heat below 

 the benches, as it is of 

 the greatest importance 

 that the plants make a 

 rapid growth and receive 

 no check due to the cool- 

 ing of the soil. The 

 soil should be a good pasture 

 sod, partially rotted, and 

 mixed with one-fourth the 

 bulk of leaf-mold and sand. 

 If there is danger from damp- 

 ing off of the vines at the 

 surface of the soil, the plants 

 may be set in a handful of 

 sand, which will allow the 

 water to soak away, leaving 

 the stem of the plant com- 

 paratively dry. If the vines 

 are on a central bench, they 

 mav be trained to a vertical 

 trellis made of wire, or. if on 

 side benches, to wires run 

 along the roof far enough 

 from the glass to hold the 

 lea\ es away from frosts. As 

 the flowers open, hand polli- 

 nation will be resorted to if 

 the crop be of the White 

 Spine type. Pick a staminate 

 flower, strip back the corolla, 

 and insert the column of the 

 anthers into the pistillate 

 flower. The English varieties 

 are not pollinated, unless it is 

 desired to secure seeds. 



Melons are certainly the 

 mObt diSicult of winter crops 

 to handle. The midwinter 

 ripening of the fruits requires 

 more painstaking care and 

 closer attention than any 

 other crop. The plants, from 



seed - leaf to fruit, 



must be grown in heat without the slightest 

 check. They should be planted on the bench 

 in a strong, loamy soil, which is retentive 

 enough to hold moisture at the roots but not 

 heavy enough to become sour. No shading of 

 the glass is required, but air should be given 

 freely on all days when possible. The plants 

 are trained as are cucumbers, except that the 

 central shoot should be pinched out as soon as 

 the plants are well established in the bench, 

 allowing 3 or 4 lateral branches to grow to the 

 height of 4 or 5 feet, when these in turn should 

 be pinched back. In setting the fruits, it is best 

 to wait until a number of pistillate blossoms 

 are open on a plant and pollinate them at the 

 same time, as it often happens that if one fniit 

 starts into growth some time before other flow- 

 ers are pollinated, the other fruits fail to set un- 

 til the first one reaches considerable size. Pol- 

 lination is accomplished in the same manner as 

 with cucumbers, and should be done on sunny 

 days, when the houses are dry. Except during 

 the time of setting the fruits, the house should 

 be moist and the leaves sprayed frequently. 

 The temperature of the melon house should run 



at least 5^^ higher than for cucumbers. Hang the fruits 

 in slings (Fig. 845). Melons ripening in fall or spring 

 are more easily managed. 



Beans may be easily forced in houses where cucum- 

 bers or melons are growing, using rich, moist soil and 

 strong bottom heat. They are usually grown in pots, 3 

 or 4 plants in a G-inch pot. They make a very rapid 

 growth, and the grt-en pods are fit to use in from 8 to 10 

 weeks from the time the seed is sown. While growing 

 the plants should be sprayed with water frequently, as 

 they are very subject to attacks of red spider. The bean 

 is self-fertile, and need not be pollinated (Fig. 84G) 



Asparagus and Ithitbarb are forced from old roots 

 brought in from the garden, and subjected to a gentle 

 heat. The crop is made from the material stored up in 

 the old roots, few new roots growing through the forcing 

 period. The old roots are thrown away after being 

 forced, and others brought in for the next crop. Both 

 these crops may be grown in out-of-the-way places, — 

 under the benches, in corners of the potting shed, or in 

 fact anywhere where heat and moisture may be had. 

 One methoil of forcing rhubarb is to grow it entirely in 

 the dark. This produces a very tender stalk with very 

 little foliage. C. E. Hl'nn. 



FoRcixG OF Fruits. — The house best adapted for 

 fruit-growing is one running north and south, span 

 roof curvilinear, with ventilation both sides, top and 

 bottom. It is important to be able to give a large quan- 

 tity of air, especially for ripening the wood after the 

 growth is done. The next thing to be considered is the 

 borders. To produce high-class fruit, perfect drainage is 

 necessary. For very early forcing an inside border 

 will answer the purpose, but the most satisfactory way 

 is to have both outside and inside borders. A depth of 

 3 ft. of prepared soil is sufficient, with 9 in. of drainage 

 material on the bottom. Should there be a natural out- 

 let for the drainage water, well and good, otherwise ar- 

 tificial means must be resorted to. The width of the 

 outside border should be 15 ft. An outside border is 

 particulorly advantageous for vines and peach trees, 

 which will last much longer in a liealthy, vigorous con- 

 dition if allowed a root-run outside the greenhouses. A 

 sod cut from the pasture, suitable for growing roses, 

 would be ideal for the borders. The writer does not 

 recommend making a border very rich, for too often 

 young vines are poisoned with food at the start. A 

 sprinkling of coarse crushed bone and charcoal should 

 be mixed with the soil. In the use of charcoal one 

 should be governed by the nature of the soil ; if the 

 soil is extra heavy, use charcoal more freely. A top- 

 dressing f cow-manure mixed with soil is a good thing 

 when starting a house. A medium loam, neither stiff 

 nor too heavy, answers the purpose. 



The trees also may be grown in pots and tubs. One 

 advantage is that a special fruit house is not necessary. 

 Many a house is going idle durinir the summer months 

 that would grow fruit to perfection. Any light house 



