HOW TO SUCCEED. 27 



would, I think, be objectionable in the house cellar. It 

 is recommended however, for growers to try the various 

 suggestions, and results will determine the most advan- 

 tageous method to pursue. 



Thinning Out. — It sometime occurs that numerous 

 small stalks spring up that will never grow to any size. 

 This may come from low vitality of the roots. In this 

 case, thin out useless stalks and apply liquid cow manure 

 liberally. It is more often occasioned by insufficient, or 

 poorly distributed heat. Cases of this kind have been 

 called to my attention where hundreds of stalks not 

 larger than a small lead pencil were springing up, and 

 very few if any large stalks. Every detail of the work 

 had been carefully attended to except the matter of heat, 

 that had not been applied. The difficulty was that the 

 cellar was naturally a little too warm for the roots to 

 lie dormant, biit was not warm enough to give any im- 

 petus to the growth. Directions were given to turn on 

 heat, and in three weeks a nice picking was ready for 

 the market. The small stalks should be thinned wher- 

 ever they appear as before stated. » 



Precautionary Measures. — To guard against insects 

 which more or less congregate in such places, and if not 

 injurious to the rhubarb nevertheless become a nuisance, 

 the cellars should be renovated both before and after the 

 forcing season. Fumigate with sulphur, keeping the 

 cellar tightly closed for at least twelve hours, after which 

 whitewash walls and ceiling with common whitewash, 

 adding sulphate of copper (blue vitriol or blue stone) 

 in the proportion of one ounce to the gallon, or with 

 crude carbolic acid in same proportion. If the walls are 

 too roughly constructed to admit of whitewashing, spray 

 with Bordeaux mixture full strength, omitting the 

 arsenites, but adding the carbolic acid in same propor- 

 tions as above. 



