Septeubeb la. 190C. 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



loss 



.Nards- us on Left had Sun Only; Ihe Other also had Acetylene. 



trie, acetylene and sunlight compared. 

 Top growth slightly increased, bottom 

 growth but very slightly affected by 

 either electric light or acetylene. Dif- 

 ference between either ele«tric or acety- 

 lene over sun almost inappreciable. 



Beets: Top and root growth practical- 

 ly equal under electricity and acetylene, 

 and the difference between these plants 

 and those under sunlight was so trifling 

 that the use of these artificial lights can- 

 not, in the light of our trial, be com- 

 mended as an economic proposition. 



Eadishes: Under high temperature — 

 that is, in the warm house — the results 

 were slightly in favor of acetylene over 

 electricity or sun. In the cool house the 

 results secured in the dark days of au- 

 tumn were strikingly in favor of acety- 

 lene over the sun. In this house elec- 

 tricity was not used. The plants under 

 acetylene gave more than double the 

 weight of root product and the time 

 period was increased sixty-two per cent 

 and the maturing period shortened ap- 

 proximately twenty per cent. The re- 

 sults with radishes were not uniform 

 throughout. Crops harvested later in 

 the season, when the sun approximated 

 its maximum, showed less difference be- 

 tween acetylene and sun than those har- 

 vested when sunlight was at a minimum 

 as regards intensity. It was also ob- 

 served that plants on which the acety- 

 lene light was applied as soon as the 

 seed was sown became drawn during 

 the seed leaf period. This condition 

 was not observed if the light was not 

 turned on until the true leaves appeared. 

 I am of the opinion that acetylene can 

 be applied to the forcing of this crop 

 with advantage and profit during unfa- 

 vorable atmospheric conditions. 



Fruit and Edible Top Oops. 



Strawberries in the cool house: 

 Growth increased twenty-five per cent 

 over those grown under sunlight. Plants 

 ripened fruit sixteen days ahead of other 

 plants carried in a similar temperature 

 uninfluenced by acetylene. 



Peas: In both cool and warm houses 

 the effect of acetylene was very marked. 



There was very little difference in the 

 temperature of electricity and acetylene, 

 both being artificial. 



Hush beans: In the case of the spe- 

 cifically furcing varieties the results in 

 regard to vine and fruit, both quantity 

 and quality of fruit, were in favor of 

 this artificial light. Acetylene produced 

 the best results, although electric lighted 

 plants were in advance of those lighted 

 by sun only. 



Pole beans: The results with this crop 

 were conflicting. The effect on vine 

 growth was marked and unquestionable, 

 it being much more vigorous under 

 acetylene and electricity. There was 



some difference in favor of acetylene in 

 this plant, but less difference than in 

 the case of bush beans. This super- 

 abundant vegetative growth had the in- 

 fluence of delaying the time of the ma- 

 turing of the fruit. 



The net result of this experiment, in 

 which electric light, acetylene light and 

 sunlight were compared, was that the 

 acetylene lighted plants ripened more 

 fruit, of a larger size, but considerably 

 later than those under the sun only. 

 The vine growth also was greater. 

 This was to be expected. The plants 

 under electric light did not produce 

 more fruit than the sun plants, but the 

 fruit averaged somewhat larger in size. 



The inference from these results is 

 that acetylene might be used to advan 

 tage in the fore part of the season in 

 order to stimulate vegetative growth and 

 make framework for producing fruit. 

 In the latter part of the season, when 

 sunlight increases, the artificial light 

 might be withdrawn. 



Cucumbers: The results, so far as 

 fruit is concerned, are inconclusive. 

 Electric light was not used in this ex- 

 periment. In the case of the vines, the 

 addition of acetylene lights was a direct 

 detriment. The leaves were smaller and 

 of a less vivid green. The length of 

 vine was about the same in both cases. 

 It is to be remembered in this instance 

 that the temperature of the room was 

 high, that is to say, it was run from 

 75 to 85 degrees in daytime, with a 10- 

 degree drop at night. Under these 

 forced conditions of growth, acetylene 

 served to be a disadvantage. The addi- 

 tional stimulant was injurious. 



Vegetable Summary. 



Comparing the results of the different 

 vegetables, we find: 



(1) That with the exception of the 

 cucumbers, all the forms had a decided 

 increase of the foliage parts. 



(2) That the time of fruit maturing 

 is variously affected. The strawberries 

 and peas maturing earlier, the tomatoes 



Japanese Lilies Forced by Acetykne Light. 



(Advanced plant " O " had been etherized before forcing.) 



