OCTOBBB 4, 1906. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review^ 



1261 



stalks, after which a dressing of some 

 fertilizer should be given in the way of 

 quick acting bone or similar manure; 

 also a dressing of lime, which not only 

 keeps away slugs and insects, but is ben- 

 eficial to the plants, pyrethrums being 

 exceptionally partial to lime. A light 

 mulch of horse or other manure may be 

 given, but care must be taken that this 

 does not touch the crown of the plant, 

 otherwise mildew of the stool will be the 

 immediate result. Treated in this way 

 a full crop of magnificent bloom may 

 be cut throughout the summer and au- 

 tumn, and it should be borne in mind 

 that every flower a pyrethrum plant 

 makes means an increase in growth, as 



every flower of one year is the result of 

 a distinct new eye and root, and thus 

 by encouraging bloom a grower is also 

 increasing the size of his stock plants 

 for future division. 



A. Dickson & Sons are scoring a note- 

 worthy success with their hybrid tea 

 rose. Lady Ashtown. It is described as 

 a probable rival and worthy successor of 

 the well known Killarney. It is a vigor- 

 ous grower and free-flowering and for 

 cutting the exceptionally long stems are 

 just the thing. The color is light rose 

 and the buds are an exquisite shape. Its 

 habit and general characteristics are 

 said to make it the finest bedder we 

 have. B. J. 



A BEGINNING. 



We w&nt to ask about growing roses. 

 Brides and Maids are the ones to start 

 with. "We never have grown any before, 

 but have grown good violets, mums, 

 carnations and mignonette. We have 

 a new house running north and 

 tiouth, Clipper sashbar, glass 18x24, 

 three benches "fifty inches wide, 

 with four walks to the house 20x100. It 

 is very light. We have it planted with 

 carnations, but think another year will 

 plant it with roses if you think we can 

 grow them well in a house like this. The 

 house has ventilators on each side of the 

 ridge but none at the side. How many 

 rose plants will a house like that hold, 

 three benches fifty inches wide and 

 ninety-six feet longf What would be a 

 good cut per plant f When ought they to 

 be planted? It is rather early to talk 

 about next spring, but it is on our mind 

 and we would like to know what you 

 think about it. R. & S. 



Houses running north and south do 

 not find much favor among rose grow- 

 ers, a southern aspect having the prefer- 

 ence. While preferring the latter as- 

 pect for many reasons, and especially 

 where Beauties are the crop, still good 

 tea and hybrid tea roses can be pro- 

 duced in houses running north and south. 



On several places where I have had 

 charge we have had bouses of both ex- 

 posures and where the crops were teas, 

 and the soil, water and treatment were 

 identical and all other conditions equal 

 there was little difference in the quan- 

 tity and quality of the cut; in fact, 

 where any difference did exist in point 

 of quality it was in favor of the house 

 running north and south. 



In these houses the cut during .Janu- 

 ary and February usually was a little 



short in quantity, but the average cut 

 for the season was about the same as 

 from the houses with the southern as- 

 pect. 



In houses such as you describe, with 

 18x24 glass and four walks to the house, 

 there is sufiScient light and ample air 

 space to warrant the production of ex- 

 cellent stock. 



With the above bench arrangement 

 the house would contain, at twelve inches 

 apart, 1,600 plants, at which distance, 

 if kept well trained, there is room to 

 produce the best results. 



As to the probable cut per plant, that 



is a question entirely dependent on suit- 

 ability of soil, water and treatment. 

 Where soil and water are suitable and 

 the stock is skilfully treated, Brides and 

 Maids can be made to produce a cut 

 per plant of from twenty-seven to thix^- 

 five blooms of all grades, but many of 

 us are content to take a less cut than 

 this so that we may have a higher grade 

 bloom with a good stem. 



In order to get the best average cut 

 the plants should be of the best grade 

 and should be benched during the latter 

 part of May or early in June, so that 

 they may have the full benefit of the 

 growing season. 



The most essential elements required 

 in rose culture under glass are suitabil- 

 ity of soil, which must be properly com- 

 posted; a good supply of water, with 

 a pressure of at least forty pounds per 

 square inch; houses heated so that a 

 temperature of 65 degrees can be main- 

 tained during a protracted period of 

 zero weather, not that this temperature 

 is necessary to the well-being of the 

 plants, but as a matter of safety should 

 the temperature drop lower. 



The ventilators should be large enough 

 and so placed as to give the fullest and 

 freest access of air without causing a 

 draught, as there is nothing so detri- 

 mental to the health of a rose plant as 

 to be situated in a draught. 



Possessed of these necessaries, by a 

 careful perusal from week to week of 

 the rose notes as they appear in these 

 columns, suflScient information can be 

 obtained to enable you to produce a 

 good cut of stock the first season. The 

 practice thus obtained and a careful ob- 

 servance of conditions as they arise, 

 which should be noted for future use, 

 and using the facts thus gathered in 

 your future operations, you will every 

 year improve on your previous eflforts, 

 and any points upon which you are not 

 certain as to the method of procedure 

 will be carefully considered by this of- 

 fice upon receipt of explicit question. 



Bibbs. 



SEASONABLE COMMENT. 



Rust. 



Several inquiries have reached me dur- 

 ing the last week about a cure for rust 

 and as they were from widely sepa- 

 rated points it is evident this disease 

 is still with us to some extent. In the 

 east rust does not seem to perpetuate 

 itself from year to year, so that in- 

 fected plants will produce clean cut- 

 tings, which will not show the disease 

 the next year. But I am by no means 

 sure that this obtains all over the coun- 

 try, i am strongly inclined to think 

 that in the southern and extreme west- 

 ern states, where the plants are grown 

 outside and there is no winter to speak 

 of, that rust will reappear every year 

 in greater or lesser degree, according 

 to the weather. If we get wet, muggy 



weather in July or August, rust will 

 appear and will spread with alarming 

 rapidity on plants outside, while the in- 

 door plants, which are not exposed to 

 the same atmospheric conditions, will 

 keep perfectly clean. This plainly shows 

 that the rust, if not actually caused 

 by the moisture and heat, finds in such 

 conditions the ideal spot for its rapid 

 development. 



In my experience sulphide of potas- 

 sium (liver of sulphur) dissolved in the 

 proportion of one ounce to two gallons 

 of water and applied directly to the 

 under side of the leaf will hold rust in 

 check and if faithfully followed up will 

 finally completely clean it out. The 

 scare of a few years ago regarding rust 

 seems to have died out, but the fact re- 

 mains that a grower with a batch of 

 rusty plants on his hands has troubles 

 of his own. 



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