Decembeb 20, 1906. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review^ 



363 



Vegetable Forcing. 



VEGETABLE MARKETS. 



Chicago, Dec. 19. — Cucumbers, $1 to 

 $1.25 doz. ; leaf lettuce, 35c to 40c case; 

 spiiiach, 50c to 65c box. 



New York, Dec. 18. — Cucumbers in 

 free supply and dragging. Lettuce con- 

 tinues very weak. Mushrooms moving 

 rather slowly, with prices favoring buy- 

 ers. Mint scarce and firm. Parsley 

 dull. Eadishes steady. Tomatoes firm. 

 Cucumbers, $1.10 to $1.25 doz.; No. z, 

 75c to $1; culls, $2 to $4 box; lettuce, 

 75c to $1.50 per three dozen strap; 

 mushrooms, 40c to 85c lb.; mint, 75c 

 .per doz. bunches; radishes, $1.50 to $2.50 

 per 100 bunches; spinach, 15c to 20c 'per 

 doz. bunches ; tomatoes, 15c to 30c lb. 



Boston, Dec. 17. — Cucumbers, $2 to 

 $12 box; mushrooms, 50c to 80c lb.; let- 

 tuce, 25c to 50c doz.; remain, 75c doz.; 

 parsley, $1.25 to $1.50 bu.; radishes, 

 $1.50 to $2.25 box; tomatoes, 25c lb.; 

 mint, 40c to 50c doz. bunches; aspara- 

 gus, $3 to $4 doz. bunches. 



CUCUMBERS. 



We are now in the midst of the most 

 critical period of the year in the growing 

 of this crop and a period in which it 

 pays to give the most careful attention 

 to details. To keep the plants and 

 foliage as strong as possible, and avoid 

 cold draughts, which result in attacks of 

 mildew, airing must be done with the 

 utmost care. 



This is a season in which no hard and 

 fast rules in the matter of temperature 

 can be adhered to. It is better to admit 

 air to sweeten the atmosphere and 

 strengthen the plants even if the tempera- 

 ture runs below the desired figure, rather 

 than keep a higher temperature and a 

 close, stuffy atmosphere, which would 

 cause soft growth and thin foliage, thus 

 leaving the plants easy subjects for the 

 attacks of both insect enemies and fun- 

 gous diseases. Growth at a lower tem- 

 perature will naturally be slower, but the 

 growth made will be so much better and 

 stronger that future results will more 

 than repay for the little time lost. 



Airing, during the winter season espe- 

 cially, is one of the most important par- 

 ticular point in the cultivation of all 

 plants grown or forced under glass and 

 it should be in the hands of a careful, 

 painstaking person, who has thoroughly 

 studied the matter and who knows just 

 how much can safely be given, when to 

 put it on and take it off, according to 

 conditions. In what is known as catchy 

 weather, with cold air and unsteady sun- 

 shine, a good deal of time has to be 

 spent if proper attention to this matter 

 is given, but when the work is in the 

 hands of the proper person it is time 

 well spent. We too often see the airing 

 of houses left in the hands of boys, as 

 their time is less valuable, but it is a 

 near-sighted policy, as it saves both 

 trouble and loss if the right man is in 

 the right place. W. S. Croydon. 



SOWING SEEDS. 



We would like to ask Mr. Croydon 

 through Review columns how soon we 

 should sow tomato seed so that we could 

 have plants large enough to transplant 

 into lettuce beds in March. We would 

 like to pick our first tomatoes early in 



FORCING RHUBARB 



Under the greenhouse bench or In any old cellar or mushroom house, 

 is entirely practical and an easy proposition. 



Send For my Special Florists' Circular on RHUBARB FORCING 



It gives ample directions for successful culture. 

 I have a good supply of large Undivided Clumps. Price, $2.00 per doz.; 26 for $3.75' 

 $12.00 per 100; $100.00 per 1000' (500 at 1000 rate.) 



($lbJ&s S^^c/ S^^^' 



219 Market Street, PHILADELPHIA, PS. 



Mention The Review when you write. 



Vegetable Plants 



PARRAI^F New Early and Succession 

 V/^DD/%\7I- 5£_25 per 1000. 



I FTTI irF Grand Rapids, Big Boston, Bos- 

 Ll_ I I \i\j\. ton Market and Tennis Ball, 



$1.00 per 1000. 

 PARSLEY Moss Curled, $1.25 per 1000. 



TOMATOF^ Lorillard and Mayflower, 40c 

 I \My^tl\ I VLO per doz.; $2.00 per 100. 



R.Vincent, Jr. & Son, White Marsh, Md. 



Mention The ReTJew when you write. 



June. Also, what time to sow cucum- 

 bers for indoor spring crop, and whether 

 they will grow with the tomatoes? When 

 shall we sow seed of cabbage, tomato 

 and cauliflower for early plant trade? 

 M. & S. 



To have strong plants in 5-inch pots 

 to plant out in your bench you should 

 allow eight weeks from time of sowing. 

 If you prefer planting smaller plants, 

 less time will be necessary, but the 

 former is a good size to use and for all 

 the little extra space they occupy, and 

 the small amount of extra labor en- 

 tailed, it pays to grow them on to this 

 size before setting out, as they will give 

 quicker returns and you ought to be 

 easily able , to pick your first tomatoes 

 early in June. 



As cucumbers are better planted small, 

 four to five weeks is all that need be 

 allowed from the time of sowing until 

 they will be ready to set out. The best 

 time to set them out will depend a good 

 deal on your command of heat. You 

 could plant out either at the beginning 

 or end of March, according to your cir- 

 cumstances. Cucumbers and tomatoes 

 could be grown together, but as the 

 former needs about 5 degrees higher 

 temperature and a more moist atmos- 

 phere, it is much more satisfactory to 

 grow them in separate houses. 



Cabbage and cauliflower seeds should 

 be sown about the middle of January 

 and grown on rather cool to give plants 

 for j-etting out from the middle to the 

 end of April. As tomatoes cannot safely 

 be set out for a month later than this, 

 besides making a quicker growth, about 

 the first part of March is time enough 

 to sow the seeds to procure plants of a 

 nice selling size. W. S. Croydon. 



CYANIDE FUMIGATION. 



December 4 I fumigated our green- 

 house with liydrocyanic acid gas. The 

 house is a lean-to situated on a hillside ' 

 and is 48x125 and of an average height 



Skinner's Irrigation. 



For greenhoases, gardens and lawns. 

 Latest improved gasoline pumping out- 

 fits at low price. Estimates furnished 

 on request. Address, 



C. W. SKINNER, Troy, O. 



Mention The Review when you write. 



Comet Tomato 



Those who force tomatoes should grive 

 "Comet" a trial. This variety has been the talk 

 of firardeners around Boston the past season. 

 Those who have seen it growing declare there's 

 nothing to compare with it. Seed, $6.00 per oi. 



WILLIAM SIM, Cliftondale, Mass. 



Mention The Review when you write. 



of nearly eight feet. My calculations are 

 that the cubical contents are 46,625 feet. 

 I used three jars with sulphuric acid and 

 twelve and a half ounces each of cya- 

 nide of potassium as sold by Eoessler & 

 Hasslacher for use in cyanide mills for 

 dissolving gold. This dose was put in 

 at 6 p. m. The house was opened next 

 morning, when all the gas was gone out 

 of the house. The aphis on the lettuce 

 and red spider on carnations were un- 

 harmed. Some lettuce plants that had 

 been set out the day before were knocked 

 down and wilted. Since then the edges 

 of three-fourths of the lettuce leaves 

 have been turning black and gray, and 

 on the plants where these leaves are af- 

 fected the aphis is unaffected. The house 

 was not watered on the day the cyanide 

 was used. The carnations were not in- 

 jured. A. D. W. 



It appears to me that the trouble must 

 have been with the chemicals used, for 

 that amount of cyanide certainly ought 

 to have killed all insect life. 



To destroy aphis on lettuce in a house 

 of the dimensions given by you I would 

 not use more than fifteen ounces of cya- 

 nide altogether, using three jars with 

 one quart of sulphuric acid, one quart 

 water and five ounces of cyanide in 

 each. I have used it stronger than this 

 without injury to the plants; but with a 

 good, tight house I find that this strength 

 gives satisfactory results. 



We procure our cyanide and acid at 

 the local drug store. I am sorry I can 

 not give you the analysis of strength, 

 but it might pay you to look into this 

 matter and find out how the article used 

 by you compares with the best grades 

 sold by first-class drug stores. 



W. S. Croydox. 



