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March 7, 1907. 



The Weekly Florists' Review. 



1167 



House of Beauties at Weiland & Olioger's^ New Castle* Ind. 



tied up, but not too tightly. Remember 

 that the air must circulate freely 

 through, as well as around, the plants. 



In about six weeks from planting each 

 young plant should have filled the cup 

 around its base with roots, and the whole 

 bed can -then be leveled off and firmed 

 evenly all over. A dusting of air-slaked 

 lime may then be applied and the sur- 

 face loosened up with a hand cultivator. 

 Repeat this cultivation every week if 

 uecessary until the roots reach the sur- 

 face, when all cultivation must cease. 

 The firming of the soil is necessary to 

 produce fine, large foliage, the proper 

 accompaniment to a first-class bloom. 



The Trying Months. 



The months of July and August are 

 very trying ones on the young plants. 

 Then we have almost daily many hard 

 thunder showers which, followed by the 

 bright sun, produce a warm, moist at- 

 mosphere, causing a soft, rank growth, 

 which is liable to breed trouble later. I 

 would recommend a light mulch of any 

 old, wornout manure at this time by way 

 of protection against the sun's rays and 

 after each shower syringe the plants and 

 wet down the walks. This mulch will 

 preclude the necessity of cultivating the 

 benches so often. Renew it when it gets 

 worn out. 



During the summer months top and 

 side ventilators and all doors should be 

 wide open day and night, except during 

 heavy rain storms, when they should l^ 

 closed just enough to turn the rain. 



About October 1 in this latitude is 

 soon enough to close the side ventilators 

 at night, but the ones at the ridge should 

 always be more or less open, according 

 to the state of the weather. 



Particular care should also be taken 

 with the watering. The plants will need 

 less water, and should only be syringed 

 in the morning, so that the foliage will 

 be thoroughly dry before night. 



October is generally very fickle and is 

 liable to usher in a few very cool nights 

 without much warning, which, unless your 

 heating apparatus is ready for action, 

 will either check the growth of the plants 

 or start a healthy dose of mildew. A 

 check in the growth at this time is a 

 serious matter and something that is to 

 be avoided at all risks. The transition 

 from summer to winter conditions should 

 come gradually and every effort be made 



to keep the plants healthy and growing. 

 "When the thermometer outdoors falls 

 below 60 degrees at night, a little fire 

 heat is beneficial. Start your fires and 

 open the ventilators a few inches. This 

 insures a good circulation of air, and 

 tends to give the roses that strong, 

 leathery foliage so much desired. In- 

 deed, there are few nights when it is 

 needful to have the ventilators tightly 

 closed, and make it a rule never to have 

 them closed at night unless you are fir- 

 ing. The fuel is not wasted, even if you 

 have to open the ventilators to keep the 

 temperature down. 



Temperature. 



The best night temperature for tea 

 roses of the Bride and Bridesmaid class 

 is 56 degrees, but, unfortunately, we 

 don't often get it cool enough to reach 

 that mark. Kaiserin and Perle like it a 

 little warmer, and 60 degrees at night 

 suits them well. The Kaiserin is a fine 

 rose for the south, and is just as free 

 during the shorter winter months as The 

 Bride, and in the fall and late spring is 

 far superior to that popular variety. 

 Beauties require a night temperature of 



60 degrees and Meteor requires 68 to 

 70 degrees. Since the advent of Rich- 

 mond the Meteor has been relegated to 

 the background, but, nevertheless, it is a 

 fine rose for the south. 



The day temperature on dull days 

 should run 2 degrees to 5 degrees higher 

 than the night temperature and on bright 

 days the thermometer may go 10 degrees 

 to 20 degrees higher and even more, but 

 with plenty of ventilation on the houses. 



The whole subject of ventilating is a 

 particular science in itself. Outdoor con- 

 ditions must be closely observed and as 

 the temperature begins to rise you must 

 raise the ventilators a little at a time 

 and keep them going up with the mer- 

 cury. As the temperature begins to fall, 

 so must the ventilators gradually come 

 down. The man who can do this thor- 

 oughly under all conditions has mastered 

 one of the most important factors in 

 rose growing. 



Syringing. 



Other important points are the water- 

 ing and syringing, two entirely distinct 

 operations. Every morning the beds 

 ought to be closely examined and any 

 dry spots watered before they get a 

 general watering. Conditions are re- 

 versed from summer and the beds are 

 easily overwatered. Light, sandy soils 

 will use quite a lot of water, while heavy 

 clay soils are long in drying out and 

 consequently will use less water. Care 

 and judgment must be observed. 



Every bright day the plants must be 

 syringed; otherwise red spiders will get 

 in their fine work. A fine spray of water 

 must be so directed as to hit the under 

 side of the foliage, where the spiders 

 congregate. These little pests are faith- 

 ful to their destiny, "be ye fruitful and t. 

 multiply," and their instinct leads them 

 to seek the under side of the foliage as 

 the safest spot. To syringe properly, 

 the lower half of the nozzle should be 

 closed with the forefinger, which gives 

 the stream of water a natural upward 

 direction and makes it easier to reach 

 the under side of the leaves. 



I again emphasize the necessity of this 

 operation as early as possible in the 

 morning, so that the foliage may be dry 

 before sundown. If the foliage is not 

 thoroughly dry by night it will soon de- 



House of Enchantress at Weiland & Olinger's, New Castle, Ind. 



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