August 15, 1907. 



The Weekly Florists' Review. 



29 



Vegetable Forcing. 



J. F. Faheenkamp, R F. D. 10, Cin- 

 cinnati, 0., is building two vegetable 

 houses 31x200, thoroughly up to date in 

 every particular. The Greenhouse Struc- 

 tural Co., Cincinnati, furnishes the ma- 

 terial and the heating will be hot water 

 under pressure, the system of Kroeschpjl 

 Bros. Co., Chicago. 



TROUBLE WITH TOMATOES. 



"Will you kindly tell why tomato 

 plants drop their blooms? They are 

 strong, healthy plants. It does not rain, 

 but I have watered them freely. C. H. K. 



• Tomatoes will lose their flowers if they 

 are not fertilized, but in southern cli- 

 mate and out of doors, where there is a 

 free circulation of air and bees and 

 other insects to carry the pollen, it is 

 hardly possible that this is the cause. 

 I know of but one other cause which 

 might fit the case, and that would be 

 too much water thrown on the plants. 

 They should be watered at the roots only, 

 and the foliage kept dry, as it is liable 

 to cause disease and also keeps the pollen 

 washed off the blooms and sometimes 

 rots the flowers off at the stems, just 

 back of the flower, where water is liable 



to collect. BOREALIS. 



STERIUZING SOIL. 



_ "What is the most practical way to ster- 

 ilize soil in greenhouses that are used 

 for growing lettuce? We have two 

 houses, seventy-five feet long, that are 

 used for growing lettuce in solid beds. 

 Would it be best to lay the pipes in the 

 walks and shovel the soil over them, or 

 should the pipes be laid in the soil on 

 the beds? I thought of using a iy2-inch 

 pipe as a flow and two 1-inch pipes as re- 

 turns in each walk, with a ten horse- 

 power traction engine at the end to fur- 

 nish steam. How many pounds steam 

 should be carried and how long should it 

 be kept up? Would it make. any differ- 

 ence if the soil is wet or dry? 'a. S*. 



We are pleased to answer this let- 

 ter, because we feel sure of benefiting at 

 least one person; i. e., the inquirer. If 

 A. S. should use common steam pipe 

 with returns to the boiler as in ordinary 

 greenhouse heating it would do more 

 harm than good to the soil by baking if 

 dry, Which seems to take the life out of 

 it. It would be better to leave the soil 

 in the beds so that the heat would kill 

 all insects, etc., down below the bottom 

 of the beds, where they might seek ref- 

 uge if the top soil were shoveled off to 

 sterilize it. The pipes do not require a 

 return, but should be drilled full of 

 holes and plugged at the farthest end. 

 A set of second-hand pipes will do for 

 this, and when through using them they 

 can be laid away for future use. The 

 pipes should be laid about one foot 

 apart and nearly that deep. Have plenty 

 of water in the boiler and fifty to si|cty 

 pounds of steam on before turning it 

 into the sterilizer. Cover the bed over 

 with canvas or some other material to 

 hold the steam and heat in it while cook- 

 ing. The steam escaping from the many 

 holes in the pipes thoroughly penetrates 

 the soil and soon heats it to a very high 

 temperature, and also keeps it moist. 

 About twenty to thirty minutes will be 



A BED OF MUSHROOMS 



Spaw 

 ralblngr 



KNUD 6UNDESTRUP, 



Mushroom 

 Specialist, 



4273 Milwaukee Ave., Chicago 



Mention The Rerlew when you write. 



sufficient to thoroughly sterilize the bed 

 if everything is working right and the 

 steam can be held up to at least thirty 

 pounds. 



One-inch pipes would be large enough* 

 for short houses. Many growers use 

 common drain tile, turning steam into a 

 header at the end, to which each run is 

 connected, and the steam escapes from 

 the cracks where the tile meet. The best 

 arrangement we ever saw was a system 

 of pipes like a farm drag, with large 

 hollow teeth perforated to allow the 

 steam to escape. This drag-like steril- 

 izer is placed on the bed and pressed 

 down in as far as it can go and is then 

 ready for use. It is called the Sargent 

 sterilizer and is made by G. M. D. Sar- 

 gent, Belmont, Mass. Borealis. 



STRAWBERRY-RASPBERRY. 



I note in the Review of August 8 that 

 this very old plant is being introduced 

 as a novelty in some sections. Many of 

 our old herbaceous perennials have been 

 similarly reintroduced and others, no 

 doubt, will be in the years to come. The 

 strawberry-raspberry, Bubus rosffifolius, 

 is a native of the Himalayas and is also 

 found wild in China and Japan. It was 

 introduced to England as long ago as 

 1811, and has been grown in America 

 nearly as long. Not until recent years 

 have the merits of the plant been ex- 

 ploited. Only three years ago a travel- 

 ing salesman called and offered me small 

 roots of this nearly century old "nov- 

 elty" at $1 each, or $10 per dozen. 



As a shrubbery plant, it is one of the 

 best of the rubus family. The plant dies 

 to the ground each winter, but sends 

 up shoots in spring which attain a height 

 of two to three feet, or even more in 

 rich ground. The large, white flowers, 

 which are carried either singly or in 

 loose panicles at the tops of the shoots, 

 are in themselves attractive in July and 

 August, but the plant's chief charm is 

 in the light orange-red fruit which starts 

 to ripen late in July and continues for 

 two months. Tlie fruit is far more bril- 

 liant in color than that of either straw- 

 berries or raspberries and is so attract- 

 ive that one is instinctively tempted to 

 taste it. The flavor is flat and few seem 

 to relish the fruit in a raw state. Stewed 

 with sugar, it makes a splendid sauce. 

 The fniit bottled whole is also excellent, 

 fully as good, in my estimation, as that 

 made from strawberries or raspberries. 

 It may also be used as a salad. 



I do not anticipate an extensive call 

 for the fruit, although one or two grow- 

 ers have marketed fruit in Boston, New 

 Bedford and other cities in Massachu- 

 setts for some years and have secured 

 satisfactory prices. If the raw fruit 

 only had the true raspberry flavor it 

 w'ould be of great commercial worth. Pos- 

 sibly by some intercrossing this may be 

 secured. A fortune should await the one 

 who can secure flavor and still keep the 

 size and color. 



This plant needs no winter protection 

 and it should be planted in some out of 

 the way corner of the field or garden, 

 for when established it will run and send 



RAWSON'S HOTHOUSE 

 i CUCUMBER 



As a forcing Cucumber is one of the larprestand most 

 profitable crops of the Market Gardener, it is ensential 

 that the very best possible strain snould be sown. 

 With this idea in view we liave made selections for the 

 past few years from our Kawson'b White Spine, which 

 nave resulted in a stiain about two inches longer and 

 a dirker green in color, with a few light spines showing 

 ai blossom end. TbU newatratnwe confidently 

 believe to be anperlor to any other on the matket. 

 The results we have had at our own greei.houses with 

 the stock conclusively prove the af-ove to be true. H 

 oz., 36c; oz., 60c; 4 oz., «1.50; lb., I6.U0. 



Bawaon'a White ^pln« Cucumber, * ox., tl.50; 

 lb., $4.00. Send for Market Gardeners' 

 catali>gue, listing many special strains of 

 ^Radish, Lettuce, etc., for use under glass. 



W. W. RAWSON & CO. 



6 Union St., Boston, Mass. 



Mention The Review when you write. 



A Mess of Mushrooms 



at all seasons growInK in 

 yonr cellar. 40c in post- 

 age stimps, together with the 

 name of > our dealer, will bring 

 you, postpaid, direct from the 

 inanu acturer, a fresh sample 

 brick of 



Lambert's Pare Culture 

 MUSHROOM SPAWN, 

 the best high-gr^de spawn 

 TTT^n^^n^^*' in the market, t- geth« r with 

 large illustrated book on Mashroom Culture, 

 containing simple and practical methods of raising, 

 preserving and cooking mushrorms. Not more than 

 one sample brick will be sent to the same party. 

 Fur' her orders must come through your dealer. 

 Addi«M, AaifrleaB Npavm Co., ht. Paiil, Mian. 

 Mention The Review when yon write. 



Vegetable Growers Should 



Send 5 Dollars 



for a Bwlvel wheel and 20 /^-Incb nozzles. It will 

 fit a run of 100 feet of pipe and iiiveyou achance 

 to try for yourself th- Wlttbold WaterlnK 

 Syatem, or seud for circular of testimoDials. 



The Wlttbold Nozzle, for Vi-ineb hose $1 00 



Tlie Special Rose Nozzle 1.00 



Louis Wlttbold, 1 708 N. Halsted St., GlilcaKO 



Mention The Review when yon write. 



Skioner's Irrigatioo. 



For greenhouses, 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 yon write. 



up suckers ten feet away from the parent 

 stools and soon smother out any plants 

 growing near it. In a sunny spot it 

 should prove excellent for naturalizing 

 and will spread as quickly as either 

 blackberries or thimbleberries. 



W. N. Craio. 



Anderson, Inc.— Stuart & Haugh 

 have planted five houses of carnations, 

 which are starting oflf finely. They also 

 have two houses of roses. Their gerani- 

 ums in the field are not doing well, being 

 aflfeeted in some way in the foliage, but 

 their asters and mums are all that could 

 be wished. They have a good deal of 

 funeral work. All their bedding stock 

 was cleaned up long ago. 



ii:^'^jLiM'i&'- 



