36 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



Afbil 23, 1908. 



Vegetable Forciag. 



MANURE AS A SUMMER MULCH. 



In experiments made by G. E. Stone, 

 of the Massachusetts Experiment Sta- 

 tic, it was found that the practice com- 

 mon among those engaged in forcing 

 vegetables under glass, of allowing the 

 soil of beds to become dry during that 

 portion of the season when the houses 

 are not in use, has an injurious effect on 

 the growth of lettuce by increasing the 

 activity of the "drop" fungus in the 

 soil and the extent of infection in the 

 succeeding crop of lettuce. Other in- 

 jurious effects were also observed which 

 were "manifested in a stunted growth 

 and abnormally colored and worthless 

 crop." Doctor Stone therefore recom- 

 mends that the soil of houses used for 

 forcing lettuce should never be allowed 

 to become too dry in summer, and ex- 

 plains that "if such drying occurs, the 

 soil can be entirely renovated by apply- 

 ing hot water or steam to it." 



The Ohio Experiment Station reports 

 experiments, begun three years ago, to 

 determine ' ' what effect the use of strawy 

 manure would have on the soil when 

 used as a mulch during that part of the 

 summer when crops are not growing in 

 the greenhouses," which gave results 

 bearing upon the question of the advan- 

 tage of keeping greenhouse soils moist in 

 summer. 



The manure was applied as soon as 

 the tomato and cucumber vines were 

 removed from the houses, or about the 

 first of August. It was put on to a depth 

 of from five to six inches and spread 

 svenly over the entire surface of the 

 beds. As soon as it was on, water was 

 applied in the form of a spray until the 

 manure and soil were thoroughly wet. 



The object of this wetting was, first, 

 to leach the fertility of the manure into 

 the soil, and, second, to wet the soil 

 suflSciently so that with the strawy mulch 

 it would remain moist for several days. 

 The operation of watering was repeated 

 as often as needed; two or three times a 

 week in bright weather. 



When it came time to plant the lettuce, 

 about the middle of September, the 

 coarse part of the manure was removed 

 from the beds and carried outside. The 

 finer portion of the manure was worked 

 into the soil at the time of spading. 



It was noticeable that the soil which 

 had been treated with the mulch was in 

 excellent mechanical condition when it 

 was worked up for the first crop. There 

 were no lumps, as there often are in soil 

 which has been allowed fo bake in the 

 sun for weeks at a time. It was also 

 darker in color than unmulched soil. The 

 lettuce plants which were planted in this 

 soil started off nicely and grew rapidly 

 and satisfactorily in every respect. No 

 further application of manure or fertil- 

 izer of any kind was made for the second 

 and third crops of lettuce. The growth 

 of these crops was very satisfactory, as 

 was that of the first crop. 



The method gave such favorable re- 

 sults at the station that a practical 

 grower of forcing-house vegetables was 

 induced to try it. Taking the results of 

 the station tests for the two seasons, to- 

 gether with the results secured by the 

 practical grower for the same length of 

 time, and gleaning what information it 

 has been possible to obtain from various 

 sources, the station does not hesitate to 



500,000 



PALMETTO ASPARAGIS ROOTS 



2, 3 and 4 Years Old 



Well Developed Grown on Bloomsdale 



Trade Price, $3«50 Per Thousand 



No order will be taken under One Thousand 



D. Landreth Seed Company, Bristol, Pa. 



BLOOMSDXLE SEED EARNS 



Mention The Review when you write. 



^ 



VEGETABLE PLANTS ! 



TOMATO. Mayflower, Lorillard, Earl- 

 iana, Early June Pink and Early Jew- 

 el, 30p per 100, $2.00 per 1000. 



BEETS. Egyptian and Crosby's, 20c 

 per 100, $1.25 per 1000. 



CELERY. White Plume & Golden Self- 

 Blanching, 20c per 100, $1.25 per 1000. 



PEPPER & EGG PLANTS. Ready for trans- 

 planting, 40c per 100, $2.00 per 1000. 



R.VINCENTJr.&SONSCO.,WhiteMarsli,Md. 



Mention The Review when you write. 



RHUBARB CLUMPS FOR FORCINB 



Undivided roots grown outside this summer and 

 placed under the benches of your houses this fall 

 will pay you 50 per cent or more profit. I offer 

 clumps, for immediate delivery, at $25.00 per 1000 

 that will cost you $50.00 this fall. Buy now. Ship- 

 ment made at once. Asparasriis. which 1 offer now 

 at $3.50 per 1000, next fall the same roots will cost 

 you $15.00 to $20.00 per 1000. 



WarranShinn'tNurseryStock.Wooditown.N.J. 



Mention The Review when yon write. 



recommend this treatment for soils which 

 ire to be used for vegetable forcing. It 

 must be borne in mind, however, that no 

 tialf-way or slipshod methods of using 

 the mulch will give satisfactory results. 

 There should be sufficient fertility in the 

 manure to furnish enough plant food, 

 when leached into the soil, to supply the 

 three crops of lettuce. The quantity of 

 manure must be sufficient, also. At least 

 five or six inches should be applied. A 

 considerable quantity of coarse material 

 in the manure, such as straw, corn 

 stover, etc., is an advantage. Fresh ma- 

 nure has been used at the station each 

 time, and, ' ' while we have had no chance 

 to see the effect of the use of the well- 

 rotted manure, we are satisfied with fresh 

 manure, as we know that it will give good 

 results. ' ' 



Where it is the practice to mulch the 

 cucumber or tomato crop, the manure 

 used for that purpose can be left on and 

 more added, provided the cucumbers or 

 tomatoes have been free from disease. 

 In case these crops have been diseased, 

 it would be advisable to remove the 

 mulch used on them and apply new. 

 Frequent sprinkling of the manure on the 

 beds is very essential. 



"When it comes time to put in the first 

 crop, if the soil is in need of humus, 

 the entire mulch may be spaded into the 

 soil, but most greenhouse soils do not 

 need the addition of so much coarse ma- 

 terial. Where the soil is fairly well sup- 

 plied with humus, the coarser part should 

 be taken off and removed from the 

 houses and the finer portion worked into 

 the soil. 



The fact that the greenhouses in which 

 the mulch was used were free from let- 

 tuce disease "would lead us to expect 

 beneficial rather than detrimental results 



THE cost of labor saved 

 in six months will buy 

 and install a Skinner Sys- 

 tem of Greenhouse Irri- 

 gation. 



The Skinner Irrigation Co. 



TROY, O. 



Mention The Review when yon write. 



FLORISTS have a splendid oppor- 

 tunity of raiainsr Mnahrooms ky 

 utilizing the waste space under the 

 benches, and then utilizing the wasta 

 material of expendea mushroom 

 beds in growingr flowers. L>ambert'l 

 Pare Cnltnre MUSHROOM 

 SPAWN, the best Spawn in the market, is sold by all 

 leadins seedsmen. A fresh sample brick, enourn for 

 a trialbed, together with illustrated book on "Mash- 

 room Culture," will be mailed postpaid upon receipt 

 of 40c in postage stamps. Address American 

 Spawn Company, St. PanI, Minn. 



Mention The Review when yon write. 



2,000,000 TOMATO PLANTS 



Dwarf Stone, New Stone, Livingston's Beauty. 

 $1.25 per 100 : $10.00 per 10,000. 



....GERANIUMS.... 



Ricard. Nutt, rooted cuttings, $1.50 per 100; 

 $12.50 per 1000. German Ivy, 3-in., $3.00 per 100. 



B. E. WAD8W0RTH, Box 224, Danville, III. 



Mention The Rerlew when yon write. 



from the proper use of summer mulch 

 in 80 far as it affects the diseases of 

 lettuce." If the use of mulch has any 

 beneficial effect as regards diseases, it is 

 entirely a preventive measure, and not a 

 cure. Neither this method nor any other 

 will prevent damage which results from 

 bad methods of handling the crop. 



GRKENHOUSE VEGETABLES. 



Chicago, April 22. — Cucumbers, 35c to 

 $1.25 box; leaf lettuce, 20c case; rad- 

 ishes, 15c to 50c doz. bunches. 



Boston, April 20. — Bunch beets, $1 

 to $1.50 doz. bunches; radishes, $1.25 to 

 $1.50 box; dandelions, $1 box; cucum- 

 bers, $1.50 to $5.50 box ; tomatoes, 30c to 

 40c lb.; parsley, $1.50 to $1.75 box; 

 rhubarb, 6c to 7c lb.; escarolle, 75c doz.; 

 romaine, 75c doz.; chicory, $1 doz.; let- 

 tuce, 50c to 85c box; mint, 75c to $1 

 box; mushrooms, 50c to 60c lb.; beet 

 greens, 65c to 75c box. 



New York, April 21. — Demand for 

 mushrooms light and market quiet, with 

 prices barely sustained. Cucumbers 

 weaker, with outside quotation more ex- 

 treme. Lettuce firm for fancy, but much 



