Dkcbmbeb 10, 1008, •/ 



The Weekly Florists* Review. 



51 



Vegetable Forcing. 



VEGETABLE MARKETS. 



Chicago, Dec. 9. — Cucumbers, $1 to 

 $1.50 doz.; leaf lettuce, 30c to 35c case; 

 radishes, 30c to 35c doz. bunches. 



Boston, Dec. 7. — Cucumbers, $1.50 to 

 $8 box; lettuce, 60c to $1 box; escarolle, 

 50c to 75c doz.; radishes, $1.25 to $1.75 

 box; mint, 50c to 75c doz.; romaine, 50c 

 to 75c doz.; tomatoes, 12c to 15c lb.; 

 mushrooms, $2 to $2.50 4-lb. box. 



New York, Dec. 7. — Cucumbers, fancy, 

 $1.12 to $1.25 doz.; cucumbers. No. 1, 85c 

 to $1 doz.; cucumbers, No. 2, $1.50 to 

 $3.50 doz.; lettuce, $1.50 to $2.25 strap; 

 mushrooms, large, 40c to 50c lb.; mush- 

 rooms, small, 25c to 30c lb.; mint, 40c 

 doz. bunches; radishes, $2 to $2.50 per 

 100 bunches; tomatoes, 10c to 20c lb. 



VEGETABLES FOR CHRISTMAS. 



Radishes and Lettuce. 



The vegetable growers in the vicinity 

 of Chicago are now making ready for 

 the holiday harvest of radishes and let- 

 tuce. A few growers had some cucum- 

 ber vines which continued to bear in the 

 fall, but the fall cucumber crop has been, 

 AS usual, a disappointment. The dis- 

 •eases seem to have been more disastrous 

 this fall than ever, and many of the 

 growers have been so completely discour- 

 aged that they have stated that they will 

 never again try to grow cucumbers in 

 the fall and early winter. 



The majority of the vegetable growers 

 grow lettuce and radishes in the fall and 

 ■early part of winter, and cucumbers in 

 late winter and spring, when the sun gets 

 higher and conditions generally are more 

 favorable. They say that while the profit 

 on lettuce is not large, it is as good as 

 •cucumbers at that time of year, when it 

 is so diflScult to grow a paying crop of 

 the latter. 



When to Plant Radish Seed. 



It is true that radishes are sometimes 

 ready to sell within a month of the date 

 of planting the seed, but it takes fine 

 weather and good care to bring them to 

 salable size in that length of time. Then, 

 too, they are wanted several days before 

 •Christmas, or whatever holiday it may be 

 which is the occasion for the heavy de- 

 mand and high prices. If sold through 

 wholesale men or commission houses, as 

 most growers market their produce, it 

 requires time to get the vegetables to the 

 consumer. 



For instance, the housewife preparing 

 a big dinner for December 25 will buy 

 her supplies December 24, and the grocer 

 who supplies her will want his supply in 

 by December 22 or 23. The commission 

 man, therefore, should have his rush De- 

 cember 21 and 22, with nothing doing 

 after December 23. Therefore we should 

 measure the weeks back from December 

 21 instead of December 25, and the 

 grower who was wise enough to get his 

 radish seed planted five or more weeks 

 before that date will have better radishes 

 and less worry in hurrying the crop 

 along. Forcing a crop along, in order 

 to hasten it a few days, is often the 

 ■cause of more trouble from diseases than 

 is any other act of mismanagement. It 

 is always easier to hold a crop back a 

 -week or more than to hurry it along that 

 much. 



The Favorite Variety. 



Eadish seed for forcing in greenhouses 

 should be the best obtainable. The Scar- 

 let Globe Short Top Forcing is the gen- 

 eral favorite and really the only type 

 suitable for midwinter. It is a great 

 mistake to try to use up a few pounds of 

 old seed of some left-over stock. A few 

 cents saved in this way will cost many 

 dollars when it comes to counting up 

 after the harvest. Buy the best and of 

 the most reliable seedsmen. It is money 

 well spent. 



Kadishes should always be sown in 

 rows. Plant them about half an inch 

 apart in well-prepared soil and, when 

 sprouted, thin them out to about an inch 

 or an inch and a quarter apart, selecting 

 the weaker plants to pull up. The rows 

 should be about four and one-half to five 

 inches apart. 



Except for the watering, no other work 

 is necessary after the thinning out until 

 they are ready to pull and bunch. They 

 should be tied twelve in a bunch, washed, 

 and set upon a bench with tops up, as 

 they grow until ready to pack. The 

 water will drain off and dry the leaves 

 more quickly and they will be less liable 

 to heat in the boxes if left a while be- 

 fore packing. 



It requires about eight weeks from 

 seed to make good, salable lettuce. The 

 seed should be started in flats, once trans- 

 planted and planted out in the beds not 

 later than Thanksgiving. Head lettuce 

 requires about two weeks more time than 

 the Grand Bapids variety. 



The Right Temperature. 



A night temperature of 45 degrees suits 

 both radishes and lettuce nicely, with a 

 rise of about 10 to 15 degrees in the day- 

 time, depending on how bright the day is. 

 Some growers ruu their houses at a 

 lower temperature and some higher. The 

 higher temper£(,ture is pardonable in 

 some cases, but the lower the tempera- 

 ture the better the quality of the vege- 

 tables. There are many things to take 

 into consideration in regard to the right 

 temperature for different cases, but when 

 in doubt as to which to use, it is always 

 safer to take the lower temperature. 

 Few greenhouse men keep their houses 

 cool enough or properly ventilated. 



H. G. 



NEW BEDFORD. MASS. 



Last week was a little better for cut 

 flower trade. Funeral work is good, 

 using up lots of short stock. Prices 

 remain about the same as usual. Mums 

 are nearing the end. This has been 

 rather an unsatisfactory year for them 

 in regard to prices. 



E. Y. Peirce has a fine batch of Lor- 

 raine begonias, which sell well. His car- 

 nations and roses are looking well. 



Ashley & Heuberger's place is in first- 

 class shape. Their carnations are good. 



From all appearances there will be a 

 good supply of carnations for Christmas. 



W. L. 



NEW ORLEANS. 



Outside of a few decorations for balls, 

 and some funeral orders, business is dull. 

 A long spell of dry weather, with a few 

 light frosts, has given a dull appearance 

 to our gardens, and it seems, as if it will 

 be only the return of spring that will 

 bring a new life to the trade. Every 

 place is full of stock in' anticipation of 

 a good demand when the season opens. 



George Sanford, who grows a large 



VEfiETABLE SEEDS 



FOR FORCING 



"Stokea* Standarda" are always 

 the finest strains. 



Radish, Prauian Globe, ^4 lb., 20c; 1 lb.,60c. 

 Radiab, Stokes' Scarlet Globe, k lb., 20c; 



lib., 60c. 

 Liettnce, Grand Rapids ForclnK, oz., lOc; 



I4 lb ,35c; lib., $1.25. 

 liettnoe, Stokes' Big Boston, oz., 10c; 



U, lb , 36c; 1 lb.. $1.25. 

 Tomato. Sparks' Earliana, Stokes' 



Special No. 10 Strain, packet, 10c; oz., 



40c; U.]b., $1.10. 

 Tomato, Jane Pink, packet, 10c: oz., 40c; 



»4 lb., $1.10. 

 Add postaKe 8c per lb., if wanted by mail. 



Let me estimate on your spring require- 

 ments for vegetable seeds. 



srOKES' SEED STORE 



2i9 Market St.. PHILADELPHIA. PA. 



V / 



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IVE ACRES with the 

 Skinner Irrigation will 

 produce as much crops as 

 TEN ACRES without it. 



The Skinner Irrigation Go. 



TROY, O. 



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Seeds for Forcing 



LIVINGSTON'S TRU£ BLUK STRAINS 



liettnce- Grand Rapids.... Vlb., 35c; lb., 11.25 



Radisb-Flreball Vlb., 16c; lb., .50 



Radlsb-Im. Scarlet Globe. I4 -lb., 20c; lb., .60 



Radish— RoBT Gem 14-lb.. 15c; lb., .60 



Tomato-L.*s01obe,oz..35c; >4-lb.,$1.10;lb., 4.00 



Tomato-I<'MBeanty,oz.,25c; i4-lb.,60c;lb., 1.76 



If to be mailed add 8c per lb. for postage. 



LIVINGSTON SEBD CO., Isi 104, ColaMbus, Oklo 



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Mushroom Spawn! 



Tobacco Stems 



FresbTobaooo Stains, $1.50 for 800-lb. bale. 

 Vresli Mill Track Spawn, $6.00 per 100 lbs. 



W. C. BECKERT, Seedsman, 

 North Side PITTSBURG, PA. 



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Watch for our Trade Mark stamped 

 on every brick of Lambert's 



Pure Culture Mushroooi Spawn 



Substitution of cheaper grades is 

 thus easily exposed. Fresh sample 

 ^,.^^ brick, with illustrated book, mailed 

 ^»^ j^'^. postpaid by manufacturers upon re- 

 >^P. ^^i^ ceipt of 40 cents in postage. Address 



Trade Mark. American Spawn Co., SL Paul, Minn. 



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COMET TOMXTO SEED 



Grown from true stock. Excellent for forcing. 

 50c and $1.00 per pkt. H. BI SANDERSON, 

 111 LINCOLN ST., WALTHAH, MASS. 



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number of different varieties of hardy 

 plants, has a fine stock on hand. He 

 grows them in such a quantity of dif- 

 ferent sizes that as soon as his ground is 

 cleared up he replaces it with new stuff. 



M. M. L. 



