Afbil 10, 1914. 



The Florists' Review 



13 



One of Max Schliog's Best G>rsage Baskets for Steamers. 



some support. This you can either give 

 by running galvanized wires lengthwise 

 and twine crosswise, as in the case of 

 carnations, or use a stake to each plant 



tiand tie it round loosely. Probably the 

 wires and twine would be the easiest to 

 apply. 



As your plants show flowers, start 



- feeding, either by using cow or sheep 

 manure water, or by giving an occa- 

 sional top-dressing of pulverized sheep 

 manure or fine bone. The plants re- 

 quire an abundant supply of water 

 and, after this date, there are few days 

 when continuous ventilation cannot be 

 left on, including all nights which are 

 not cold. C. W. 



SHADING FOB ASPARAGUS. 



Kindly answer the following ques- 

 tions concerning Asparagus plumosus: 

 What is the proper amount of shade to 

 give the plants? We have two houses, 

 each 29^Ax91, three-quarter-span to the 

 south, with 6-foot gutters, and one 

 house 15x91, even-span, with gutters 

 about eight feet high as the ground 

 slopes. There are no partitions be- 

 tween the houses and all are planted to 

 plumosus in solid beds. The ventilators 

 of the wide houses are hinged at the 

 ridge and those of the narrow house at 

 the header; there is continuous side 

 ventilation at the south and there are 

 seven wall ventilators at the north. 

 Now, the stock in these wide houses has 

 always been burned considerably in hot 

 weather, unless the shade was heavy. 

 Last year we had a mixture of whiting, 

 coal oil and linseed oil put on in places 

 almost as thick as oilcloth, and quite 

 heavily all over. This, of course, 



stopped the burning, but the trouble 

 seems to be that, when we start to 

 shade, the growth is checked and the 

 burning conthiues until the heavy stage 

 is reached, probably for the reason that 

 the light in the morning and evening 



is weak at a time when the plants 

 would stand the clear glass, and thus 

 the growth is softened and made less 

 able to withstand the midday heat. 



The narrow house is new and we ex- 

 pect better results from it. I thought 

 that if five or six feet of boards were 

 laid on the south side, thus reducing 

 the glass area, the houses would be 

 more like even-span houses and a light 

 shade could be put over the balance. 

 Our location, you will notice, is eastern 

 Missouri. 



How closely may asparagus be cut 

 without injury? Will two or three 

 stubby old leaves suflSce or would a tuft 

 of growth be better? Occasionally a 

 plant is found in which the crowns are 

 cut away and there is little prospect of 

 new crowns shooting up. Are eighteen 

 stems a year a fair average cut? 



E. W. G. S. 



The houses of Asparagus plumosus 

 should have a moderate shading of 

 whiting, white lead and coal oil, put 

 on with a brush to insure an even coat. 

 Then, with continuous ventilation at 

 the ridge and also at the south side, 

 these three-quarter-span houses ought 

 to keep in fair condition. In extremely 

 hot weather, a syringing twice a day 

 would help to keep the temperature 

 down and check the burning, and would 

 also prevent the attacks of red spider. 

 I would not advise covering any part 

 of the house with boards, as the part 

 so covered would have entirely too 

 much shade. 



It is not advisable to cut asparagus 

 down too closely,, as that practice tends 

 to weaken the plants. If you can 

 average eighteen stems per year, the 

 crop ought to be a satisfactory one. 

 W. H. T. 



BUSINESS EMBABBASSMENTS. 



Norwalk, Conn. — The schedules in the 

 petition of bankruptcy of Alfred Will- 

 iams were filed April 6, showing unse- 

 cured debts of $2,713.20 and assets of 

 $290.40, including $10 stock in trade 

 and $210.40 in book accounts. 



A Basket that Makes the Steamer Order Repeat. 



