498 FRITZ BAHR'S COMMERCIAL FLORICULTURE 



This keeps right on and he really never knows where he is at; while 

 his competitor has given up growing his own stock and has placed 

 a standing order for a minimum number of flowers to be shipped 

 to him twice or three times a week direct from the Rose grower 

 or the commission house. This man not only obtains a higher quality 

 of flowers than he could possibly grow himself, but he knows at all 

 times where he is at and what orders he can take and fill, and a 

 telephone call or wire message will get him more. There are ex- 

 ceptions, to be sure, but when one considers the time and labor 

 required to grow Roses, the necessary temperature and, with all 

 that, the inability to produce as high grade stock as the specialist, 

 I am positive that every florist who is within a reasonable distance 

 of a Rose grower is money ahead, and saves himself a lot of 

 trouble and worry by buying the cut Roses he needs for retailing. 



ROSE CULTURE UNDER GLASS 



It would be useless to take up space here with detailed cultural 

 notes on Rose growing for cut flowers under glass. Those wishing 

 such information will find Eber Holmes' "Commercial Rose Cul- 

 ture" an excellent guide, and there are many other books on the 

 subject. I would, however, like to mention a few of the require- 

 ments for the benefit of those who still want to go into the work on a 

 small scale. Here, as with the growing of all other florist crops, one 

 has to learn the ropes by actual experience. You can tell a man how 

 to do things, but that is all. The successful Rose grower is one who 

 not only reads books, but who also has had years of practical ex- 

 perience in the handling of Roses; and even then he can only do just 

 so much, as crop failures may still happen on account of conditions 

 over which he has no control. But with a thorough knowledge of 

 the cultural requirements a man can often avoid failure, whereas 

 the inexperienced man, if the least thing goes wrong, is at a loss 

 to know what to do. 



The Rose House and Equipment 



To start out with, you want a modern house — the larger the 

 better: — with perfect ventilation. Steam heat is better than hot 

 water, or if you want to use water have a few steam pipes running 

 through the house. A little steam during Fall before you start 

 steady firing prevents mildew and you can use the steam pipes better 

 for fumigating purposes. Roses, whether for indoors or outdoors, 

 enjoy a heavy loam and prefer cow manure to Eilmost anything else 

 in the way of fertilizer; they can remain for three or more years in 

 the same soil and will thrive if you supply sufficient manure as a 

 mulch and fine bonemeal as a tonic. 



Roses are usually planted during early Spring in raised benches 

 of the usual depth, allowing 12 in. of space between the plants in 



