THE VEGETABLE FORCING BUSINESS 



177 



Professor Watts: Yes, even on muck soils manure is an 

 advantage. Intensive celery grov^ers tell me they cannot get 

 maximum returns without some manure, but the system is 

 used more generally on other types of soil. 



Mr. Pomeroy: Is the manure put on simply as a mulch? 



Professor Watts: It is put on as a mulch but it serves 

 other purposes. Every time it rains, liquid plant food is 

 conveyed to the roots. So much manure has been used that 

 the weeds cannot grow. The mulch also renders cultivation 

 unnecessary. 



Mr. Weinschenck at Newcastle has a house which covers 

 about two acres of ground and is three-quarter span in con- 

 struction. There are two rows of ventilators at the ridge 

 and large doors at the ends. One thing of interest in this 

 house is that Mr. Weinschenck hauled muck from a nearby 

 area and mixed it with the shaly soil of the greenhouse. 



Mr. Greffrath : The ventilating space does not seem to 

 be in proportion. 



Professor Watts : I often feel that these men must have 

 more difficulty in maintaining proper conditions and in con- 

 trolling temperatures. I have my doubts whether such wide 

 type of construction is desirable. Mr. Weinschenck has a 

 roadway extending through the house. 



(Lantern views were used in connection with the follow- 

 ing remarks) : 



The greenhouse I mentioned as containing nine acres be- 

 longs to Searles Brothers of Ohio. It is of ridge and furrow 

 construction with the houses twelve or thirteen feet wide. 

 It is the largest range in the United States that is being used 

 for vegetable forcing. 



An end view of a portion of Mr. Ruetenik's range of houses 

 shows the large ventilators over the large doors and two 

 rows of vents at the ridge. This type of house is giving 

 splendid results at Cleveland. 



This is a very inexpensive structure near Boston used for 

 the forcing of rhubarb. Steam pipes are provided around the 



