60 
WISCONSIN HORTICULTURE 
December, 1916 
Meet The People Who Are Doing Things At 
2. Exhibits must be arranged ready for judges by 9 A. M., Wed- 
nesday, December 13th. 
3. Four apples constitute a plate, no more, no less. 
4. Separate samples must be furnished for each entry, except for 
No. 1, which may include all entries. 
5. Competition open to all residents of Wisconsin, but premiums 
paid only to members. Successful exhibitors, if not members, must 
forward fee for membership before receiving check for premium; 
fee for annual membership, fifty cents. 
Members or others unable to attend the meeting may send fruit 
to the secretary, who will make entries and place fruit on exhibition. 
Transportation charges must be prepaid. 
All entries must be made on regular entry blanks which will be 
furnished by the secretary on application. 
F. Cranefield, Secretary W. S. H. S., Madison, Wisconsin. 
STUDENTS’ JUDGING CONTEST. 
Twenty dollars in prizes will be awarded to students in the long 
and middle courses, Horticultural Department, College of Agricul- 
ute, for the best scores in identifying and judging varieties of fruit 
on exhibit. 
Under rules prepared by Prof. J. G. Moore. 
Final awards to be decided by a judge appointed by the president. 
A feature of the convention will be an exhibit of apple products 
57 varieties or as nearly that number as may be, prepared by Mrs. 
H. IT Morgan of Madison who believes in the apple and volunteered 
the preparation of this exhibit to prove that Eve exercised good 
judgment. 
Appetizers for the Winter 
Months 
(Continued from page 50) 
combination of all of the above. 
It is dark and generally moist, 
at least the atmosphere is humid, 
and the temperature can be kept 
sufficiently high with a small 
gasoline stove or even just a 
kerosene lamp if the cellar is not 
too large. 
Take for forcing roots of rhu- 
barb that are at least 2 years old 
and allow them to freeze; then 
pack them tightly in a corner of 
the cellar in such a manner that 
the product can be conveniently 
picked. Cover them over with a 
little loose, mellow earth just 
so that the crowns of the plants 
are at the surface of the soil and 
water them down well. It is 
absolutely essential that the 
roots have been frozen before 
they are brought in to force as 
the nature of the plant seems to 
demand either this or else a long 
rest period before it will begin to 
grow rapidly again. From now 
on the control of light, tempera- 
ture, and moisture determine the 
time of maturity. If the product 
is desired in a short time, keep 
it quite dark and run the temp- 
erature at about 60-65°. This 
will hasten the crop about a week 
but the stalks are apt to be small 
and spindly instead of the thick 
stocky stalks produced at a 
temperature of 40° Fa hr. The 
temperature can be easily main- 
tained either with kerosene lamps 
or with a small gasoline stove. 
Mr. J. E. Morse says that some 
of the best and finest rhubarb 
he had ever seen was forced in a 
house cellar 36 x 54 feet in which 
the only heat was that of two 
large kerosene lamps. If the 
lamps are used it is a good plan 
to smoke the globes as otherwise 
the light is usually sufficient to 
cause a curving of the stalks and 
a slight toughening of those 
nearest to it. In the darkness 
the leaf develops little or none 
and the stalk is formed from 
the food stored in the root, while 
in the light the leaf grows at 
the expense of the stalk and the 
crop takes a long time to mature. 
Several waterings may be neces- 
sary if the atmosphere is not 
very humid. The ventilation is 
of very little importance; that 
caused by entering the room is 
sufficient to bring the plants 
along all right. A single root 
will bear from 18 to 50 stalks 
ranging over a period of from 
4 to 5 weeks or possibly more. 
If a succession of produce is de- 
sired, it is necessary to plant 
some roots at a later date. In 
this manner rhubarb may be 
had from Christmas on until the 
outdoor crop is ready. 
The forcing is very hard on 
the roots and they cannot be 
used again until they have been 
left in the field to recuperate for 
several years. Hence it is neces- 
sary to either plant seed to 
secure new plants or divide the 
plants already present. If seed 
is used, almost a whole year can 
