Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women - Wise Acres Yearbook (Ambler, PA)

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 A tErip ©ijrouglj tije drmtipmse by |lrnxy Upon a recent week-end visit to the home of a friend, I was asked this most astonishing question. “What do you do in the winter out at the school? It seems to me that there is nothing in that line of work that can be carried on during the cold months, unless one has a greenhouse and even then I shouldn’t think there would be enough work for all of you students.” “That’s where so many people make a big mistake,” I replied, 4 winter for us is almost as busy as any other season of the year, for we are preparing for the spring and summer as well as doing the actual winter work in the greenhouses. You had belter come out and see for yourself, we would all be glad to have you visit us.” “Much as I would like to, I fear I cannot spend the time; but would you mind telling me what you are doing in your greenhouses now and what plants you raise? You know I am so interested in the work.” “Certainly I will. Suppose I take you through by proxy.” “That would be lots of fun.” “We have three greenhouses and I will first show you through house No. I. This is divided into two sections. Just imagine walking into a very warm, moist room where the temperature is from 70 to 73 degrees and you will be in the first section. In here are those plants and seedlings which require this high temperature; also the propagating beds. On the bench at the right are rows of young ferns in tiny pots and next to them are boxes of canna roots just showing green through the sand and flat pots in which have been planted seeds of asparagus sprengerii. These seeds were soaked in water twenty-four hours before being planted, to hasten germination. Next are our tuberous begonias which were planted about ten days ago. Near by are some queerly covered pots, and if you should peep under this covering of moss, you would see four lily-of-the-valley pips embedded in pure sand. By giving them quantities of water and heat we can force them into bloom in eighteen to twenty days. Close by you will come to our most interesting and often difficult work, the work in connection with the propagating beds.” “Please do tell me more about them.” “These beds are built over the pipes on the south side of the house. In this way the little cuttings are given bottom heat which is necessary to make them strike root readily. Additional protection is given them by covering the beds with frames —either glass or muslin and sometimes both. Inside the bed there is a good layer of drainage and then about ten inches of clean, sharp sand. For propagating some plants, it is necessary to sterilize this sand, so susceptible to disease are their cuttings. Just now we have geranium, lavender’; coleus, fuschia, vinca, antirrhinum and alternanthera cuttings in several of these beds. Another bed is devoted to begonia leaf cuttings. These are held down flat in the sand by means of toothpicks and then the veins are cut and from these incisions roots develop, making new plants. As many as 40 little plants can be obtained from one leaf by this method. The varieties in the bed are Rex, President Carnot, Semperflorens and Glory of Cincin- 16

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out the centre when the plant is about fifteen inches high and it will then branch out and form a compact plant. In cutting the blossoms—evening is the best time—cut as much stalk back as possible and plunge the stems in boiling water for a few minutes and then in cool water. In the fall do nothing with the dahlia plant until after a black frost, then cut it down to within one foot of the ground and allow the sap to return to the roots. Usually after a frost we have some pleasant weather and the tubers may be allowed to cure. Never take them up when they arc filled with moisture. If the root remains in the ground after it has been cut back, it will harden. In faking up the tubers, choose a bright, sunny day and go to the plants early in the morning and lift them up with as much soil as possible; turn them upside down on a board and let them remain until three or four o’clock in the afternoon, then store them temporarily where the air can circulate and dry them naturally. They should not be put away permanently for the winter until they are thorough- ly dry and the soil has fallen off. Then store them where there is no heat but a temperature of about 40 degrees, varying as little as possible. It is best to inspect the tubers at least twice a month during the winter. If any decay is found, cut out at once and sprinkle with lime, and if some of the roots are shrinking separate them from the others and sprinkle with water once a week. Most tubers are lost after February 1st, therefore give more particular care to them during February and March. The following are the principal insects that attack the dahlia: the cut worm—treat the ground with vermine—this is a liquid gas and, to be effective in killing all insects and eggs, it must be applied after the soil has been thoroughly soaked with water; the white fly—treat with aphine: the chinch bug—it appears on the flower bud and cuts a hole in it, causing the flower to develop on one side only—spray with Paris green early in the evening and repeat on every young bud that appears. Ida L. Mills. 15

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nati. In still another of these beds are croton cuttings. Instead of being placeq directly in the sand as most cuttings are, these are planted in rich loam in small pots which are sunk in ashes. The reason for this is that the roots of the croton are very tender and might easily be broken when taken out of the bed.” “You certainly have enough cuttings out there, what will become of them all ?” “Well, you see, we never count our chickens before they are hatched; frequently diseases come and accidents happen in spite of care which lessen the number, but to be serious, we transplant them again and again, always trying to supply the present need of food to the growing plant. After that the plants are sold or saved to be handed down to the next class for practice material; or, very often, they are used in the out-door gardens later in the season. “This section of the house does not only hold cuttings, but also some of the tropical plants such as the Allamanda Henacr-sonii with its wonderful rich yellow blossoms, and the Figus from which a ripe fig is now and then plucked. We have also a small bench of gardenias almost ready to bloom. Oxalis, mimosa pudica in tiny pots, and asparagus plumosus, all have their individual nooks in this house. Our beautiful collection of begonias is here as well. In the two middle benches there are beans and tomatoes. The beans are about over, but the little tomatoes arc just beginning to form on the vines.” “What became of the beans when they were ready to be picked?” “What do you think? We picked them, of course, and had them for lunch. My, but they were good. But they aren’t the only vegetables we have in the greenhouses. We are raising cucumbers in this house to shortly occupy the place of the beans, and then in the vegetable house we each have a separate garden—but you will hear more of them when you reach the vegetable house. Just now I’ll take you into the second or cool section of this first house. Here the temperature is about 55 degrees. We generally call this the carnation and sweetpea house, although we raise other plants in it. Two beds of carnations will soon be through blooming and to take their place, Iris Hispanica and Gladioli Nanus have been planted between the carnation plants. We each have a box of carnation cuttings on the south window ledge and until they have established good root systems we must daily sprinkle and shade them. Calla lilies are almost ready to bloom and Easter lilies, which will bloom by the end of the month, occupy one end of this house. “A good portion of the floor space is taken up by wall flowers just coming into bloom, and flats filled with rose and boxwood cuttings. Our forget-me-nots are just now showing delicate blues and pinks. Under the benches rhubarb is sending forth its tempting green shoots.” “Now, where are you going to take me on my imaginary trip?” “Well, we must go through the service room, where all transplanting is done, to get into the second house. In the last few weeks this house has just buzzed with work. You see in here we have a great number of seedlings and, also, potted cuttings which have already rooted. There are the geraniums, coleus and smilax on the right bench. On the left, there is a long bed of mignonette between which schizanthus have been planted. At the end 17