The new rhubarb culture; a complete guide to dark forcing and field culture, how to prepare and use rhubarb

PART II Additional Chapters on Other Methods o Dy G. BURNAP FISKe'' '■ ' 5 , :> ; 3

NEW YORK

ORANGE JUDD COMPANY

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Two Copies Receives

Copyright entry

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CLASS ^^XXc. N*».

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COPYRIGHTED 1901 l$Y

ORANGE JUDD COMPANY.

All Rights Reserved.

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Chapter IV. Hints And Helps

For early market — Insects and blights — Culture of medicinal rhubarb — Pie plant for home use — Seed raising — Food value — Fertilizing constituents — Irrigation — Field jottings 115

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PART I.

Page

Ready for Forcing, 4

Ready to Market, 6

Grown in Hotbed for the Christmas Market, 10

A Bed in the House Cellar, 12

Plowing Out Rhubarb Roots, 14

Rhubarb Roots Ready for the Cellar. 18

Preparing for Market, 28

On the Display Stand in a Detroit Commission House, 31

Effects of Nitrate of Soda, 85

Tools Used in- Rhubarb Culture, 42

Product of Frozen and Unfrozen Roots, 51

Leaf Development — In Light and in Darkness, 57

PART II.

Long Island Sash House, 74

Hot Water Forcing House, 75

Hot Water Forcing House (Interior View), 77

W. W. Rawson's Cold Frames for Rhubarb, 79

Long Island Cold Frame, 80

Sash and Shutter, 80

Steam Forcing in the Open Field, 84

Forcing with Liquid Manure, 87

Rhubarb Field at Jamaica, L. I., 90

Rhubarb Ready for New York Market, 96

Rhubarb in Field Culture, 97

Method of Ridging in Fall and Spring, 99

Ridged Bed in Winter, 100

Stalks of Linnaeus, 104

Stalks of Victoria, 104

Bunch of Victoria Ready for Market, 105

Bunch of Mammoth Red, 106

I'age

Hill of St. Martin's, 107

Monarch Rhubarb, 107

Packing Shed for Rhubarb, 116

Interior Plan of Packing Shed , 117

The Rhubarb Curculio, 119

Stalk Injured by Curculio, 120

Plant of the Medicinal Rhubarb, 121

Seedling and Root Cutting, 126

IXTRODrCTION-.

WiTHix a comparatively short time^ the forcing of various garden vegetables has assumed such vast proportions, that now the products of the forcing house are exposed in all the city markets throughout the entire year, and many relishes in the way of radishes, lettuce, cucumbers, etc., that but a short time ago could only be obtained for a few weeks in their special season, are now the daily embellishments of the table. But the end is not yet; the forcing industry is only in its infancy, and will at no distant day revolutionize the whole gardening system.

The expensive methods of glass and greenhouse culture ha^e heretofore made it possible for only the few to engage in the work, and the consequent high prices of the products thus grown have made it impossible for any but the more favored ones to enjoy the luxuries thus produced.

Experiments in the dark cellar are demonstrating that many vegetables may be there grown in their highest perfection, and erelong its inexpensive methods will to a large extent supersede the costly glass.

It is not the purpose of the following pages to induce farmers and gardeners to rush wildly into an enterprise as yet little known ; but the rather to open up a way and a highway whereon many are reaching success and spanning the long gap of the profitless Winter months viii THE NEW RHUBARB CULTURE.

with a snug cash balance for the profit side of tlie ledger.

If it shall prove thus, and not only the tillers of the soil, but many a toiler in the humbler vocations of life shall find a grain from which to forge a "golden link in the iron chain of toil/' The New Ehubarb Culture will more than realize the highest ambitions of

The Author.

NOTE.

A BRIEF note regarding the method of dark forcing rhubarh, published in the Rural New Yorker for 1898, excited much interest and became the subject of many inquiries. In order to more clearly answer the questions thus raised a brief outline of the methods was later on published in the same paper.

This gave occasion for some writers with very little knowledge of the matter and a few borrowed ideas to tell what they evidently did not know about the subject. Whole paragraphs of the outline were woven into the articles without even the courtesy of quotation marks. x\ longer acquaintance with tlie work and some practical experience would cause them to disown the children of their earlier years and wonder why they had fathered them at first.

While fully agreeing with my illustrious ancestor, Solomon, that ^'There is nothing new under the Sun," the fact still remains that the woods are full of new methods and their results, developed it may be from old ideas. The ideas of the dark forcing method are doubtless not entirely new.

To say that I am the author and finisher of the method would be misleading.

But in so far as searching through the highways and byways for the fragmentary experiences and efforts of many growers, and in so far as gathering up these fragments and combining them with several years of

X THE NEW RHUBARB CULTURE.

personal and practical experience and presenting them in the form now offered, the work is essentially my own.

To make this book still more encyclopedic, and to completely cover the whole subject of rhubarb culture, by the older methods also, Mr. Fiske has carefully compiled a comprehensive statement of such experiences, which forms Part II. of this work. Obviously, however, T am not responsible for Part II.

J. E. MORSE.

PART 1

Chapter I. Rhubarb — Its Cultivation And Home

A Fragment of History. — The cultivation of rhubarb, like some well established laws, extends back to the time when the memory of man runneth not to the contrary.

The value of the root as a drug has long been known, so long, in fact, that the discoverer of its medicinal qualities will never be known, and his name must lie hidden in the misty shadows of the past. Its record, however, is almost contemporaneous with the earliest written history as it is described in the Chinese herbal Pen-King supposedly dating back to nearly 3000 B. C.

For ages its cultivation was confined to its native home, China, but in a prepared form finding its way to various parts of the w^orld. The cultivation extended into India to some extent and India rhubarb finally became an established article of commerce.

It remained for Russia, upon the establishment of trade relations with China, to get control of the trade, and to so supervise and improve the methods of preparation that Russian rhubarb became famous the world over and its price per pound was nearly three times that of opium.

The cultivation was finally begun in Siberia and along the Volga from whence it was introduced into England in 1573 and later into France. No attention, however, was paid to the leaf stalks, which presumably were inferior in size and quality to the product of to-day; but the use of the leaves as a pot herb is mentioned in Queen Elizabeth's time.

The rhubarb cultivated as a vegetable is derived from Rheum, of which there are many species and widely distributed as to nativity. Nearly two^hundred years ago a variety, probably Rheum Rhaponticum, was produced in Russia, which developed far larger and finer leaf stalks and was known as Crown rhubarb.

The varieties now in use are liybrids between Rheum Rhaponticum, Rheum Undulatum, and Rheum Palmatum, and in England were brought to a high state of perfection in the early part of the present century.

The old sorts in much favor were Tobolsk and Erford. Later on came Mitcheirs Royal Albert and Dancers Early Scarlet.

The principal varieties under present cultivation in this country are Myatt's Victoria, Myatt's Linn^us, and the Mammoth witli some other varieties, probably seedlings and bearing local names.

About forty years ago strenuous efforts were made in this country, and especially in Michigan, to cultivate it as a wine plant. However, the inferior quality of the wine together with its supposedly injurious effects, high war taxes, and other contingencies, combined to bring it into disfavor and the project was abandoned.

As a vegetable its cultivation is extending both in this country and portions, at least, of Europe.

Its Native Home. — K^ seen from the foregoing, the cultivation of rhubarb as a drug is of great antiquity and as to locality, widely disseminated. It will also be seen that as a vegetable, the varieties now in use are descendants of a variety originating in a far northern clime.

Its Acclimation. — The parent, having its birthplace in the rug2:ed frosts and snows of Siberia, will its chil-

ITS CULTIVATION AND HOME. 3

dren thrive in the warmer hititudes of our own country ? Let us see; its native home was doubtless in the region of latitude 50. Near the close of tlie eighteenth century it was introduced into England, doubtless through the seed; and notwithstanding the abrupt climatic changes it had come to great perfection in the early part of the present century. This was accomplished through growing from the seed and hybridization. The mild and humid climate of England produces it in great perfection. The more vigorous climate of our northern latitudes produces it in abundance and instan-ces of luxurious growth in the higher altitudes as far south as North Carolina are recorded. It may seem safe to say that through careful seed selection and hybridizing it may l^e successfully grown in nearly every section of the United States.

' Not a Vital Question. — While the subject of acclimation is of great importance and well worth careful and continued experiment, it is not a question of life or death to the industry. The industry will grow; and if climatic conditions bar its production out of some localities or even countries, the product, when once introduced there, will be consumed and the market, at least, will not be barred.

Chapter II. The Forcing Place

In order to so present the method of forcing rhubarb that not only the farmer and gardener who may desire to grow for market purposes, but the owner of a village or city lot may provide a home supply of this wholesome luxury from January to April, various plans for the forcing place are suggested.

The Commercial Cellar. — The illustration "Ready For Forcing,"' shows a view of a cheaply constructed cellar, much in favor with grov/ers for the wholesale market. The size is 12 x 50 feet, holding between 500 and 600 plants set in beds five feet wide, on either side of a two foot passageway, running the entire length of the building.

In constructing a cellar of this kind the ground is excavated two feet in depth, and posts set two feet deep and six feet apart are rough boarded for the walls. The plates, 2x6 inches are spiked on top of posts; the rafters, same size, being set at a pitch sufficient to shed water, and give height to the cellar, which is seven feet in the center and three feet at the sides.*

The roof is of boards either lapped or laid double and covered (during the forcing season) with manure to a depth of eight inches.

The entrance is at one end of the cellar through a door leading into an entryway 6x12 feet, for the storage

* This cellar was built entirely of old lumber, and the cost was merely nominal. In usinp new material a saving might be made by using lighter stuff say, 2 X 4 in. for plates and rafters.

THE NEW EHUBART? CULTURE.

THE FORCIXG PLACE. 7

of fuel, etc. An inner door entirely excluding light and frost leads into tlie forcing room.

Heat is furnished by a small box stove set about 15 feet from the entrance. The pipe is carried to a flue at the rear end of the building. To insure as even distribution of heat as possible as well as to economize in fuel the pipe should be placed much lower than shown in the illustration.

The view shows the cellar filled with roots and heat just started. On Dec. 14^ when the flash light was taken, the stalks were just appearing above ground. Twentyseven days later (Jan. 10) 18 doz. were picked and sold at 70 cents per doz. or $12.60 for the first picking.

"Ready To Market/' is a view of the same cellar just before the second picking (Jan. 17) when twice the amount of the first picking was ready for market.

Several subsequent pickings were made, after which the roots were removed from the cellar and a second crop was grown in the same manner as the first.

This small cellar 12 x 50 feet yielded something over $160 worth of rhubarb from the two crops ^grown in one Winter.

The House Cellar. — Many growers having roomy house cellars utilize them for the work, in addition to the regular forcing cellar described above. To this practice no objection can be offered by the most fastidious, as very little artificial moisture is required and consequently no dampness or objectionable odors are given off, unless the roots are neglected and left to decay after they have ceased bearing.

In this way the cellar may be utilized at a handsome profit during the Winter months; and the convenience in caring for, and harvesting the crop is no small item to carry to the j^rofit side of the ledger.

All iiieideiit in i)()iiit, tlie cellar of a near-by neighbor which the writer visited^ gave a return of $144 during the Winter. The space occupied was 36 x 54 feet and the only heat used was two large lamps.

On a bleak Winter's day with the mercury 10 or 15 degrees below zero, the good housewife will appreciate going from the busy kitchen right down into a forest of the beautifully colored rhubarb growing at her feet, ready to pull and prepare for the table; and should she tarry a. bit to feast her eyes on the novel sight so rarely duplicated in Nature who shall chide her, even though the dinner be somewhat late in consequence?

Cellars with hard floors.^ — Do not fear to use cellars with brick, cement, or other hard iloor. During forcing the roots make little or no growth and two or three inches of loose earth covered over the floor will be sufficient.

Growing in Hotbeds. — A method which gives the earliest and best paying crop of all, is to set the roots in hotbeds, removing, of course, the old manure and soil to sufficient depth to admit the full growth of the stalks. There is no extra expense, as the hotbeds are already on hand, and later on are used for starting the cabbage, tomato, egg and other plants. The boxes are covered with two layers of boards, breaking joints, to avoid as far as possible the leaching of snow or rain. Manure to the thickness of a foot or 18 inches is placed around the boxes, and covered on top to the depth of six inches. No heat other than that generated by the manure is used ; should a higher temperature be required, fresh manure that has been piled until heated, is put on, and the forcing is thus hurried at will.

December 21, I visited the grounds of one of the pioneer growers of this section, and the first, I think.

to adopt the dark-growing method. He had his liouse celhir and two large forcing cellars filled ; but as yet used no heat. A row of ten hotbeds were being filled, which were to be held in cheek until the last of February, when the manure would be applied, and forcing begun. Besides this, he had 12 boxes covered in one unbroken mound, six of which were for immediate use, and six to follow in succession. I walked over the mound, and there beneath my feet, shut away from the light and air, and forced entirely by the heat of the manure, the rhubarb was growing and ready for the market. December 20, from three of these boxes 6 x l-t feet in size, he picked 31 dozen, which brought, in the wholesale house, 75 cents per dozen, or $23.25 for one picking. These boxes were of the liinnaeus variety, and would give two more pickings ; the second picking was expected to be best of all.

This grower is a gardener of over 40 years' experience, and says that this is the best paying crop he can raise, for the reason that the greater part of the labor is done after the other crops are secured, and the sales come at a time when so little else can be grown except by the expensive methods of growing under glass.

Groiving in the Greenhouse.' — The space under greenhouse benches may be used, by closely boarding the sides and ends to exclude the light. This plan has been adopted by greenhouse men to some extent ; but while seemingly economical in the matter of heat is open to some objections. The expense of boarding up in such a manner that one side at least, is easily accessible, for placing in the roots and removing the crop will be no small item. Experiments clearly prove that the close warm quarters beneath the benches will give too high a temperature and the product will be

THE NEW RHUBARB CULTURE.

Grow r.N IN HOT15KU FOH THE CHRISTMAS MAKKKT inferior in color, quality and yield, to that grown out in the more open space. Too close proximit}^ to the pipes gives too high a temiteratnre which is the chief source of the trouble; and this can hardly be remedied without detriment to the crops growing on top of the benches. The strong heat shortens the bearing season of the rhubarb and will also leave the roots much impaired, if not wholly unfit for future use in propagating. However a quick growth and fair yield may be obtained and if no better ^^lace is at hand it will pay to use such spaces.

A Cheap Forcing Cellar. — With none of the above described places available a very cheap and serviceable cellar may be made by excavating for say, two feet and any size desired. The more convenient shape for covering and for convenience in work will be in proportions of one to three, or four. Build the sides above ground with poles, (any size convenient) to the required height, and for the pitch of roof cut the end poles shorter each time, and draw in the side poles sufficiently to make the lap at the corners. Shorten the poles according to their size, and the desired height of the building, large poles would need to be shorter than small ones, in order to avoid unnecessary height. It is better to lay up the sides and ends whole and saw out the doorway afterward, use 2x6 in. plank for the door frame spiking through into the end of each pole. Cover over with corn stalks, straw or other coarse litter, finishing with earth to a depth sufficient to insure against any possibility of freezing. A flue of sewer crock is easily constructed if one wished to heat with wood or coal, but an oil or gasoline stove or large lamp placed low down will do nicely for heating, if the cellar is not too large. Such

THE NEW RHUBARB CULTURE.

a building will last for years and is very useful for other purposes outside the forcing season.

Nooks and Corners. — The foregoing is, of course, descriptive of the methods of the wholesale growers; the following suggestions are made with a view to reach every home. As remarked in the introduction, the forcing of vegetables is assuming vast proportions • but with all the progress thus far made no vegetable, rhubarb excepted, that can in any sense take the place of fruit has been utilized. The work is so simple and inexpensive that any family possessing a few rhubarb roots may now enjoy the luxury the entire Winter through.

A little thought will suggest a corner in the cellar, or lacking this, a storeroom or attic where a few roots may be set in a large box and protected from the light and cold, and give a supply of this most wholesome and delicious vegetable.

For the sole purpose of demonstrating how easily and cheaply the work may be done, a small bed was prepared in the house cellar. Only ten roots were used ; being placed at the end of the cellar close beside a potato bin.

The illustration shows the bed in full bearing, with lamp and lantern for heating. The bed was shut off from the rest of the cellar by simply tacking an old hemp carpet to the floor and sleepers above, letting it fall to the cellar bottom. The wall formed one side of the enclosure and the carpet was so nailed to the floor above as to form the other side and ends. The heating cost less than two cents per day, and was only used at intervals. The bed was for family use. The bearing season was prolonged at will by using the heat only occasionally. The yield was something over 10 dozen bunches, worth at going prices about $5.10.

THE NEW RHUBARB CULTURE.

Note on Growing in Hotbeds. — The work of growing in hotbeds has one decided advantage which may not appear at first sight.

In the instance referred to under "Growing in Hotbeds" the roots were phiced in, during the month of ISTovember, before any freezing had occurred. By this plan a crop may be forced before it coukl by any possibility be secured in any of the ordinary cellars described. It will be observed, however, that this plan of forcing entirely ignores one very essential feature of the general method viz., that of freezing the roots : but while entirely practical under certain conditions, it cannot be applied in general work and must not be attempted. It will not be successful in any ordinary cellar or in fact any place w^here very strong heat cannot be concentrated and brought low down to the roots.

With the hotbed boxes on hand, and an abundance of fresh manure to generate the heat and reinforce it as necessary, the forcing may be safely done and give an early crop and fancy prices that cannot be obtained if necessitated to wait for the roots to freeze. But the method is especially valuable in establishing the fact that the work may bo successfully done in latitudes beyond the limit where freezing may be relied upon.

This plan of forcing is very exhausting, and the roots thus forced will be entirely worthless for purj)oses of propagation.

Chapter III. Work Of Forcing

Stai'tiiig the Worl-. — As ever increasing competition must be met by cheapened production, the prime object in every enterprise must be to minimize the labor.

As the forcing season approaches, with the cellar all in readiness, we should give attention to the preparation of tools for the work. While but few are required they should be of the best, and will consist of a good plow with well sharpened coulter and sharp clean-cutting spades or shovels. The plans for heating should also be carefully perfected. With these essentials duly provided for we are now ready for the work of the

Forcing Season. — This will depend on location, and weather conditions. Extended experiments have demonstrated beyond a doubt that by far the best results are obtained by thoroughly freezing the roots. While this general rule is laid down as positive and not to be deviated from, there are exceptions which were treated of under another heading, '"Eorcing in Hotbeds." This being the case it is better to leave the roots in the ground until there is prospect of sufficient cold weather to freeze the roots clear through. They will however take no injury if left exposed to any sort of weather for a reasonable time. In loose sandy soil which does not readily adhere, but crumbles off leaving the roots bare, it is better to turn them out when the ground is thoroughly soaked, or just before a hard freeze.

Tiro Crops in One Season. — With a plentiful supply of roots and inadequate room for forcing, two crops may

WORK OF FORCING. 17

be grown in succession. In this case as soon as the first roots cease bearing they should be removed from the cellar and protected from severe freezing and thawing; this can best be done by piling them in a shed, or giving them a light covering of straw or coarse litter. In the Spring they may be used for propagating which will be treated of in another chapter. The roots for second crop may then be placed in the cellar and forcing continued.

Preparing the Roots. — In extensive operations it is economy to turn the roots out with the plow.

The illustration "Plowins; Out Rhubarb Roots," was taken on the grounds of an extensive grower and shows the work of preparing the roots for the cellar, in actual operation.

With a spade, a line or mark is made along the row, but "four to six inches distant from it, as a guide to the plow. Set the plow as deeply as possible, turning the furrow away from the row; a second furrow is plowed on the opposite side of the row same distance from it as before, turning the roots over into the first furrow plowed. If the coulter is sharp and clean-cutting as it should be, this will cut off all the lateral prongs on two sides. ISTow with the spade turn the roots out so the}^ shall not be buried in the loose soil of the furrow, trim off remaining prongs on the other sides, and leave them until ready to put into the cellar. In very dry or loose sandy soil the earth is liable to nearly all fall off the roots when turning them out ; in this case simply turn the furrows away from both sides of the row of roots and leave the turning out and trimming up until the clumps are frozen. They can then be trimmed up and properly shaped with the loss of but very little soil.

The illustration "Rhubarb Roots Readv for the

THE NEW RHUBARB CULTURE.

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WORK OF FORCING. 19

Cellar'' shows the roots turned out of the furrow upon the snow-covered ground, and trimmed ready for forcing.

In small areas, or where from any cause plowing out would be impracticable the entire work may be neatly and rapidly done with the spade.

Setting the Plants. — For the work of setting in the roots, select if possible, a time when they are frozen solid, as they will be cleaner to handle and may be rolled or tumbled about like rocks without fear of injury. This is not material however, but greatly simplifies the work.*

Cellars will of course, vary much in size and shape ; and setting in the clumps should be planned with regard to the utmost convenience in caring for, and harvesting the crop. If the cellar is long and narrow, one passageway through the center, extending the entire lengtli of the building will be sufficient, while a large square room might require two or more parallel passageways, or one extending through the center the longest way, with lateral paths on either side placed at convenient distances for picking, in order to avoid trampling on the young stalks. Eemembering that each clump will occupy about a square foot of space and that they are set as closely together as possible, it will not be difficult to so plan the position of passageways as to secure the desired results.

As the plants are set in position, loose earth should be at hand for filling underneath and between the clumps ; enough may be used to entirely cover the .crowns of the roots, or they may be left exposed and only the

•Note. — Do not make the mistake of supposing that the roots must be in a frozen condition when placed in the cellar, that is immaterial, provided the freezing has actually taken place previously. It is simply a matter of convenience and economy to handle the roots in a frozen condition.

crevices between the prongs of the roots and spaces between clumps filled in. If the cellar bottom is of loose earth, that may be used for the purpose, but if cement or other hard floors are used, then the soil will have to be carried in.

With the setting completed, the labor is practically over, and very little care is necessary to mature the crop.

Handling the Boots. — A very pleasing feature of the work is in the fact that witli the freezing part well over, the crop may be matured almost at will. The forcing may begin at once or the roots may be held in a dormant state for weeks, which matter will of course be governed entirely by the temperature. If, as previously mentioned, two crops are grown in the same cellar, the forcing should begin as early as possible. The roots for the second crop may be left in the ground until required for use. However, in latitudes where long continued and severe freezing is the rule, the safe plan is to dig all the roots at one time, piling those required for the second crop in a shed, or otherwise slightly protecting them. In localities less rigorous, where the open state of the ground would most likely admit of digging in midwinter the roots for second crop may be left in the field until wanted.

Whether one, or two crops are grown, one fact should be borne in mind if one desires to utilize the forced roots for propagating, the forcing process is very exhausting to the roots and should be discontinued as soon as lack of vigor in the growth of the stalks is noticeable; the growth can be stopped only l)y removal from the cellar or lowering the temperature to say 30 or 35 degrees. Rhubarb is of the get-there nature, and will grow itself to death if allowed, especially in the cellar: as a