202 THE FLORIST. 



which is very likely to appear under the flue system of heating. Ar- 

 nott's stove, which is used by some, is found to answer exceedingly 

 well. 



Ripening the Wood. — It is important, with regard to Roses in- 

 tended for forcing, that the wood be well ripened early in autumn ; 

 and to effect this end, they should be placed in a sunny and airy 

 situation during summer, and should not have too free a supply of 

 water when completing their growth. So soon as they have done 

 growing, they may be thinned out, as previously proposed ; the 

 shortening-in of the shoots being deferred till the plants are con- 

 veyed into the forcing-house. 



Housing the Plants. — The first week in January is an excellent 

 time for this purpose, commencing with a gentle heat. It is advis- 

 able to keep the plants as close to the glass a? possible ; and if a gen- 

 tle bottom-heat can be secured, so much the better. At first the 

 fire should be lighted of a morning, and kept in for a few hours 

 only, to throw a little warmth into the house, and no air need be 

 admitted. When the buds begin to swell, the heat may be steadily 

 increased till we reach 60° to 80° by day, and the night-temperature 

 should never be lower than 40°; a difference of 15° or 20° between 

 the day and night temperature proving beneficial. If, on entering 

 the forcing-house, there is discovered a freshness and glaucous hue 

 on the leaves, we may rest satisfied that the atmosphere and tem- 

 perature are agreeable to the plants. But should the leaves droop 

 and present a flabby appearance, we should attribute this to too dry 

 an atmosphere, or too high a temperature maintained at night. The 

 remedy is easy. 



Admission of Air. — Early in the season it is well to be cautious 

 in the admission of air ; for the young leaves of forced Roses are 

 very tender, and suffer much from the cold. As the season advances 

 top air may be given for a few hours in the middle of the day, in 

 still mild weather, with great benefit to the plants ; but in cold wea- 

 ther air should be admitted from the lower part of the house only ; 

 and if it can be made to pass over the pipes or flue on entering, that 

 it may become more thoroughly amalgamated wdth the warm air of 

 the house before reaching the leaves, so much the better. 



Syringing. — In bright weather the plants should be freely syringed 

 morning and evening : in dull weather very lightly, and once only ; 

 soot-water may be used here with good effect. 



Insects — Mildew. — The green-fly is a great pest among forced 

 Roses, but is easily destroyed by fumigating with tobacco, which 

 should be done as soon as any of them are seen, and repeated as 

 often as they re-appear. 



Another annoyance is the grub, with which most Rose-cultivators 

 are too familiar, and whose ravages, if not stopi)ed, will, as well as 

 destroying the leaves and causing the plants to look shabby, mate- 

 rially injure the bloom. Wherever the leaves are curled, or found 

 sticking together, this insect will be comfortably rolled up within, 

 and not unfrequently does it ensconce itself in the growing point of 

 a young shoot. The plants must be looked over frequently, to re- 



