102 THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 



yard, there to be stacked in an airy sort of way on a rough wooden 

 basis, to prevent fermentation, the breeding of fungi, etc. 



As to the house for pines, nothing is so good as a span-roofed 

 pit, with hot-air chamber, and over it plunging material, and pipes 

 above for top-heat. Provision must be made for an abundant supply 

 of atmospheric moisture, but it must be at the command of the culti- 

 vator to have much or little of this at will. In the case of an 

 amateur intending to grow pines, the only safe course, as to heating, 

 would be to put the matter into the hands of an experienced horti- 

 cultural engineer. We do wonders with leaves, and, indeed, could 

 not well do without them, with our extensive range of pits, but it ia 

 not in every place leaves are so abundant as here. Our Editor was 

 much amused one cold day in early spring, as he walked over the 

 great beds of leaves which occupy the spaces between the pits all 

 winter, and saw our plants all healthy and vigorous, close to the 

 glass at his feet, and he twitted me abuut having kept this extensive 

 use of leaves too much to myself. But really it never occurred to 

 me to mention it until I met with his playful rebuke. 



As respects propagation, suckers are the best, though crowns 

 were formerly most used. The suckers make fruiting plants the 

 soonest, and generally give better fruit. Of course, in the case of 

 crowns from rare or new kinds, or unusually hue fruit, they may be 

 preserved. Suckers are given off by the fruiting plants, and should 

 be chosen from those that have furnished the best fruit and promise 

 best. If enough are not to be had in this way, it will he necessary 

 to lay in some of the old stools by the heels in the succession pit, 

 pulling off the bottom leaves, and where they grow suckers will 

 start forth, and by keeping a few of these stools in such a position 

 suckers may be had when wanted. They should be potted in turfy 

 and somewhat stiff loam, and placed in front of the succession pit, 

 and need not be shaded at any time of the year. 



The succession plants are, perhaps, best grown in a dung-pit, 

 regularly attended to with linings. They must be covered in cold 

 weather with mats, or, what is still better, with light wooden frames 

 having straw thatched on to them — much easier to handle and cover 

 than mats, and less expensive. The succession plants may be potted 

 into their fruiting pots at any time of the year ; though, in small 

 collections, and where a regular succession of fruit is not wanted, it 

 may be better to do this work at regular intervals. In the fruiting 

 pit they must be plunged, placing them, however, so that the water 

 may pass freely from under the pot. They may be syringed daily, 

 except when in flower ; some do it with liquid manure in a weak 

 clear state. They should have a thorough watering whenever they 

 are watered. 



As regards temperature, from 58° to 65° will do for the succession 

 plants, increasing it as the days lengthen and the sun gets strong. 

 [Fruiting plants should be kept warmer — from 65° to 70° — in- 

 creasing as the days get warmer. The sun will, of course, often 

 raise the temperature 10' or 15°, which will be at ail times beneficial. 

 Give plenty of air when the sun is powerful. Shade is only necessary 

 a few days after potting, and not always then. 



