THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 175 



neglect in that would be fatal, and often the cause of failure in a 

 whole crop. Bear in mind, a sudden heat may make them barren, 

 and too much heat spoil the flavour of the fruit. 



As to failures in Strawberry forcing thev commonly re- 

 sult from one of two causes : first, a bad plant, through not 

 beginning in time, or carelessness as to the summer growth ; 

 second, too much haste in forcing, through anxiety to be very 

 early, or through ignorance of the injurious effects of sudden and 

 excessive heat. It has long been my opinion that the growing season 

 has nothing whatever to do either with failure or success; it is a part 

 of a gardener's duty to attend to watering in dry, hot seasons ; in wet 

 seasons there is not so much danger. I repeat that there are only two 

 essential points to be attended to, to insure healthy, fruitful plants, 

 and to force them properly, but the great mistake is as to the forcing 

 season. Tbe whole season's labour may be frustrated by the work of 

 a few weeks, either by too much heat or the want of a proper struc- 

 ture to force them in ; indeed I think it a waste of labour to attempt 

 early forcing of strawberries. Four or five hundred well managed 

 will give a better return and greater satisfaction if forcing is com- 

 menced at the end of January, than double the number will com- 

 mencing the first of December. At the last-named season the nights 

 are long, and to keep a hardy plant in the confined atmosphere of a 

 pine-stove or early vinery is likely to be a failure, and will not remu- 

 nerate a gardener for his anxiety — to say nothing of the waste of 

 materials and labour. 



PLANTS FOR TABLE DECORATION THAT MAT BE 

 GROWN IN A COMMON HOTBED. 



BY WILLIAM COLE, 

 Head Gardener, Ealing Park, Middlesex. 



jHE cultivation of plants for table decoration is an 

 important matter with those who have not much 

 accommodation for plant growing, because a pair of 

 nice healthy plants will serve several times, and save the 

 conservatory from being denuded of its flowers. I 

 shall confine myself to those plants which can be grown in an 

 ordinary botbed, along with the early cucumbers. Of course a 

 greenhouse will also be necessary to receive the plants as they come 

 from the frame, to preserve the flowers and foliage fresh as long as 

 possible. We have in the Achimenes, Gesneras, and Gloxinias, 

 three very useful subjects for our purpose ; apart from their value as 

 conservatory plants. It will not be wise to start too many very 

 early. The middle of March will be a good time for starting the 

 main lot. All these grow well in the same compost ; which can be 

 formed by chopping up moderately fine, and mixing together two 

 parts silky loam, one part fibry peat, one part thoroughly decayed 



