292 THE FLORIST. 



placed, but merely premise that the flow pipe will be the one furthest 

 from the wall and the return nearest to it. We do not expect (nor is it 

 desirable) that a great amount of heat should be communicated to the 

 border, but it may be supposed that a moderate warmth will be 

 produced, and in addition, free drainage, and a circulation of air below 

 the border will be established, points of no small importance to healthy 

 root action, independent of the warmth transmitted by the pipes. We 

 should make the walk or path which usually accompanies the walls run 

 on the front of our border, the materials composing which would prevent 

 the roots from proceedmg further in a straight direction ; and as the 

 border will be better if slightly elevated above the walk, a curb stone of 

 masonry or rockwork should be placed on the border side of the path, to 

 prevent the soil washing down into the path. If justice is to be 

 done the trees, the border should not be cropped, and from its narrowness 

 it will be easy, either by moveable coverings or concrete, to protect it 

 from heavy rains during autumn and winter — a condition necessary to 

 realise complete success. (Jur instructions may appear superfluous to 

 some residing in favoured districts, but on cold wet soils or in unfavour- 

 able climates, our remedy would insure to a certainty regular crops of 

 fruit, and of the best quality. 



Having given our reasons for adopting a system of bottom heat to our 

 choicer wall trees as a much cheaper and more certain plan of insuring 

 regular crops than by the tedious and expensive plan of protecting their 

 bloom, &c., we need not enter into the question how far it would prove 

 beneficial to the Vine. Considering as we do this fact sufficiently 

 established, we shall only devote the remaining part of our paper to its 

 application to the forcing of vegetables. 



Early vegetables are, perhaps, more indispensable than early fruits, 

 from being of more general utility, and hence it has at all times been a 

 great aim with gardeners to provide a supply during winter and spring 

 by various contrivances, but principally (as before noticed) by the aid of 

 dung, &c. The vegetables most generally forced in this country are 

 Seakale, Asparagus, Rhubarb, Potatoes, Carrots, Peas, French Beans, 

 Radishes, and a few others. On the continent we must add to the 

 above. Lettuces, Cauliflowers, Tomatoes, and various kinds of herbs and 

 salad plants. The usual practice here is to take up the roots of the 

 three first named articles as wanted, and by placing the roots over 

 a bed of heating materials, force them into growtji. Seakale and 

 Rhubarb are, however, frequently forced by covering the crown of their 

 roots with pots and then applying the heating material over them. 



Both plans are liable to objections, arising from the care required in 

 maintaining a uniform heat. Dung in the open air requires constant 

 watching, as the heat will sometimes decline very rapidly in cold 

 wet weather, and increase as quickly on a change of temperature. 

 Where large quantities of each are forced, and dung is plentiful, as is 

 the case in the large market gardens round London, this trouble is not 

 so sensibly felt, but in private gardens it is both tedious and expensive, 

 and not the least objectionable part of it is the untidiness and littery 

 appearance forcing by stable dung or leaves presents in a well kept 

 garden. 



