241 



POECING FLOWEES. 



The forcing of flowers, in the correct 

 acceptance of the term, is the pro- 

 duction of blossoms at a season quite 

 distinct from that in which the plants 

 ■would bring them forth if left to 

 natural influences, and in the suc- 

 cessful working, requires — First, a 

 full and decided maturity of all the 

 various organs of the plant. This 

 infers a previous development at least 

 perfectly healthy, if not luxuriant ; 

 for it will be found that the beauty 

 of the forced flowers depends very 

 much on the growth of the foregoing 

 season, and will be rich or meagre, 

 all other circumstances being the 

 same, in an exact proportion to its 

 vigour. Secondly, the plants to be 

 operated on should be thoroughly 

 established before their introduction 

 to an elevated atmosphere, that they 

 may have acquired the means of im- 

 mediately supplying the necessary 

 aliment to meet the demands of an 

 increased circulation and accession of 

 new parts. There is a great diff'e- 

 rence even in the limited number of 

 plants that are usually subject to this 

 treatment, in the time required to 

 effect a perfect re-establishment : 

 some of them may be obtained in a 

 pi'oper state in a few weeks, while , 

 others will not bear to be forced until 

 they have received a year's prepara- 

 tion. The first class consists of bul- 

 bous-rooted and herbaceous plants, 

 which form an entirely new set of 

 organs in each season ; and the latter 

 includes roses, rhododendrons, and 

 other hard-wooded plants tliat have a 

 more persistent system. These are 

 absolute in requiring to be potted at 

 least six months, so as to allow them 

 to form a season's roots before being 

 forced. 



The next essential point of ma- 

 nagement lies in the manner of apply- 

 ing the necessary heat, and on it the 

 success of the whole may be said to 

 hinge ; for whatever care or skill 

 may have been expended, any misap- 

 plication here will render it all void. 

 The increase should be brought about 

 in a gradual manner, so as to re- 

 semble as nearly as possible the ad- 



vances of spring, whose functions it 

 is intended to anticipate. The ab- 

 surd practice, so prevalent a few 

 years since, of removing a plant from 

 the open air in the depth cf winter 

 to a temperature of some 55' or 60% 

 and of which some traces even yet 

 remain, must appear preposterous 

 when we consider the object sought 

 by the change. Was ever so great a 

 diflerence known to occur in a day 

 and a night at an part of the year, or 

 any portion of the world ? This, or 

 whatever else is so violently opposed 

 to Nature's laws, must be erroneous 

 in practice. The temperature above- 

 mentioned (55" or 60'), is that in 

 which most plants will expand their 

 flowers ; and to reach it from the 

 average temperature of our winters, 

 at least two intermediate stages are 

 necessary. The first, of about 35°, 

 is usually aiforded by a cold frame ; 

 and the nest, of 45', or greenhouse 

 temperature. After a suitable stay 

 in each of these climates, which will 

 vary with the nature of the plants-— 

 say, for the soft- wooded or herbaceous 

 class ten days or a fortnight, and for 

 the others a little longer, they may 

 be safely introduced to the highest 

 temperature. In the ordinary and 

 proper development of the organs of 

 a plant the action commences with 

 the roots, and proceeds gradually up- 

 wards, as displayed in the bursting 

 of the leaf, the formation and ex- 

 panding of the flower-bud, and finally, 

 the perfection of the seed. This is the 

 natural course of the vital energy, 

 but wheii the plant is placed at once 

 into a comparatively high tempera- 

 ture the action commences in the 

 stem or above the roots, an abortive 

 production of leaves or flower-buds 

 is made, which, from the inaction of 

 the roots aud consequent want of 

 food, after lingering for a time, neces- 

 sarily wither and die. Hence the 

 propriety of a gradual application of 

 heat, that the excitement may begia 

 at the proper place, and be continu- 

 ously increased until it reaches the 

 perfecting point. 



The only other matter of conae- 



