September 23, 1869. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



230 



FORCING PL.VNTS.— No. 1. 



'ORCING is compelling plants to grow and 

 flower at unnatural seasons. It is giving 

 them a temperature that will cause them to 

 grow and flower some weeks or months before 

 their natural season. The term is not gene- 

 rally applied to plants which require the 

 temperature of a gi'eenhouse or stove, but 

 many of the inmates, by increasing the tem- 

 perature, are brought into flower much earlier 

 than if it were no higher than suiJicient to 

 make them bloom at their natural time. When a plant 

 receives more heat than is needful for its healthy growth, 

 and for flowering at its natural season, it is forced. To keep 

 up in a greenhouse during .January and February a tempe- 

 rature of from 511° to 55° at night is forcing, which is not 

 the object of the structure, the natural temperature for its 

 occupants during these months being from 40° to 45" at 

 night. If the plants are required to bloom at an earlier 

 period than usual, and there are others to come in after- 

 wards at their natural season, then the forcing is desirable, 

 as it afl^ords a longer continuance of bloom. It is also 

 forcing when stove and other plants requiring m our 

 climate artificial heat, are made to flower out of their 

 natui-al season by the application of more heat than they 

 would otherwise need. 



To plants which must have artificial protection and heat 

 at all times, or at certain times only, forcing is not so 

 injurious to future growth and flowering as it is to those 

 most generally forced — viz., hardy plants. 



Greenhouse and stove plants requu-ed to bloom earlier 

 than usual ought to have the previous gi'owth well per- 

 fected, aud somewhat in advance of plants intended to 

 bloom at their natural season. They should be allowed 

 as long a period of rest as possible, and be kept as cool 

 and dry as they safely can be, before they are forced 

 into growth and flower. They ought to experience the 

 ripening influence of autumn, and the rest consequent on 

 the cold of winter. If tliis rest be aflbrded them, as it 

 may be to a great extent by well niaturiug the growth by 

 an abundance of light and air, and then removing them to 

 a cooler place, and keeping dry. an approach to the natural 

 rest of the plants will be made ; they will start into new 

 growth strongly, and the flowers produced wi41 be hardly 

 inferior to those of plants not forced ; indeed, in some cases 

 they may be superior. It is scarcely worth while forcing 

 plants with the growth not well matured, and not well set 

 ■with buds, or which are not in good health, and have not 

 had a proper preparation. The best subjects only ought 

 to be selected for forcing, and so well is this done that in 

 many, I may say most, instances the forced plants are 

 generally good, whilst the failures are found among plants 

 left to bloom at their natural season. A plant well bloomed 

 in February shows gi-eatcr skill than one no-better flowered 

 in May. Dr. Lindley, I believe, wrote that " forced flowers 

 are always less beautiful and fragrant than those perfected 

 at their natural periods." Karity is good, but excellence 

 is best ; and wlien we have the last combined with the 

 No, H3.— Vol. XVII.,Nilw Sebizs. 



former, as we often have in forced plants, I can hardly 

 coincide with Dr. Liudley's other deductions — viz., " It is 

 desirable, at the very least, to devote as much eflort and 

 expense to obtain superior produce [flowers] at accustomed 

 times, as the procurmg it unseasonably." A Rose is un- 

 doubtedly very beautiful and fragi-ant in June ; in Jannai-j- 

 it is both, and also rare, giving it increased value. If the 

 expense and effort to produce the latter were lavished on 

 the former, would it be any more beautiful or fragrant ? 



Had we been told that forced flowers are not to be 

 had as beautiful and fi-agrant as those at accustomed times, 

 without selecting the best and finest plants, using due 

 preparation, and, better means for flowering them than 

 needed for those blooming at their natural season, it would 

 have been a cause of giving in gardens what are much 

 needed — light, auy forcing houses, instead of having to grow 

 plants required to bloom unseasonably along with those 

 that are to flower at accustomed times. Sldll can do much, 

 but even skill, -(vill fail to produce any but weak, lanky, 

 pale-foliaged, and scanty-flowered plants in January in a 

 house with rafters enough in strength to make three or 

 four each, the panes no larger than the hand, the laps full 

 of dii-t, the paint overlapping the putty, admitting only 

 a few faint rays of light, and the means of ventilation as 

 antique as tliev are inadequate, \\lio has seen more "beau- 

 tiful and fragrant" Hyacinths than we produce under 

 glass, and by artificial means ? The Dutch even are silent. 

 Roses, too, "are they sweeter, more beautiful in the open 

 air than under glass ? By artificial means we produce in 

 our climate flowers (and unseasonably), that are the wonder 

 of those who have a climate and soil peculiarly suited to 

 their gi-owth and perfection of bloom. This may not be 

 general, but I believe it is, and would be more so were 

 proper houses provided for forced plants, which are every 

 year more in request for decorative purposes. 



We want light, well-ventilated houses, no higher than 

 sufficient to admit the plants and allow of these being 

 placed a foot, or not more than is inches, from the glass : 

 the houses to be roomy, so that the plants may be set at 

 such distances apart that they will have light equally from 

 all points, and with a sufticienoy of piping, so that the heat 

 given oft' would never in the most severe weather need to 

 exceed 1'20', better if less. There is no economy in a small 

 amount of piping, for to heat water to a higher tempera- 

 ture the fire has to be made larger, and the draught greater, 

 much of the heat passing up the chimney. No matter 

 how strong the fire, the water can only be heated as it 

 comes in contact with the heated sm-face of the boiler. 

 And we want not only well-ventilated houses, but the air 

 so warmed in entering that, by the time it reaches the 

 plants, it shall be heated to a temperature little difl'ering 

 from tliat in which they are growing. 



The best kind of houses are span-roofed, with a central 

 bed chambered, or covered with flags, and holding about 

 a foot of tan or plunging material for plants requirmg 

 bottom heat. There ought also to be a good, wide stone 

 or slate shelf round the house, and a pathway of from 

 2 feet n mches to 3 feet wide. Having :j-feet shelves along 

 both sides, pathways 3 feet wide, and a bed b feet in width, 

 No. 1095,— Vol, XLU., Old Sebies. i 



