POLLINATING THE FLOWERS. 81 
inside the house, injures the plants which are within a 
few feet of it, and tends to make all plants within reach 
of its rays run too quickly to seed. The use of a clear 
glass globe, however, overcomes all injury. The best 
results are to be obtained by placing the light — either 
naked or surrounded by a clear globe —a few feet above 
the roof. An ordinary 2,000-candle-power arc light — such 
as is commonly used for street lighting —will exert a 
marked effect upon lettuce for a radius of 75 to 100 feet, 
if the roof is clean and the framework of the house is 
light. The light may be allowed to burn all night. In- 
candescent lamps have the same influence as arc lights, 
but to a less degree. It will be found profitable to use 
the electric light for plant-growing, if at all, only in the 
three or four months of midwinter. 
POLLINATION. 
It is generally necessary to transfer the pollen by hand 
in fruit-bearing forced vegetables. The methods are fully 
explained under the discussions of the various vegetables. 
In order to secure the pollen, the house should be dry 
and warm. Upon a bright morning, when the flowers need 
pollinating, the gardener should withhold water and let 
the foliage and walks become thoroughly dried off, and 
before midday the pollen will usually discharge readily. 
Bees may sometimes be utilized as pollen-carriers in 
spring and fall, when they can forage in and out of the 
house as they choose, but they are impracticable in the 
winter time in houses of ordinary size. In very large 
houses, in which there is abundant room for the bees to 
work, and where ventilators do not need to be opened so 
much, bees may sometimes be used to advantage. Three 
or four swarms should pollinate a house 40x 4oo ft. The 
bees will have to be fed. In general, however, bees are 
found to be unsatisfactory. The following account of an 
