70 THE FORCING GARDEN. 
As the winter draws near, say, November and 
onwards, a good fire-heat will be necessary. A heat of 
75° must be kept up during the day, allowing a fall of 
5°, and not more than 10°, at night. Some liquid 
manure may be given to the plants when they are in 
bearing, but care is necessary as to what sort is used, 
and for this purpose I am of opinion that nothing is 
better than slight dressings with nitrate of soda, with 
now and then a very slight sprinkling of soot over the 
surface of the bed. These are of course in powder, and 
not in a liquid state. Both of them are remarkably 
strong stimulants and must be used with great care. 
They are good preventives against the progress of 
insect pests also. Guano, and animal manures such as 
cow-dung and sheep droppings, are frequently a source 
of trouble as well as advantage, for while I admit that 
they are good stimulants, they also frequently introduce 
numerous insect plagues into the house or frame, and 
where such tender plants as the Cucumber or Melon 
exist, they cause an incalculable amount of trouble. 
The pit on the north side of the house can be well 
and profitably used for forcing Rhubarb from November 
till March by placing some leaves two feet thick at the 
bottom, treading them in tight, setting the roots upon 
the bed with a little soil on them, and then some leaves 
over the roots. Or cover the pit over the top so as to 
exclude the light, and an abundance of Rhubarb can be 
had by the end of December or in January ; or, again, 
a bed may be made by filling the lower part three 
feet up with leaves only, watering as you proceed, and 
treading them in tight. Then put nine inches of fine 
soil on them and make them level; place three- or four- 
year-old Asparagus plants as close as you can; put 
