154 EOSES UNDER GLASS. 



and often add a little soil. In potting, keep your tree 

 well up, for the roots will ever strike down, and this 

 gives a greater depth of soil. When potted up, the 

 trees should be stood in ashes or plunged in the soil 

 out of doors in an airy situation under a north wall or 

 some corner sheltered from too much sun or cutting 

 winds. It is wisest to place a piece of slate under 

 each pot, and well dust down with soot and lime, to 

 keep worms from getting into the pot; also, it helps 

 to prevent the roots of the plants from growing 

 through the hole in the pot. In dry weather a little 

 watering will be necessary, but as they are exposed 

 to the elements they should get their share of rain 

 and dew. When it is desired to bring them into the 

 Rose-house or the pit-frame, they will be taken up, and 

 the outside of the pots will be washed. The first year 

 the grower must content himself with very few flowers 

 if he does not want to spoil his trees. 



Having brought your trees into a cool house, 

 which will be the first or second week in November, 

 they will remain here until they are pruned in January 

 for forcing. They must not be allowed to dry out, 

 but should be watered regularly; the ring of the pots 

 when tapped with a small stick will let you know if 

 they are dry. 



It is wisest to prune rather hard the first year, 

 and not to grow too many shoots upon a plant. Now 

 comes the all-important point — the heat of the house. 

 This should be raised gradually, starting with 50 to 55 

 degrees by day and 40 degrees by night. You will, 

 when the trees have well started into growth, raise it 

 to 75 degrees by day and 50 degrees by night. Days 

 will vary very much as the spring advances, and the 

 temperature of a house will often advance 8 to iq 

 degrees, in whidi case, if the weather is mild, the 

 ventilation will have to be watched; if cold, cutting 

 winds prevail, a little shading should be improvised. 



It is absolutely essential to have a good thermo- 

 meter, and I advise one of Negretti and Zambra's 



