Special Methods of Culture 261 



picking. Dead and diseased leaves are stripped off, the 

 plants sprayed with bordeaux and watered freely. The 

 pots are set on benches, preferably six to twelve inches 

 from the glass, so that the plants will not be drawn, and 

 are plunged into some material that will hold moisture, 

 such as coal ashes. Narrow shelves may be suspended 

 from the roof by iron braces. As far as possible, the 

 gradually rising temperature of springtime out of doors 

 should be simulated in the forcing house. During the 

 first week, a night temperature of thirty-five to forty 

 degrees is maintained, with ten degrees higher in the 

 sun. Each week it is raised four or five degrees until 

 the plants are in bloom, when it should be sixty to sixty-five 

 degrees. It is necessary that the plants should grow 

 slowly during the first half of the forcing period ; after 

 they have blossomed they may be forced more rapidly. 

 When the fruit begins to swell a temperature of seventy 

 degrees should be maintained. Low temperature after 

 the plants come into blossom prolongs the forcing period, 

 increases the difficulty wuth pollination and gives stunted 

 plants and small berries. Excessive heat produces weak, 

 drawn plants, increases the danger from the red-spider 

 and gives soft, poorly flavored berries. Syringe the 

 foliage for red-spider every sunny day; sometimes this 

 will be necessary even on cloudy days. During pollina- 

 tion, syringing must be stopped, but the walks should be 

 kept wet. 



Pollination. 



There are no insects or breezes in the greenhouse to 

 distribute the pollen, so the gardener must do it, other- 

 wise the berries will be few and imperfect. During 

 blossoming, water the plants sparingly and ventilate 



