THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 57 



applied by the amateur horticulturist, is the forcing of the cucumber, 

 and as that is in all probability the subject whicb he holds of the 

 first importance, we shall in our next article communicate the 

 necessary instructions by whicb any one may attain to this degree of 

 horticultural perfection. 



{To be continued.) 



STRAWBERRY FORCING IIT COMMON FRAMES. 



jIBOUT the first of March, collect a quantity of fermenting 

 leaves and dung, and with these form a bed of about two 

 feet in thickness, upon whicb a garden frame is to be 

 placed. If the frame is deep enough, it is as well to 

 put this heating material into it ; but if otberwise, place 

 the frame on the prepared bed. In either case it is desirable to 

 choose a warm situation for the bed, and to have the frame set at a 

 sharp angle or pitch facing the south. Into this bed, when properly 

 sweetened, the pots are to be plunged to the rim, keeping them about 

 nine inches from the glass. The fermenting material must not exceed 

 a milk- warm heat. The chink to admit a little air by night, and still 

 more by day, must not be forgotten. By about the middle of April 

 the plants will be in bloom, and during that period, should the 

 weather be mild, the lights sbould be tilted alternately at front and 

 back to cause a circulation. On fine days they will even be better 

 drawn quite off. After the fruit is set, increase the heat by admit- 

 ting a less volume of fresh air ; and when the ripening process is 

 going on, treat them with more air, as when in bloom. The general 

 treatment may be summed up thus : — The plants are kept in an airy 

 situation when in blossom, and in a warm and moist situation, even 

 to 100 degrees, when the fruit is swelling and colouring ; they are 

 again subjected or removed to a cooler, yet mild atmosphere, and, if 

 possible, to where a soft warm air will play among the foliage when 

 ripe and ripening. 



The soil most suitable consists of three-fourths of turfy loam of 

 a soft unctuous texture, not gritty, but capable of adhesion, yet not 

 marly ; one-fourth of decayed night-soil, at least three years old, and 

 reduced to mould ; these are mixed with a little sand and leaf-mould, 

 sufficient to keep the whole open, for the free passage of air and water. 

 Another excellent compost consists of heavy loam from old melon- 

 beds, taking care, however, not to use the soil which formed the 

 surface of the bed, as very frequently this contains too many of the 

 progeny of the red-spider. To this loam add one-fourth of rotted 

 cow-dung or any decomposed manure, and sufficient sand to keep 

 the soil from getting sodden. 



As a general rule, plants should not be shifted until the roots are 

 well spread over the sides of the pots without getting matted. The 

 plants should be shifted at once from the small three or four-inch pots 

 in which they aro laid into six-inch or fruiting pots. A nice point 

 in shifting is to see that the soil put round the plant being potted 

 is of the same consistency or firmness as the ball of the plant itself, so 



Febmarv. 



