82 PRACTICAL GARDENING. 



grow cTiilies and capsicums under tlie vine ; but whatever it 

 be, it sbould be capable of bearing all tlie treatment tbe vine 

 requires at whatever season it may be forced, because every- 

 thing must give way to the proper management of that ; and 

 things that will not bear it have no business there. 



Forcing Vegetables. — Many things may be forced in a 

 common dung hot-bed with a garden-frame and light. Straw- 

 berries and French beans planted in the bed with a proper 

 thickness of soil — say eight or ten inches — may be managed 

 to a nicety; for it is easy for a practised hand to regulate 

 the heat of a dung-bed, as others may regulate the more 

 elaborately perfect contrivances. Potatoes are well forced 

 ill common garden-frames and hghts. We have known Mr. 

 Chapman, of Brentford End, to force one thousand lights 

 in a season, so that there is very httle difficulty in the matter. 

 Ehubarb and sea-kale should be forced in the proper forcing- 

 ground, for it is very littery and ugly in the ordinary kitchen- 

 garden ; and the plan generally adopted now is to sacrifice 

 the plants, which are grown in the open air, as asparagus- 

 plants are, until three years old, and then put as close 

 together in frames as they can be packed, covered with six 

 inches to eight inches of ashes, sand, or common light soil, 

 and set to work until they break through the surface, when 

 they are known to be ready. Asparagus has long been forced 

 in common hot-beds in the same way, the roots placed side by 

 side as thick as they can be packed, and covered with three 

 to six inches of soil. Those who, like ourselves, are content 

 with short but eatable "grass," as it is called, cover with 

 three inches, allow it to grow four inches above the surface, 

 and cut two inches below ; others, who want three or four 

 times as much white tough stick, to an inch of eatable stuf^ 

 put six inches of soil on the crown of the root, and cut four 

 or five below the surface ; but it is to be considered that at 

 market people expect a great show, and that the white portion, 

 though useless, is necessary for sale. The ordinary way of 

 forcing kale, by covering the plants with a pot, and surround- 

 ing it with hot stable-dung, will do where the plantations are 

 permanent ; but growing the roots up for forcing, and making 

 one hot-bed hold many plants, is far the best plan when a 

 large supply is required. 



The forcing-ground should contain sufficient space to take in 

 a considerable number of common hot-beds, made under frames 



