•140 THE FORCING GARDEN. [nOV. 



THE PINERY. 



Of the Niirs'nig Fit. 



About the middle of the month, the bark-bed will 

 require to be stirred up, and to have some fresh 

 bark added to it, in order to keep up a moderate 

 heat tlirough the winter. New bark to the extent 

 of a tenth, or an eighth part, may therefore be 

 trenched in ; observing to keep it well down, as 

 often formerly directed. 



It is common to add a large proportion of new 

 bark at this time, in tlie idea of keeping up a strong 

 heat to resist the cold of winter; and some also keep 

 up a high temperature, throughout winter, in the 

 same mistaken idea : than which nothing can be 

 more pernicious or hurtful to the plants, himdreds of 

 which are cast out " dead men " in spring, after hav- 

 ing cost much trouble and expense. If the season be 

 dormant, so ought, and so will the plants be, in de- 

 spite of ail our exertions to tlie contrary. It is, 

 then, a vain and futile striving, a striving against the 

 stream indeed, to force, or to attempt to force them 

 into activity, without the congenial help and assistr 

 ancc of that " life and soul of vegetation," the Sun. 



The plants will not generally require potting at 

 this time, but a few may ; tliat is, the strongest of 

 the suckers, or such others whose roots have filled 

 their pots, and liave become anywise matted. Ex- 

 amine ariy you suspect to be so, and let tliem be 

 shifted into pots of the next size immediately above 

 those they are in; keeping tlie balls entire, and only 

 singling out the netted fibres at bottom. 



