THE FORCING PLACE. 16 



Note on Growing in Hotbeds. — The work of growing 

 in hotbeds has one decided advantage which may not 

 appear at first sight. 



In the instance referred to under "Growing in Hot- 

 beds" the roots were placed in, during the month of 

 November, before any freezing had occurred. By this 

 plan a crop may be forced before it could by any pos- 

 sibility be secured in any of the ordinary cellars describ- 

 ed. It will be observed, however, that this plan of forc- 

 ing entirely ignores one very essential feature of the 

 general method viz., that of freezing the roots: but 

 while entirely practical under certain conditions, it can- 

 not be applied in general work and must not be at- 

 tempted. It will not be successful in any ordinary cellar 

 or in fact any place where very strong heat cannot be 

 concentrated and brought low down to the roots. 



With the hotbed boxes on hand, and an abundance 

 of fresh manure to generate the heat and reinforce it 

 as necessary, the forcing may be safely done and give 

 an early crop and fancy prices that cannot be obtained 

 if necessitated to wait for the roots to freeze. But the 

 method is especially valuable in establishing the fact 

 that the work may be successfully done in latitudes 

 beyond the limit where freezing may be relied upon. 



This plan of forcing is very exhausting, and the 

 roots thus forced will be entirely worthless for purposes 

 of propagation. 



