60 BRITISH MODES OF CULTIVATING 



The plants will continue to grow very fast this 

 and the following month, and should therefore be 

 watered pretty plentifully, at least twice a week ; 

 an$, in the summer waterings, it should be ob- 

 served, that it will be of great service to the plants 

 to be watered once a fortnight all over their leaves. 

 If the month of October be wet and cold, the 

 plants should not be watered above twice in that 

 month ; but if fine and clear, once a week : and 

 here ends the watering of the fruiting plants for 

 the season. I never give them any water in the 

 months of November and December ; and during 

 that time I keep the hot-house in a cold state, but 

 a bottom heat is always required; therefore the 

 tan should have been renewed, and the old part of 

 it screened about the end of October or beginning 

 of November : from which time the bed will gene- 

 rally retain a .moderate warmth till the beginning 

 of January, when the tan should again be renewed. 

 From that time the hot-house should be kept a few 

 degrees warmer ; and, as soon as the tan begins to 

 ferment, the plants may have a little water given 

 them. 



In this month (January) some of the plants will 

 appear set for fruiting, which may be distinguish- 

 ed by the short leaves in their centres ; and from 

 that time they should be moderately watered (till 

 the middle of March) and the hot-house should 

 be kept pretty warm ; a little air should, however, 

 be admitted, whenever the weather will permit. 



About the middle of March it will be proper 



