376 FORCING GARDEN. 



their fruit-stalks, or, as it is technically tcnirecl, start, 

 is the most critical in their whole culture. It is gene- 

 rally desirable that this should happen at a certain age, 

 and at a particular season; but these are circumstances 

 over which the cultivator .can scarcely be said to have 

 a direct control, and accordingly, while the most suc- 

 cessful can hardly deem themselves beyond the reach 

 of failure, the less skillful are very liable to err. ^Ye 

 are not aware that the. rationale of starting has been 

 investigated on the principles of vegetable physiology ; 

 and it is certain that the most absurd. practices have 

 been resorted to in order to force the plants into fruit. 

 We pretend not to give a theory; but a few practical 

 remarks may be of advantage. It is evident, then, 

 that the plant must be of a certain age, or at least of 

 a certain magnitude, before it will start freely or to 

 good purpose. Suckers of the. first year exert all their 

 energies in the production of roots and foliage ; and if 

 any of them happen to start, they exhibit little more 

 than a tuft of leaves where the fruit should be. In th-e 

 second year a Queen pine is capable of producing a 

 perfect fruit ; and in the third year the New Providence 

 and other large varieties arrive at puberty. The solid 

 part of the stem is then observed to have increased in 

 bulk, and to have ascended considerably, above the soil. 

 It is of more practical importance, however, to remark 

 that the fruit-stalks do not appear until the pot is well 

 filled with roots. Apparent exceptions thepe may be to 

 this rule; but in every case where it does not hold good, 

 the plant will be found to be diseased, or the roots to 

 have been violently destroyed. The grower ^should 

 therefore take care' that the roots shaH have nearly oc- 

 cupied all the new soil before the end of autumn, and 



