TREATMENT OF THE 309 



must be determined by the season at which 

 the fruit will be wanted, but it is advisable 

 never to commence forcing before January, 

 with the exception of the Alpine which will 

 endure the operation much better than any 

 of the other kinds, and plants of that sort 

 may be forced from the end of November. 

 When forcing is commenced in January, the 

 plants will require ten weeks in order to per- 

 fect fruit, later in the season not quite so 

 much time, and earlier in the season a longer 

 period. For one month previous to intro- 

 ducing the plants into a house for forcing, 

 let them be placed under a frame in a shel- 

 tered situation but exposed to the sun. 

 The plants may be forced in a Peach house, 

 Vinery, stove, or hot-bed frame, but early in 

 the winter it is far better to force them by 

 fire heat, as the steam arising from the ma- 

 nure of a hot-bed will frequently rot off the 

 bloom or fruit. In forcing them in a house, 

 let the plants be placed within half a yard 

 of the glass, this may easily be done by fix- 

 ing up shelves, taking care that they are 

 placed where the plants can obtain a good 

 portion of air when desired. Always have 

 a saucer placed underneath each pot, which 

 will hold the overplus of water given to the 

 plants. But in watering them (which should 

 always be done before the soil becomes dry) 

 let the water be poured upon the surface of the 

 earth in the pot, and not in the feeder as is 



