BEANS 41 



Forcing. This important garden practice may 

 commence so that the forced plants are ready when 

 the outdoor supply is over. It is a good plan to sow 

 seed for the autumn supply in frames in August or 

 early in September, and this batch will crop until 

 December. It is a mistake to sow later, as the risk 

 of failure is great, and is not worth the trouble and 

 expense incurred. But there will be greater success 

 if seed is sown in pots late in December or early in 

 January. Use a small pot for this early supply, a 

 six- or seven-inch size being quite large enough, and 

 to ensure quick germination bottom heat is necessary. 

 Place the pots with the seed in them on the warm 

 pipes, and give no water to the soil until the seed- 

 lings are showing freely. Much the same method of 

 culture is needed as for open ground crops, that is, a 

 rich root run, seed to be sown every three weeks, and 

 ample supplies of moisture when the plants are in full 

 vigour. If small pots are used four to five plants 

 will suffice, and thin the seedlings to this number. 

 When the pots are eight inch, then six or seven 

 plants will be the correct quantity. The larger pots 

 are advisable for supplies after February, and at that 

 date seed of some of the stronger growers may be 

 grown, such as Magnum Bonum, Progress and the 

 Canadian Wonder. Mr. Wythes writes : " For early 

 forcing, some years ago, I made a trial of all early 

 varieties, and also saw a very large trial in the Royal 

 Horticultural Society's Garden. There the Early 

 Favourite, Ne Plus Ultra and the Sutton Forcing 



