Book I. PINERY. SUCCESSION DEPARTMENT. 551 



Subsect. 6. Succession Department. 



2753. The culture of succession pine-plants necessarily coincides in many particulars 

 with that of nurslings ; but less heat is generally allowed the former in order not to 

 draw them ; and they are allowed plenty of room in the bed, frequently shifted, and 

 abundance of air admitted, in order to make them broad-bottomed and bushy : thus 

 strengthening the heart or root part, in order that it may throw up a strong fruit the 

 second or third year. 



2754. Growing succession plants uithout fre-fieat. M'Phail says, " Succession pine- 

 plants grow exceedingly well in pits covered with glazed frames, linings of warm dung 

 being applied to them in cold frosty weather. The north wall of a pit for this purpose 

 had best be only about four feet above the ground ; and if about two feet high of it, the 

 whole length of the wall, beginning just at the surface of the ground four feet below the 

 height of the wall, be built in the form of the outside walls of my cucumber bed, the 

 lining will warm the air in the pit more easily than if the wall were built solid. The 

 linings of dung should not be lower in their foundation than the surface of the tan in the 

 pits in which the plants grow (for it is not the tan that requires to be warmed, but the 

 air among the plants) : and as during the winter the heat of the air in the pit among the 

 plants, exclusive of sun-heat, is not required to be greater than from sixty to sixty-five 

 degrees, strong linings are not wanted : one against the north side, kept up in cold 

 weather nearly as high as the wall, will be sufficient, unless the weather get very cold in- 

 deed, in which case a lining on the south side may be applied. In cold, frosty weather, 

 a covering of hay or straw, or of fern, can be laid on the glass above mats in the night- 

 time." 



2755. Most nurserymen and growers of pines for the London market employ dung-beds of the common 

 kind, keeping up the heat by powerful linings. The same practice is successfully adopted by Miller and 

 Sweet, of Bristol. Baldwin combines the nursing and succession beds, growing both on tan with dung- 

 linings. 



2756. Shifting and jwtting. The middle of March Speechly considers the most eligi- 

 ble time for shifting and potting such nurse-plants as are to be removed to the succession- 

 house. " If the work is done sooner," he says, " it will prevent the plants from striking 

 freely; and if deferred longer, it will check them in their summer growth." In this 

 shifting, he "always shakes off the whole of the ball of earth, and cuts off* all the roots 

 that are of a black color, carefully preserving such only as are white and strong. He 

 then puts the plants into pots eight inches and a half diameter at the top, and seven 

 inches deep, in entirely fresh mould. The bark-bed is renewed, the pots plunged to 

 the rims, the house is kept pretty warm, till the heat of the tan arises ; the plants are then 

 sprinkled over the leaves with water, and watered first once a week and afterwards twice 

 a week, till next shifting in the beginning of August, when they are shifted into fruiting - 

 pots with their balls entire. The size of these pots is eleven inches and a half at top by 

 ten inches deep." 



2757. Abercrombie observes, that most of the remarks on the nursing-house will apply to the succession- 

 pit. " Sometimes the plants, originated in the nursing-pit in August or September, will be fit to bring into 

 the succession-house in March or April following ; and sometimes not till the anniversary season. Those 

 from late fruiterers, originated in March, will be most established by the end of summer." 



2758. Introductory shifting. Where at the first shifting of rooted plants, they are 

 transferred to this department, proceed as in nursing-pit, except in regard to the size of 

 the pots, which should be twenty-four inches, or about seven inches across, and nine 

 deep. When the plants are a year old, and the shifting for culture here is the second or 

 third, begin as before : make arrangements to complete the business in one day. Be 

 prepared with a bed of lively tan, the number of pots, the compost for pines, and some 

 clean sea-gravel or shivers. As each plant is taken from the nursing-pit, tie the leaves 

 together. Turn them out of the old pets singly. Then proceed as follows : Shake off 

 the ball of mould. Strip off a few of the lower leaves. Cut the roots off entirely : fur- 

 ther, if the roots are scanty, or decaying, prune away a small portion of the stem, cutting 

 into the quick. Pot the plants ; plunge them in the tan, not entirely to their rims, till 

 the new heat rising from the bark can be ascertained. Leave about five inches space 

 between each. Keep them under a strong heat ; and forbear to give water, or to admit 

 cold air, till the plants have struck root. 



2759. Intermediate shifting. When plants are to remain in the succession-house a 

 year, shift them in the March following their introduction. Let the fresh pots be. full 

 eight inches in diameter, and ten inches deep. It is one of the most availing precau- 

 tions against the premature fruiting of pines, to allow rising plants a capacious bed, and 

 free space for the herb to expand. In turning healthy plants, now, out of the old pots, 

 endeavor to preserve the ball of earth entire. But where plants appear to be sickly, 

 to be infested with insects, or to have bad roots, brush away the old earth entirely : then 

 with a long knife trim the longest fibrer,; and if any part of the main root be unsound, 



