Transactions of the Prussian Gardening Society. 65 



experience. To cause the blossoms to set, the branches and 

 spray are frequently put in motion, but care taken not to move 

 the main stem, by which the fibrous roots might be injured. 



6. When the fruit is setting and swelling, the temperature 

 must be kept between 54£° and 65f°. 



7. When the fruit is stoning, the temperature is lowered to 

 59° for two or three weeks, during which period the house 

 must be shaded in bright sunshine, and the plants watered 

 over head once or twice a day. 



8. When the stoning is completed and the fruit begins to 

 swell, the temperature is again raised to 65°, and no more 

 shade given, in order that the fruit may acquire a high fla- 

 vour, through the operation of the sun's rays ; to facilitate 

 the action of which on the fruit, the superfluous leaves are 

 removed. By this practice, plants begun to be forced in De- 

 cember commonly produce ripe cherries in February; but 

 Mr. Fintelmann has sometimes had them even in January, 

 though without a good taste. 



9. Recent experience has taught Mr. Fintelmann that 

 cherries will force remarkably well in sawdust, or chopped 

 moss, mixed with some powdered unburnt lime. Plants 

 grown one year in two years old sawdust and a little powder 

 of lime, put into the forcing-house on the 1 6th of January, 

 gave ripe fruit by end of February. 



Mr. Fintelmann is considered by his countrymen as ex- 

 celling in the forcing of cherries ; and some of the points of 

 his practice, such as shortening the shoots to produce blos- 

 som buds, thinning the blossoms, the previous exposure to 

 cold, and the use of hot water, seem worthy of the imitation 

 of the British gardener. 



44. Remarks by the Committee on an Instrument for ringing the 

 Baric of Trees, invented by M. Gerdun, Watchmaker of Stolpe. 



The instrument is not described ; but the Committee state 

 that it will answer the end proposed. They very properly 

 add, that ringing is a practice very liable to be abused, and 

 that it should seldom or never be performed on stems or 

 branches, but only on shoots of one or two years' growth which 

 are over-luxuriant, adding the usual caution, never to make 

 the ring wider than may be healed over the following season. 



45. Abstract of tvhat passed at the Meeting of the Society held 



August 10. 1823. 



Cactus speciosus has been flowered in the open air, and 

 kept through the winter in a cold-house (im kalten gewachs- 

 haus) by M. Fleischinger. The temperature of the cold-house 

 never exceeded 50°, and the pots were kept perfectly dry. 



Vol. III. — No. 9. f 



