FORCING VINES FOR WINTER USE 189 
obtaining good wood for flowering. This may be 
done as follows: select the plants in spring 
and plant them in a well-enriched border. Reduce 
the number of leading shoots to four, cutting 
the others right to the ground. Keep the plants 
well watered so that they will make a good, 
heavy growth. Lift them in the fall after the 
foliage has dropped, planting them in suitable 
pots or boxes. Plunge these in some protected 
corner of the garden until you are ready to force 
them, covering the pots with manure to prevent 
injury by freezing or drying out. 
The later roses are forced, the better crop of 
flowers you will get, but they can be brought 
in any time after January 1, and will flower in 
from eight to fourteen weeks according to the 
variety. It is best to start them with a night 
temperature of 45°, gradually increasing it until 
you have reached 60°. A little liquid feeding, 
before the flowers appear, will produce a better 
colour. Immediately the plants are brought 
into the greenhouse they should be pruned. 
Spur all the side shoots close to the long, heavy 
branches, and, instead of cutting these, tie them 
in, to give a well-formed plant. 
Because of its beautiful form and colours, 
few plants can rank with the sweet pea (Lathyrus. 
