30 FRUIT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



in strong doses now and then, but simply to well 

 colour the water with it every time the pines are 

 watered : an ordinary handful to four gallons of water 

 is sufficient. 



In some localities, and with fine summer weather, 

 after midsummer the temperature can often be kept up 

 sufiBciently without the aid of fire-heat. In a close 

 structure there will be no difficulty in doing so, espe- 

 cially when early air-giving and shutting up is practised. 

 The heat can thus be husbanded so as to keep the ther- 

 mometer at 75°; and when this can be accomplished 

 without the aid of fire-heat, so much the better in all 

 respects. This is, I am aware, not applicable either to 

 aU localities or aU seasons ; for many climates, even in 

 favourable summers, will render the use of the fires 

 necessary the whole season. 



Although very much opposed to shading pines in a 

 general way, it is sometimes necessary, when they are 

 growing rapidly and the weather becomes suddenly very 

 bright after a contimiance of dull weather. The shad- 

 ing should never be heavy nor long continued. Tif- 

 fany or hexagon netting I have always found sufficient, 

 and that only during the brightest part of the day. If 

 all is going on right at the roots, and a moist atmosphere 

 is steadily kept up, I have never found a necessity for 

 more shading than this. At the same time, it is most 

 undesirable that pines should become browned and wiry ; 

 and slight shade and more frequent gentle dewing at 

 shutting-up time should be resorted to as soon as signs 

 of this appear. Of two evils, the browning of the leaves 

 is not so injurious as a weak watery growth — the result 

 of too much shade and a close atmosphere. I find the 

 true Smooth-leaved Cayenne much more impatient of 



