36 FRUIT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



fermenting bed. They can regulate the bottom-heat 

 with much more ease and safety. 



In selecting the plants for starting at this early season, 

 those only should be taken which are most likely to 

 start without making a growth. I will therefore sup- 

 pose that the cultivator has a hundred plants of those 

 treated of as " succession plants," and that from these 

 it is desired to have a supply of ripe fruit from the first 

 of June till October, and recommend that fifty of those 

 most likely to start at once should be selected. In 

 doing so the experienced eye will fix upon those with 

 the thickest collars, and that have the greatest number 

 of short sharp-pointed leaves, thickly set together in their 

 centres. These are the most likely to send up their fruit 

 without making a fresh growth, although some of them 

 may disappoint even the most experienced ; still, in a 

 general way, when prepared the previous autumn and 

 winter as I have described, they will not disappoint. 



In arranging and plunging these plants, a few of the 

 bottom leaves should be stripped off, all the loose soil 

 on the surface removed, and a top-dressing of loam put 

 on, pressing it firmly to the collars of the plant and the 

 sides of the pot. In moving these plants it is a common 

 practice to tie the leaves up for the sake of convenience ; 

 but I would here say that it is a practice which cannot 

 be too severely condemned in any stage of the pine's 

 growth, and particularly when the plants are full grown, 

 and should have stubby, short, thick leaves that will not 

 bear being squeezed into a bundle without considerable 

 injury. I never tie pines up at any stage when working 

 amongst them. Those who shift and plunge the strong 

 prickly varieties can easily protect their hands from 

 being torn by wearing a pair of gloves. In plunging 



