38 FRUIT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



to open by degrees, and on examining them the young 

 fruit will be found emerging from the centre. When- 

 ever this is observed, the plants, if inclining to the dry 

 side, should have a watering sufficient to thoroughly 

 moisten the whole ball, and the bottom-heat already 

 named should be steadily kept up. . 



Supposing aU the plants to have shown friiit, the 

 night temperature for March should not range under 

 70° nor over 75° with the mildest weather. There 

 being generally great fluctuations of weather during 

 this month, the temperatures I have named should be 

 aimed at accordingly. The moisture in the air must be 

 sparingly applied till the fruit is out of flower, and air 

 admitted on all fine days, putting it on early in the 

 morning, and shutting it off early in the afternoon. 

 Water at the root will be more frequently required, 

 . especially when they are plunged over a hot-air cham- 

 ber. But avoid, as one of the greatest possible evils, a 

 wet sloppy state of the soil. As soon as they are out of 

 flower, sprinkle them overhead every fine afternoon 

 with clear water at a temperature of 80°. As the 

 season advances, with longer days and shorter nights, 

 early shutting up with sun-heat must be practised; 

 but, except with sun-heat, I do not recommend in April 

 any increase of night temperature over that recommended 

 for March, even though it be required to ripen the fruit 

 with as much speed as possible. The forcing should be 

 accelerated by day with sun-heat. They should be shut up 

 soon after three o'clock, giving them a gentle dewing over- 

 head, filling up the steaming-trays, sprinkling the surface 

 of the plunging material and about the collars or bot- 

 tom leaves of the plants. The temperature may then be 

 run up to from 85° to 90° for an hour or two. The fires 



