650 



FRUIT GARDEN. 



at which times a diminished temperature, less 

 water, and even less air, should be admitted. 

 Speechley was correct when he thus wrote : 

 " There is nothing so prejudicial to the pine 

 plant (insects and an over bottom-heat excepted) 

 as forcing them to grow by making large fires, 

 and keeping the hothouse warm at an improper 

 season, which is injudiciously done in many hot- 

 houses. It is inconsistent with reason, and 

 against nature, to force ■- tropical plant in this 

 climate in a cold dark season, such as generally 

 happens here in the months of November and 

 December, and plants so treated will in time 

 show the injury done them. If large plants for 

 fruiting, they generally show very small fruit- 

 buds with weak stems; and if small plants, they 

 seldom make much progress in the beginning of 

 the next summer." Nature points out to us 

 the difference between day and night tempera- 

 ture, and what better guide can we havel 

 Tables of day, night, and bottom temperatures 

 may be thought valuable by some, even were 

 they to extend to every day and night in the 

 year. Such would, however, really be found of 

 little use to the practical cultivator, on account 

 of the sudden transitions of the external atmo- 

 sphere. And, again, the very best cultivators do 

 not confine themselves to a few degrees up or 

 down; iO" may be taken as the minimum tempe- 

 rature to which the pin e should be subjected ; and 

 it is better that it should fall even thus low for a 

 few days during winter than that it should be 

 kept at a much higher degree by artificial means. 

 The following table of nigla temperature is 

 given by Glendinning, in " Treatise," &o., p. 53. 

 Wt: January, 54°; February, 56°; March, 57°; 

 April, 69°; May, 60°; June, 61°; July, 62°; 

 August, 62°; September, 60°; October, 58°; 

 November 56° ; December, 54°. Stove tempera- 

 ture: January, 65°; February, 68°; March, 71°; 

 April, 73°; May, 75°; June, 76°; July, 78°; 

 August, 78°; September, 76°; October, 73°; 

 November, 69°; and December, 65°. And 

 Hamilton, on atmospheric temperature suited 

 to the pine, observes : " The temperature for 

 succession plants in the winter from 55° to 60° 

 at night, and 65° to 75° during the day. In 

 autumn, winter, and spring, if fruit are to be 

 swelled, they will require from 60° to 70° at 

 night, and 70° to 80° during the day. In sum- 

 mer, the maximum under the effect of strong 

 sunshine may rise to 90°, and may be allowed 

 to drop as low as 70° in the morning. In very 

 bright sunny weather the plants in fruit had 

 better be shaded than to admit too much air at 

 any time through the day." — Query ? " In order 

 to swell this fruit to a large size, no air ought to 

 be given until the thermometer reaches 80° or 

 85°, which will generally reach that point in the 

 morning by nine or half-past nine. To keep it 

 down to this, give it the benefit of air imtil half- 

 past ten, then close the house, shade the plants, 

 and water them over their leaves; thus let them 

 remain until half-past two or three in the after- 

 noon ; then unshade, and let them have all the 

 benefit of the light and sun ; give a little air, 

 which must remain until half-past four; then 

 close the house, syringe again over the leaves of 

 the plants, which will keep them moist during 



the whole of the night." Regarding bottom heat 

 he observes: "Newly-potted plants will be bene- 

 fited by a heat of about 90° for two or three 

 weeks, after which time it may fall to 85° maxi- 

 mum, and 80° minimum, but in the winter 75° 

 will be sufficient for the younger stock. The 

 bottom heat required for those plants which are 

 to produce several fruit from the same plant 

 ought to be as equal as possible at a medium of 

 about 80°, and not to fluctuate more than 3° 

 above or below." 



The following table of temperature as to artificial 

 heat only is given in the " Cottage Gardeners' 

 Dictionary," differing a little from that of 

 Glendinning, given above: an intermediate 

 course between the two will be a very safe 

 guide. 



" For bottom heat, by adding 5° to every one 

 of the above artificial day temperatures, we 

 shall be as correct as by any tedious detail. 

 Thus July and August should have a bottom 

 heat of 85°, which ought never to be exceeded 

 in pine-culture." According to Dr Watson's 

 Essays, the lowest temperature of the air 

 averages 70° in the morning in countries where 

 the pine grows naturally, rising during the day 

 from 85° to 90° in the shade. According to the 

 " Philosophical Transactions," the greatest heat 

 in Bengal, where pines are grown, is from 98° 

 to 120° during summer in the shade, rising 

 sometimes to 140° in the sun. In countries 

 where the former temperatm'e ranges the pine 

 is found in greatest perfection, and such tempe- 

 ratures would suit British cultivators had we 

 an equal amount of light, and were all our heat 

 derived from the sun. 



The main elements necessary for the most 

 perfect culture of the pine are heat, air, light, 

 and moisture ; these constitute the atmosphere 

 in which the pine delights to grow. A few 

 brief remarks on the atmosphere of hothouses 

 may not be out of place here, the same being, 

 under slight modifications, applicable to all 

 other forcing-houses as well as to the pine- 

 stove. 



The atmosphere of hothouses, more especially in 

 convection with humidity. — Light and heat appear 

 for long to have been the principal elements 

 thought necessary in hothouse culture. About 

 thirty or forty years ago, inquiries began to be 

 made in regard to humidity, and these being 

 founded on meteorological and chemical prin- 

 ciples, as well as by ascertaining the operation 

 of nature in the open air, showed most distinctly 

 that with increase of temperature an increase of 

 moisture was indispensably necessary. An imi- 

 tation of these conditions was commenced by 



