TRIENNIAL COURSE. 353 
and is copiously. admitted as soon as the sun’s rays have 
acquired considerable power. During summer, the average 
morning temperature may be from 70° to 75° Fahren- 
heit, but in sunshine it may be allowed to rise to 85°, 
90°, or even more. The heat is maintained by adding 
occasional linings of-stable-litter, and when it is exhaust- 
ed, the plants are transferred into other beds or pits, more 
recently made up, and in whieh fermentation is going on. 
In flued nursing-pits, the management is precisely the 
same. The bottom-heat is aided by fresh additions of 
tan. 
As nothing is to be dreaded from damp where there is a 
command of fire-heat, more copious waterings may be 
given, and the plants may be syringed overhead, or slightly 
steamed, by throwing water on the flues. It is not very 
common to shift the plants in the nursery during summer ; 
but it is a good rule to have recourse to that operation as 
often as the roots begin to mat on the sides of the pot. 
Before the end of autumn the young plants become vigor- 
ous. The lower part of the stalk should then be thick, the 
centre, or funnel formed by the leaves should be upright, 
open, and rather short, and the leaves themselves not long 
nor very numerous, but broad, stiff, succulent, and free 
from contortion and deformity. Towards the end of 
autumn, the plants are taken into the succession-pit, which, 
in fact, is only a nursing-pit on a large scale. The temper- 
ature for winter should be about 60°. About the middle 
of March, they are shifted into pots nine or ten inches in 
diameter. At this period, it is not uncommon, in com- 
pliance with the recommendation of Abercrombie and the 
other older authorities to cut away the whole of the roots, 
and to repot the plant somewhat in the capacity of a sucker. 
