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By 

 Trevor Monmouth. 



Forcing. 



In all gardens of any extent the early forcing of vegetables, salads, 

 bulbs, arid flowering plants is conducted on a more or less exten- 

 sive scale, according to the family's requirements, and without the 

 means of thus producing the above the supply of choice tender 

 vegetables, salads, and beautiful flowers would be much curtailed. 



Vegetables. 



Taking vegetables first, as being the most indispensable and 

 useful articles, particularly during and following hard winters, 

 when all kinds are scarce, it would be difficult to imagine what 

 the gardener would do without some, or all, of the sorts now so 

 largely forced, and which can be thus artificially obtained with 

 certainty at a comparatively small outlay, providing a few frames 

 and a dark, warm place like a Mushroom-house are available. 



Asparagus. — This highly-esteemed vegetable is best forced in 

 heated brick frames, having a slight hot-bed of manure, with hot- 

 water pipes near the lights. On the manure a light layer of 

 sandy soil should be placed, and on this the Asparagus plants, 

 which should be at least three years old, should be placed thickly, 

 taking care that the roots have not become dry through exposure. 

 On the top of the plants another layer of light sandy soil to 

 the depth of 3m. or 4in. should be placed, and a thoroughly 



