FORCING DEPARTMENT. 350 



season many of the leading roots will have extended 

 over a considerable portion of the border, and should 

 not meet with any cheek in their progress. 



In the month of January, the plants were all 

 headed down again, leaving them from o' to 12 inches 

 long, according to the strength of the Vines. The 

 pits in the interior of the houses were now filled with 

 tree leaves, for the purpose of forcing Strawberries 

 and Kidney-beans, which were placed on the fer- 

 menting substances about the middle of February, 

 when slight fires were commenced with, in order to 

 promote the growth of these plants, and likewise to 

 assist the starting of the Vine buds. By this artifi- 

 cial heat, the eyes began to push vigorously, when 

 they were again cut out, leaving only that which 

 appeared the most prominent and best calculated for 

 a leading shoot, as only one shoot was permitted to 

 grow in those divisions that were intended for spur 

 pruning. In the other divisions, three shoots were 

 selected at the bottom of the trellis ; the centre one 

 was conducted under the rafter, and allowed to run 

 to the top of the house. The two side ones were, 

 however, stopped, when they had pushed, the one 

 about nine inches and the other two feet in length, 

 in order to strengthen them for a supply of wood the 

 ensuing year. Several of the strongest Vines shewed 

 fruit the second year, which was all cut off, with the 

 exception of a single bunch, merely to ascertain the 

 quality of the fruit. The temperature of the house 

 was kept in a low humid state during the two first 

 months, not letting the thermometer exceed 55 de- 

 grees with fire heat, nor 70 from the influence of the 



