FORCING DEPARTMENT. 301 



sable to reduce the internal atmosphere of the pits, 

 somewhat in proportion to the external air, than to 

 force the plant forward too much against nature. 

 By the latter end of September, or beginning of 

 October, the plants will have filled their pots with 

 good roots, when they are shifted into larger sized 

 pots : as those that were planted on the surface of 

 the bed will also have made a rapid growth. The 

 largest are now potted with as much of the leaf- 

 mould as remains attached to their roots, and the 

 remainder of the pots filled up with the composition 

 previously prepared for the Pine. Those crowns 

 and suckers that are now potted, are all put into the 

 succession department, in order to make room for 

 the crowns and suckers that still remain unplanted, 

 which are put in the nursing bed, along with those 

 still remaining in the leaf-mould, and are left to 

 grow there till the middle of March. Every precau- 

 tion is taken, at this time, not to injure the young 

 roots, in potting, or with too much bottom heat, as, if 

 hurt at this late period of the season, they will not 

 push out fresh ones freely before the return of 

 Spring. The pits are now covered at night with 

 bass mats, and the thermometer kept as near to 

 65 degrees as possible, and from 70 to 75 degrees in 

 the day, with the influence of the sun. As the 

 season advances, the proportion of water is dimi- 

 nished, and the syringing over head dispensed with 

 about the latter end of October. In the first or 

 second week in November, or as soon as a sufficient 

 quantity of fresh Oak-tree leaves can be procured, 

 the plants, in the succession department, are re- 



