HARDY SHRUBS FOE FORCING. 



623 



into 5-inch pots, and place them in heat as required. H. 

 Mariesii has extra large, rose-coloured, sterile flowers and 

 blue fertile ones ; H. paniculata hortensis (grandiflora) is 

 more difficult to manage. Strong plants in pots should 

 be pruned to within three eyes of the base and stood in 

 an intermediate temperature. In three weeks they may 

 be given the temperature of a stove. The weakest new 

 shoots should be removed, leaving one only to each branch. 

 They should be well syringed and fed until the flowers 

 open. Although they may be forced in strong heat, more 

 satisfactory results are obtained by cooler treatment, heads 

 of flowers 1 foot long being thus obtained. They may be 

 rested in alternate years. 



Hypericum Moserianum and H. patulum are useful 

 when not overforced in strong heat and if started not 

 earlier than March. 



Itea virginica, when forced slowly so that the leaves 

 develop with the flowers, is a pretty plant. The flowers 

 are white, in upright racemes 3 inches long, and they 

 open early in March, lasting for several weeks. 



Jasminum nudiflorum is always acceptable in mid- 

 winter. It flowers freely if placed in a greenhouse in 

 December. 



Kalmia angustifolia, rose; K. glauca, rosy -purple; and 

 K. latifolia, pinkish-white, force nicely if brought on 

 gently, to flower in April. They should be well estab- 

 lished in pots. 



Kerria japonica is an easily managed shrub, bearing 

 orange -yellow flowers in February if started in January ; 

 the double variety lasts longer than the single. May be 

 grown and forced in the same pots with liberal feeding 

 three years in succession. All old flowering wood should 

 be removed as soon as the flowers are over. After the 

 third year it is better to throw the plants away and begin 

 again with young ones. 



Laburnum is a charming plant when forced for the 

 conservatory. The plants should be potted in spring to 

 force the following year. 



Laurustinus. See Viburnum Tinus. 



Lonicera fragrantissima and L. Standishii have small 

 white, very fragrant flowers, and are acceptable in mid- 

 winter. No special forcing is necessary. 



Magnolia. — Plants lifted from the open ground with 

 care and planted in pots may be had in flower in early 

 spring. The best forcers are M. conspicua, "the Yulan ", 

 and the several hybrids between it and M. obovata, 

 particularly M. Soulangeana and M. Alexandrina. The 

 purple -flowered M. obovata and the pure-white M. stellata 

 are excellent when forced. The flowers of the latter are 

 glistening white, star-like, and so abundantly produced 

 that they completely hide the plant. 



Olearia stelhdata has pretty star -shaped white 

 flowers, and is an admirable plant for forcing. If kept 

 in pots and not subjected to excessive heat it may be 

 used several years in succession. 



Paeon ia Moutan, the Tree Preony, is an excellent plant 

 for forcing if grown in pots and well established before 

 being subjected to heat. There are many varieties with 

 flowers from 4 inches to 9 inches or more across, their 

 colour varying from white to pink, crimson, and deep- 

 purple. They stand fairly hard forcing, and may be had 

 in flower early in February. 



Philadelphus. — The fragrant white flowers of the 

 various Mock Oranges make them very acceptable. They 

 should not be forced very hard. The pretty little P. 

 Leraoinei should have all old flowering wood removed 

 as soon as the flowers are over. Others recprire thinning 

 rather than cutting back. 



Pieris floribunda, a dwarf, compact evergreen, with 

 upright panicles of white flowers from every growth, and 

 P. japonica, with large pendulous clusters of pure-white 

 blossoms, also an evergreen, may be got into flower in 

 February with a month's easy forcing. 



Prunus. — Some of the most beautiful, useful, and 

 easily managed plants for forcing belong to this genus. 

 They may be had in flower from January until they bloom 

 outside. The double -flowered forms are most in demand, 

 though the single ones are beautiful. The plants may 

 either be potted up from the open border in October or 

 be grown in pots in the same manner as fruit-trees for 

 forcing, and may be used a number of years in succession 

 provided they are not exhausted by excessive heat. After 

 flowering they should be pruned hard and fed liberally 

 to induce strong growth, placing them in full sun to 

 thoroughly ripen the wood. Some of the best are: — P. 

 Pissardi, purple leaves with white flowers ; P. Rhcxii, 

 a double white-flowered Cherry, flowers very freely and 

 forces well in an intermediate temperature ; P. japan ica, 

 double white, 4 feet high, may be forced into flower soon 

 after Christmas; P. nana, dwarf, with Almond-like flowers; 

 P. persica, varieties with double flowers, ranging from 

 white to deep -red; P. Pseudo-Cerasus, semi-double forms 

 recently introduced from Japan, with flowers 2 inches 

 across. One called Watereri has very large pinkish- white 

 flowers ; P. serrulata, double white, large ; P. triloba, 

 double, rose-coloured, on shoots 2 to 3 feet long. 



Pyrus. — The following may be forced successfully: — 

 P. floribunda (fig. 751), and its forms, white or rose; 



v0»/"^'»* * JSP , 



Fig. 751.— Pyrus floribunda. 



P. Maulei, dwarf, brick-red; P. spectabilis, semi-double; 

 they should be grown as bushes on a dwarfing stock. 



Rhododendron. — Large or small plants can be 

 used. It is advisable to plant them out after flowering, 

 and rest them for a year, although some will do fairly 



