ON FORCING. 



933 



little plants attain a fair size they should be planted out, about 

 4in. apart, in rich soil in a warm frame, and in a very short 

 time nice little crisp Lettuce will be ready for cutting. 



Herbs. 



In many establishments Mint and other herbs must be forth- 

 coming when needed. For this purpose young and vigorous 

 plants should be put in pots or boxes of good soil some time 

 prior to their being placed in heat. A moderate temperature — 

 about 55deg. or 6odeg. — is most suitable. If much more heat 

 is given the grovv^th is weak and attenuated, and not so service- 

 able as that produced more gradually. If proper attention is 

 paid to watering and other details, it is marvellous what a 

 quantity of growth a few pots of herbs will produce. 



Ornamental Plants. 



With the present great wealth of bulbs and other plants now 

 available for forcing, the difficulty of supplying flowers for the 

 decoration of rooms, conservatories, &c., is much less than it 

 was in our forefathers' days. Not only have we a much larger 

 choice of subjects, differing in colour, form, and beauty, but we 

 have also much better appliances for forcing plants into flower at 

 all seasons. When the Lily of the Valley was made to flower in 

 the early autumn a few years ago, gardeners were for some time 

 at a loss to understand how it was accomplished ; but now by 

 means of retarding chambers these charming blossoms are 

 procurable all the year round. The hastening or retarding of 

 the flowering period is practised with many other plants, greatly 

 to the benefit of the gardener and market-grower, who are thus 

 able to produce almost any flower that can be forced at a season 

 when it is most desirable that it should be in evidence. 



. Bulbs are indispensable for forcing, and are so numerous in 

 kinds, that a fair-sized volume could be written on their culture; 

 but it will be sufficient here to deal with those mostly employed 

 for furnishing flowers out of season. In the majority of gardens 

 the well-known Roman Hyacinth is the first bulbous plant to 

 commence forcing, and it is usually in blossom from November 

 onwards through the winter months. But it will possibly be 

 advisable to warn purchasers against buying very early importations 

 of these bulbs, which, being lifted before they are properly 

 matured, are always more or less unsatisfactory in flowering. 

 The end of September or early in October is quite early enough 

 to commence potting Roman Hyacinths, and if properly treated 

 they win give a full quota of flowers. All Hyacinths and 

 Tulips answer to the same treatment, and their culture is briefly 

 as follows : 



In the first place perfect drainage is essential, and it should 

 be covered with moss or similar material to prevent it from 



