74 



TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



be sufficient for a small flower-pot; for, if sown too thick, the 

 plants are apt to be drawn, and thereby become very weak. In 

 dry weather, the pots should be watered gendy every day ; 

 but in wet or moist weather this may frequently be omit- 

 ted, giving them so much only as will keep the mould moist 

 till the plants begin to vegetate. The proper time for wa- 

 tering is in the afternoon, when the sun is going off the frame. 

 Observe to shut the frame down immediately after watering ; 

 and if the heat be not too great, it may remain shut during 

 the night. As the heat of the bed begins to decay, you must 

 add a lining of horse-dung and fresh leaves ; which, when oc- 

 casion requires, maybe shaken up and repaired by adding some 

 fresh leaves and dung to it, and thus keep up a proper warmth 

 till the plants have got sufficient srength to do without any bot- 

 tom heat. 



About the latter end of August it will be necessarv to 

 take the lights off, that the plants may be hardened before 

 winter, taking care to shelter them in frames covered with 

 mats, which will prevent the frost in the latter end of Octo- 

 ber and beginning of November from injuring the tender 

 shoots. 



When the plants are about six inches high, they should be 

 transplanted singly into deep pots, filled with the same sort of 

 vegetable mould as is directed to be used for vines ; taking- 

 great care not to hurt the roots, nor to break the leaders ; then 

 plunge them again into the hot-bed ; but if the heat of the old 

 bed be too much decayed, it v/ill be necessary to have a new 

 one prepared before-hand to receive the pots as soon as the 

 plants are transplanted. If they grow vigorously, it will be 

 necessary to shift them into still larger pots. 



When the plants are above six inches high, they should 

 be carefully tied to small rods, leaving only one stem for the 

 first year. The rods should be as high as the frames will per- 

 mit. 



When the leaves begin to drop, they should be carefully 

 picked off the pots, to prevent the plants from getting mouldy, 

 which would very much injure them. 



The plants should be kept under frames, or put into the 

 green-house, in hard winters, to shelter them from severe 

 frosts. In the spring, about March or the beginning of April, 

 (middle of May in America), if from seed ripened in this 

 country, they may be planted out against the walls where they 

 are to remain ; but, if from seed imported from vine coun- 

 tries, I would advise not to plant above one or two against 

 the wall, or in the hot-house, before you have obtained a spe- 



