270 



ON THE CULTURE 



of November : from which time the bed will gene- 

 rally retain a moderate warmth till the beginning 

 of January, when the tan should again be renewed. 

 From that time the hot-house should be kept a few 

 degrees warmer, and, as soon as the tan begins to 

 ferment, the plants may have a little water given 

 them. 



In this month (January ) some of the plants 

 will appear set for fruiting, which may be distin- 

 guished by the short leaves in their centres ; and 

 from that time they should be moderately watered 

 (till the middle of March) and the hot-house should 

 be kept pretty warm ; a little air should, however, 

 be admitted, whenever the weather will permit. 



About the middle of March it will be proper to 

 renew the tan-bed, and, at the same time, the 

 plants should be divested of a few of their bottom 

 leaves ; the mould on the top of the pots should 

 be taken off as deep as can be done without in- 

 juring the roots, and the pots filled up with fresh 

 compost earth, which will add to the vigour of the 

 plants, as well as give a neatness to the whole when 

 finished. 



c In some hot-houses, and in some seasons, the plants will form 

 themselves for fruiting in December ; and when that is the case, 

 the house should from that time be kept a few degrees warmer, 

 viz. the spirits in the thermometer should be kept up to the 

 point marked temperate, or, in general, one or two degrees 

 higher : for when plants are kept too cold at that critical season, 

 ^viz. the time of forming their fruit) it generally causes many 

 of them to show crooked, imperfect, and mis-shapen fruit. 



