122 DECEMBER — SECOND AND THIRD WEEK. 



mosphere to "break" the early Vines, should be turned 

 and watered at least once a-week. Keep the wood 

 generally moist, and proceed in forcing with, caution as 

 before advised. As the most essential point in early 

 forcing is to secure a healthy and vigorous root action, it 

 is advisable, if the Vines are planted inside, to excite the 

 roots by an occasional application of water at a tempera- 

 ture from 85° to 90°. If the Vines are planted outside, a 

 steady heat of about 60° should be maintained by the 

 fermenting matter placed on the border to be frequently 

 turned over, and protected with dry litter from the frost 

 or other unfavourable weather. Houses intended to 

 commence forcing the early part of next month, to 

 have some fermenting materials placed on the borders 

 to excite the roots a little before the Vines are started, 

 which will be of some assistance to make the buds push 

 strongly and without much loss of time. To induce the 

 buds to break regularly throughout the whole length of 

 the Vine, it is frequently necessary to bend the rod so as 

 to incline the most forward buds to the lowest level, and 

 to elevate the most backward. 



THIED WEEK. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



As many of the hard-wooded plants are impatient of 

 fire heat and a confined atmosphere, it is advisable to 

 use no more artificial heat than is absolutely necessary. 

 The drying effects of fire heat must be counteracted by 

 a supply of moisture; the moisture becomes condensed 

 on the glass and falls in drips, that are apt to spoil the 

 beauty of the flowers, and to injure the foliage of the 

 plants. The best corrective for such unfavourable results 

 is to be found in keeping the temperature as low as may 

 be consistent with the safety of the plants, and in with- 

 holding moisture as much as possible whenever the glass 

 is affected by frost. See that the young stock of Helio- 

 tropes, Scarlet Geraniums, Persian Cyclamens, and other 

 such flowers, that are grown especially for winter, are 



