572 



THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



moister atmosphere in the pits or frames, they may, in fine 

 days, be syringed all over with water brought to the tempera- 

 ture of the air of the pit or frame, but this should not be done 

 in a careless manner, a little being sufficient at a time, and 

 it is also of importance that it be regularly divided over the 

 beds. In dull cloudy weather be more sparing of this mode 

 of watering ; but in clear frosty weather, when there is some 

 sunshine, it may be given more largely. It is safer to give 

 too little water at this season than too much, and it should be 

 administered in the forenoon of such fine days as sometimes 

 happen at this season. The operator need not open every light 

 for this purpose, but syringe the whole from the middle ; or, 

 if the pit or frames be long, at equal chstances from each end. 

 While the watering is going on, a second person should hold 

 a mat over the operator to prevent too much cold air from 

 rushing into the pit. This watering over head is of much 

 consequence, where the forcing is carried on by means of 

 steam or fire-heat only, as, in such cases, the internal at- 

 mosphere of the pit or frames is generally too dry for any 

 plant almost to live in ; and were not the pine one of our 

 hardiest exotics, and capable of living in such artificial cli- 

 mates, that almost no other fruit-bearing plant could exist 

 in, more instances of fiiilure would occur from this practice 

 alone, than from all the other bad modes of cultivation com- 

 bined. 



Such crowns and suckers as have been taken off the fruit or 

 plants late in autumn, and are not yet -well rooted, will ot 

 course be kept at one end of the pit or frame, and can be sup- 

 plied with much less water than such as have struck root, and 

 will soon be beginning to make both fresh roots and leaves. 

 The sashes should be covered up carefully every night, with 

 mats or thick canvas covers, and over them some reed-mats 

 should be placed, as being capable of throwing off the rain or 

 melted snovr, which the canvas, and more particularly the mats, 

 would let pass through to the glass ; and, if the sashes be not 

 in excellent good order, would penetrate into the plants, which 

 might be the cause of too much damp, besides chilling the 

 atmosphere of the pit or frame too much. This covering should 



