THE FORCING GARDEN. 



619 



London, and other rich and populous cities, are suppHed with 

 it by the market-gardeners, who find it to their advantage to 

 bring it to market as early as possible. From the natural 

 habits of this plant, it is well calculated for cultivating in a 

 high temperature, and those who have the means of a pine- 

 stove can produce it in high perfection ; more humble cultiva- 

 tors, however, manage to produce it very early upon beds of 

 hot dung, flued pits, &c. 



It is most generally cultivated in the pine-stoves, being a tem- 

 perature exceedingly well suited to it ; for which purpose large 

 pots, and more often boxes or deep shelves are placed in 

 these compartments for the reception of the plants, which 

 should be sown in pots or deep pans, as thick as they can be 

 placed together, in light rich mould ; but to render the opera- 

 tion of transplanting less injurious to them, the bottom of the 

 pots or pans should be filled with rotten dung pressed closely 

 down, over which a thin stratum of fine light rich mould 

 should be placed, on which to plant the beans. They 

 should be covered two inches with the same rich mould, and 

 well watered. When this is finished, remove them to the 

 shelves of the pine-stove, or upon trellised tables placed ovef' 

 the flues, at that part of the house most remote from the fire. 

 These tables or trellises should stand five or six inches clear 

 of the flue. In a few days they will vegetate, when plenty of 

 water should be given them, keeping them rather moist than 

 otherwise. When they are fairly above the mould, remove 

 them to a situation in the house, where they will be near the 

 glass, and as much exposed to light and air as possible, so 

 that they may not be drawn up too rapidly. This should be 

 attended to throughout their culture, as if drawn up weak 

 and straggling, the crop will be scanty, and the plants sickly. 

 After standing a few days in such a situation, to become stocky 

 and furnished with roots, they are then in a fit state to trans- 

 plant into the pots or boxes, where they are to remain to per- 

 fect their crop. They may be at this stage of growth much 

 strengthened, and rendered more productive, by being planted 

 out into small pots, of the size generally known by the name 

 of small forty-eights, one plant in each pot. They should 

 remain here for a fortnight, by which lime the roots will have 



