Mar.] 



THE FORCING GARDEN. 



0)89 



the fruiting-plants last month, observing to give them plenty 

 of room in the bed, that they may enjoy sufficiency of air and 

 sunshine. The temperature should be kept as steadily as pos- 

 sible from 65° to 70°, and air should be admitted daily, in 

 proportion to the state of the weather ; and should the air of 

 the pits become low, in consequence, for a few hours, it will be 

 of far less injury to the plants than if kept more uniform and 

 the stagnant air allowed to remain unchanged. 



FRUITING PINE-PLANTS. 



This department being regulated as directed in February, 

 little else will require to be done than supplying them with 

 fresh air and plenty of water, both at their roots and also 

 over-head in clear weather, never allowing the steaming to be 

 neglected every morning and evening. There is something so 

 congenial in a fine humid atmosphere to the nature of the 

 pine, that it is seldom found in perfection where this practice 

 is entirely disregarded ; and no method appears to us to pro- 

 duce this humidity so readily as that of creating a steam from 

 the flues by pouring water upon them. The plants should 

 occasionally be watered at their roots with liquid manure ; as 

 from this time, until they have swelled their fruit nearly to its 

 full size, they will require every nourishment which can pos- 

 sibly be given to them. As they proceed in the formation of 

 their fruit, they will be materially assisted by forming a ring 

 of turf, equal in circumference to that of the pots in which 

 they are placed, two or three inches thick, and this part should 

 be placed upon the top of the pots, and thereby, as it were, 

 increasing their size. The hollow formed by this addition to 

 their size, should be filled up with rich maiden loam, and 

 sheep or other rich dung well incorporated, and this top 

 dressing will encourage them to emit fresh roots from the bottom 

 of their stem, upon which, if there be any useless or decaying 

 leaves, they should be removed ; by which means the emission 

 of such roots is facilitated. The temperature of the house 

 should now be gradually raised to 73° or 76°, allowing the 

 temperature in sunshine to rise to 80°, and from that to 90°, 

 during the middle of the day, but not to exceed 90° as a 



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