718 



THE rUACTICAL GARDENER. 



[May. 



ill want of water, or when watered too much. The tan, or 

 leaves should be firmly packed ^*ound the pots, to keep them 

 steady ; for if this point be not attended to, tlie sinking and 

 contraction of the bed would be apt to throw them into an 

 unlevel position, by which means, the water which is given 

 them would not be contained in the pots sufficiently long to 

 admit of its penetrating to their roots, and the plants would 

 also have a very unsightly appearance. They will now require 

 more room between each other in the bed, to allow a free cir- 

 culation of air and sunshine to penetrate amongst them. As 

 the season will now be becoming milder, a frame or two may 

 be erected in the melon-ground, in which to place all the 

 smallest, and particularly such as are not yet potted j this 

 will admit of plenty of room being given to the more forward 

 l)lants in the nursing-pits. The operation of plunging being 

 finished, let the whole have a good watering at their roots, and 

 the strings of matting with which they have been tied up re- 

 moved ; the whole should then be well washed over-head with 

 the syringe, to clear them of dust, and also to refresh the 

 foliage. Place watch-sticks in the bed, at regular distances, 

 by which the heat may be ascertained. If the season be mild, 

 and a brisk heat come up in the bed, fires may be dispensed 

 with, at least very much diminislicd, or only lighted on very 

 cold nights, and gradually given over as the state of the 

 weather and heat of the bed may determine. The tempera- 

 ture should, however, be kept up to 70°, mornings and even- 

 ings by aid of the flues, if the heat of the bed be not suf- 

 ficient. Accordingly as the heat of the bed and the effects of 

 sunshine raise the temperature, water should be more freely 

 administered; occasionally watering with the liquid manure. 

 Air should also be freely admitted every favorable opportunity, 

 giving and reducing it by degrees, as the state of the weather 

 may or may not be favorable. 



SUCCESSION PINE-PLANTS. 



The directions already given for the nursing-pit, are appli- 

 cable also to the succession-pit. The same oi)crations of re- 

 newing tlie beds, and shifting such phwts as may be in want 



