MaiJ,'] THE FORCING CARDHN. 7lf) 



of it, should also be performed in this compartment. The 

 temperature, however, should be kept as steadily as })ossible 

 to 65° or 70° ; if after the bed be in a good state of fermen- 

 tation, and the thermometer keep above G5°, fire-heat may be 

 discontinued; but if any cold weather follow, and the tempe- 

 rature fall below that point, occasional fires should be used. 

 After the fires are Iqft off, and the flues no longer hot enough 

 to produce steam as usual, the plants should be syringed in 

 the evenings or mornings in fine weather, and the house shut 

 closely up. The heat of the bed will be sufficient to produce 

 a slight steam ; or, if this be not found sufficient, the flues 

 may be heated for the purpose of producing steam in the 

 usual way, and afterwards the fire let out. 



FRUITING PINE-PLANTS. 



If the heat in the bark-bed in this compartment has consi- 

 derably decreased, it may be necessary about the beginning of 

 the month to have it renewed ; but if this can be avoided, it 

 would be more advisable, as the plants now will be more or 

 less injured by being removed, according to the state of for- 

 wardness of the fruit. Unless the heat has fallen to too low a 

 temperature at the roots of the plants, it would be advisable 

 rather to refresh the heat in the bark-bed, by surfacing it over 

 with fresh tan or leaves, that may have undergone a sufficient 

 degree of fermentation for the purpose. This stratum of tan 

 or leaves, may be laid on to the thickness of a foot or more, 

 as the bed will by this time have considerably sunk ; and the 

 pots having been increased in depth by the addition of the 

 circle of turf and mould, formerly directed to be applied, will 

 thus stand some inches above the surface of the bed. This 

 addition to the bed must be carefully applied, so as not to 

 injure the plants, and will, by confining the remaining heat 

 in the bed beneatli, together with its own fermentation, pro- 

 duce a considerable temperature, and may be sufficient, with 

 the addition of a little fire-heat in cloudy weather, to bring 

 the principal part of the plants to maturity. The roots having 

 by this time considerably extended themselves in the bed, it 

 would be a serious check to them to be taken up, in order to 



