THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



[Sept. 



SEPTEMBER. 



NURSING PINE-PLANTS. 



The directions recommended last month for the plants in 

 this compartment, are applicahlc also to the present month, 

 as long as the wcatlicr continues mild, and while the temperature 

 remains as high as 70° or 72° during the night. On its fiilling 

 holow those points, recourse must be had to fire-heat ; but this 

 should be applied with caution at so early a period in the 

 season. However, if the weather be cold and damp, slight 

 fires will be necessary, not only to dry up the superabundant 

 damp in the pit, but also to assist the temperature. The 

 pine-plants of this age, in pits wrought with dung linings 

 should be attended to, and the linings renewed as often as 

 necessary to keep up a genial gi'owing lieat, so as not to check 

 the growth of the plants, as they should be forwarded with all 

 reasonable expedition at this time, for during the succeeding 

 winter months they will not make much progress. 



Air should be admitted accordingly as the state of the 

 weather will permit. In fine warm days it should be freely 

 admitted, and in close damp weather the plants will be liable 

 to sutFcr, if kept long shut up from a free circulation, and be 

 a])t to damp and rot at their hearts. Where there are no fire- 

 flues, the watering over-head should be gradually lessened, 

 and only given in fine clear days, when the sun is sufTicicntly 

 powerful to dry up the superfluous damp ; but where there are 

 fire-fiues, it should be still continued, as by their assistance 

 no danger can accrue to the plants, and the steam produced 

 from the spilt water after the fires are lighted, will be very 

 congenial to the })lants, while, at the same time, it will be 

 noxious to their insect enemies. The i)its or frames, in which 

 the young pine-plants still remain, should, towards the end 

 of the month, be regularly covered every night with mats, or 

 Dutch reeds, or canvas coverings, increasing the covering as 

 the nights get colder, taking every possible care to fold up 

 the ends of the mats, that they may not conduct the steam of 



