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THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



[Nov. 



the few healthy roots amongst them : such, therefore, as are 

 in a very bad state in this respect should be shifted. 



Any dead or injured leaves should be cut off, with the view 

 of giving the plants an appearance of greater neatness and 

 health. The bed should be thoroughly turned over to the 

 bottom, and a large portion of the most reduced matter taken 

 out to make room for a sufficient quantity of fresh prepared 

 tan or leaves, to keep up a due temperature during winter. 

 The tan or leaves now to be introduced, sliDuld have been 

 previously prepared, by being fermented and turned over once 

 or twice, in order that every part may have undergone a suf- 

 ficient degree of fermentation, and be less liable to heat to an 

 immoderate degree when put into the pits, as well as to con- 

 tinue to a greater length of time in a steady regular heat. 



" It is a common practice," Nicol very justly observes, ** to 

 add a large proportion of new bark or tan at this time, 

 with the idea of keeping up a strong heat to resist the cold oi 

 winter, and some also keep up a high temperature throughout 

 winter from the same mistaken idea, than which nothing can 

 be more pernicious to the plants ; hundreds of which are cast 

 out in spring, after having cost much trouble and expense. If 

 the season be tlormant, so ought and so will be the plants, in 

 despite of all our exertions to the contrary. It is, therefore, 

 a vain and futile striving; a striving against the stream, to 

 force or indeed to attempt to force them into activity, without 

 the congenial help and assistance of that * life and soul of 

 vegetation,' the sun." 



Presuming that the flues have been cleaned and the house 

 white-washed, as advised in the foregoing months, the plants 

 should then be placed into the bed again in the same regular 

 manner already directed, keeping the tallest behind and the 

 smallest in front next to the glass. It may not be necessary 

 to plunge them to their full depth till towards the end of the 

 month, for fear of the heat in the bed becoming too powerful 

 for their roots, which might be highly detrimental to them at 

 this period, more so than at any other ; for if they now lose 

 their roots, or have them much injured, they will not be able 

 to furnish themselves with others till the spring. Their re- 

 maining, therefore, all winter without roots, or with their 



