258 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



dark. Bring the bottom heat up to 80° Fahrenheit at once, 

 and gradually increase to 95° within a fortnight, maintaining a 

 regular and even temperature the while. Never allow the ther- 

 mometer to rise above 100° or to fall lower than 80°, or 

 much harm will be done. Examine the pots daily ; keep a moist 

 atmosphere ; and water (when necessary) with water of exactly 

 the same temperature as the bottom heat in which they are 

 plunged. When the crowns start into growth and are about 

 two inches high, remove the top covering of moss and gradually 

 inure them to the light, still, of course, maintaining a high 

 temperature. As soon as the bottom bells begin to open remove 

 to a cooler temperature and discontinue syringing overhead, as 

 moisture hanging on the blooms is apt to spot the bells. 



Another method, more usually adopted, and which saves 

 much labour and room, is by planting the crowns an inch apart 

 in boxes of a convenient size and treating as above. 



Still another plan, but one which is not often practised now, 

 is to plant the crowns in forcing beds thickly together, and when 

 they have grown two or three inches to transplant them into pots. 



It may be here mentioned that actual flowering can be 

 retarded, when so desired, by the boxes in which the crowns are 

 forced being removed from the forcing-house into a cooler one of 

 genial temperature. The heat, however, must be always even 

 and not too low, or else the damp will speedily ruin the flowers. 



The foregoing methods refer principally to the early period, 

 before Christmas ; later in the season, and as the spring advances, 

 forcing is an easier matter. The temperature need not be kept 

 so regular, and all that is required is warmth and moisture, 

 which will soon start the crowns into growth. More attention 

 should at this later time be paid to the hardening off, shading 

 from bright sunshine, and never allowing them to get dry at 

 the roots ; they should also have more room by planting the 

 crowns wider apart, as more leaves will now appear than before 

 Christmas. 



Finally, it should be pointed out that if temporary frames are 

 placed over the beds of flowering crowns out of doors in March 

 their blooming will be hastened by two or three weeks. For this 

 purpose keeping them close and watering as required are the only 

 necessary directions. 



It is quite immaterial in what soil the crowns are planted for 



