248 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
then a handful of good strong chimney soot shaken over it, after which soil is 
added to the requisite height to receive the plant. Fill up with the rough 
peaty soil as previously recommended, with lumps of charcoal intermixed, and 
nothing else do we make use of at any time or season, but pot and repot 
suckers and succession plants at all seasons of the year, without which a 
regular supply of fruit cannot be commanded. The greatest portion of the 
plants get but one shift. After a strong sucker is well rooted is the time we 
generally choose to shift it into its intended fruiting-pot, but there are seasons 
and various circumstances that Avill prevent this system from always remaining 
a standing rule, or rather be maintained as such. The largest and tallest of 
the plants being first chosen and potted, are, of course, replaced at the back of 
the pit, the others, according to size, placed in uniform succession, and the 
newly-potted suckers in the front. No shading is necessary, except in very 
hot clear summer days for a few hours in the hottest part of the day, and only 
for a few days after newly potting. We very seldom find it necessary to water 
the roots of succession plants at any season of the year, the humidity of the 
body of fermenting materials, w r ith a pretty free use of the engine with tepid 
clear manure Avater daily overhead early of an afternoon, and when Ave get sun 
to shut up early, is the means of growing them on quick, robust, thick, and 
fleshy in foliage, and of a beautiful dark green colour, rooting as they do at 
times through into their plunging materials. I haA r e been, perhaps, too minute 
in describing the succession-pit, and the treatment of the succession plants, 
but these are the very foundation of good culture, for Avithout the succession 
plants are well grown good fruiting plants cannot be commanded, and inferior 
plants cannot produce good fruit or good suckers either. 
Supposing the plants have made a good luxuriant groAA’th in the succession- 
pit, are also Avell rooted and established in their fruiting-pots, a cleaning of 
the fruiting-pit, the fruit from Avhick are mostly cut and cleared, is at once 
commenced by thoroughly AA r ashing the lights, divisions, and shelves ; the 
Avails are lime-AA r ashed Avith new lime slaked with boiling water, and a handful 
of sulphur vivum stirred into it. When all is clean and clear, three bricks are 
laid in triangular form y, Avliich leaves a cavity for the centre of the pot to 
stand over, and secures a free circulation for thorough drainage. The requisite 
quantity of leaA r es or tan is applied to fill up between each row of plants, tAvo- 
thirds or thereabouts up the pots. The largest and best established plants are, 
of course, ahvays chosen, and such plants are those as are not required to make 
much more growth. They recede air night and day, and are very freely 
Avashed doAvn every sunny afternoon Avith clear manure or soot Avater from an 
engine at inter\ T als. Their foliage expands and thickens—their stems en¬ 
large very fast—their colour is a beautiful dark healthy green; and throw¬ 
ing their hearts open they very soon begin to shoAv strong robust fruit. 
Washing or syringing overhead is then Avithheld till after they have bloomed, 
after Avhich the engine is again freely used, and, of course, copious applica¬ 
tions of nice clear manure Avater applied to their roots once a-Aveek, or oftener 
if required. The internal temperature is increased, and less air applied, till 
the fruit has nearly finished SAvelling; air is then applied more freely, 
humidity is Avithheld, and time is allowed them to ripen gradually. With 
such treatment their pips fill out to nearly a flat surface, their colour is beau¬ 
tiful, and their Aveight heaA r y. We, as a rule, alAA r ays reduce the internal tem¬ 
perature as the days shorten, and, of course, the humidity also. After the 
turn of the days, and as they lengthen and light increases, Ave increase the 
heat and humidity in accordance; thus Ave find fruit shoAving in October and 
November takes nearly sixteen weeks to come to maturity; Avhile those showing 
fruit in December and Januarv take about fourteen Aveeks; and those shoAAun^ 
