62 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOOIST. 
[ Ma:ich, 
evaporation is reduced in amount, a portion of the starch remains unused, and 
consequently accumulates in the plant. Assuming M. Schlosing’s conclusions to 
be correct, and that the two staple food ingredients, the nitrogenous and the 
starchy matters, can be augmented by limiting evaporation, the importance of 
bell-glass culture becomes obvious. 
We turn from this to refer, on account of its seasonableness, to one other 
matter which has attracted our notice, in turning over the nicely printed pages 
of the book, and that is, the protection of the blossoms of wall-trees, for which 
puipose we find a wide temporary coping recom¬ 
mended as the best protection that can be adopted. 
This temporary shelter is to be made of bitumen- 
ized felt or tarpaulin, nailed to light wooden frames 
of 6 ft. or 8 ft. long, and 2 ft. or more in width, 
which frames are to be supported by galvanized 
iron brackets fixed at the top of the wall a few 
inches below the permanent coping. Such a mode 
of protection, unless in very cold and exposed situations, would do away with 
the necessity for using curtains, or other close coverings, which too often do as 
much harm as good. 
The Amateur Gardener's Calendar in its new dress is a book that may be 
honestly recommended to those to whom it is addressed, as likely to afford them 
ready and welcome instruction.—^M. 
THE AKT OF FORCING FRUIT AND FLOWERS.—I. 
have no very precise data as to the origin of the art of Forcing in this 
_ ) country, but we may surmise, on tolerably good authority, that our 
earliest ideas or lessons thereupon reached us from Holland. The first 
insight into this art gained by the Dutch was, it is said, brought about 
in this way:—An old Dutch gardener, having a good crop upon some new 
Persian fruit-trees (Peaches) which he was growing, formed the idea of placing 
fights or sashes” against some of them during a somewhat inclement season, 
and with such results as will readily be surmised, for the fruit thus assisted 
ripened better and earlier than others not so aided. 
The advantages which in these days we possess, and which science has afforded 
us, namely, pellucid glass (as compared with which the talc of olden times was 
rude indeed), hot-water apparatus, and scientific modes of ventilation, place the 
modem British gardener in a far more advantageous position than the Dutch 
could have enjoyed, noted as they were for the success which attended their 
earliest efforts in this direction. Then’ forcing operations were, as is well known, 
carried on mainly by the aid of fermentable materials, and required an amount 
of watchfulness and application, such as would, in these days of incessant calls 
upon our time and attention, be sufficient to daunt the best of us. 
