1870. J 
THE ART OF FORCING FRUIT AND FLOWERS.—III. 
131 
particularly applies to deciduous subjects of tlie Deutzia or Syringa type, and to 
some kinds of fruit trees. The pots whidi contain such subjects should always 
be well filled with roots ; hence moderate-sized pots only, commensurate to the 
size of each plant, should be used. Water must be given copiously during the 
growing season, and liquid manure liberally allowed. When the necessary 
summer growth is completed, the weather being not excessively dry at the time, 
the pots containing the plants should be laid on their sides and be covered over 
with loose damp litter, to protect and keep the roots in health, by assuring to 
them a slight amount of moisture. Thus it will be possible for each plant to 
store away such an amount of accumulated vigour and vitality, approaching to 
excitability, that each will answer readily to any subsequent artificial means 
employed to start them into activity at an unreasonable and non-propitious period. 
In regard to evergreen plants, they, by having their growth forwarded, may 
be made to perfect their buds at an earlier date ; though the seemingly some¬ 
what harsh means resorted to in the case of deciduous subjects, in order to force 
on and to maintain a period of premature rest, will not answer in their case, as a 
reasonable amount of root-moisture must be constantly afforded, with the view to 
keep their leaves in perfect health and with their functions unimpaired. All 
possible exposure to the full sun on all possible occasions must, however, be 
assured them. 
Prepared thus to grow or bloom with the least aid in the form of heat and 
moisture, the buds upon both classes of subjects being very prominent, it will be 
necessary to place them under some kind of suitable protection during severe 
frost, more especially after a very mild period, should such set in during the 
subsequent winter. 
In the case of plants grown in the open ground, and which are intended to 
be taken up and forced, the only aid which can be given them, is to assure to each 
a clear space, so that light and air can have free access to every part. Those 
which bloom best upon strong young shoots of the current season’s growth, such 
as some species of Primus, should have the young shoots, if too numerous, thinned 
out, and lesser spra 3 ^s, if ill-placed or unnecessary, removed. Others -which 
bloom more abundantly on older branches, such as Deutzias, may be aided by a 
judicious S 3 ^stem of summer-pinching, or stopping of the grosser young shoots. 
To stop a too late autumnal growth, and to help each plant so grown to ripen 
its wood v/ell and earl 3 q it is an excellent plan to “ lift ” each plant separately 
early in October with the aid of a strong spade. This consists in loosening the 
roots and lifting the whole ball up some inches from its bed, without exposing 
the roots, and then letting it down again, this being done with the view of 
moderating its root-supply, and so inducing an effort towards resting, and the 
early ripening of the wood. This fact should be borne in mind in connection with 
forcing young fruit trees, after their recent removal from without, into any 
structure. The sooner they can be taken up in the early autumn and placed 
