1G2 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
December 11 
forcing varieties in October, on the well-known advice 
of locking the door before the steed is gone. When 
such has been done, it is simply requisite to apply a 
given quantum of fresh, hot manure to it, and to turn 
and mix the whole. Such a preparation, under such 
circumstances, may he considered highly beneficial, if 
not indispensable, at any period of vine forcing from 
November until March, and a temperature of 75° to 80° 
may very properly be sustained in the mass. Such a 
temperature may be considered too much at first sight, 
but when it is remembered that 80° iu a superincumbent 
fermenting mass will not be “ read off” at more than 
GO 0 , perhaps, at a foot deep—or, in other words, in that 
medium where the chief of the roots are situate—there 
will appear nothing very extraordinary in such pro¬ 
ceedings. Let every vine forcer thus situated remember 
that the natural average ground-heat, in most parts of 
the globe, is usually some three to six degrees in advance 
of the atmospheric warmth; so that what gardeners 
term bottom-heat is only a carrying out the designs of 
nature, albeit some persons may extravagantly exceed 
the prescribed bounds in the attempt. 
And now, whilst on the subject of outside borders, let 
us take into consideration the state of the border as to 
moisture, and see whether it is expedient thataZi the rain 
and snow that happens to descend may be permitted to 
enter the border, or whether, in the trite maxim that 
“ an empty house is better than a bad tenant,” it would 
not be well to intercept a portion and decoy it aside. 
It is now some eighteen or twenty years since we at¬ 
tempted to draw attention to the propriety of acting on 
the defensive in Vine-border management (as to inter- 
ceptive or preventive measures as connected with root 
moisture) in the then popular Magazine of the late 
talented and lamented Mr. Loudon. We very well re¬ 
member strongly recommending a tarpauline covering to 
Vine borders. This idea was not altogether of a still¬ 
born nature, for the general character and mode of for¬ 
mation of Vine borders in Britain, shortly became a 
lively topic, and folks soon began to question the ortho¬ 
doxy of the old six-feet-deep, alias wet-border men. 
And, indeed, a few years after the idea was pushed still 
further to test its utmost power, for Mr. Mearns, and 
some others, soon began to think of covering borders 
with glass. All these concomitant marks of progress 
had but one general tendency:— more heat, less wet. To 
apply this digression to the case in hand then, we say, 
by all means provide yourselves with a tarpauline, a felt 
cover, or any other Macintosh sort of material. This 
will almost pay for itself in due time, by saving the 
trouble of disturbing the fermenting material, in which 
process there is both a waste of labour and valuable 
stuff involved. 
We may now suppose that the house is thoroughly 
purified, the flues, pipes, or other apparatus in high 
working order, and, indeed, all things ready for action. 
The next thing to be thought of, is a steady and 
somewhat slow development of the buds. Many a time 
lias the use of fermenting materials been suggested iu 
the pages of The Cottage Gardener, and although the 
mere steam from water, however disposed, would, at first 
sight, appear to be all that is necessary, yet long ex¬ 
perience of the ancient and time-honoured dung-bed of 
former days will, doubtless, warrant the confident 
avowal, that there exists a merit, a something in the 
steam from nicely fermented manure, which cannot be 
obtained from the pump. This is not intended to con¬ 
vey the idea that such is indispensable, that success can 
alone be based on this; it is merely urged that all ex¬ 
perience proves its use to be of good practice. There is 
no occasion for it to be fermented previously; the fresher 
the better, provided no plants with living leaves are 
introduced to the house. When it becomes necessary 
to combine the forcing of vines, peaches, figs, cherries, 
strawberries, or any other fruit, or even flowers, in tubs, 
boxes, or pots, why we can only observe that the dung 
must be fermented previously; and that a better medium 
or situation for all such during their first stage, —that is, 
until the fibres are in action, or the leaf developed a 
little,—cannot be found. Here are the very conditions 
present, which most of these things require, viz., a 
bottom-warmth some 10° in advance of the air-heat, 
and a steady and certain supply of air-moisture, impreg¬ 
nated, as before observed, with those invigorating gases 
which plants in general so much delight in. 
It matters but little what situation in the house such 
material occupies, although the nearer the front the 
better; all the proprietor has to do, is to bear awhile 
with what some may consider a somewhat untidy ap¬ 
pearance, although such may be much avoided by the 
manner of carrying it out. It is well known that, in the 
breaking of the Vine, dryness iu the air is not only 
averse to what is termed regular breaking, but to a free 
and hearty development of the foliage, on which so 
much depends; and it would appear that a continuous 
and reasonable amount of air-moisture has ever been 
better sustained by the use of fermenting material than 
by any mode of applying mere water, which is but too 
apt to saturate or fall short, by fitful extremes. 
Although not strictly belonging to the Vine-forcing 
commencement, yet it may here be observed, that much 
caution will be necessary in placing the pots, tubs, &c., 
on the heated mass. If the heat is worth notice, it will 
be too hot for plunging full depth. This part we dismiss 
by observing, that in general G5° to 70° is sufficient for 
the roots, and that the pots will very generally stand on 
the surface. Still, it is a good plan to form a hollow for 
them, but not to close the warm material in. 
And now, having conducted the young vine-forcer up 
to the commencement of the excitement period, we may 
endeavour to give an idea of the air-lieat necessary 
through the spring, first observing, that the beat here 
urged must be understood as independent of immediate 
sunshine. Let us assume six periods as follows:— 
1. 
Breaking period to the show of fruit 
Day. 
55° 
Night. 
50° 
2. 
Show to the blossoming ... 
63° 
58° 
3. 
Blossoming to conclusion of first 
swelling 
70° 
60° 
4. 
Conclusion of first swelling to the 
conclusion of last swelling ... 
72° 
G0° 
5. 
Ripening period 
G5° 
58° 
6 . 
Preserving period on the tree 
5 5° 
50° 
It 
may be thought that the night temperature 
is fixed 
too low; we do not think so, being assured that much 
of the complaints about long-jointed -wood, bad colour¬ 
ing, &c., &c., has been attributable to an unnatural 
amount of heat during darkness. The following we 
think a reasonable and proper advance during sun¬ 
shine:— Period 2, 10°; 3, 12°; 4, 15°; 5, 10°; 6, 5°. 
Ventilation about as follows :— Period 1 , very little : 
2, rather liberal; 3, cautiously; 4, very liberal; 5, abun¬ 
dant; G, abundant during day. R. Errington. 
THE FLOWER-GARDEN. 
Boursault Roses. —This is a very small group, all 
climbers, and all suitable for weeping standards, but not 
well adapted for festoons. Crimson Boursault, or Amadis, 
is the best of them, and when in perfection in June is 
one of the finest dark Roses known. The next best is 
Drummond's Thornless, as it was first called, but now 
they have given it a Latin name— Inermis. It is a red¬ 
dish flower, and a good grower, and so is Gracilis, a 
pink Boursault, and the last of them that is worth 
growing; indeed, were it not for giving a little more 
colour to so many white ones of the same style of growth. 
