one. The flower-buds advanced steadily, although some became mouldy and damp, and, as it is termed, "fogged off." Nevertheless, during November and December, many kinds flowered beautifully; and at Christmas I cut as fine a bunch of roses as could be desired. In wet or damp weather the lights were kept on: in frosty weather there was the further addition of a straw-mat. Lovers of roses! what think you of this? Is a cold pit unworthily occupied with Potroses, which shall furnish you with flowers in full beauty in the depth of winter? It has been seen that the above succeeded well there; though it is questionable whether they would do so every season. Severe frost, should it occur, must injure, if not destroy, the flowers. Let them, then, have a place in a greenhouse, giving fire-heat only to dry up dampness and exclude the frost. So soon as they have done flowering they may be removed to a cold pit, giving air plentifully. In March they may be re-potted and pruned, and plunged out of doors, where they will flower again in July.

Once every year, late in September, or early in October, all, except the plants intended for winter flowering, should be turned out of their pots, shaking away a good portion of the soil, and re-potting them in new or clean pots, larger if thought necessary. Immediately after this operation they should be transferred to some situation where they have the morning sun only-a north border is a good place and watering must be carefully attended to. When they have remained here for a week or ten days, the pots may be plunged to the rims, having manure laid on the surface of the soil. At the time of repotting, it is advisable, if disbudding has not been followed, to thin out such shoots as will not be required for the succeeding year.

in the ground up

Whenever plants are grown in cold pits, abundance of air should be given at all seasons. Indeed, the lights need only be used as a shelter against frost or wind, or heavy rain; dews and slight rains are beneficial in spring and summer. In the flowering season it will be necessary to shade during the middle of the day, when canvas lights should be used instead of glass ones.

CHAPTER IX.

ON FORCING.

Or all flowers induced to blossom, amid the chills of winter, there is perhaps none which excites so much interest as the Rose. And as this branch of culture is now so generally practised, it seems to demand more than a passing notice.

The art of forcing consists in accelerating the period of growth and flowering of plants, by means of artificial heat. In practising it, we change their seasons, inducing them to perform certain functions at other seasons than those at which they naturally perform them. With Roses, spring and summer is the natural period of growth, autumn the period of maturation, and winter that of repose. But supposing we commence forcing at Christmas, our winter becomes their spring, our spring their summer, our summer their autumn, and our autumn their season of rest. Thus, in forcing, although we change all the seasons, we take care not to annul any one of them, or we sacrifice the health of the plants; and these changes should be brought about gradually. The first year the plants are forced they should be advanced steadily, and should, in no case, be brought to flower earlier than the middle of March.

In the construction of the forcing-house, every chance of increasing the quan. tity of light should be accepted, remembering that, in their artificial spring, the plants will not have the advantage of so long or so powerful a sunlight as in the natural one.

A house has been built here recently, for the express purpose of growing Roses in pots to bloom in the spring of the year. Measured from the inside, it is thirty feet long, and seventeen feet wide. It has a span-roof, with a longer slope to the south, glass ends, and upright sashes at both fronts. There is a stage in the centre, surrounded by a walk; and a tank, three feet wide, runs round the inside walls. Over this tank the pots are plunged in sawdust, and a gentle bottom heat is maintained. The top lights are movable, that air may be given as required; and it is intended to substitute canvas for glass in the summer season. The house is heated by a Stephenson's cast-iron boiler. A pipe runs round the inside, furnishing it with atmospheric heat, emptying itself into the tank above mentioned, which re-conducts the water to the boiler. This house was built for Pot-roses only; but if flowers are not wanted before March or April, we think

a desirable point would be gained by omitting the centre stage, and forming, in its place, a bed of good soil, in which standards and half-standards might be planted; say three or five rows-a row of tall plants along the centre, and shorter ones on either side.

I am induced to recommend this mode of culture, from having observed with what luxuriance the Tea-scented and other Roses grow, when planted out in the borders of conservatories. The flowers they produce under such circumstances are often of extraordinary dimensions, and the season of flowering ceases but for a short time. Treated thus, many kinds prove almost evergreen. I have a plant of Tea Goubault now before me, which bloomed last March, and which has as yet (January) made no preparation for casting the leaf. It has, of course, been kept constantly under glass. If, however, flowers are wanted so early as February, this system would probably not answer well. Pot-culture must then be adopted. The high atmospheric temperature required to ensure their production thus early, with no power of obtaining a corresponding increase of bottom-heat, would cause a weak growth, and the flowers would be of little beauty.

placed on the top, to prePlants removed from the one year in pots before

In forcing Roses on a small scale, a pit with a span-roof may be constructed at a very trifling cost; and an Arnott's stove, proportioned to the size of the pit, proves an effectual and wholesome heating apparatus. A pit 20 feet long, and 15 feet wide, of sufficient height to enable one to walk conveniently down the middle, will hold 100 large plants; and to heat this structure a moderate-sized Arnott's stove is sufficient. A pan of water should be serve a proper degree of moisture in the atmosphere. ground will, if on their own roots, require to be grown forcing. Their early treatment is the same as that of other Roses in pots, which is fully described in the last chapter. To this, then, we need not revert, but will suppose the amateur in possession of strong plants of at least two years' growth, whether of his own raising, or purchased at the Nurseries. When about to force Roses on their own roots, we should ascertain whether the pots are full of sound healthy roots; for if they are not, only partial success can be obtained. If fine flowers are wanted, the last week in December, or the first week in January, is early enough to commence forcing, and but little fire-heat should be given in the first instance. This is their artificial spring, and a low right temperature must necessarily be secured. The Rose is not a lover of a powerful heat it must be forced steadily, increasing the temperature by degrees, if flowers are required very early. Where bottom-heat can be readily obtained, we think it advantageous, although by no means necessary. A good point to start from in forcing is 50 to 55 degrees by day, and 40 degrees by night. The temperature of the house requires close attention; and the state of the atmosphere, as regards its humidity, although often overlooked, is equally important. Too dry an atmosphere causes a drain upon the nutritive organs, and will cause the young leaves to wither and fall off;

:

it also encourages red spider. A too damp atmosphere is favourable to the production of mildew, especially if the temperature should fall suddenly, from the effect of atmospheric changes from without, or other causes. A dry air may be remedied by syringing the plants copiously, and, if found necessary, by pouring water on the floor of the house. A damp atmosphere is best remedied by giving air. Unless the weather be very frosty, air should be admitted freely for the first fortnight, to strengthen the growing buds; but so soon as leaves are formed, it will be necessary to keep the house constantly closed, except the air be very mild, which it seldom is at this season of the year. By the admission of cold air, the young leaves may, from their extreme tenderness, be blighted in an hour. The plants being once fairly aroused, and their roots in action, the temperature may be gradually raised till we reach 50 degrees by night, and 75 degrees by day. A higher temperature than this should not, I think, be produced artificially. Towards the spring, sudden bursts of sunshine will occasionally raise the house 10 degrees, without producing any injurious effects: still, if the weather be mild, we would counteract this by giving air; if keen and windy, by shading. A temperature of 90 degrees, or even 100 degrees, caused by sunshine, is, however, productive of less injury than a keen frosty air.

In case of severe weather, as was experienced in February 1845, on the 12th of which month the thermometer sunk as low as 6 degrees, there will probably be some difficulty experienced in maintaining the temperature previously recommended. Under such circumstances the plants will receive no injury from a slight decrease of heat, which is indeed much to be preferred to a high forced temperature, produced by great effort. If the house or pit is so constructed that it can be conveniently covered up with mats or cloths, radiation is prevented, and the advantages are very great and this is desirable on the score of economy, for a great expenditure of fuel is saved; but it is still more desirable for the health of the plants, because the less artificial heat employed the better.

In the early stage of growth, little water need be given: the plants may be syringed occasionally with manure-water of moderate strength. I have sometimes used soot-water in lieu of the above, and the vigour of growth, the darkgreen hue of the foliage, and the prominence of the buds, sufficiently attest the value of it. It may, however, be dispensed with so soon as the branches begin to harden and the flower-buds are formed. It is advisable to syringe the plants twice daily in the early stage of growth; in the morning, just as the sun falls upon them, and again in the afternoon. But should several cloudy or rainy days follow consecutively, once syringing, and that in the morning, is sufficient. Disbudding should be practised here, as before recommended. We would not, in forced Roses, destroy dormant buds, for they are of no injury to the growing shoots, and in them we have embryo shoots, ready to be awakened, and capable of producing flowers at our will.

The Rose, when forced, has as much to contend with from the insect tribe as (Div. I.) u 3

when growing naturally in the garden. Here, as elsewhere, the Rose-grub will require close secking, for the treatment which causes the production of Roses before their natural time produces him also.

The red spider is sometimes productive of sad results, for which moisture is the best remedy. Syringe the plants abundantly and daily with tepid soot water, perfectly clear, driving the water with some force against the young leaves through a fine rose-syringe, so as not to bruise or injure them. The pipes may also be washed with sulphur and soot formed into a liquid, laying it on when they are in a warm, not hot state.

For the destruction of the aphis the usual plan of fumigating with tobacco must be had recourse to, and this upon their first appearance. The atmosphere of the forcing-house seems particularly congenial to them. To-day you will see a few fat comfortable-looking ones stalking up and down the shoots: disregard them for a week, and you will see thousands. To avoid the unpleasant situation of being enveloped in a dense cloud of tobacco-smoke, the following plan is now adopted in many places: a portion of tobacco, judged sufficient for the size of the house, is mixed with an equal portion of damp moss, and placed in a fine wire sieve over charcoal embers. This gradually smoulders away, and the house is filled to perfection. In a large house a sieve at either end is advisable. Fumigation will require to be repeated frequently; for if only one or two aphides escape, the house is soon swarming again, and no plant can thrive while covered with these numerous sap-suckers.

The mildew will sometimes appear, and is a pest of no ordinary kind. I have seen the beauty of a house destroyed by it for the season. Sulphur, dusted on the leaves when wet, is the remedy usually applied. Experience and observation tell us that the best preventive, as well as cure, is to keep the atmosphere in a wholesome state. Sudden and violent changes should be avoided. Every effort should be used to keep the plants vigorous and healthy. If they suffer from being crowded, or for want of light and a free circulation of air, they become drawn and weakly, and are very liable to its attacks. On the first appearance of mildew, such as are suffering from it should be removed, to prevent infection.

During their growth, the plants should be looked through frequently, and the surface of the soil stirred, using due care not to injure the fibrous roots, which often lie near the top in great abundance. At the same time suckers should be removed; those from the stem cut off close, and the under-ground ones drawn

out.

So soon as the leaves are of fair size, and the flower-buds are forming, a free supply of water is required. Manure water should be given occasionally, not cold, but of the temperature of the house. If worms are troublesome, lime water may be administered.

But the reward of our care is at hand. The buds are strongly formed, and shew colour, and syringing must cease. Now which do we prefer, a great dis