The Garden Under Glass

122 THE GARDEN UNDER GLASS 50°, and rarely for the plants in question will it be neces-sary to go beyond 65°. If the thermometer stand fairly steady at 6o°, that should meet most requirements. For successful forcing a policy must be formed and adhered to. That may be to force the same plants only once in three years, planting them out early in the summer and allowing them to recuperate and build up strength under natural conditions for two years. Where this cannot be done the batch could at any rate be divided into two parts, one part being forced and the other grown naturally alternate seasons. It is further advised that only robust, healthy plants be chosen for forcing. As may be supposed, this unnatural process is rather exhaustive and weaklings would surely produce poor results. When potting these subjects up for forcing it must be remembered that not many roots will be made during the time, therefore the smallest pots which will contain them should be used. Düring their stay in the forcing house the plants must be syringed twice daily, and it is an ad-vantage though not a necessity to have the pots plunged in a bed of leaves. Watering should only be done when there are clear signs of its being needed, for over-watering will surely do harm. As the plants come into flower syringing will cease and when the blooms are expanded they may be taken to the conservatory or the dwelling-house. Such plants as are forced should not be set outside after forcing until danger from frost may reasonably be supposed to have departed. Even though they are hardy plants their growth after being forced is sure to be soft and tender. Besides those named there are other plants which may be forced, such as ribes, viburnum, wistaria, pyrus, magnolia, jasmines, choysia, daphne, jaburoum and rhododendron, but even in large establishments these are very seldom used.