T H E Complete Forcing-Gardener - OR THE PRACTICE OF FORCING FRUITS, FLOWERS ANTD VEGETABLES TO EARLY MATURITY AND PERFECTION,, BY THE AID OF ARTIFICIAL HEAT, in the Various Departments ufually conftrudted for this Purpofe.. The whole difplayed, with every new IMPROVEMENT, by which this capital and curious BRANCH of GAR- may be effected with Facility, and Succefs. By J;OHN ABERCROMBIE S Of TOTTENHAM-COURT, Gardener: AUTHOR OF M AWE'S GARDENER'S KALE ND AS- L O N D O N: Printed for LOCKYER. DAVIS, in Holborni M.DCC.LXXXI, CONTENTS. General Defcription and Utility of Forcing . - Page i Hot- Wall Forcing-Frame 33 The Forcing-Houfe - - 36 The Cherry Forcing-Frame - 42 Vineries or Vine-Houfes 47 Bark-Heat Forcing-Frame - 84 Horizontal Forcing-Frame by Bark-Heat 98 Hot-Houle or Stove - 124 Dung- Heat Forcing-Frame and Common Hot-Bed. - 165 20GG769 -Lately Pulli/hed. THE Britilli Fruit-Gardener j AND ART OF PRUNING: COMPRISIN G, The moft approved Methods of PLANTING and RAISING every ufeful FRUIT-TREE and FRUIT-BEARING-SHRUB, whether for Walls, -Efpaliers, Standards, Half- Standards, or Dwarfs : Together with The true fuccefsful Practice of PRUNING, TRAINING, GRAFTING^ BUDDING, &cc. fo as to render them abundantly fruitful: AND Full Dire&ions concerning SOILS, SITUA- TIONS, and EXPOSURES. By JOHN ABERCROMBIE. [Price 45. Bound.] THE GARDEN MUSHROOM; Its NATURE and CULTIVATION. A TREATISE, Exhibiting full and plain DIRECTIONS for producing this defirable PLANT in Perfec- tion and Plenty, according to the true fuc- cefsful Method of the LONDON GARDENERS By JOHN ABERCROMBIE. fPrice is. 6d.J Maxims and Moral Refleaions, B Y T H E DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT. 3* Mr. de Voltaire aflerts, that thefe Maxims con- tributed, more than any other Work, to form the Tafte of the French Nation j and that they are known by Heart. are much the bed and beneficial to the fruit-trees, &c. behind. In all thefe departments the fruit trees are planted againft the back wall, and oc- cafionaily in the front, in borders formed of t 7 ) of the richeft earth, and trained generally to a flight wooden trellis ; and alfo as ftand- ards, both dwarfs, and ftaridards with {mail heads, fome in pots, and (ometimcs placed fully in the ground, where the whole bot- tom (pace is of earth ; alfo as half, and full flandards, with tall Hems elevating the head near the glafies, the heads being trained within a moderate compafs, not ex- ceeding two or three feet, having, for this purpofe, young trained trees of four or five years growth arrived to a bearing ftate ; and, if planted in November a year be- fore, they will be better prepared for for- cing, which is generally begun \n January or February, eiiher by a furnace, as in all the fire heat frames, pafimg along the flues within, or by the affiftance only of tanner's bark heat, by a back bed made in a pit in- tirely the whole length of the buildirtg ; or with hot horfe-ftable dung applied either againft the outfide of the back of the frame, or fomeumes formed into a bed in a pit B 4 vvithinfide; ( 8 ) tvithinfide ; all which will be explained according to the different conftructions of the refpe&ive departments. Flowers and plants intended for forcing, n1ay have that bufmefs effected in forcing frames, forcing houfes, &c. alfo in bark or dung-pits, and in common hot-beds, un- der moveable garden frames and glaffes. j3y thefe different modes of forcing, a vaft variety of the mofl curious and defirable jbrts may be raifed to the greateft perfec- lion at an early feafon of the year, when they will prove acceptable rarities, either for private ufe or public fupply. Forcing bark-pits, are conftru&ed dif- ferently from the fore mentioned kinds, in the open ground ; thefe form a deep pir, clofe on every fide, with fliding glaffes at top, from four to five or fix feet wide, length at pleafure, five or fix feet deep be- hind, by four or five in front, part funk, and the reft above ground j formed either by . nine inch brick-wall, or ftrong port and planking, ( 9 ) planking, with glafs fafhes made to fit the top i and is filled a yard_jndepth_jsvith bark. Sometimesji pit is formed only a yard deep on every fide, in order toHbe augmented occasionally with a common Hot-bed frame placed at top, together with its proper glafies. Thefe forcing bark-pits are filled either wholly with Tanner's bark, a yard deep, or with hoc dung and bark together, the dung firft, two or three feet thick ; and when it has fettled a few days or a week, add a foot of bark at top, in which plunge your pots. In either of thefe beds, of bark, or dung and bark mixed, in January,. February or March, you may plunge pots of plants, feeds or roots of curious flowers, and choice efculents ; fome forts alfo, as melons and cucumbers, may be planted fully in the bed, having a little earth at top; alfo pots of fmall fruit plants, dwarf- cherries, currants, &c. pots of ftrawberries, rofes and the like. B 5 HOT- (10 ) HOT- HOUSE or Stoves, are generally the mod capacious ariificial heat departments of any, and prove remarkably ufeful in gar- dening, both as a repofitory for the pine- apple and other curious and tender exotics of hot countries, and occafionally forward- ing alfo many forts of hardy plants, both fruits, flowers, and efculients. They are commonly twelve or fourteen feet wide, ten or twelve high behind, by fix in the front, with the walls all of brick- work, to admit of flues for fire in the winter, and a capacious pit within, in which to have a bark-bed all the year, thereby to effect a certain degree of artificial heat the year round, calculated for the culture of the Pine-apple, and all fimilar tender natives of diftant hot climates, that are unable to endure the full air in thefe our northern parts, but require the conftant aid of a continual warmth, equal to that from which they were originally obtained. The ( II ') The heat required for a Hot-houfe, is determined by a thermometer, having the proper degree marked thereon, and it muft always be fuch as to raife the fpirit in the tube of the thermometer to the Pine-apple mark, or within 50 over or under, to effect which, .you muft have fires at night, and in very cold weather during the winter and fpring, from November till April or May ; and always a conftant bark-bed pit both winter and fummer, which imparts a growing warmth at all times ; and which alfo ferves, to plunge in the pots of the more tender kinds of exotics. The Pine plants muft be always plunged Pin^ in the baik-bed, for they will not fruit kindly, nor in any degree of fize or per- fection, unlefs they are indulged with that moift warmth, which is peculiar to thefe beds. Befides the main hot houfe or ftove for Pines, &c. it is right to have one or two fmaller departments for forwarding the B 6 young ( I* ) young Pine plants to a fruiting flate, read/ for the large Hove or fruiting houfe, viz. a narrow bark pit in the full air, covered at top with glafles, ferving to nurfe the young plants of the year j and a larger pit or a fortoffmall Hove, called a fucceflion- houfe, in which to keep the year-old plants till arrived to full fize of two years growth, then to be placed in the largeft ftove in autumn, to remain to fruit the next fum- mer. Where there are large collections of dif- ferent ftove plants, it is of much utility to have exotic ftovcs diftinft from the Pine- *?m a PP* e Hot-houfe, unlefs indeed the Pine- houfe is proportionally capacious to admit of both without confufion. Though many eminent gardens have two or three prin- cipal ftove departments, a Pine ftove, for the culture of Pines, an exotic ftove for all tender plants in general, which is fome- times divided into two divifions, one as a dry ftove without bark-bed heat, principally for ( 13 ) for fucculent plants, or fuch whofe ftems and leaves are of a jflefhy nature, full of moifture, and which fucceed beft in a dry- heat; with another divifion, both for fire and bark-bed-heat, in which, to keep all the tree and mrub exotics, as well as tender herbaceous kinds, that are not fucculent-. The moft fimple and cheapeft forcing frames for fmall plants, fome forts of fruits, and numerous flowers and efculents, are the COMMON MOVEABLE WOODEN GARDEN FRAMES, adapted principally for defending horfe-dung hot-beds ; and which frames, in dimenfions, are commonly ten feet and half long, by four and half wide, eighteen inches, or two feet deep behind, by nine twelve or fifteen in the front, with thefe iliding glafs-lights at top ; though there are alfo Sorter frames of the fame form, for one and for two lights, by way of nur- fery frames, in which to raife various feed- ling plants for final tranfplantation into larger three-light-frames. So that accord- ing r 14 ) ing to the dimenfions of thcfe com- mon moveable frames, hot-beds of dung two or three feet or more high, are to be formed for one, two or feveral frames in ranges, extending eaft and weft full to the fun ; being .made three feet and an half high for early work, two feet and an half for the more advanced feafon, and not lefs than half a yard at any feafon. The utility of thefe common dung kot- ,beds under iuch frames as above, is very con- fiderable in forwarding numerous forts of fmall plants, fometimes fruits, particularly Dearly ftrawberries, which may be raifed to ^perfection in April; but they are princi- t pally calculated for forcing and preferving imany choice efculent plants of the kitchen '^garden, and many forts of flowers. The general feafon of making fuch beds, is from ^ about Chriftmas until April; early beds, jin January and February, are commonly tfor cucumbers and melons, afparagus, fal- jlading, early radiihes; and in February Q and ,and March, for kidney beans, and the f choice kinds of tender annuals, ftnall beds being made firft as feed-beds, to raife fuch 1 plants from feeds as require transplanting, fuch as cucumbers, melons, and annual 1 flowers ; others of a larger fize, made in f a week or fortnight after, in which to prick jthe plants in, if the fmall bed is not fuf- t ficienr, and in a month after, large beds for ,the three light frames to receive the plants jof cucumbers and melons finally; with a bed alfo to forward the annual plants to ^a large fize, and protect them till the fea- jfon fhall admit of placing them in the full ^air. But feveral plants want not tranf- planting out of the bed where firft placed, t as afparagus, fallading, radifhes, &c. Many I perennial flowers may alfo be potted and 1 forwarded in bloom in thefe dung hot- beds. Fire-heat Forcing-houfes may be con- tinued both to be worked with fire hear, and with affiftance of a bark pit, to be filled wholly wholly with bark, or to fave expence, the greater part may be of hot horfe-dung a yard deep, and when fettled, covered with about a foot deptk of bark, which not only communicates a kindly heat, but admits alfo of having pots of curious plants plunged in the bark for early maturity. In fome places an entire Fire-heat For- cing-frame, where fuel, either coal, wood, &c. is plenty, and moderately cheap, is more convenient than a Bark-heat For- cing-frame ; for fince Pine-ftoves, in which a vaft quantity of bark is ufed, are become fo general, the bark is greatly raifed in price, and fometimes becomes very ex- penfive where there is a confiderable ex- tent of pit to fill. If hot-walk, are defigned principally for a Angle range of fruit-trees, along the brick wall, are only four, five, or fix feet wide, and to be extended fifty or a hundred feet long, it is beft to work wholly by fire-heat, not with bark-pit at all, ( '7 ) all, having a furnace for fire at every forty or fifty feet, each fire place having its fet of flues arranged along the back wall in three or more returns. Sometimes fuch a frame is erected againft a common wall without flues, and worked with hot dung piled up thickly againft the back of the wall ; it is not however fo certain and ef- fectual as fire-heat ; this kind of forcing- frame, though narrow, admitting only of one row of trees behind, may yet alfo have low plants in pots before^ and pots of ftrawberries and the like near the front; and fome vines trained in from without, and carried up thinly along the infide of the glafies. The copious fruit houfes, formed hot- houfe fafhion, twelve or fifteen feet wide or more, either without or with a bark- pit, admitting of a row of trees both be- hind and in fronr, with other plants in the intermediate fpace, are rarely extended fo confiderably as the Hot-wall depart- ment, C 18 ) ment ; forty .or fifty feet is a reafonable length, which may be worked with one fire profitably, by having the advantage of a Jarge fpace between the back and front rows of trees to introduce pots of dwarf fruit-trees, or to plant fully in the ground, if the whole bottom fpace is earth ; as alfo ftrawberrics, both in :pots and fully in the borders, together with other low plants, flowers as well as efculents ; or fome- times in capacious fruit-houfes, having the whole bottom fpace one continued plat of earth, ftandard fruit-trees with five or fix feet ftem are planted, particularly duke- cherries, ranged in rows from fouth to north ; or if the fruit- houfe is accommodated with a bark-pit, it may ftiJl prove of more ad- vantage in forwarding fmaller plants, plun- ged in the bark-bed. Obferve, in thofe Forcing-frames, Hot- houfes, &c. defigned to be worked by fire- hear, there muft be a furnace of brick- woik, either at one end, or in the back wall ( 19 ) wall behind, in which to burn the fuel for ' communicating the fire-heat, by means of flues or funnels of brick^work attached to the inner walls, being ranged along' the front and ends to the back wail, there car- ried in feveral returns one over the other, terminating in the vent or chimney at one end, to difcharge the fmoak after having heated the flues, all which every brick- layer may regulate. In tho!e dcfigned to be worked by bark or dung only, no fire place or flues will be required, only a fix feet wide pit, by three feet fix inches de. r p, and in length proportionable to the department, for the jeception of the bark or dung-bed. For fruit-tree forcing, &c. the fire-heat departments, worked by re alone, are proper ; by which we often ripen our choiceft wall-fruits in great perfection, at an early feafon, keeping the heat to a certain moderate temperature, as hereafter (hewn, about 10 under Pine-apple hear, though grapes fucceed abundantly well by Pine ftove-heat; but a fire- heat forcing- houfe having alfo the afliftance of bark or dung formed within in a pit, will require lefs force of fire, and the general warmth will be rather more natural and kindly, both for the vegetation of fruit-trees and all ether plants that you may occafionally force in the fame department. Bark heat alone without fire, is the next in utility for forcing early fruits, or indeed, for any general forcing-houfe ; and fometimes may probably be more eligible than entirely fire heat, for its (lead y kindly durable warmth, with lefs trouble than any other artificial heat, and may likewife in fome places be attended with the lead ex- pence, where fuel is fcarce and dear, and bark plentiful and eafily obtained at a moderate rate: on the other hand, in fome places, fuel is plentiful and cheap; and bark is an ex- penfive material, being to be had only at a great diftance, fo that the carriage home in any confiderable quantity comes high ; in all of which circumftances every one will fuit his convenience j though I would -remark, that if both can be readily ob- tained, and that if bark or dtfng is to be ufcd in a pit, fire-heat conjunctively will be very effectual, &c. A moderate fire in the night, expels the cold and damps, and we may encreafe the heat more or lefs as the weather may require, or as the trees and plants are to be more or lefs forwarded in growth. Dung- heat, as the cheapeft and moft eafily obtained, may be fuccefsfully ufed in forcing both fruit-trees, and moft other plants, as well as for common hot-beds. For this purpofe, frefli horfe ftable dung may always he readily procured in fuffici- ent quantities in moft places, either of your own or by purchafe. This is not in all cafes fo effectual as fire and tanner's bark heat; however, in default of thefe, it may be employed with fuccefs in almoft any Forcing-department, except hot-houfe or (loves : but for common hot-beds in forcing forcing kite hen -garden plants, and an- nual flowers, it is of fingular ufe, and is the moll convenient material for this par- ticular branch of gardening. The forcing departments for fruits and flowers to early growth, till fucceeded by thofe in natural ground, require the aid of artificial heat, from* January or February, till April or May. Pine-apple (loves worked by fire and bark, effecting a conftant heat the year round, ferve as repofitories for tender plants; fome perfons, who are not ac- commodated with other artificial heat de- partments, make them ferve occafionally as Forcing-houfes for various plants, and fome fmall fruits, as ftrawberries, and many kinds of flowers, and fome choice efcu- lent plants, as kidney- beans, cucumbers, &Q. Thefe being placed in pots, and dif- pofed in vacant parts of the houfe, will fucceed remarkably well in their refpeftivc growth : but as to fruit trees, the Fire- heat heat is rather too much fcr mofl- f rts, ex- cept grapes, whu h arrive thus to great perfection. They fhould always have vines planted on the out fide, to be trained un- der the glafs-work. They may have alfo fome four or five year old vines in large pots, to move into the houfe occafionally in January or February, and placed near the front, or end gbfies. You may alfo try dwarf duke cherits, currants, peaches, &e. in pots, and placed therein about Fe- bruary, next the front, in the moft airy part, and if they produce only a few early fruits, they will be acceptable, and if they do not fu.ceed, by reafon of the heat being too confiderable, there can be no lofs fuf- tained. However, the beft general For- cing-frame for frui's, flowers, flowering- fhrubs and efculents, is that conftruded in the Hot-houfe-fafhion, twelve or four- teen feet wide in the clear, ten or twelve high behind, and five, or fix in front, fur- nifhed either with flues for fire, or a bark- . pit pit for a hot-bed of bark or dung ; and if furniihed alfo with fire -hear, the forcing may be accelerated more at phafure, by making the fires ftronger or weaker. If the bark or dung heat in the pit be fuf- ficient, then no fire at all : having the trees planted in a border, behind, &c. and the various fmaller, in pots plunged in the bark or dung-bed, and placed upon fhelves at top of the flues, &c. But when in- tended principally as a fruit houfe, or to be worked by fire heat only, having the whole bottom fpace of earth, it may either be narrow, five or fix feet in width, any length required, with one row of trees planted next the back-wall, and fmaller plants in front ; or may be wide, hot-houfe-like, with trees both behind, front, and middle fpace; and fmaller plants between, both fully in the ground, and in pors. The proper forts of fruit trees for for- cing are, principally peaches* neflttrines* apriccts, cherries, and grapes -, alfo a tree or two of early figs: likewife for variety, fome e formed within fide along the middle fpace, or rather towards the front, extending almoft the whole length of the houfe, funk as much as the nature of the foil will admit, without being wet at bottom, having a four feet border behind, for the row of trees, and if there is room, a narrow one in the front for vines j and the pit being filled with bark or dung, admits of plants in pots plunged therein, with pots of dwarf-trees to move in and out occafionally, thereby having the advan- tage r 33 ) tage of introducing frem trees, keeping fome in pots for that purpofe. The Fire-heat Forcing-frames are of two or three different kinds ; denominated Hot - Walls 9 Forcing - Houfes, Hot - Houfes, Stoves ; each as below. HOT-WALL FORCING-FRAMES, are nar- row upright fixed erections, four, five, or fix feet wide, having the whole bottom fpace entirely of earth, defigned principally for only one row of trees againft the back, which may be of any length from ten to twenty, fifty or an hundred feet long or more, built with brick, eight, ten, or twelve feet high, furnifhed with returns of flues for fire, with a low wall in front, one foot high, on which is laid a plat of timber, thence are ranged glafs frames, in one con- tinued Hope on proper beams to the top of the back wall, there received into timber work, water tight, generally having the lights difpofed in two Hiding tiers, the upper one made to flide up and down C over ( 34 ) over the under to admit fr e fh air, or made to flide fide-ways part one another, and both tiers made to move away entirety when the feafon of forcing is over, that the trees may have the benefit of the full air, rain, &c. to ftrengthen and prepare them for future bearing , and if thought convenient, the whole frame work of wood may be contrived to move further along to a diftant part of the wall, furnifhed with flues as above, and the frame-work remain fixed, and with one fet of glafies to fave a double portion of frame and walling, the wall planted all the way with trees, in order to force one half one year, the other half another, alternately ; that each portion having a year's refpite from forcing, they will more effectually recover proper ft rength, than if fucceflively forced one year after another. A frame of forty or fifty feet long may be worked with one fire, but if much lon- ger, two will be neceffary. The ( 35 ) The whole bottom fpace of this frame being of good rich earth, two fpades deep, let it be properly tii^zel to receive the trees. Procure th fr -hat are tra ; ne ' in the wall -tree manner, arrived ar a gooJ bearing fta e, and plant diem in a fingle range be- hind, about half a foot from the b .ck wall, to admit of a trellis between them and the wall, on which to train the branches, left, if trained clo r e to the wall, the heat of the flues may fccrch the leaves and young fruit. Thefe being planted in Oclob' r or November, with balls of earth about the root, fo as not to feel their removal, may be forced the fame winter* However, if they have precifely a year's growth in the for- cing frame, cxpofed all the time to the full air, they tonflquently will be the better prepared for the bufmefs of forcing. In this frame, you may have pots of ftraw berries, or fmail dwarf fruit trees, but not t<* (hade thofe behind; alfo vines planted on the outfide, and the ftem drawn in thro* C 6 a hole ( 36 ) a hole at bottom, and laid up again!! the infide of the glafits. This frame is to be worked wholly by fire, beginning in January or February, a* directed under the general head. A Forcing-hottfe, by fire heat, is a capa- cious building, ten, twelve, or fifteen feet wide or more, as much in height in the back-wall, and full hand high in the front, which, confiding of a dwarf wall only two feet high, the fame at each end, and on which is erected upright glafs-work, three or four feet high, made to flide open ; and with inclined or doping lights continued from the top of the front, to that of the back wall, difpofed in two tiers to flide up- and down : a fire place being withinfide at one end, or behind the back wall ; from thence proceed the flues nine or ten inchea wide, extending along the infide of the front wall in one range, thence along the ends to the back wall, where dung may be continued in two-or more returns,, the up. permoft ( 37 ) permoft flue running into the chimney at one end. Obferve, if intended entirely as a forcing houfe, to have the whole internal bottom fpace of earth, two good fpades deep, and light pliable loam, or any good rich garden earth, in which to plant the trees fully in the ground at once. Or if defigned to have a bark pit to aflift with a bark or dung hot-bed, and in which alfo to force ftrawberries, flowers, and other fmall plants in pots, allow a fpace of fix or eight feet wide for the cavity of the pit^ and another fpace for a four or five feet bor der along the back wall, or if a narrow baric pit only five or fix feet wide, you may have alfo a narrow border in the front, tiie bark pit being continued nearly the length of the houfe a full yard deep, funk half in the ground, if not wet ; the other half raifed, having the borders in proportion ; the wall of the pit being brick, which is beft, ( 38 ) beft, from four to nine inches thick,- or of ftrong planking well put together. In this kind of forcing houfe, plant peaches, nectarines, apricots, cherries and vines, and a tree or two of choice plants, having been firft trained in the nurfery- ground, and have arrived to bearing, well furnilhed with bearing wood, planted in a row in the border againft the back wall, and trained to a trellis; and in wide departments, which admit a border in front. Plant trees next the glafifes, or a row of grape vines, in order to be trained up by lights : otherwife have fome vines planted on the outfide to train in for that purpofe; and if there is no bark-pit within, but a conti- nued fpace of earth, plant therein fome dwarf ftandard cherries &cc. o- ibme m pots plunged in the earth ; alfopots of currents, gooieberries, rafpbernes, rofes,&o. If there is alfoa bark-pit, ir rr av be occu- pied to gr^at a>ivantag with pots of llraw- berries, and of awan trees and ftirubs, and any C 39 ) any kind of flowers, not employing any high plants to fhade the fruit-trees behind. The bark will continue its heat three months; and if at the end of that time it is forked over to the bottom, it will renew its heat ; or if a little frefh tar is added, it will aug- ment the heat in a more lively degree, and be more durable. A trellis of light poft and railing muft be creeled clofe along the front of the back wall to which the range of trees there planted are to be trained, in the manner of wall-trees ; not trained dole to the wall, the heat of which, by the flues^ might da- mage them ; have the trellis for this pur- pofe, formed upright three inches thick by one broad, placed about a yard afunder, well fecured to the wall with hold-fafts ; and have inch thick crofs bars arranged homzontally, nine inches a-part ; likewife if the de- partment is capacious enough to admit of a row of trees or vines in front, have alio a ( 40 ) flight low trellis next the glafles in this part. At the proper planting feafon, the be- ginning or middle of September, procure proper young trees, previoufly trained in a fanned manner, and not lefs than from three or four to feven years old, arrived to a to- lerable good bearing flate, which may be obtained in the public nurfery grounds in great choice, from half a crown to five fhillings per] tree, ready trained, but the ftandards much cheaper ; being careful to have them taken up with as much root as poflible; or when they can be raifed and conveyed with a ball of earth about their roots, it will be of much advantage, buc particularly, if defigned to force them the fame year j however, this cannot be readily effected, unlefs the trees are within a fmali diftanee, or have been plantd in large pot* a year before, or in large balkets with the balls of earth for carrying them into the deftined place ; but in default of fach, let others ( 41 ) others be taken up with their full fpread of roots, and let thofe defigned as wall* trees be planted againft the' trellis work, fix or eight feet diftant, giving a pot of water directly to fettle the earth about the roots and fibres, and prepare them for foon taking frefh root ; then g'r/e any nurfery pruning to retrench irregular Ihoots, &::. and fatten the branches regularly t6 the trellis, fix inches afunder; but double that diftance for vines. Between the back and front ran^e of trees, if wholly a vacant fpace, without any bark-pi r, entirely of earth, may be placed dwarf ftandard trees, fome planted fully in the earth, others in pots, fuch as dwarf duke cherries, peaches, apricots, or any of the fructiferous ftirubs, as currants, goofeberries, rafpberries, likevvife pots of ftrawberries near the glaffes ; as alfo pots of any flowering plants ; pots of ki-iney beans* frnall fallading, and in the bord rs, dwarf ( 4* ) dwarf early peas, &c. where there is pro- per room without incumbering the trees. CHERRY Forcing Frame. SOME forcing departments by fire- heat are employed principally as Chtrry- houfss to produce early cherries : thefe trees not requiring fo much heat, nor of fo long continuance as peaches, vines, &c. and often ftandards, are planted for this purpofe, with tall ftems elevating the heads near the top glares, for the greater bene- fit of the fun ; you may allo have half, and dwarf ftandards, they being all previouily trained in the nurfcry to a bearing Itate, the branches well furmfhed with fruit-fpurs : and with quke moderate compact heads, which, if at the time of planting they ex- pand too conliderably, muft be fhortened and reduced within a moderate compafe, not exceeding two or three feet. la ( 43 ) In this forcing-houfe along with the cherries, you may have a row of peaches and nectarines behind, againft the back wall, trained in the wall- tree way to a trellis in regularorder , and may alfo plant fome vines in front to run up againft the infide glafles ; then plant rows of ftandard May duke- cherries, crofs-ways in full ftandard, half ftandard and dwarfs ; having the full ftandard, with five or fix feet ftems, the half ftandard, three or four, and the dwarfs not more than one or two feet ftema : planting them in rows four or five feet afunder, from the back to the front, the talleft behind, and fo in regular gradation to the loweft in front, or have the whole planted with full ftandards ; there will be mere room for fmaller plants under them, and as their branches will be tlevated nearer the glaffcs, they may prove of advantage, in having a greater . benefit of the fun to forward and improve the fruit. In this kind of frame you may alfo have various c 44 ; various fmall fhrubs, and plants in pots, in front and between the rows of trees. Strawberries both in pots and in the ground ; or early garden-beans, peas, kidney-bear s> &c. It is of advantage to have the trees planted a year before you begin forcing, in order that they may firft have taken good root : though if the trees are planted early, you may alfo force them moderately the firft year, not beginning before February, but efpeeiaHy if they- have been planted with balls of earth about their roots, not to ftel their removal, they will more readily fucceed : thofe however which have been a year in pot?, and then placed in the forcing houfe, either in the pots, or turned out with the ball perfectly entire, not to dif- turb the roots, they will fucceed abund- antly well by forcing the firft year. Obferve, the fame trees planted fully in the ground, may fucceed leveral years in forcing, by giving them the full air always u C 45 ) as foon as the fruit is gathered, by taking off" the top glafies, to remain fully open till near the time to begm forcing; being careful as they fail or become ill bearers, to have others ready to fupply their places : thofe however in pots may beeaflly fo con- trived, as to force fome one year, and fome another, by having a double portion of dwarf trees potted for this purpofe: which may be forced alternately, one half one year, the other half the next : and that by relieving one another, each half, having a year's refpite from forcing, re- maining ail the time in the full air, taking their natural growth, they will recruit their proper vigour, and be thereby ena- bled to bear in better perfection the next forcing feafon. Trees, annually forced, do not continue fo long in a healthful ftate, or free growth and plenteous bearing, as thofe growing always in the full ground and open air, according therefore as any fhcw an an unfruitful or weak fickly habit, others Ihould be in readincfs to plant in their room, and the earth renewed with fomc frem loam and rotten dung. Obfervc, in general, that the top glafies are not to be put on till the time is nearly arrived for beginning the work of forcing, not however before the middle or latter end of December, fuppofe you intend to begin forcing early in January ; unlefs the weather fhould fooner change to fevere froft, when it may be proper to defend the trees occafionally, that they may be pre- pared by degrees for forcing; generally beginning to make the fires in January or February, fooner or later in the month, according to the time you defire to have the fruit come to perfection. VINERIES ( 47 ) VINERIES or Vine-Houfts by fire-heat. t WHERE there is accommodation of different forcing frames, it is ad- vifeable to allot one principally for the choicdft kinds of grapes, fuch as the fren- tiniac, mu/cat of Jerufdlem, royal mufcadinc* Tokay, Syriac, Hamburgh, raifin grape, St. Ptttr's and other large kinds, that do not ripen till late in the fcafon in the open air, and fometimes in unfavourable feafons, not at all in England, and confequently will be greatly forwarded and now improved in fize and flavour, if afilfted in forcing houfes by artificial heat, which generally fucceed bed with a fomewhat larger degree than peaches and the like kinds, as they prolper in great perfection, in a pine apple ilove hear, which is too confidtrable in ge- neral, for other trees; and as vines, in for- cing, will alfo require the aid of fheher and ( 4S ) and heat longer, in order to have the grapes in their ultimate ftate of perfection ; alfo requiring a confiderable fcope of room ro run. It is of much importance to allot them a forcing department diftinft, where conveniency fuirs. However, in default of fuch convenience, plant vines in any forcing houfe, along with other trees, allowing them proper fcope to extend and range the (hoots a foot at leaft afunder. Plant fome on the outfide clofe along the front, at three or four feet afunder, then introduced them through holes, juft at the top of the front wall, thence to be extended up along the fides of the main rafter, and the branches conducted regu- larly under the lights. Vines to be planted either within or with- outfide, mould be four or five years old, trained up in pots, in which they have been two or three years, and planted with the whole pot of earth entire about their roots, whereby ( 49 ) whereby not fuftaining any check by re- moval, they may be forced the fame year ; when they will often bear tolerably, and will encreafe every year to perfection j however, in default of potted plants, pro- cure good ones of two or three years old in the full ground, to be planted a year or two before you begin forcing, that they may have their roots well eftablifhed ; and they will bear the fecond fummer, but will produce tolerably well the third. If you are not provided with proper plants of your own, they may be 'procured at molt of the public nurfery grounds ; where if you obtain potted plants of fome years ftanding, which have eftablifhed their roots firmly in the mold of the pot, they may be planted, pot and all in the ground : the pot afterwards broken and cleared away, is the moft expeditious method to have immediate bearing plants, but if without pots, let the;n be taken up in the nurfery with their full fpread of roots, and care- D fully ( 50 ) fully planted with the whole entire. In de- fault of plants, cuttings of the laft year's fhoots will be found to ftrike root, and 'form bearers in three years fit for forcing : but ready raifed plants are moft preferable. "When vines are intended to be planted feparately, in a vinery or grape-houfe, having abroad border along the front and the back wall, and another in front, com- pofed of a good light loamy foil, it would be of much advantage to mix it with light dry materials, fuch as old brick and lime rubbifh, fcrappings of gravelly turnpike roads, and fuch like dry fubftances, worked towards the bottom : to warm the foil, and to improve the flavour of the grapes ; if the ground incline to redundant moifture below, raife the border fufficient to keep the roots from too much wet ; then plant the vines along the back wall in a row, three or four feet afunder j arranged clofe to a trellis fixed to the wall, and to which the vines are to be trained : planting alfo C .5' ) alfo another row next the fronf, to "be con* dufted up to the tap glafTes, where muft alfo be a fort of very light thin trellis- work, at fix inches from the lights, on which to train the vines. In front of the borders have various fmall plants forwarded, fuch as ftrawberries, French or kidney beans, peas, arid muza- gan beans, &c. as alfo fmall trees, fhrubs and plants in pots j for all the vacant fpaces may be employed to advantage. The months for beginning the work of* forcing arc January and February ; if yoiu are defirous to try it as forward aspofiible,,. it may be begun in December, but when* trees are forced too early into bloom, and c fevere weather fucceeds, and hardly any 4 fun to'allow of the admiflion of a due de- 1 gree of air, they are apt to mifcarry : by t beginning at the times firft mentioned, * the trees will arrive to full blolTom, at a feafon when we may expect moderate i weather and much fun, which, together t E 2 with with the admifiion of frefli air in fine days will procure abundance of fuccefs; but if too early in bloflbm, with little fun, weather cold, and the glafles obliged to be kept clofe, the young fruit is apt to drop off in their infant growth. A week or fortnight before you begin with fire, put on all the glafies, in order to prepare the trees gradually for the arti- ficial heat. Obferve, in forcing houfes, furnifhed with a bark pit, or with hot dung, having a foot of bark at top, the pit fhould be filled a week or fortnight before you light the fires in the flues. An entire bark-bed will retain the heat the longeft, but horfe- dung is confiderably the cheapeft, and often proves fufficiently effedual in this kind of forcing , fo that if you would fave theexpence of having all tan, procure frefti hot horfe-dung, fufficient to fill the pit, in the manner as you would make a common bot-bed ; keeping the glafles clofe, to pro- mote ( 53 ) mote the heat, which will fet the Tap of the trees in motion, only fliding the lights a lutle open in the middle of funny days; and in about ten days or a fortnight, the dung will have funk a foot, then fill up the pit with an equal portion of tanner's bark, and the fame evening begin the fire heat. If pots of ftrawberries are intended, let fome be now plunged in the back of the hot bed, to come earlieft, others placed upon melves to fucceed them. Remark, that whether without or with the aid of a bark and dung hot-bed, it is advifeable to make the fires pretty ftrong the firft night, in order to expel the damps of the houfe and flues, and to warm them properly at firft letting off; afterwards to be made moderately, every evening about four or five o'clock, or foon after fun-fet, and continued till nine or ten, which will be fufficient to keep the houfe warm all night ; obferving, that, if very cold or damp foggy D 3 weather, ( 54 ) weather, you make a very moderate fire in the morning ; or if a fevere froft, keep a gentle fire, from morning till mid-day, or longer occafionally, if extremely cold ; bur, in moderate weather, make fires prin- cipally in the evenings ; having, then a thermometer hung up in the middle of the department, ferving as a guide to ena- ble you to regulate the proper degree of heat, which fhould be about 60, or if for vines entirely, from about 65 to 70 ; this is principally to be underftood for the artificial heat only, the fun-heat of mid- day will often raiie it confiderably higher ; iometimes to So , or from that to 90, in the advanced feafon, which is to be regu- " latecl as you fee occafion, by Hiding the lights at top and front, more or Itfs, open to reduce the thermometer, to about from 60 to 70, though it admits of a higher degree of fun-heat, than wholly by fire, which alone mould not exceed 60 for a general forcing- houfe, or 70 for vineries or .*-, ( 55 ) or grape-houfes : giving a latitude of 5* under or over, for unforefeen alterations, both of the weather, and that of the arti- ficial heat. If the fire-heat fhould at any time be too confiderable, admit air, even if there is no fun, but if no fun, and the heat is not raifed 5 above the allotted degree, no air. is to be admitted. However, in all fine funny days, after the trees ar? proceeding in growth, and when in blofibm and fruit, be careful to admit frcfh air in proportion to the railed heat on the thermometer ; and as the warm feafon advances, and the heat of the weather encreafes, and as the fruit en- creafes in growth, give more air in propor- tion : the times for giving air, being from nine or ten in the morning, till three, four, or five in the evening, in which you will- be governed by the natural heat of the day, or -temperament of the outward air, D 4 opening ( 56 ) opening and mwting fooner or later ac- cordingly. With refpect to water, it is an article of great conftquence, as rain cannot be ad- mitted ; and is necefiary, both to the bor- ders, in moderation, as you feeoccafion, from the earth growing dry, and occafionally all over the branches of the trees before they expand their bloflbm, after which, not till the fruit is fet, only water the earth wherein the trees are growing moderately, .once or twice a week out of the rofe of the watering pot ; as alfo about the ftem of the tree ; for if watered too freely all over the bloiTom, it might deftroy the impregnating len, or fine powder of the defigned for effecting the office of fecund- ating_jhe female organs to render them prolific: but when the blofTom is decayed, and the fruit fet, water all over the branches, leaves, and fruit, once or twice a week in funny mornings, from eight or nine, to ten or eleven o'clock ; but more feldom ( 57 ) &idom the vines, for too much moifture is hurtful to the growth of the fuit, retards the ripening and reduces the flavour; let them however have moderate fupplieS in the borders ; and in the other tre6 ) daily thofe which are trained wall-tret 1 fafliion,fuchas peaches, nectarines, apricots, vines, cherries, &c. that are arranged againft the trellis, and the vines trained up under the glaffes ; all of which will re- quire both a fummer and winter prunning. In the fummer regulation, remove the ill-placed and imperfect young wood of the year, and any fuperabundancy, being careful to train in a plenteous fupply of all the well-placed perfect fhoots clofe to the trellis ; in peaches and 'necta- rines, appricots, vines, and figs, which, bearing chiefly on the yearling fhoots, and but one year on the fam wood, a general Tiipply muft be retained in every part of each fummer's fhoots, to chufe out of in winter pruning for next year's bearers ; as they all produce fruit principally on the young fhoots, extend them moftly at full lengch all fummer, and continue them clofe to the trellis during their growih, and until all the fruit is ripe ; but cheries and ( 77 3 and plums, ?cc. in which the fame branches continue bearing feveral years, not want- ing a general renewal of bearers annually, as peaches, &c. need at this time only, here and there, a good fhoot in the moft vacant ipaces, trained in. In lummer-drefilng the vine, obferve well the bearing llioots, which, being the fame year's wood, let plenty of the fruit- ful ones be trained in with great regulari- ty, bqth to furnifh the fame year's grapes, and as fucccffi-jn wood for next year's mo- ther bearers , diverting them of any fide flioots. Then extend them in length clofe to the trellis ; not crofs one another, but all parallel in she ncateft order : and when the bran.hes of fruit are advanced in growth, to difiinguifh their goodnefs, if they are too abundant in any fhoor, dif- place the worft and moft irregular, leaving the largeft and fined branches, three or four in a fhoot. , E 3 In ' ( 78 ) r In the winter-pruning you will obferve ,of thole trees ranged againft the trellis, , wall-tree famion, to continue the branches , regularly trained, five or fix or eight inches ,afundcr, forming a regular difplay of , bearers, covering the fpaces allotted for , each tree; at the fame time, to cut out , worn out or blighted wooJ, and renew the , place with young of laft fummer ; being ^Ifo careful to continue each tree within ,its limited bounds, fo as not to interfere >w:th another. ^^ e l ' me ^ or P er ^ orm i n g t ' 1 i s pruning, may be as foon as the leaf falls in November, efpecially in vines, but as to peaches, n eftar'nes. Sec. they may be de- ferred till near the time for bfginning to force, when the fruit or bit (Tom buds will be more advanced to enable you to make a proper choice of the belt Ihoots. Trees be .ring on the young wood, as peaches, nedhrines, apricots, &c. muft re- tain a general fupply of lait fummcr's flioots ( 79 ) (hoots in every part, for next year's bearers 5 and part of the old ones at the fame time cut out in proportion, to give proper fpace to train the fucctflional ftrpJMy ; cutting out the fuperabundan yojng (hoots, if any, and (hemming the reftrved ones as the dit- ierent fees require, particularly peaches, ne&arines, and apricots-, to encourage their furnifrrng more certainly a fupply of collaterals from the lower try es thr proceed- ing fumrrer, as new fucceffion bearers, which otherwife would be apt to rife moftly towards the upper parr, and leave the bo*- tom -, fo that it is right to fhorCen each (hoot in the winter-pruning according to its ftnngth, by pruning off about one half, third or fourth of each, generally cutting each to a leaf or branch bud to furnifh a leader to the bearer, or to a twin bloffom, having a wood bud ifiuing from between, to afford alfo a leading (hoot at the end to draw nourifhment more effec- tually to fupply the fruit. And as to vines, E 4 fhort^p fhorten them from three or four, to five or fix joints or more, as mentioned more particularly below. Cherries and plumbs, which bear Jevcral years in the fame wood upon fpurs, muft not have the (hoots or branches fhortened, unlefs they moot out of bounds, Let the whole, as foon as prunned,* be regularly trained to the trellis in order, at eqyal diftances, not lefs than fix inches, but vines double that diftance. Standard cherries, or other fruit trees m the forcing houfes, need but vt-ry mo- derate priming ; remembering that in thofe departments the heads ir.uft always be kept within a fmall compafs, and the branches thin and at regular -diliances. Every year eiiher before or alter per- forming th-e neceffary winter pi lining, it is proper to dig the borders - r and once in two years, add forne good rotttn liung, or iome frefh loamy compoft, the whole neatly ; ig- ged ( 8 1- > ged in a fpade deep, taking particular care not to difturb the roots of trees.. The dwarf trees in pots (hould occafion- ally have the earth flirred at top, and Tome-, times a little of the old removed and re- placed with f.-cfh loam, &c. or occafion- ully fhifted in autumn into frefh earth, re- moving them with the whole mafs of earth about the roots entire, trimming off little of the old earth, then having frem com- poft of loam or other good rich earth in the bottom of the new pot, place the tree with its ball therein, and fill up all around, and at t-,p add more frefh mould, and finifa with a good watering. All pots of trees, flirubs, and herbaceous p rennial flowers, &c. when they are paft Suiting and flowering, &c. fnould be movtd into the full air in a fhady ? border for the remainder of fummer and autumn, loafing the earth at top,or fhifting thofe that require it into frefh earth or larger pots : not clefigned to force again next win- E 5 tcr ( 8* ] ter may be turned out of the pots into the ground, (applying them with water all fum- mer.and keepingthe whole clean from weeds. If any choice bulbous and tuberous roots have been forced, they may be taken entirely up when the flower is p.ift and the leaves begin to decay, in order to clear off the increafed off-fets : plant them in frefh earth in autumn, either in pots to force again, or in beds for a year, and force a frefh fupply the year enfuing. Any other perennial plants, fhrubby, or herbaceous, will be profperous if they have a year of refpite from forcing, having others ready potted to force at the proper feafon. Sometimes fruit-trees forced in the nar- row departments, called Hot- Walls, are contrived to have a year's reft from forcing, by having a double portion of walling oc- cupied with frames ; one fet of glafles to fcrve both, made to flide or move along from one part to the other, thereby afford- ing ing an opportunity of forcing the trees half one year, and the other half the year following, alternately -, each half having a year's refpite in their natural growth, to recover a long (hare of ftrength, in which they will have a better chance of producing more eligible crops of fruit next forcing fcaforu BARK BARK-HEAT FORCING-FRAMES. BARK-HEAT forcing-frames are eli- gible where tanner's bark can be ea- fily obtained, fo as to be cheaper than fire- heat; in which cafe fuch forcing frames are well worth attention, and will prove very fuccefsful, by forming the bark into a fubflantial hot-bed, in a deep oblong pit or cavity, within the forcing houfe, called the bark-pit. This valuable material is the de'tached bark of the oak tree, chopped to pieces, for tanning of leather 5 and which after- wards becomes an important article in gardening, making the moft eligible hot- beds in the world, being much fuperior for its uniform, moderate, and dura- ble ( 85 ) ble temperature of heat, to horfe-dung hot- beds, which arc apt to heat vehemently at firft and foon decline, and not liable, like thofe beds, to injure tender plants by rank pernicious (team j but fupports a fteady and growing heat three times as long, adopted to almoft every fbrt of vegetable growth j and the beft calculated for forcing every kind of tree, flower, or plant, as well ^ for the cultivation of the pine apple, and all tender exotics. A good bark-bed will fupport a moft agreeable fine growing heat, three or four months without further trouble ; and if at the end of that time, the bark is forked even to the bottom, loofening and well mixing the parts together, it will renew its fermentation, and recruit its declining heat, for a month or fix weeks longer ; and with the addition at the end of five or fix months, of a portion of frcfh tiark, equal to one third of the whole, working up all well together, it will renew the heat to ( 86 ) fo effectually, that the fame bed will re- tain a growing warmth, for nearly the year round. At .the end often or twelve months, from the firft making of the Bark-bed, it requires to be renewed from the tan- yard ; you may previoufly fcreen the old bark, removing all the fmall earthy ftuff that paflfcs through the fcreen, then filling up the pit with frelh bark, fufficiently to allow for fix inches fettling, working up and blending the new and old bark toge- ther , and in a fortnight,, or a little more or lefs time, the bed will acquire a proper degree of heat, for the reception of pots of plin'js, obferving lome precaution at firft plunging, when the bed is new, left the heat prove too violent ; either be care- ful not to place them in the bark too foon r or not to plunge the pots nrore than one: third or half way at firil. Thefe ( 8; ) The r e moft ufeful hot-beds, are calcu- lated not only for moft forts of forcing- frames, but are the grand fupport of hoc- houfes, and Pine-apple ftoves, which re- quire th- joint aid of bark-beds, and fire- heat, the latter however only in winter, but muft have bark beds rhe year round; without which the Pine apple, and fome other tender exotics cannot be railed to proper maturity. The bark is to be procured by the cart load, or by the bufhel, which, in the en- virons of London, is commonly at the rate of a penny or three-halfpence, and by meafuring the dirnenfions of your bark- pir, you will eaf-ly calculate the necefTary quantity required ; making choice of the frefh lately caft out of the tan vats 5 not inch as has lain long and become anyways earthy, chufing alfo the mid- dling fized in preference to the fmal), which decays, exhaufts its vigour, and becomes ( 88 ) becomes eaithy fooner than the middling and larger fized bark. Having obtained the quantity required, obferve, if very wet, being newly thrown out or" the tan vats, 1'pread it abroad in the fun and full air, or difpofe it in little heaps, to drain off the fuperabundant moiflurej then either caft it together for a few days to promote the fermentation, or, if the bark-pit is ready, carry it there at once, filling up the pit fume indies above the brim r to allow for l.ettling. Cbferve, that as bark is a fhort loofe material, it cannot be formed into a bed,, without being thrown into a pit to confine it together, in the form required, which pits for the bark-beds^ denominated bark-pits, as formerly oblerved, being he rnr refilled 'with new tan by the middle' of January, rt will heat and bc-gin to force the trees about the end of that month, and continue its heat two or three months ; or if at the end of two months, it declines confiderably, fork it up to the bottom, which will produce afrem fermen- tation, and a renewed durable heat. In this forcing houfe you may likewife have tfraw berries forced abundantly, 'hav- ing different fupp'ies of plants in pots, placed under frames in winter, defended from froft, ready to move into the forcing- houie at intervals of three or four wteks, to iucceed one another, plunging fome in the bark-bed for the earlieft, others any where in the hoiife near the glafles - 9 and they will furnifh as fine ftrawberries, as in the open ground, in their natural feafon ; and < 97 ) and by fupplies of frelh pots of plants twice or thrice in the feafon, you may con- tinue a fucceffion of fruit till the natural crops come in. Any kind of low flowering mrubs, flower- plants and roots, potted and placed here, will blow abundantly fine and early ; like- wife may raife any curious annuil flowers to an early bloom ; fow the feed in Fe- bruary or March, in pots, plunge into, the bark- bed, and prick out the feedling- plants into other pots fingly : alfo feeds of hardier annuals may be fowed here in pots, to be forwarded for the open ground bloom ; the young feedling plants being hardened by degrees to the full air, either for pots or the full ground. Have alfo pots of kidney-beans, with fome planted fully in the borders under the trees j where likewife, if there is room, you may have fome rows of early dwarf peas, &c. F Alfo ( 98 ) Alfo occafionally in this bark-bed, you may ftrike cuttings of various tender exo- tics. Large orange and lemon tree flocks may likewife be fet in the fpring. As to the general culture or manage- ment of this forcing department, the prin- cipal care is occafional waterings, and the admiffion of frelh air. A HORIZONTAL FRUIT FORCING-FRAME, by Bark-heat. T H IS kind of frame is detached from any wall or upright erecTion, is conftrucled of wood, fomewhatin the manner of a com- mon hot-bed frame, but confiderably wider and deeper, having Hiding lights at top, and is placed upon a deep pit for a bark- bed, and the trees planted on the outfide of the front, and trained with the branches expanded juft under the glaflVs, in a fome- what horizontal pofition , it is made wholly of wood, clofe on every fide, having a yard ( 99 ) yard deep bark-pit funk underneath to fie the frame; the trees being planted in a border clofe on the outfide of the front ; and the flem and head of the tree intro- duced at bottom of the frame, and trained to a trellis parallel to the glades. This kind of forcing frame being made with inch and half, or two inch deal board, fix feet wide by ten long, three feet fix inches deep behind, by half a yard or two feet in the front, both ends in proportion ; has two glafs fames to fhove up and down and move away occafionally. Two, three, or more of fuch frames may be conftrucl:- ed to range in a line, with a bark-pit proportionally long ; each frame having a Hiding door behind for entrance to receive the bark, and to go in to fork it up, to re- new the heat, &V. To fit thefe frames, a bark-pit of wood or brick work is conftructed of ihe exact width and length of one or more frames, a yard and fix inches deep on every fide, F a funk fonk 'half a yard, or more, if dry ground j and at top of which is to be placed the frame with its proper glaflVs. In front of the pic, a railed border of rich earth is formed three or four feet wide, in which to plant the trees, taking fuch as have three or four feet ftems, with the heads trained wall-tree fafhion, and ar- rived to a bearing ftate ; planting one for each frame, in the middle of the front, in a flanting manner, for the head to be in- troduced in the frame towards the glafles ; the top of the ftem being admitted at an aperture in the bottom of the front of the frame : and a trellis is conflrucled within a foot from the glafTes, ranging parallel thereto, on which to train the branches in the manner of wall-trees. The pit of this frame is filled with tan- ner's bark, or hot dung, in February : then put on the glafies 5 the heat will foon rife, will fet the tre Jaco- j>11 the plants, with all the roots and and earth poffible, plant them in rows in the earth, from the back to the front, fif- teen inches afunder, and one inch diftant in the rows ; giving directly a moderate watering to fettle the earth to their roots, and prepare them for rooting quickly and foon flourifhing. They muft here be conftantly defended with the glafies, bir indulged wirh frefh air at all opportunities in fine mild days, by ihoving down or tilting the lights more or It's, according to the *ea'her, giving alfo moderate refrcfhmems of water ; and, as the heat of the fcafon encreafcs, give larger fupplies of frefh air, and water l;ke- wite; when the plants have advanced (ome inches in growth, add iome frefh earth to both fi( 4 es of their ftems, and when they advance to blofibm, be fare to admit plenty of free ar; anJ in 6ne warn fun~,y days, iliove the glaffes almofr entirely down, re- peating alfo the wa er>ngs mose abundantly when in bloom and the fruit fetting ; let F 6 them ( io8 ) them have alfo the advantage of moderate warm fhowers of rain, they will thus fur- nifh pods for gathering in March or April, and by having one or two beds in fucceffion, may continue a regular fupply of fmall quantities as rarities, till the time for the natural crops in May. Kidney beans may be managed nearly tne f ame manner, only they will not fuccetd by previously railing the plants in natural earth, nor muft they be lowed earlier than February. Procure for this purpofe fome of the fmall early dwarfs, and if to be fowed at once, to remain immediately in the bed, let it be earthed fix inches with light rich earth ; then draw mallow drills an inch deep, and fifteen or eighteen inches diftance, place the beans one or two inches apart in each drill, they may be fowed in large pats finally ta remain, four or five in each, an inch, deep; plunge the pots in the bark-bed without hiving any earth at ( io 9 ) at top, or 'he plairs may be firft raifed i any hor-bed or h J:eds you maycontinue the iuccefllon to May and June; till fucceeded by the earlv crops on warm borders. For othrr particulars, fee Dung-beat Forcing-' rames. Melons and cucumbers may alfo be raifed to penr&ton in the afore- mt-ir.io ned bark pi s, under common hot-bed frames ; the .'; oderate ftear-y durable heat of the bark brd, is peculiarly calculated for the culture of the [Melon, not making the beds earl er than February tor either fort ; the plants to be previoufly rai'ed from feed, fowed a month before in a dung hot- bed ; fowing the feeds either in a pot plun- ged in ihe hot- bed, or in the earth of the bed, they will come up in two or three days. In default of plants^ you may fow feed at once in the bark, in the pkci's where the plants are to remain, fome under each glafs. ( III ) glafs, which in beds, not made till February /#5*^ or March, may fucceed very well, but will not arrive fo foon to perfection by a month. Some imes a bark-bed is formed with the wafte or caft off bark from old hot- houfes i . March or Apnl, tor Melons and Cucumbers; which, if not quite exhaufted to an earthy fuoltance, an i not long caft out of the bark-pit, being well worked up in a bed recovers a moderate warmth. Krep the brds conftantly defended with the olafffS, and <'he(e covered every night with mats till May, admit air moder.ite- ly, by raifmg the lights a little, and give moderate waterings j ec tKe glades be always (hut down early towards even- ing with mats, loon after fun fet,. unco- vering them in the morning about fun rifing, or loon after. In {harp cold weather, defend the ouffide of the pit and frame, with dry warm lit- fer> or bank up with earth half a foot thick ( 112 ) to the to;. 01 r \t pit, to refift the penetration of the fr- K, a d to :it d cays con- fiderably, or that the we^thci is rxciem ly fharp, renew the heat bv a lining >f hot dung around the ou.fide of t e p.t and frame; the back firft, then rhr front and ends, at a fortnight interval ; heino careful that the rank vapour or" the irtfh dung does not penetrate internally, wh'.ch would prove pernicious to thofe tender plants. To prevent which as much as pofiibL, lay a ftratum of earth at top of the lining, to keep down the iieam and heat. Givefrem air every fineday,by raifmgthe upptr end of the light, proportionally to the he at ot the bed and power of the fun, and according to the early or advanced period of die leafon, from nine or ten in the fun- fh ne mornings, in the early feafon, till two, three or tour in the evening; and in the advanced f.afon, from feven,. eight or nine in the morning, till fun-let, being very at- tentive ( "3 ) tentive to Ihutdng them clofe down, ei when the weather over clouds, changes fharply cold, or the wind is ftrong; then hang a garden mat before the opening, where the air is admitted, to prevent the cutting air or winds, from rufhing imme- diately upon the plants ; but mutthem down always clofe an hour or more before fun fet, in the early feafon : when, more ad- vanced, and the plants ftronger, admit more air, both earlier and later in the. day. Refrefh the plants occafionally with light waterings in funny mornings, from nine or ten, to eleven or twelve, as you fee occa- fion, by the earth becoming dry , having particular attention not to over-water, but always with great moderation ; nor t6o frequent, efpecially the melons, when they are fetting, or when the fruit is advanced to full fize. When the plants begin to make an ef- fort to pufh their firit fhoots or runners, by forming a bud in the center, flop or pinch - < H4 ) pinch them at-the firft joint, which is ef- fected by taking off the firft or fecondbud, rifing in the bofom of the fecond rough leaf, with the finger and thumb, or with the point of a knife : this ftrengthens the plants, making them grow robuft, and bottom well, fo as that they will more itrongly pufti out lateral runners to fill the frame ; and which generally proves more fruitful than the firft would if permitted to run ; as the runners or vines of the plants advance, lay them out regular, and peg them down to the earth with fmall hooked flicks. l** When the plants mew fruit, particu- larly the cucumbers, fet or impregnate tlie fruitful or female flower, with the male bloflbm, as directed under the article Fire- 'beat Forcing-frame, which muft, on no ac- count be omitted. The fruitful or female bloflbms are eafily diftinguimed from the male; the former always difcover the germen or em- bryo ( "5 ) bryo fruit, fituated immediately under bafe of the flower, very confpicuouQy, be- fore the bloflbm expands ;' and the male flower, erroneoufly called falfe blofTom, have no germen or apppearance of any fruit underneath ; which male flowers are often by the inexperienced, all pulled off, but this is wrong , for, if all are removed, the female or fruit bloflbm would prove fterile for want of the fecundating powder of the male ; you mould therefore only thin them where they arife in thick clufters, and remove all in general* according as they clofe up and begin to decay. Cucumbers from the time the fruit fets will arrive to perfection to cut young, in a week, or a fortnight, according to the growth of the plants and good ftate of the hot-beds. But melons from the firft fetting of the fruit will be five or fix wet- ks, and fome- times two months before they arrive at full maturity of ripends. Having Having -remarked that for melons, a bark-bed made with old wafte bark late!/ caftoutofa pine houfe or ftove, fucceeds very well for middle crops, formed either in a common forcing bark-pit, or in a boarded one; in February, March, or April, have a good quantity of old bark thrown together in a large heap, a week or fortnight, to promote fermentation, then make it into a bed, and it will re- cover a moderate heat, but more effec- tually, if augmented with about one third of new bark ; however, in want of this, let caft off bark fuffice, making it into a fub- ftantial bed, three feet deep ; and having fome fine fluff at top, fet the plants or feed fully in the baik without any earth. Being furnifhed with good plants or feed, but ready raifed plants of a week, fortnight, or month old, are moil eligible, plant fully in this old bark, or with but very little earth ; firft making (hallow bafon-fafhioned holes, 15 or 18 indies wide, wide, and fix deep, filling them either with fine earth, or fome earthy old bark : place two plants in each hole, cr in wane of plan s, low fome feed, in each hole, half an inch deep ; and when the plants are a week old, thin out the neateft, leav- ing only two or three of the t>eft in each part. As to culture in this place, keep the lights of the frame conftantly on, with mats at night ; and admit air in warm funny days as before directed. Water will be required, but very prudently, the bark- bed fupports a moft agreeable moift heat in itfelf, and confiderable waterings would haften its decline : So give only very flight waterings in warm days, cccafionalljr, but fcarcely any when the fruit is fitting, nor after it has obtained full growth and beginning to ripen ; when water is to be given, let it be at a diftance from the main head of the plant ; for redundant moifture is not only hurtful to melons in their gene- ral ral growth, but more particularly in re- tarding the embryo fruit from fetting kindly, and the full grown fruit from rip- ening with a good flavour. If the heat fhould become very weak, it may be renewed, by applying hot horfe dung againft the outfide of the pit, firft in the back, then by degrees to the front and end, efpecially when the fruit is fetting. Strawberries may alfo be fruited early, and in a high ftate in bark-beds, new and old, half and half, in any common bark- pit, or under a garden frame , the plants being two years old, potted with balls, and placed in fnch a bed in February and March, giving plenty of frefh air and water, they will fruit in April and May. Orange trees, lemon trees, &c. are ex- peditioufly rooted in bark-beds, in wide glafs departments. In the fpring, great quantities of orange, lemon, and citron trees, &c. are impprted hither from abroad, previoufly railed with tall ( "9 ) tall large ftems, from one to three inches or more, diameter, and from two or three to fix feet length, budded at top a year or two before they are fent ; and when fur- nifhed with ftrong fhoots for the head, they take them up, trim the long (hoots, and the roots, and fend them here in bundles, without any earth about the roots at all, only wrapped up in mofs or the like. Being planted foon after they arrive, in pots, or tubs, according to their fize, a*nd plunged in the bark-bed, they ftrike root, and form as good trees, with handfome heads, in about two years, as we can raife here from the beginning, in ten, fifteen, or twenty, for which reafon many perfoni furnilh themfelves at the Italian warehoufes in London, &c. at from three or four fliil- lings to a guinea each. They commonly arrive in the fpring, and the fooner they are procured and planted the better they will fucceed. Place ( ao ) Place the root end in a tub of water, for a day or two, then wafli the roots and ftems clean, trim of? the damaged parts of the root, and prune the {hoots to fix, eight, ten inches, or a foot long, lefs or more, according to their length and fubftance, in order to force out lateral (hoots below, to form a full, compact, regular head, then plant them in large pots, or in tubs. Having for this purpofe a proper quantity of rich light earth, blended, if poffible, with fome good loam and rotten dung, and placing fome tiles or ftones over the holes at bottom of the pot or tub ; put in fome earth, then plant one tree in each pot or tub, fill up with more earth, and give a watering to fettle the earth clofe to the roots ; place it directly in a bark-bed of a brifk heat, plunging down to the rims, and they will foon ftrike root, and begin to moot at top, and form tolerable good heads by the end of fuoimer, they arc to to remain here, until the middle or end of July. Wrap a hay-band round the Hem, ligh ly, juft to prevent the fun drying the outer bark too much, and let them be well fupjulied with water, but always with mo- deration ; likewife on very fcorching funny days a flight ihade is advifable ; and when the trees begin to fhoot, let air be freely ad nitted, and now and then water over the Hem and head of the tree, as well as on the earth in the pots, &c. which mud not be luffered to get dry, but always be kept moift. If they produce the moots thin or ftrag- ling, it is advifable in June to prune them to a few eyes, to force out lower collaterals the fame year. In the middle or latter end of July, re- mov them in their pots into the full air in a def nded fituation, and fupply them with plenty of water c!u:in tue dry weather; here to remjin until O6t >ber, then to be carried imo the green- noufe. G For ( 1*2 ) For want of a forcing-frame depart- ment, in which, to ftrike- thefe treeSj it is fometimes effected by plunging them in a common bark-pi^, or. any temporary one juft for that ..purpofe, contriving to erec"l fome garden frames with the giafll s, at a proper height to defend hot-beds, and the hta nge the trt-es. New budded young orange trees may be afllfted giea-lv in itriking, by plunging them in Augufi, a.' foon as ihe budcing is [eiiormcd in the ba r k bed for a tort- night or three week ; the buds from the fun, und the glafles fliaued in the middle of C J23' ) of the day, which will facilitate the union of the bud with the ftock, giving the plants air, day and night, andremoving them again into the open air, or into the green-houfe, with the windows all open till the end of Summer. - { j "id _ "_ ftl ,3ir- t! !l3 51 t a' :"-Hj ' HOT-HOUSE OR STOVE; HOT- HOUSE Departments, common- ly called Stoves, are defigned princi- pally for the culture of the pine-apple, and other tender exotics ot the Torid Zone, that require conftant aid of artificial heat all the year, and that of actual fire in the winter, and in the early part of the fpring. As thefe departments ferve alfo to force to early maturity fome of our choice fruits, flowers, and etculmt plants, with very little additional trouble, the hot-houfe fhoul i be both of capacious width to ad- mit of a lurge bark-pit within, and have brirk wails ere&ed io as to allow fire- pi ice* and flues, from November until April or May, to lupply more effectually the ( 125 ) the cotiftant temperature of heat required ; which is abouj^j^degt^es of *IlLJ^II3- meter ; a curious mathematical inftrument for meafuring the degrees of heat, and \viHT which every fuch department fhould be furniilied, as a fure guide to regulate truTheat in the proper degree. Hot-houfe Departments prove alfofin- c gularly ufeful for forwarding to early per-* feet ion many of our choice plants, fruits,,, and flowers, facilitating the growth often- der feeds and cuttings, and vines planted in a border without fide of the front, and trained into the houfe* This building fhoukl (land fell ta tlie ibuth fun, arranging lengthways eaft and weft, fronted wholly with glafs-work* The dimenfions fhould be cwke W fourteen feet wide in the ekafy to* adffffe of a bark-pit w'uhinfide, fix or eight ficg wide, and an e%hter> iscb, or. two feac alley all abound, both fides and K?S, for $ The length may be fism G ( 126 ) to forty, fixty, or an hundred feet, &. The height ten or twelve feet .in the back- wall, by only two or three in front and ends, on which to ereer which- ia fide 3*Kfe* $ve g&ffes j~ the glaziers work- ftois formed imb?icatk>nf mai?ne?y of |>ane^or ftjusres of gfefelapp'e^ t ever one' anotl^er^ like fiber tife* .Jbufc, efptciall-y the 1 - effeftually to-diichafrge .4iou-W be feid in putty, tfofl leai j. fh^'uppig-bts in FOOC m'ajr be gl^ common 1 way, ckfeer laid fe WGod ; OP J Isad work ; bttcthey are not (b -effcdtualfy water-tighc, a-s in- the fof mer n$atih*F. When- defigned prlneipafly fof fi&e rare e pine app-ks, che-maki. hou- r c fhou4d have th afii^'ance ^ or fometrmes- onl/ fimply, s- Thefe are- oi -utility in- rearing the pkics-ffom. tfhe -begjniangr arid them ayear or two r till arrived to a* ing f^ate^ then> to be removed Co iHe maifty ro The SucceflionHoufe is fometimes formed Jiearly on the plan of the main flove, but *" generally of confiJerably fmaller dimen- fions, efpecially both lower and narrower, and fometimes to fave width has no alley in front, but you continue the bark-pit quite home to the front wall; furnifhed with fine* for fire in winter, as in the large houle. A Succeffion Department is- fometimes formed in the manner of at pk, as deferibed under the artick BarkJjeat Forcing-pits ;. being formed in the open air diftinft from the other (loves, fix or eight feet wide, inclofed with a brick wall r no upright glaffes in fron-t, only fliding lights at top i paving the back-wall fix feet deep by four or five in front ; and the whole internal ipace forming a cavity for a bark-pit, three feet fix inches- deep; having flues- langing rowid the walls within, for fires? But Bet when there are cotfficferabfe colteff- tfons of pine*, they, befkfes ffee? ffi&i& ftove, and SuecefTion Houfc, fcave' aiflb> : J fiill fmaller deparcrrrent, called & Sarfe- pit, as a nuriery frame for the yotofig plants of tfre year; this b formed B tlif full air, five or fix fees wMe, h&viflg; s nine inch wall, five feet behind by fow iff front, with Hiding lights at fop * fern?* limea wish one or two ranges of flue* along the upper pan of the back-Wai^ ^ make occafionaJ- fires rn- wincey, if t&er young plants fhould be eontintsed during that feafon. The general procefs-of thefe departments is as follows r the fma-ller ones receive the yonrig plants^ crowa^ and fuekers of the year, in Atttunw, to ftukeand nurfe them t^/oo? thref fnontJis y or during the Winter*- They are then moved to the SaccefEbn-- Houfe for a year 5 after whih- being; two* G 6 ( rj* ) year-plants, arrived to a proper age and ftrength for fruiting, they are then removed to the fruiting-houfe or main Hove, in Sep- tember or Odsber, The ufe of haying fnraller flove or pit departments, afiiftants to the main hoth houfe for the culture of pines is this ; that it not only affords more room m the rmin ftove, to cultivate a larger fopply of fruit> ing plants, without crowding thr pit'j, but; the full grown plants fbcceed-i by * Wronger -temperature of fire-heat, to fov- ward them into fruit in due time m she fpring, than is generally thought proper for the infant ad fucceffion phnfs ; which, if heated too- confiderably, are apt to fly inta laiali trifling fruit, in Wiater>or Spring, a year or. two before they attain the proper fize: whereby you both lofe the advan- tage of obtaining piae apples in due per- fediort ; ,an4 of- having afupply of fucxef- fipn , planta*to furnifli the fruiting-hoiiie t-be. irjfuing year, foe young untimely ffuit-phnts prove ufelefs- for any future p IT r pole. By having diftimft departments for the: yearling and fucceffion prnes* we can- -more- readily fupport fuch a? medium of regular heat, peculiar to the young plants* and forward them properly in growth j with- out forcing them' into fruit : to effe<5t this,, you murV always keep the fire-heas in winter of a moderate temperature, and always very regular, never to raite the thermometer 1 above the pine-apple (land* ard, rather always under than over ; and she bark heat alfo equal : by no means plunging the pots finally, v/hi-le the heat is very ftrong to force them too fa-ft in growth : ts> prevent which the bark-bed i* fometimes formed of only one halfraev/, and the reft old bark of former beds, worked up together, to effect a moderate heat ; nor mould the bed in which the plants are plunged-- be permitted t& got before you fork it over, and add a ( '34 ) a portion of new bark, when the old b exceedingly declined ^ for a want of heat would, on the other hand, ftwnt the plants * and, by ekhcr the extreme of heat or cold, the young pine plants are almoft certain to rwn up to fruit unfeafonablyj fcut by obferving due moderation, both of fire ana bark-heat, you may always have a plentiful fupply of proper plants in two or i three ftages ; the crowns and makers oi the year, year old and two years phnts, be* fides the fruiting plants in the mair^houfe. The preparation of the pine-apple, as- obferved above, is effected by the luckers- produced from the bottom part of the old plant, iffuing. from between the leaves - f alfo by the crown or leafy part at top of the ripe fruit, as well as by fmall fuckers- emitted from the bafe of it - r all of which are generally fit towards the end of fum- mer and autumn, when the fruit is ripev from July till Odtobers* At the proper time let them be de-. tached from the mother plants and fruit, v and kid in any dry part of the ftove or eJfe-. where, to heal over the moift part that ad- c hered to the plant, that it may not rot by t the moifture thereof, when planted. Pro-c ceed to plant them in fmall pots (4.85') of c rich loamy earth j previoufly (tripping off\ fome of the bottom leaves next the root t part, to give liberty for the emiffion of t fibres, which done, plant one fucker or crown in each pot, filled with light rich mould, prefiing the earth clofely around them ; dire&ly let them be plunged into any warm bark-bed^ or in a nurfery pit already defcribed, and previously filled either with bark, arrived to a proper heat of a moderate temperature ; or hot dung, having fome bark of any kind at top fix or eight inches deep ; or in want of bark, faw-duft, the fame depth, in which to plunge the pots ; placing the taller plants in rows, behind^ aod the loweft forward ; giving a very m-odarace waterin'g to tl&r earth, r-oc o-vcir ihe planes, bin jaft to fettle them- firmly - pot, sad facilitate their rooting, whic . they tona- monly ^ffedtln a week's time,, and begin- to grow.. As 1 v/e have before noticed, rhsiV. plants ii;afy be continued ia any fcvepal months, if you are ia waat of rcsoas in the larger departments, j . Gbferve, as the cold feafon advances, Kr , make a moderate Bre at night j if you are* jot furnifhed with a fire place in fevers' j -weather, line the outfide of the pir, &c, round with hot-droig, efpecialiy if tbe heat f of ths bark decreafss , and if a wooden i frame and pit r line tip the fides the ^frame alfo- with* dry litter y to keep out the ^froft, and to retain the heat* } Obferve Ukewiie during tHe winter, tap grvc only * moderate por-cion'of air in fine: jwarna fur>y day*,, by fliding fome of the' g}afls are iach or two down ; water mud C '37 ) be ufed with great moderation and caution ,. all winter, not above once a week or fort- t night, very lightly on the earth of the pot, only, not over the leaves at this feafon. v Cover the glaffes every night with thick v garden-mats, or hi very fcvere frofts, with 4 Jitter alfo, if it ihall Teem neceffary ; but t as the fpnng and power of the fun ad- t vances, encreafc the portion of frefh air, t as alia of watering, but always very mode- v rate. Then as to fpring and fummer's culture,' % obferve the neceflary precautions of pre-v ferving the heat by the rules advifed* above; and of admitting frelh air and v giving oceafional light waterings, in fine % warm days ; for we rauft ftill keep up the v heat moderately during the fpring and^ fummer months, till September, this being the principal growing feafon of the plants-; v therefore about April they will require to* have the bark forked up and mixed with about one third of new, removing firfl away w the ( "38 ) the moft earthy parts of the old at top and fides, then work up the remain' ng. old and new together, and directly re-plunge the .pots. ^ )Jf,apy have been wintered in dunghot- ^)cds, .citjiier ..in a ,pi,t, pr.,iri beds in the <>pea ground, that heat will alib require .renewing. as the plants in general have pretcy confiderably in growth, they muft be fhifted into larger po^s in proportion to their fize, which will be re- quired twice a year, fpring and autum ; April or -early in May for the fpring fliifo ing, and Auguft and beginning of Septem- ber for autumn ; adapting the fize of the pot to that of the plants; the firft fhifting may be from 48$. or 645. into 325. thence into 245. or fixteens finally to remain. At each fhifting be careful to have good frtfa loamy compolt, or any rich light loamy foil, or good garden mould, for the new pots, in which,, previoufly place pieces of . of tile, or oyfter-fhcJl over the holes, at bottom, then fome freih earth ; and having the pine-plants ready, proceed and fhift them, j^ot and pot .at a time, turning e.ich plant put cf jts prefent .pot, jv.ith the ball of earth enure about the roots* placing it therewith in the new pot, filling up around with more new jtyu'.h, and tipiih with a moderate water- jn,,i -, th^.QbieryJng attach ikye of .fnift- 4ng to have the bail; Ued ready forked over, adding fome new if wanted ^.b^C particularly the fpring fliifting, and dire<5t- iy i'c-piwngc t-nc puis in me oafac. In the operation of {Lifting, you will . pbferve -if any plant is in a weak fickly itate, it is proper to detach moft or .all of the old earth from ihe roots : examine them, if any diieaied or decayed parts ap- pear, either of the -fibres cr njain ftoek, cut them off and wafli all the rotten part well in water, then put ihem in frefh mould, C 140 ) mould, give water, and plunge them in the bark. As the young plants in their proper pots> advance in growth, they muft be taken up and replunged thinner, and fome removed -into other departments; that if they are crowded confiderabfy in any nurfery pir^ the largeft ihould be removed into the next larger department, fuch as the fac- cefion houfe, or occafionally into the mam houfe, if you have no other, and: that there is room ; but where there is a fircceflion pit, &c. by n-o means crowd the fruiting plants in the main f!ove, with others not yet arrived to bearing, but continue thenv always in the nurfery departments, if pof- fible, till the fecond autumn *, then being of good iize, remove the general fuppPy of large plants into the fruiting, which fhould every autumn, at the end of Sep- tember, or in October, be filled with a fuc- ceflion of uew fruiting pUnts> ( t 4 I ] When there is onl one common ftove or pme-houfc, both to raife the plants from the beginning,, and to Tear them to a fruiting -date, the whole m, to ^rulr ; you fhould be par- ticul- -lv careful to haW thA fires moderate aikP^uaV'ToW never 'to raife the thermo- meter above the d gree masked an-tnas. Though' even in this 'cafe, of having only one ftove Department, and that greatly crowde 1 with y6ung plmts, they may be mbved out in fummer, from April or May, until October' or iNJbvem- ber, in a fubftamial dung-heat bed, under a common hot bed frame, rKe bed be'iig firft red need to a moderate heit, having old -or new bark at top, or into a boarded baVk-pit, of a yard deerj, fitted to the width and length' of oh'e 'or 1 more of the above-mentioned hor-bed fiamc.s filled with bark ; and in either of w' i h nu k-ry- beds, plunge the pots of voting pines, out or ihv mam' ftove, togiv.- room co the \ sit- ing plants, and that the young' ones' may alio nave more room to iirow. In O^lo- ber or November, the itove Ail. b- t ,in* ned ( 43 ) ned from the prefen: year'o fVairincj plants*- which may be m '.wed therein f r the A inter. With regard to the general manage-'- ment of the h n-ho fe or (love, take the following obfervations. Thi bark-pit orthe- ftove muft be coni tinuedfull of tanner's bark the year round, and Btes kept in wint r and the tarly part of the 'pring ; the bark- beet all the year in fome ftoves being necefiary to'efFsft a con*'; ftanr regular heat in all ieaf-ms, and in which to plunge the pots of pine plants always to remain ; tor they will not fuc- ceed or fruit well, without being placed with their roots in the pots, in the kindly moift warnith of the bark-bed, which is peculiarly adapted to the growth and fruit- ing of thefe tender plants. The hot-houfe and other pine- apple departments fliould have (he bark pit filled vvith new tan or bark, every autumn fcafon about Odober, wh-n t: e old beds are pieity wtll cleared from the ts as before, it will, after * this, main-ain a go--d he.it all futnmer, %, till Scpte, nber or October, when, having %. H moflly moftly exhaufted its fermentative property, it mult be almoft wholly removed, and the pic filled up with entire new bark, as at firft, prcrvioufly fcreening the old in the pit, retaining the large, and clearing out all the earthy part that p.dTes through the fcretn, then adding the new, wording it up with the remaining old, raifing the whole foijie inches above the brim of i he pit-wall, as it will f ttie half a foot in two or three weeks. Having fermented to a proper degree of ht?a ; , in a week or fort- night, it will be icady to receive the fupply of new pine plants- in th.ir pots, as before directed; and thus the bark-hed of thife dtpartmt-n s, for the cu)tu e of pines and other tender exotics, iruft be an nu a 11 y x managed. All Win er, from November until April, or longer, tne internal heat muft be af- fiftcd wiih fire- heat, of coal, 'wood, peat, or turf, iuch as may be m<.ft conveniently obtained, every night, from iun-fct till nine r 147 ) nine or ten o'clock, to maintain a .proper heat till day light ; in cold, or very raw foggy mornings, make v alfo a moderate fire, and in levere weaiher continue it with moderation all day, or every oiher day, as it ihall feem nectrflary; being directed by the thermometer, which fhould be conti- nued alvvays in the fiove, as your guide; it having the degre. s of heat for pine- apple and other phnts of fi mill r tempera- ture, generally ma-ked ananas, and the re heat fhould be regulated accordingly, to keep the fpirit of the thermometer uithin, ab ut 5 over or under. Beiore Chriilmas, keep the fires more modera e, bur afterwards, by gradual increaft 1 , a lictie briiker, in order to forward pines into fruit, in February and March, ftill how- ever observing the thermometer as your regulator. Likewife during the Winter, keep fires in fuch of the lucceflion pine~:'pplc de- partments as are furnimed with flues, but H 2 keep -;( 148 ) keep them more moderate than in the fruiting houfe, for fear of forcing them "into fruit a year roo foon. ' In rigorous frofty wearher cover the glaflls at top, either with large garden mats, or extenfive painted canvas cloths, or rolls, to let do*n and pull up by pullies and lines ; which occafional canvas is to be ufed only in fevere frofty nights, nail- ing mars alfo againlt the front glades ; and if the froft continue remarkably in- tenfe, and no fun, the top covering may be continued occafionally in the day time, but only during the very frvere wear.her. Admit frefh ai; o tafionaliy, both in "Winter and Summer , in Winter wuh caution, in lun-lhine calm day<, from nine, ten, or eleven in the morning, till two or three in the af einoon, a- cording to the power of the fun, an . external he, t of he tiove, &c. by Hiding iome of the from glades a 1 ttle way open ; being fare to mut dole in due time in the aft^r- noon, ( 149 ) iron, or fooner, if the weather changes cloudy, or tHe air blows (harp. As the warm weather comes on$ give air more feeely in all funny daysj and when the fun is vehement, freely draw open the glafles. Ocafional waterings are neceflary at all tin es of the year, not however above once a week in Winter, juft to keep the earth in the pots moderately moift, but not to water over the leaves at tTiis feafon. In the advanced warmer feafon give water freely, and in the heat of fummer, two or three times a week. Watering muft alfo be performed to all other plants in the hot houfe -, thofe plunged in the bark, will not require it fo frequent or abundant, as thofe placed in the open fpace, upon the (helves, flues, cc. the woody kinds will require it mod, the herbaceous forts muft alfo have a pro- per (hare j the fucculent plants require it lead, but thefe muft not be neglected, H 3 The ( '5 ) . The old pine- apple plants, after having once borne fruir, produce no more, but they furniih ofF-fet fuckers, as before remarked. The crown or top of the ripe fruit is feparated when lerved at table, not before j and from thefe the pLnts are encre.ifed, and the fpecits continued. If any old plants, after the fruit is cu:, furnifh no off- lets, cut down the leaves near the bottom, and plunge them in any hot-be^;, or b.rk- bed, whcie there is a brifk hea r , which will facilitate their emitting iu- kers, which are to be detached, and planted in fmall pots plunged in any h,t bed, and ma* naged according t > the former directions ; and by thus propagating a fufficient quan- tity every year, you wiil be fupplied with a conftant fucceflion of fruiting plants ; both fuckers and crowns, requiring ge'ne- rally two years to grow to a proper fize, to produce good fruit. In C '5' ) In the hot houle the various other exo- tics kept for variety being potted, they may be placed wherever . there is room, and fhifced occafiorully into la r ger pets and frefh earth, oner i.i a year or two, as they Or all require. Kidney-beans, cucumbers, fmwberries, &c. by being placed in pots, and dilpo:ej in the houfe, will fucceed abundantly well in this degree of heat, and may be conti- nued in fuccefiion till the feafon of their natural growih. ^For_pa_tLu]ars in their obferve what is circc^d un- der the articles Fire-hzat and B.irk-beatJFor- c in? frames ; the cucumber has generally the belt chance in the pine- (love , having con- trived ta raile the plants previouQy in any dung hot-bed, &c. in fmall pots, and when in the large rough leaves, turned out with balls into large pots or boxes as before defcribed. In the hot-houfe, you may have pots of flowers, of the bulbous and fibrous-rooted H 4 kinds, ( '52 ) kinds, placed upon (helves, plunged in the hurk-bed : Like wife feeds of tender annual flowers, fuch as balfams, globe- amaranthus, and the like, (owed in pots in February and March, and plunged in the bark bed, will grow freely, and when an inch or two high, prick them ftparatc-ly in fmall pots, giving water, and plunge them alfo in the bark, lupplyirg them with water, and as they grow large, Ihift them imo larger pots. Any other early flower- ing kinds, iuch as ten-week flocks, &c. may be foon raifed to a handfome flower^ ing-ftate. The hot-hcufe proves exceedingly con- venient, in linking cuttings of various tender exotics, both green-houfe and ftove- kinds; planting them many together in pots, and plunging them in the bark-bed. Alfo new potted plants having bad roots, or fuch as you would run off expedidoufly, by taking frelh root, which may be effeft- ed, ( 153 ) ed, by plunging them in the bark-bed, fcr two or three weeks. Pots of choice flowering (hrubs of fmall growth may be placed here occafionally in Winter and Spring, to forward them early into flower, fuch as rofes, fyringas, honeyfuckles, ciftus, oleanders, oranges, hypericums, &c. being potted and trained with low heads, and placed in any vacant part, they will blow early in tolerable per- fection, though they are oftener fuccefsful in a more moderate heat than this of the pine-fiove ; however, place them in the mofl airy fituation, towards the front and ends, and they will have the better chance. By planting vines for training into the hot-houfe, we have always the opportunity of obtaining early grapes without trouble. For this purpofe, fome good three, four, or five year old plants arrived to bearing, fhou'd be planted in November dole againft the front, in any light warm -foil, H 5 ons ( '54 ) ene againft each fupport of the glafies ; and being pruned to one ftrong (hoot for a ftem, fcveral feet in length, train it in through 'a hole, two or three feet from the bottom, thence lead up along the main fupports or bearers of the front and inclined glafies : afterwards fome fhoots trained at wide diftances under the top ' lights, and managed as directed in the ar- ticle, Forcing-houfes, Vineries, &V. they will here, without any other care than an- nual pruning, produce grapes in the greateft perfection, two months before thofe in the open ground, and with an im- proved rich flavour. The proper forts of grapes for the above purpofe, are exhibi ed in the article Forcing-houfes, in the ire- heat departments, &c. The culture of pine-apples, without the affiftance of hot-houies, or fire-heat, is fometimes effected with fuccefs. A bark and dung- heat department, is employed C 155 ) employed for this purpofe, to fave the, expence of larger ereclions. It confifts of a pit formed in the open air, fix feet wide, and covered with flid- ing-glafles at top, being either fix feet deep behind, by four or five in front, and fiHed a yard and fix inches deep with bark, and the outfides occafionally fupplied with hot dung. Or, a pit formed three feet fix inches deep on every fide, either with a wall of brick, or with (irong deal boards ; augmented at top with large garden frames, made exactly to fir, and furnifhed with Hiding-lights ; the pit being in length fufficient for one, two, three or morefuch frames, ranging in a line, of inch and half or two inch deal, and three feet fix inches in the back, and two and a half in fronr, for ra-ifing the young plants, but for the fruiting plants, four feet and a half, and a yard C>x. inches in front, by ten or twelve feet lung each,, with three Hiding lights at H 6 top, top, three upright ones in front, and one at each end. To have this as convenient as pofilble, one frame or a fet of frames might be contrived to ferve a double portion of pit ; the frames made to flide along from one divifion to another ; as the heat in the firft declines, make a frefh bed in the re- ferved pit, then (hove the frame along over it, lo moving the plants in their pots accordingly-, which will be particularly convenient when dung htat is intended, in which three or four new beds will be required to continue the plants the year roundi If intended to work with dung entirely, it may be affifled without any pit at all, making the beds on level ground, and defended with the frames ; four different new beds will be; required, as aforefaid, to carry the plants on through the year, and each bed iupported with occafional linings, Biu ( '57 ) But to have every thing as convenient as pcflible, it is pioper to have both a nur- fery -frame, and a fruiting frame ; that is the nuriery frame to ftrike and raife the young ' plants, and the other to teceive the large plants to fruit them , but the nurfery frame need not be fo deep by a foot, or half a yard, as the fruiting frame. Let the pic for thele frames be formed wirh nine inch brick work, or ftrong two- inch planking, nailed to proper pofts fixed in the ground ; and either funk half a yard, more or lefs, according as the foil is wet or dry, obiening, if to be worked chiefly wlh tiung, a boarded pit is rather thebeft, throwing in the heat more effectually ; or even, if for bark hear, the fame kind of pic is very proper, in order to receive the afliftance of occafional dungipg externally ; for the fame purpoie, it mig* t be brick in front and both ends, and boarded behind ; or a moveabie temporary pit, rramed with ftrong ( '58 ) fbong planking for bark-heat, might be continued. Have the mi fery-frame the fame width of the pit, three fee: fix in-hes behind, by two and a halt in from, an 1 ten and a half long, with three lights at top. The nu:f ry frame for the reception of the crowns and fuckers of the year, will be requited in Auguft or September, to con- tinue them here one year, or till large enough for fruiting, then to be femo\ed into the fruiting frame ; obferving, that during their abodr in the nurfery-frame, they may be lupplitd w th frefh air and occafional waterings, confident with the rules explained in the hot houle culture , covering the glades every night with mars ; and, as the heat declines, the outfides to be fupplied with hot-dung. But a new bed will be required every two or three months during the winter, from Oclober till March or April ; thence once in three months till the end of fummer, defending each ( 159 ) each bed with dry litter, or a rampart of dry ea r th. The fruiting-frame fliould have the pit filled with newbask, ordurcgand barkroge- th-r, about the end of September or in O - tober. At this tinr.e, fill the pic a yard fix inches deep, either with entire new bark, as the moft eligible for its regular and durable heat the year round. Or if more fuitable to your convenience, fiil the pit wuh frclh hoif~ ftible-du-ig, in the manner of mak- ing common hot-beds; and in a week or fortnight, when fettled about a foot, fill u wiih bark, new or old, as can be ob- tained, or with law-d-jft, to keep in the he.it, and in which to plunge the pots. Put on al! the glaffe?, keeping them clofe till they draw up the heat, then open a little for the fteam to pafs away. If you judge the heat is too great, plunge the pots only a little way at firft, and fully to their brims in a week or fort- night after, as obicrved of the hot-houfe, difpofing ( 1 66 ) difpofing the talleft plants behind, down to the loweft in front; and directly put on the gldfles, and manage as before di- refled, as to warmth, air and water. If the hot-bed in the pit is of tanner's bark, line the outfide round with dry warm litter in Winder, or raife a wall of earth ; but if, in November or December, the back is lined fubftanthlly with hot dung, renewing it in a month, it will keep up the heat till January or February ; then, if forked up, it will renew the heat and, affilted with a dung lining foon after, fupport a proper temperature till April j at which time, removing fome of the worn- out earthy bark at top and fides, fill up with new, and fork up the whole toge- ther; and this will fupply an effe&ual warmth in July, Auguft, and September. In October the pit muft be filled with en- tire new bark, and a fucceifion of new fruiting-plants plunged therein for next year's fruit. But But if the hot-bed in the frame is of dun^', made in S ptember or Otobe r, two new ones bcudes will be requisite to conduct thf pUnts throu.h i!i<* Wimer, till April or May, witn the uffitlance cf occa* fional linings to each bed ; and another at that timr, to carry the fruit on t> rull growth. If the dung brd is made in a pit, and there ts a (pare pit, make a new bed therein, about December, in due time to receive the plants in their pots when the firft bed is de. lined j at which time, move the frame along from thence over the new bed, which being covered with bark or faw-dufi, plunge the pots ; and removing the worn out dung of the firft bed, give room to make another at the proper time, about the middle or end of January, or in February, &c. Obferving in the interim, during the "Winter, that you defend each bed with litter all round thcoutfide of the pit, and up the fides of the frame j and in a month after ic is is made, remove the litter behind, and ap- ply a ftrong lining of hot -!ung ciofe to the back of the pir, yard wide at bottom, flo[ ing abou two -teer upwards, r.ot however raifingi, the full heght at once, but? by deg ers to the top, and continu d along the front and b >th en^ls in a fortnight after-, covering rhe top with eartn or bark, &c. to keep down the h a , and fliuot off the wet. Aft- r this oblerve, that when the heat of the linings of dung decrtafc, for it over the old dung to the bottom, eafting out the muft exhaufted, and adding a portion of new in its (lead, and work the new and remaining old up together, regularly againft the pit and frame as before; the linings will then acquire a frem fermenta- tion and heat, and renew and fupport that of the bed for fome time longer, "When the dung of the linings at any time appears wholly exhauited in refpeft to heat heat, it muft be renewed with entire ' new hot dung. When it is 5nten j e 1 to have the fruit- ing bed made wholly of hot dung, in the open air, upon l.vel gjwun i, without any pit, they (houlij alf) be made of the dt- xncnfii.ns of the f-u'ting frames, in M'peft to width and length, and thr e feet and a halfderp of dung, or more, to all>w for its fe- fling; and wren the frame is put on, lay fix or eignt inchrs, or a fb.>t thick of hark, &c. as directed in the pit- beds, to ke p in the heat, and in which to plunge the pots of pine plant". The management of this bed, and plants therein, is nearly the fame as directed for that in the pit, borh in regard to occa- fional linings, of hct dung, &c. and of making new beds, as the old ones de- cline their heat, at the end of every ten or twelve weeks ; keeping up the heat during that time with proper linings ; and ( 16+ ) and give proper fupplies of frefh air and water, with the neccffary precautions for- merly recommended, and cover the glafTes every night. In all thcfe different beds, both thnfe formed in the pit, either with bark or dung, or with dun^ in the open ground, be careful that the roots of the plants have not too much heat, nor are plunged too haftily into the bed, till you judge the burning heat, if any, has fubfided. At the fame time do not lofe the oppor- tunity of plunging them, as fuon, as in due order. Obferve exactly the fame methods as directed in the hot-houfe culture ; always keeping up a flock of fuccefiion, and fruit- plants, regularly to fucceed one another. DUNG DUNG -HEAT FORCING, A N P COMMON HOT-BED FRAMES. T"\UNG HEAT FORCING-FRAMES, -*-^ both in upright fixed eredions, and in the common moreable garden-frames, for common dung hot-beds, are employed as the c heaped of all the ki.ics of fordng- dep irtments ; betides many have the ad- vanta -e of hoifc-dting of tacir own, or at a verv eafy txpence. On .he e .onliderati 'ns 'he bufmefs of for injr by dung-htat may, to many, be more convenicnc than any other. The C 1-66 ) The utility of horfe-dung for various forcing-works in gardening, is very great, both in the fixed upright fruit, and floWer- forcing frames, applied againft the back wall, and fometirnes formed into a bed, in a pit, within fide in more capacious frames in the kitchen garden, covered with common frames and lights, for forcing early cucumbers, melon's, afparagus, peas, kidney-beans, fallading, radices, carrots, &c as alfo early ii raw berries, likewife all forts r curious tender annual flowers, and occafi'.mably anychoice bulbous and fibrous rooted perennial flowers. What we mean by horfe-dung for the purpole of forcing, is the dung and wet litter together of the (tables: the dung- ings or droppings of thefe animals would aniwer no purpofc without the moid litter of the Rails mixed therewith j the {land- ings or flails being thickly littered ciown every ni^ht, and rendered wet by the dunging and ftalmg of the animal, may every even* rnornuio; b_- all cleared out to the dung hill, where it ferments and heats, often ac fidl too vehement!/ for vegetable growth, but by preparation, as v\,e fhall direct, is reduced of a proper temperature, and of a more durable heat. Tnis dung muft befrcfh, moift, fteamy and lull of heat, not having been above a month or two in co'lefting from theftables, that which hab lain long, fo a; to be in a de- cayed ft.tte is improper, which is often the caie when it has heated violently, and ex- haufled its fermentative property ; fome- tii es half rorten and cold. Frequently the very long dry ft-awy litres is binned coniic'erably, and h is a dry whitih mouldy appearance -, which will do nothing in this bufincfs, unlefs well inc jrporat,-d with that which is frcfh and hot; therefore the newer t u e dung rh~ bet er, warm and abundantly fuii of moift, ilcaaiv parrs, long and Ihort to. crher ; or though ever fo long and flruvvey, if moilt and warm, by weh mix- ing C '68 ) ing together, and calling up into an heap, it will acquire proper fermentation for any pU'pofe of forcing or hot beds. As to the preparation of it, let it be brought in due quanrity from the dunghill, then tofs it up in an heap, or if a large quaniity, in an oblong hi^h ridge, fhaking the parts well together. Then let it remain ten day* or a fort- night, or longer, according to its quanti* ty, and quality, that the rank pernicious ftench, and nox;ous burning fteam may evaporate. If the quantity is confide rable, turn it over once again, which gives greater vent to the n xious vapour to pals off, and the dung to incorporate. If you are obliged ro ufe dung rather of an rxiiauftrd ita,e, let it be i proved by the addition of trefh -, or if in want of this, or of a lufficient quant ty, procure jome barrows ot coal afhes, in the piopcr- tii n of two or rooic to each can-JOdd of dung, which will promote a more q ick and ( '69 ) lively heat ; the dung being cafl up and mixed with the coal-alhes, and if it be rather dry, throw fome pots of water over it from time to time, as you advance in toiling it up in the heap ; the afhes will not only afiift in recovering a brifk and ftronger heat, but render it alfo of longer dura- tion. This improvement of the coal ames is required principally for weak dung; in that of a ftrong quality, full of warmth, it might caufe a too vehement heat. It frequently happens, that afhes are promif- cuouily thrown on a dunghill, near the houfe, in which cafe, if they feem too abundant, make fomc out, according to difcretion, in removing the dung. Thus far is necefiary to be obferved in the preparation. As to the ufe of it, I would remark, that although dung-heat forcing frames, for fruit trees, are not fo generally effectual and fuccefsful in the earlieft forcing, as I fire fire and bark heat fra Ties, yet they often furnim good fruit a month or fix weeks before thofe in the feafon. And it is worth the attention of thofe who are plentifully furniflied, to erect fome upright frame and glafs-work, either again ft afoiuh wall with trees already formed, or a wall, or ftrong boarded fence, planted with bearing trees, applying the dung at the proper forcing- fcafon behind, on the outfide, &c. as here- after directed. Dung heat retains a proper temperature, for this bufinefs about fix weeks, in which time it will require to be renewed, or the heat revived, and removing away fuch as is rotted and worn out, and then applying new to the remainder, working the whole up together. Thefeforcing frames confifi of fruitdung- heat frames, flower dung-hear, frames, and common hot-bed frames, both for eiculents and flowers ; the two former are fixed erec- tions, having upright back walls or board- ing, c *7* ; ing, five or ten feet high, worked princi- pally by the dung placed thickly againft the oucfide, behind, and at both ends ; and ibrretimes alfo in a pit within fide , but the common moveable hot-bed frames are worked by the dung, formed into a bed diftindt from any erection ; in a!l of which the heat is continued by occafional appli- cation of frelh dung, as the heat of the old bed declines, or by removing from the back of the frame the exhaufted part,, and adding a quantity of new worked up toge- ther as before. A FRUIT DUNG-HEAT FORCING FRAME, is formed commonly in the manner of a hot- wall, but worked by the hot dung being applied behind, or iomecimes in a pit within-fldc- ; is a fixed erection, iive, fix, or cigh feet high behind, and of any length required. Trie dung forcing frame, worked by the dung behind, may be only four or five wide, for one row of trees, arranging I 2 againft . : :; : ( 172 } agamft the back, and fmall plants before ; having the back either a nine-inch brick- wall, fix or eight feet high, or only the foundation of brick work, and ftrong planking, upward, clofely joined, that no fleam of the dung can penetrate, the front formed only about fix inches or a foot high ; from the top of which, to that of the back wall, range the glafies, floping to about fix, ten, or twelve inches width at top, received into proper frame-work ; and fupported alfo upon bearers, rafters, or crofs-bars, reaching from the top of the .back to the front, the width of the lights diftant from one another, having the ' whole well boarded in, water tight. A frame of the conftruction defigned principally for forcing early rofes, and other fmall plants in pots, may be formed only four or five feet wide, and five or fix feet high behind, entirely of wood work in the back and ends, of two inch deal, the ends the fame, not above a foot C 173 1 foot high in front, and fronted with move- able glaffes as above; which frame will blow many forts of plants .to early perfec- tion with little trouble. See Flower Dung I I cat Frtmt. With relpeft to the fruit dung-heat erection as before defcribed,.you will pro- vide fome trained trees arrived to a bearing flate. The peach, nectarine, apricot, cher- ,ry, vine, See. fhould be planted in Novem- ber, in the border, againft the front of the back-wall of the frame ; and the branches fliould be regularly trained, either to the wall, or to a trellis, as in the fire and bark heat frames. As to the time for forcing them, it muft not be earlier than the middle or end of January , when being provided with a good quantity of new horfe-dung, properly prepared, let it be piled regularly againft the back- wall, and ends of the frame wi'houtfid'-, full two feet wide at bottom; but if three the better, drawing it in gra- I 3 ( '74 ) dually upward, to half that width at top, five or fix feet high, and according as it fettles add more dung, to continue it to the proper height, finifliingthc top floping, to throw off the wet ; likewtfe lay Ibme earth at top, beating off fmooth with the fpade, to keep down the heat. The lining thus formed will begin to work in a week's time or thereabouts, fo as to throw its heat internally, and fet the trees on growing, and will continue a good heat a month or fix weeks, or longer. As the lining fettles down ftiiTadd more hot dung at top, which will revive and aug- ment the heat for longer duration ; but being careful when the general heat decays ccnfiderably, to renew ir, by forking over and adding new dung , be- ginning at one end, fork over the old, throw out the rotten and decayed, adding an equal portion of new, working it up together againft the frame, as before directed. If If you are fearful of lofing the internal heat, in the time between removing the old and the working of the^new lining, per- form only half ac a time, proceeding with the middle fpace firft. Thus the heat of this frame is to be iiipported, thiee or four months *, repeat- ing the linings twice or more or ofcciner, as you (hall fee necefTuy. Admit frefh air in all n.ild days when the fun iliines warm, but keep a'l clofe in nights and a'l cold wcatftef, give alfooccn- fional waterings to the borders, and fore- times over the branches, according to the precautions obferved in the fire -he at frames. By fupporting a conftant heat in the manner above direcled, together with due fup^lies of water and free air, the trees' will bloflbm freely, and if it proves a fa- vourable fpnng, will produce fome good I 4 carlv early fruit, a month or fix weeks before the feafon. Pots of fmall plants, as ftrawberries, flowers, and fmall rofes may be placed to- wards the front, where they will grow freely, and yield their produce early at an acceptable time. A Forcing-frame with a (lung-pit within, may be ten feet wide, with a back-wall, tight or ten high, with upiight ghffes in front, and inclined lights at top j forming a 'pit fcur or five feet wide within, planked or bricked on the fides j and a four-feet border behind, in which plant the trees, to be there trained to the back- wall, and with vines in front, to train up by the glaffts j filling the dung-pit \vith well pro- portioned hot-dung, early in February, working it in firmly, and regular, as in making a common dung hot-bed, raifing it about fix inches above the top of the pit, as it will fettle a foot or more in a week or fortnight's time ; when, if you have any caft off bark, cover the top of the dung therewith half a foot thick, or with light dry earth, which will keep down the fleam and the heat from evaporating too faft, and ferve alfo to revive pots of ftrawberries, kLiney-beans, and other fmall plants ; and pots of curious feedling an- nual flowers, alfo annuals planted in pots, fuch as tricolors, cockVcombs, balfamines, globe amaranthus, &c. to forward their growth, and draw them up to a goodly ftature. The management of this frame is nearly the fame as the former dung-heat fruit- frame -, admitting frcfli air all fine days, with occafional waterings. When the heat of the bed decays, it mud be refreflied, either by taking out half the old dung at top, and fill up with new dung, worked finnly down,- but not trodden, which would prevent its* heating regularly; or more effectually to- I 5 fork ( 178 ) fork up the old bed wholly to the bottom, firft taking out fome at one end, forming an opening of a yard wide, for room to work, then proceed to fork over the old dung into the opening, having at the fame time a quantity of new ready, and as you proceed in forking over the bed, cafl out the worn out (tuff, and throw in the new, working ic up firmly with the remaining old, fufficiemly to fill up the pit as at firft, allowing room for a ftratum of bark or earth fix inches thick, in which to plunge the pots of plants. Such a frame as above, fix or eight feet high behind, by five in front, is fometimes employed as a glafs-cafe draw- ing frame, in which to draw the choice an- nual flowers to a tall ftature, fuch as the amaranthus tricolor, celofia criftata or cock's- comb, they being previoufly trained from feed in a common hot-bed, and forwarded in pots to two or three feet height, then reinoved into the drawing frame and plunged C 179 ) plunged in the hot-bed made in a pit, as before explained ; giving plenty of water they will run up quickly to a handfome fize. A FLOWER DUNG-HEAT FORCING- FRAME, is an uprignt fixed eredtion, built with a wooden back and ends, and fronted wiih Hoping glafs faihes , in dimenfions it is fouror five feet wide, by any length required five or fix feet high behind, formed of ftrong inch-and-half deal board, well named together, the front raifed up not above a foo ; thence are ranged the bearers for the glafies, to the top of the back, fupponed at about a foot width, from the top of the back erection, having the top f all well weather- boarded to fhoot off the wet ; within have ranges of (helves fifing gradually behind one another, on which to place pots of rofes, the talleft behind, and with other lower flowering fhrubs in regular gradation to the front; where may alfo be placed pots of pinks I. 6 and and other low flowers ; alfo any choice bulbous rooted flowers, fome in pots, others in water-glafies. This frame is to be forced with the dung behind ; in January, February or March, having frefh hot dung prepared as advifed on former occafions ; lay it up firmly againft the back and ends of the frame, two feet wide or more at bottom, narrowing it gradually in a floping man- ner to about a foot width at top ; in a week's time it will probably be fettled a foot, when more dung muft be added in proportion j laying an inch or two depth of earth upon all, to keep down the heat. After this, the lining will foon throw in a fine growing hear, and the plants there- by difcover an early vegetation. And being properly fupplied with frefh air in fine days, they will advance in a very agreeable manner ; and if fupported in a due warmth, (as frequently directed will will flower with great elegance many weeks before their natural fcafon : the bloom mayalfo becontinued by afuccefiion of frefh plants, till fucceeded by thofe in the open ground. This kind of flower forcing-frame is much ufed among the forcing gardeners in the environs of London, where dung is plentiful, good and eafily obtained ; and by which, in working the above frames, vaft quantities of rofes, pinks and other fmall flowering ihrubs, and herbaceous flowering plants, are forwarded to an early bloom, for the fupply of Covent Garden and other markets, where we are prefented with a variety of the mod elegant flowers, ionic months before their nanual fcafon. HOT-BED FKAMES for common Dung Hot-btds, being low moveable wooden- frames, are of very confiderable ucility in almoft every part of gardening. Thefe frames are conftruded with inch, or inch-and-half deal fmoothly plained ; ( 132 ) plained, and are of different di mentions, agreeable to the fever jlpurpofcs for which they are intended ; but the moft general hot-bed frame for common life, is three yards and a half long, by one and a half tvide ; two feet depth behind, by twelve or fifteen inches in front; .being generally as high again in the back as in front, to give due flope for the glafles, to (hoot off wet, and receive the due advantage of the fun ; having both ends in proportion, and with thefe moveable glafs lights at top to fit it exactly , bin, from a yard to fifteen inches in depth behind, by half that in the front, is the deep: ft and the "fhallowcft forcommon fra-ncs ; though dial low frames of only eighteen inches, or two feet be- hind, and nine inches or a foot in front, prove the moft el gible in early forcing of cucumbers, melons, fallading, ftrawber- ries, &c. that by being low, the glafles near the plants, receive a greater benefit of of the fun, in proportion, which is a mate- rial confederation in early for i