As a rule it is not desirable to keep Pine plants that are expected to make a vigorous growth next season in an active growing condition after the beginning of this month. Early autumn - potted suckers will now be well rooted, and if kept moist and warm would grow freely, but it is much better to keep them quiet - resting them without stinting through the dull months of winter. The night temperature should not exceed 60°, and when it is cold or windy a few degrees lower will be better. If the bottom-heat ranges between 75° and 80° it will be high enough. Keep them just moist at the roots; avoid the extremes of dryness and moisture. The atmosphere should be dry rather than otherwise, without being parching. Recently potted suckers should have 5° more top and bottom heat till well rooted, when the above treatment should be applied to them also. If any strong suckers have been shifted last month with the intention of their being fruited next autumn, these should be kept growing gently all winter, provided they are in light structures and near the glass. Give all young stock more or less air every day, and see that none of the plants are under a drip, or the soil will become soured, and they will suffer in consequence.

All plants of Queens intended to start into fruit soon after the turn of the day should be kept at 60° at night: these should be kept rather drier at the root than suckers, and with a bottom-heat of about 80°. Those that are intended to start later, to form a succession to the earliest Queens, must not be allowed to become very dry, or they may get a check, and start before they are wanted. All plants swelling-off fruit must be kept steadily moist at the root, with a moist atmosphere and temperature of 70°, and a bottom-heat of 90°. Sprinkle the floors and surface of the bed on fine dry afternoons, but do not wet the foliage after this season. As soon as large fruits especially begin to change colour, keep the soil drier by degrees till it is almost quite dry, when the fruit is quite ripe; for if kept very moist, large fruits are apt to begin decaying at the core as soon as they ripen. Ripe Pines can now be kept for a month or more in a cool dry room.

Pine Forcing #1

Should the weather be cold and the days sunless, the temperature for Pines in all stages of growth should be at a minimum throughout the whole of this month. For suckers a temperature of 55° at night will be sufficient, when hard firing is necessary. If these are being wintered in light houses with bottom-heat supplied from hot-water pipes, 75° to 80° is quite sufficient to keep the roots healthy. Look over the plants carefully once a-week, and water such only as require it, taking care never to allow the soil to become dusty-dry; for if allowed to remain so for any length of time, the plants are apt to be checked and stunted, and to start prematurely into fruit when subjected to more heat and moisture. Plants that are plunged in beds of moist tan and leaves require comparatively little water for the next month or six weeks. Where ripe Pines are wanted in May and June, a portion of the earliest Queens should be selected, and placed in a light structure by themselves, at the end of the month. Give them a bottom-heat of 90°, and a night - temperature of 70°, with 10° more by day when there is any sun.

If very dry at the root, give them a watering, but do not supply this element too liberally until it be certain that the plants are going to show fruit without making a growth; for early fruit can be had only from such plants as have been well matured, and show fruit without making a growth. Keep a moist atmosphere, but do not give much moisture in the soil. The remainder of the fruiting-plants should be kept cool and dry. A temperature of from 55° to 60° will be sufficiently high for these till the sun gets more power, and solar heat can be husbanded for the night. Continue to supply to those swelling their fruits a rather moist atmosphere, a temperature of 70° in the air, and from 85° to 90° of bottom-heat. Examine every plant at least once a-week, and water such as are dry with weak manure-water, so that each plant is kept in a moderately moist condition. As soon as the fruit begins to colour, give no more water till ripe, for especially large fruits are apt to get black at the heart by the time they are fully ripe, if much water is given. Suckers on plants from which the fruit is cut should be taken off and potted in 6-inch pots, plunged in a bottom-heat of 85°, and an air-temperature of G0° to 65°, till well rooted.

Strong early suckers that were put into their fruiting-pots in October, and that are in light pits, and kept near the glass, should be kept at a temperature of 60° to 65°, according to the weather. When the glass rises to 70° by day, give a little air for a few hours, always shutting up early. These, if kept growing without a check and rested in June, will give fine fruit next winter.