Grafting

Dr. Lindley says, "For grafting, well-ripened young shoots should be taken when they are just beginning to grow, and before the buds are far advanced.

"They should be worked under handglasses in a stove or forcing-house, where a temperature of from 60° to 70° is kept up. Whip grafting without the tongue is perhaps the best method; and it is advisable to retain a few leaves on the stock above the graft, in order to draw on the sap. The single red makes the best stock, as it strikes freely from cuttings." - Gard. Chron.

Forcing

Mr. Robert Errington, gardener at Charlton Park, has published a most excellent essay upon this subject, from which the following are extracts: -

Draining And Potting

In potting place three or four potsherds first, the one overlapping the other, to insure a certain and speedy passage for the water, then a sprinkling of pounded crocks, the size of horse-beans; and finally another sprinkling, finer still; on this put a thin layer of sphagnum, which has been dried, but not decomposed.

"Re-pot soon after they have made their young growth - as soon, in fact, as the young leaves are perfectly developed, and the end of the young wood, at the point of junction with the wood of the former year, begins to turn a little brown. In potting, the soil should be rather lumpy than otherwise, and tolerably dry, and should be rather put round the ball in regular layers, and dressed tolerably firm, but not hard, as the layers are thrown in, pressing every layer a little, so that no crevice be left. The ball of the plant should be rather moist at shifting, and when it is in a pot-bound state it should be immersed in tepid water for an hour, about three days previous, allowing a day or two for the superfluous water to drain away before potting; place the ball immediately on the sphagnum.

Period Of Growth

The thermometer should be kept from 60° to 65° by day, and 50° to 55° by night. The treatment should now be of a close and moist character, giving air in moderation, and with caution, every morning from eight o'clock until noon, and then, unless very hot weather, shutting close up.

"There should be a little fire-heat every morning from seven o'clock until eleven, when it should be taken away until four o'clock, and then applied for the evening.

"The pipes, flues, and floors should be watered abundantly directly the air is taken away; then a good syringing at three o'clock; and the flues, etc, etc, wetted as before between five o'clock and six. Watering at the root must be carefully attended to when necessary, using weak liquid manure.

Period Of Forming The Blossom-Bud

Shading will now be indispensable, the best material for which is coarse canvas; those who are not too busy should remove it every afternoon at four o'clock, and replace it at nine on the following morning.

"The temperature should range from 65° to 70° by day, and from 55° to 60° by night, and be accompanied with a free circulation of air, avoiding all cutting winds.

"The plants must be very sparingly watered, in fact a good smart syringing every afternoon immediately the air is to be taken away, say four o'clock, will be nearly sufficient. The fire put out on a warm sunny day, about three o'clock; but it should be put entirely out about five o'clock, as it is only requisite to warm the pipes or flues sufficient to produce a genial vapour for the night; and half an hour after the fire is pulled out the whole of the flues, pipes and floors, should be saturated with water, to be evaporated by the next day's ventilation.