Pine-apple—continued. 
backward, until they come off; afterwards, cut the end 
smallest lower leaves. Suckers may be potted, according 
to their size, in clean pots, from 5in. to 8in. in diameter. 
CULTIVATION, Where a quantity of Pine-apples are 
grown, it is usual to set apart structures for those in 
various stages of growth — one for suckers, one for 
; succession plants, and another for those which have 
i advanced to the fruiting stage. In all cases, pro- 
vision must be made for plunging-beds, and there 
should be plenty of hot-water pipes for keeping a 
high temperature, without having to over-heat them 
and produce a very dry atmosphere. Pine-apples may 
be grown in pits, but they may be much better 
attended to in a house, which, for the various stages 
in the growth of the plants, may be a lean-to, hip- 
roofed, or a span-roofed structure. Provision should 
always be made for the full admission of light; this 
is a most important element in cultivation, as it is 
conducive towards keeping the plants dwarf and sturdy. 
: 4 ‘face of the plunging-beds should be near enough 
; to the glass to allow of the plants nearly touching 
the latter when fixed in position. There should be 
hot-water pipes passing through a hollowed chamber 
beneath a staging of slate or wood, fixed to hold up 
the plants, and form a division. The plunging mate- 
rial above, the hollowed chamber, consisting of good 
Oak-leaves or tan, should be from 2ft. to 3ft. deep for 
maintaining heat over a long period. A small lean-to 
house is best for propagating, with a plunging-bed along 
the front, and a narrow passage at the back. When the 
plants become too large for this structure, they will be 
ready for the succession house, which may be hip-roofed 
or lean-to, on a higher and larger scale, with front and 
back passages. For fruiting Pine-apples, a span-roofed 
house is generally preferred for summer, to meet the re- 
quirements of strong-growing plants, and afford facilities 
for giving them an abundance of light; such an arrange- 
ment is not, however, always practicable, and the best 
has, consequently, to be made of the means at command. 
Provision should be made, in Pine-houses or pits, for 
applying a thin shading for a few hours on bright summer 
days; but this must be fixed on rollers, and on no account 
be left down permanently. To these rollers a thicker 
covering, for use on cold nights, and in severe weather, 
may be fixed with great advantage, as the heat and 
moisture, inside the house, will be much preserved 
thereby, and this is of great importance when hard- 
firing becomes a necessity. Ventilation should chiefly 
be given from the top; but provision should also be 
made for admitting front air near where the pipes are 
situated, in case of such being required in summer. On 
hot days, if top ventilators are open, rapid evaporation 
of moisture takes place; this may be counteracted con- 
siderably by nearly closing the top when the shading is 
down, and giving air from the front instead. On no 
account must draughts be allowed. 
The soil best suited for Pine -apples is one that 
affords the free passage of water, and the pots used 
should be thoroughly clean and dry both inside and 
out; they should also be well drained. Light, fibrous 
loam, which has been cut very thin, and stacked for a 
time sufficient to kill the grass, should form the main 
part of the compost. It should be torn up by hand, 
and only the rough, lumpy portions used. To it may 
be added some fibry peat similarly shaken out, about 
one-fifth part of rough, charred refuse, or some charcoal, 
and crushed bones, to the extent of half a bushel to 
about five barrow-loads of the compost. This should be 
prepared beforehand, and always made warm before being 
used. Animal manures, and anything tending to decay 
rapidly, should be excluded from soils intended for Pine- 
apple culture, If a stimulant becomes necessary, it is 
smooth with a sharp knife, and take off a very few of the 
plished were the system of planting- out adopted. 
heading, are, therefore, those of insuring thoron; si 
in the soil, and good drainage: Pine-apples eee 
succeed in a compost that becomes at a: i 
and retentive, or in the least sour from being ret. 
Pine-apples need never be placed in larger than 12in. 
pots; in these they may be most successfully fruited. In 
growing on suckers, and succession plants, an eye should 
be given to potting in sizes proportionate to giving a 
final shift into that above mentioned. Some cultivators 
adopt a system of planting-out Pine-apples when they 
arrive at the fruiting stage; but it is not generally 
practised. There are disadvantages, as, for instance, 
if anything should prove unfavourable to their well- 
being, it might not be so easily remedied as if the plants 
could be readily removed. A pot-plant, so soon as its 
fruit has been cut, may be easily taken elsewhere for 
producing suckers, and another, with the fruit ripening, 
put into its place. This would not be so readily accom- 
Watering must be conducted with great care in winter ; 
sometimes it will not be advisable to apply any for weeks 
then, nor yet in early spring. Wher the application of 
water becomes necessary—a time readily known to 
practised cultivators by the plant’s appearance—suffi- 
cient should be given to thoroughly soak the ball, and 
this should be of a temperature equally as high as that 
of the bottom heat maintained. It is well to examine 
the plants for watering at least once a week. Syringing, 
during the season when the plants are growing, should 
be practised at closing time in the afternoons; warm 
water must always be used. Evaporating troughs, on 
the pipes, kept filled with water, and frequent dampings 
of the walls and passages, will preserve a moist atmo- 
sphere; this, with a high temperature, is what Pine- 
apples require when growing as succession plants, and 
when the fruits are swelling. At the time the latter 
are ripening, water should be withheld, and a much drier 
atmosphere maintained; otherwise, the flavour will be 
affected. > 
In winter, the plants should be rested, but not sub- 
jected to a lower minimum night temperature than 
65deg., that by day, in mild weather, being 5deg. or 
10deg. higher. As the days lengthen, these figures may 
increase, until, in summer, 70deg. or 75deg. should be 
taken as a minimum for night. The bottom heat 
be aimed at, through the spring and summer, 
85deg. i i 
Insects. Mealy Bug and White Scale are th 
destructive insects to the attacks of which Pine-a 
are subject. Both are very injurious, and are difficult to 
eradicate; it is therefore extremely important that their 
appearance should, if possible, be prevented. Whenever 
any are detected, measures for cleansing the plants should 
be at once taken in hand. Various remedies have been 
proposed and tried, amongst them being that of placing 
affected plants head downwards over a bed of ferment- 
ing horse-dung, in a frame which is kept closed for 
about an hour, when the plants are taken out and 
washed. Clean water, at a temperature approaching, 
but not exceeding, 130deg., has also been recommended. 
Perhaps the most efficacious remedy, when properly 
applied, is paraffin, using a wineglassful to a gallon 
of warm, soft water. The plants should be laid on their 
side, and the mixture syringed on by one person, while 
another keeps it constantly agitated with a second 
syringe. The whole of the paraffin must be afterwards 
washed off with clean water, applied warm, and with 
some force. 5 
Sorrs. Pine-apples are somewhat numerous in varie - 
ties, but for all practical purposes only a few of 
best are necessary. Indeed, the good qualities of 
