February 17, 1870. 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



eyery-day ' 



PINEAPPLE CULTURE. 



OUR correspondents, Mr. Simpson and Mr. 

 Record, have recently made some interest- 

 ing remarks on the time in which they have 

 found it possible and profitable to fruit Queen 

 Tine Apples, calculating from the time that 

 suckers are potted to the time at which these 

 produce ripe fruit, and they invite corre- 

 spondence on the subject — a request with 

 which I take the liberty to comply. 



I think it may now be termed almost 

 Pine-growing to ripen the fruit in twenty or 

 twenty-four months ; and I think it quite possible, and 

 profitable as a rule, where there are good, light, well-heated 

 Pine houses, to ripen the fruit in fourteen or fifteen months 

 from the time the suckers are potted. In the summer of 

 1867 I potted a number of suckers from the Queen Pine 

 Apples which ripened in June, and from these suckers 

 cut ripe fruit in fourteen months, and I have no hesitation 

 in saying, that as a rule, with good culture and light 

 houses, that time is sufficient to produce 3 to 4 lbs. 

 Queens, which, for ordinary purposes, is a very service- 

 able size. My experience has always been that the 

 younger the plant the larger the fruit in proportion to 

 the size of the plant, and vies versa. You may bid good- 

 bye to fine fruit when the plants are mounted on a stilt 

 of a stem. 



The most important points of culture for speedy returns 

 are first, to get a stout short sucker, and to keep it grow- 

 ing' in as much light as possible, and with rather a mini- 

 ma m of moisture in both soil and air ; above all, avoiding 

 monster pots, and particularly in the case of Queens. It 

 may be interesting to refer to an experiment I once made 

 with the view of testing what could be gained by large pots. 

 Thirty-six plants of the Smooth Cayenne and Charlotte 

 Rothschild varieties, which I consider more in need of 

 pot-room than Queens, were selected, and the eighteen 

 finest plants were shifted into 15-inch pots, and the remain- 

 ing eighteen were in 11-inch pots, plunged in the same bed. 

 and in all respects treated alike. The following shows 

 the result of the experiment when the fruit were ripe : — 



Though in these weights of twelve fruit from each size 

 of pot the weights are in favour of the large pots, I do not 

 consider anything was gained by the larger shift, as the 

 plants in the 11 -inch pots were decidedly less than their 

 competitors at the time of shifting. Out of the thirty-six, 

 seven fruit were under 6 lbs., and one under 5 lbs. They 



No. 464.— Vol.. XVin., New Seeies. 



were ripened between October and Christmas, and in 1867 

 I had nearly as fine fruit in 11 -inch pots ripened at the 

 same dull season, and which were potted rootless suckers 

 in August, 1866 : so that these stronger-growing sorts do 

 not require much more time in which to do their work 

 than Queens. — D. Thomson. 



The object of this paper is not to condemn Mr. Records 

 system, but simply to state my experience and opinion, 

 and if others would adopt a similar course much might be 

 learned that we cannot meet with in any one work on the 

 Pine Apple. Surely the time is long past when good cul- 

 tivators like to keep secret their success and experience. 



That the Pine Apple can be fruited in less than three 

 years is, I think, generally acknowledged, and I know no 

 reason why it should not be fruited in half the time — 

 namelv, eighteen months. If Mr. Record can obtain 3 lb. 

 fruit in one year, it is a step in the right direction, but he 

 must have very large suckers to commence with, and have 

 a 12-inch pot "either full or well filled with roots in nine 

 months, allowing three months for rest and ripening. If 

 Mr. Record's svstem can be carried out, I hope to see this 

 fruit . . vn again in all those places where it used to rank 

 so highlv. How melancholy it is on revisiting a place 

 where the Pine Apple was grown to find its culture given 

 up as too expensive ! 



I will now describe my mode of cultivation. Queens 

 are the variety I grow most of, and I shall, therefore, con- 

 fine rnv remarks to it. In August thirty suckers, or more, 

 about "a foot long, and stout in proportion, are selected ; 

 they are potted in fi-inch pots, plunged in tan, and no 

 water is given for some time. The pit is kept rather close 

 at first, watering with warm water when wanted, and 

 avoiding extremes. Should the weather be fine and sunny, 

 a slight shading is used, at the same time damping the 

 walls and passages to encourage rapid and sturdy growth, 

 also the tan or plunging material. I never damp over- 

 head at any stage. I preserve a temperature of from 75 

 to - i", with sun, and a bottom heat of 90 . as at this stage 

 there are no roots to burn. As the season advances the 

 temnerature is lowered. 



In Februarv the suckers will be all well rooted, and 

 they are potted in 8-inch pots. The plunging material is 

 turned over, and if there is not sufficient heat,Iadd a little 

 fresh material. They are plunged and kept growing until 

 August, with an increase of temperature in the summer 

 months. It does not hurt the Pine Apple to be shut up 

 at a temperature of 120° in the afternoon, for two or three 

 hours, if a little air be given all night. 



In August I shift the plants from s-inch to 12-inch pots, 

 and in these I fruit them. They are taken into the fruit- 

 ing stove, and encouraged to fill the pots with root;, which 

 will be accomplished, if all go well, by November. The 

 temperature is then lowered, water withheld for some time, 

 and then a good watering is given, the water used being 

 warm, not hot. and the bottom and top heat increased. 

 In Januarv the most of the plants will " throw up," and in 

 June and July the greater portion of the fruit will be ripe. 



Thirty plants are all I have room to fruit here, allowing 

 No. 1116.- Vol. XLIIL, Old Seeies. 



