720 GARDEN MANAGEMENT. 



its one-sixtli of this, its one-fifth of that, kc, — or, rather, this is all that is 

 necessary. The bones or charcoal give a sort of enriching power or lachhone 

 to the loam, and all other food is supplied afterwai-ds, just and only when it is 

 wanted in a lirjuid state. Now, then, secure some good Queens of any approved 

 variety — a Sugar-loaf or two, if you please, — and some black Jamaicas 

 or black Antiguas for winter ; as many ProAidences as you can find room for ; 

 a few Montserrats, Envelles, and gold- and silver-striped for variety, and this 

 is all you require. For the general crop nothing equals the Queens in flavour. 

 Providences are the next best, and by far the noblest of all. See that your 

 plants are perfectly clean and healthy, rather than large, when you purchase 

 them. When pines once get infested with scale or bug, the best way is to 

 consign them to the laibbish-heap at once. To prevent them becoming so, 

 constant watchfulness, and the catch-and-kill-every-insect principle, is the 

 only safe practice. Turn the plants carefully out of the pots, plant from 

 three to five feet apart, according to the sorts, size of plants, &c. Providences 

 require most space ; unwind as many roots as possible without breaking the 

 ball too much ; earth-up the stem as high as the good sound healthy leaves 

 (those that are otherwise should be removed) will allow you ; leave a hard, 

 smooth surface, water with water at a temperature of 80°, and the work is 

 complete. Plants thus bedded ov.t will not require watering nearly so often 

 as those in pots ; and if the entiro surface is mulched over with cocoanut-fibre 

 refuse, a good soaking once a month, in the growing season, will probably 

 suffice. It is probable that, with generous treatment, most of these plants 

 will fruit within eighteen months of the time of planting. When the fruit is 

 cut, leave the leaves as little injured as possible. With amazing strength 

 and rapidity, two or three suckers will spring up, and grow with the 

 greatest vigour. One only should be left, and the others either potted for 

 succession-plants or furnishing other fruiting-houses, or be thrown away. 

 From a period varying from six to twelve months from the time of cutting 

 one fruit, another will be ripe on the same stool. As the young plant on the 

 stock advances, the old leaves on the latter may be reduced vxntil all, or nearly 

 all, are removed. At the same time the roots should receive a rich top- 

 dressing of the same material in which they grow ; thus nearly eight inches 

 will be left on the surface at planting, so as to allow two or three inches of 

 fresh dressing to every new crop. This is essential to their well-being, as, 

 from the suckers possessing a self-elevating power or proceeding from a few 

 inches of the bottom of the stool, they could not have an independent 

 support from the soil unless it was raised up with them. After a few years it 

 may be necessary to remove the entire bed hodily, and begin at a lower level 

 afresh. There can be no question that this is the cheapest, most rapid, and 

 profitable system of management. 



-2256. The entire trouble of succession plants may be got rid off. No one 

 scarcely ever thinks now of propagating pines by crowns and gills, when a 

 sucker strong enough to fruit can be had in from six to nine months. The great 

 feature is to make part of the supply oforganizable matter that went to produce 



