B R O 



B R O 



occasionallv, to receive the water from the 

 -\vaterin2;-pot. Bv this means water is capable 

 of being conveyed to tlic plants separately 

 in any proportion without any being poured 

 into the hearts of them, and \\ithout wetting 

 the bark-beds more than is necessary to moisten 

 the earth in the pots, See. It is particularly appli- 

 cable in winter, as well as in the spring, during 

 theliloom of the fruiting plants. 



In wint(.'r it may sometimes be proper to 

 have some convenience in the stove to preserve 

 -water in, that it may be raised in its heat a 

 little, previous to v, atering the plants with it. 



The application of steam has lately been at- 

 tempted in the raising of this sort of fruit, and, 

 from the triah of Mr. Bastard, with considerable 

 success; as, from his staten.ents detailed in the 

 67th vol. of the Philosophical Transactions, it 

 would seem that both the size and flavour of the 

 fruit were greatlv increased by placing the plants 

 in their pots in shallow pans kept constantly filled 

 with water on shelves, so as nearly to touch the 

 glass on the back side of the hothouse, where 

 the heat is constantly the greatest. The same 

 effects have likewise been produced by setting 

 them in leaden cisterns placed over tlie back 

 flues of hothouses. It is, however, remarked 

 bv the author of the Philosophy of Gardening, 

 that the use of the steam of boihng water in this 

 way requires nmch attention. It is usually con- 

 veved through small apertures which pass through 

 a brick arch, somewhat in the manner of the 

 floor of the malt-kiln, where the w.iterboUs be- 

 neath the beds of bark, being occasionally ad- 

 mitted into the room above, supplying in this 

 way heat and moisture to the beds as well as the 

 air of the house. See Steam and Hothouse. 



Some have attempted the culture of the pine- 

 apple without the assistance of hot-houses and 

 stoves constructed for the purpose, simply by 

 means of common deep garden frames, and dung 

 hot-beds aided by occasional Imings, in order 

 to promote and keep up a regular degree of heat ; 

 but this is a very imperfect method, and seldom 

 attended with nmch success. 



The injuries which these plants are ex- 

 posed to during their growth, are chiefly from 

 briun and white scaly insects of the cocms tribe, 

 and the ant. But, as the last is seldom seen if 

 the former are not present, Mr. Nicol concludes 

 that their presence is in consequence ot that ot 

 the coccus, on which they seem to feed. And 

 the brown scaled insect is conceived to be no 

 further injurious to the plants, than by dirtying 

 them. But the irli'ite scaled, or i'Ug, is of the 

 most mischievous nature to the plants, as 

 where it abounds they never succeed well. 



hi order to remove them, Mr. Nicol found thi; 



following method answer perfectly in a case 

 where the plants were greatly aflected. Having 

 prepared a strong heat for the plants in the bark- 

 bed of the nursing-pit, he shook the plants out 

 of the pots, and cut every fibre from their roots, 

 (whereby they were rendered the same as suekers 

 at first,) not excepting those that were in fruit, 

 some of which were just in flower; dipped them 

 into a liquor, prepared by boiling two pounds 

 of soft soap and flowers of sulphur, with one 

 pound of roll tobacco, and two ounces of nux 

 vomica, in eiy:ht gallons of water to six, and 

 then put them into pots of six inches diameter, 

 and plunged them to the brim, keeping up a fire 

 heat to about 7o degrees; gave tliem but little 

 air, sliading them in sunshine; and afterwards 

 alTorded them plentiful w-ateriugs over head, 

 with the same mixture reduced to about half its 

 former strength. He continued this treatment 

 for two whole months ; at the end of which 

 he aoain shook out their' roots, and washed tiie 

 whoTe plants in pure water; put them into 

 fresh pots of eight inches diameter, and re- 

 plunged them into a kindly heat in another nur- 

 sing^^pit, treating them in all respects as any 

 other plants. He never saw a vestige of the 

 bug afterwards. A few of those plants that 

 were s /town, liowever, died; but the others, he 

 observes, produced such fruit as might be ex- 

 pected from plants of such sizes of any other 

 kind. 



Tiinv of Maliiralinii and Ciilttng the Fruit. — 

 The common season for the ripening of this 

 sort of fruit is from June till September, but 

 from Auo;ust to the end of the latter of these 

 months is the principal period of their becoming 

 in the greatest perfection. Mr. Nicol remarks 

 that the plants in some kinds put forth suckers 

 at the base of the fruit; which should be rubbed 

 off as they appear. Others put forth suckers 

 from the root ; and, as these are not proper to 

 be taken into the stock, they should also be 

 twisted oft', or otherwise destroyed, as they 

 appear. It is added, that if a plant w-ere to be 

 divested of all its suckers, the fruit would 

 grow to a much larger size in consequence; 

 but, as this would ultimately tend to the extir- 

 pation of the whole stock, it is by no means 

 advisable. It is proper, however, to reduce 

 the number of suckers on the plant to two or 

 three at most, which should be done in the 

 Mav shifting; and as the suckers are about half 

 growa at that time, the cultivator is enabled to 

 choose the best, and at the same time to easily 

 destroy the others by breaking out their hearts. 

 Where the increase of the stock is the object, 

 all suckers, even of the roots, should be cncQU- 

 raaed in their erowth. 



