CHAP. TX VILLA GARDENING 361 



Houses for Pines. — For convenience sake, I divide the life 

 of the Pine Apple plant into three periods— viz. First, the sucker 

 or propagating stage ; second, the successional period ; and thirdly, 

 the fruiting time. Under fairly favourable conditions these three 

 periods or stages will occupy about 20 months or two years. Thus 

 from the time the sucker is taken from the old plant till the fruit 

 ripens will be about, say, two years, roughly computed. As during 

 these three stages of growth somewhat different treatment will he 

 required, so, if possible, there should be three different structures 

 to ensure a fair succession of fruits. The fruiting-house should 

 be capable of holding 100 plants, allowing from 2 to 2i- feet 

 square for each plant. The succession-house need not be quite so 

 large, as the plants in this stage will not take up so much room ; 

 and the sucker or propagating house may be still smaller. A span- 

 roofed house is best for successions and fruiters, as light is essential 

 to dwarf sturdy growth, and the latter condition is necessary to 

 produce handsome well-swelled -off fruit. In the old days I 

 remember so well, Pine-houses were always lean-to's, and the roofs 

 of most were heavily timbered. The beds or pits for bottom-heat 

 w^ere composed of tan or leaves, and a Hue supplied the top-heat. 

 Though this, in comparison wdth present appliances, may be con- 

 sidered rather primitive, yet very good Pine Apyjles were cut under 

 such conditions. The fruiting-house should have hot-water pii^es 

 for both bottom and top heat, though they are not absolutely 

 necessary for the successions and suckers, provided plenty of tan or 

 leaves can be obtained for bottom-heat. Still, pipes are best, and 

 as they are necessary for top-heat, the extra cost of running a 

 couple of pipes under the bed may well be incurred. In all stages 

 the plants should be near the glass, though in hot weather its 

 proximity will render shading more necessary. Still, with all this, 

 to obtain tine fruit in the shortest time possible the plants must 

 be near the glass. A very good house for Pines is a half-span, 

 with a long side facing south, and a short light to the north. It 

 very often happens that Pine stoves have to do double duty. I 

 have seen Cucumbers, Grapes, French Beans, Tomatoes, and Straw- 

 berries coming on vigorously in a Pine stove, and all gardeners 

 know the value of such structures in forwarding many things early 

 in the year. In the management of the Pinery the plants cannot 

 be potted and shifted on as required, in the same way as a col- 

 lection of stove or greenhouse plants. For reasons AA'hich need not 

 be explained here, the potting and shifting usually take place either 

 in March, midsummer, or September. These are the three periods 

 when the potting, top-dressing, and general rearrangement take 

 place in large Pine-growing establishments ; and usually all hands 



