366 VILLA GARDENING I'AKT iv 



instance, where an abundance of fermenting material can be had to 

 economise fuel. I have known good Pines grown without much fire- 

 heat, but it involved a good deal of labour in renewing hnings, etc., 

 and the place always had the appearance of an immense manure 

 heap. Still, the combination of leaves and manure worked well, and 

 was economical. There is no doubt that, with a set of low light 

 span-roofed pits, built on arches to give free play to the linings, and 

 an abundance of fermenting materials always in condition for use. 

 Pines might be grown very cheaply. The control over such struc- 

 tiu-es is quite as perfect as when they are heated with hot water. 

 Say, for instance, we have in October a house of plants large enough 

 to fruit, and we wish to fruit them next summer : for the next three 

 months we ventilate freely, give just enough water to keep the 

 colour in the leaves, and let the bottom-heat sink to 70°, the at- 

 mospheric to 60°. About January, when the days are lengthening, 

 the linings should be renewed, raising the bottom-heat to 80°, — at 

 the same time increasing the atmospheric warmth and moisture, 

 and giving more water at the roots. This combination of causes 

 rarely fails to start the fruits. When the plants are grown in pots, 

 after fresh potting a little extra bottom-heat should be given to 

 stimulate root-action. Suckers tend to weaken the fruits ; there- 

 fore only a limited number should be left on each plant — two or 

 three will generally suffice to keep up stock. Some kinds — such as 

 the Providence, Charlotte Ptothschild, and Smooth Cayenne— do 

 not produce many suckers. Plants showing fruit should be watered 

 very liberally, — giving liquid manure until the fruits begin to put 

 on the golden tint, when the watering must be discontinued. The 

 fruits should be cut before they are quite ripe, to get the full 

 flavoiu-, leaving them in the heart of the plant, but severed from 

 it, for a day or two. I have kept Pines on the plants in a cool 

 dry room for several weeks when they were rii)e, and they may 

 be kept by placing the bottom of the stems in bottles of water, 

 though some sacrifice of flavour might result. Plenty of air 

 must be given when ripening, to produce flavour, and also to 

 ripen the suckers, preparatory to their removal. All Pine stoves 

 heated by hot water shoidd have troughs fixed on the pipes, which 

 must be kept full of liquid manure during the time the fruit _ is 

 growing, but not when rii^ening. Sometimes very handsome fruits 

 are disfigm-ed by having crowns out of all proportion. This gener- 

 ally arises from too much moistm-e in the atmosphere, often caused 

 by plying the syringe too freely on the crowns. 



Insects. — The Pine Apple plant, like many others, has its 

 species of Cocci or scale. The white scale is the most troublesome 

 and difficult to deal with. If the plants get badly infested it is 



