436 CULTURE OF THE PINE-APPLE. 



Doings among Pines for every Month in the Year. 



JANUARY. 



Start the first batch of Queens for ripening in June. These will 

 succeed the winter-fruiting varieties, About half of the stock of 

 Queens should be started now. If a few Black varieties or Cayennes 

 are started with them, they will prolong the fruiting season and give a 

 pleasing variety. Choose the strongest plants for the first batch 

 of fruiters ; attend to coverings, &c. ; water with care, and be sparing 

 with water in the atmosphere ; maintain a brisk genial heat for the 

 fruiting-plants and a low temperature for the main stock of successions ; 

 keep, however, the winter stock of these moving on. 



FEBRUARY. 



Most of the fruiting-plants started last month will show now ; as 

 soon as they have done so, water more freely, increase the heat, and 

 diffuse more water throughout the atmosphere. Keep Black pines that 

 are changing colour by themselves, or remove them to a vinery or 

 other forcing-house to finish ; cut and preserve ripe fruit ; give the suc- 

 cession-stock more warmth as the sun strengthens ; prepare material for 

 the renewal of the beds, potting, &c. ; shift the most forward plants ; 

 turn the beds ; attend to covering and watering ; see that no plant is 

 potted dry ; let all such be soaked thoroughly with manure-water two 

 or three days before potting, to soak every portion of the ball ; attend 

 to covering ; give more heat and moisture. 



MARCH. 



Start a second batch of Queens; pot the strongest of the winter 

 fruiters into their fruiting-pots, that they may be filled with roots at 

 starting time in September and October ; keep up the heat ; fill steam- 

 ing troughs, and maintain a genial moisture ; renew the bed for the 

 fruiting-plants ; water freely, but avoid excess ; cut ripe fruit ; pot the 

 general stock of succession-plants, Queens, Blacks, Cayennes, &c.; 

 if practicable, give the Black pines 5 more heat than the others ; renew 

 the beds ; attend to coverings. 



APRIL. 



Push on the fruiting-plants ; give water more freely at the roots ; 

 guard against any excess of bottom heat ; sprinkle paths, plunging 

 bed, or any vacant space frequently on bright days. Charge the evapo- 

 rating troughs with manure-water ; remove all gills from the bottom 

 of the fruit and the stems ; take off and pot superfluous suckers from 

 plants swelling their fruit ; water with guano-water ; encourage a free 

 steady growth among succession-plants ; cover and water with care ; 

 renew or turn the linings. 



