CULTURE OF TRB PINE* APPLE. 437 



MAY. 



Rest, if possible, the Black pines intended to fruit in winter ; they 

 ought now to have a cool house for themselves. As this is the great 

 growing month for the general stock of pines, fruit swells and plants 

 grow more freely in May than in any other month ; hence all our 

 growing forces of heat, moisture, and stimulants should be applied 

 most fully during this month. The temperature of fruiting-houses may 

 be run up to a hundred for a few hours in the afternoon and evening ; 

 the atmosphere may be kept saturated in fruiting-houses; manure- 

 water may be sprinkled everywhere, and the syringe freely applied over- 

 head ; some of the plants started in January will begin to change colour 

 towards the end of the month, these must be at once removed to a cooler 

 and airier house ; the most of the first batch of Queens will ripen next 

 month; if wanted earlier, they must be started in December or 

 November; if later, in February or March; the second batch of 

 Queens are mostly started in March. By starting a batch of Queens 

 every two months from December to April, a succession of fruit can 

 readily be had from June to November ; two startings will generally 

 suffice for the summer and autumn supply, as the plants will seldom 

 all fruit together. If a few Blacks are introduced with each lot of 

 Queens, the supply of ripe fruit will with greater certainty be rendered 

 continuous. The first batch of fruiters will yield a crop of suckers 

 for fruiting in from twelve to fifteen months after they are potted ; the 

 later batches will yield suckers to succeed them ; the winter and spring 

 fruiters will succeed these, and thus the season of ripe pines may be made 

 to meet at both ends. March and April are the most likely months 

 for blanks to occur. The succession-plants must also make hay while 

 the sun shines in May. Pot any plants that require it, and push all 

 on to a maximum of strength throughout the month. 



JUNE. 



Cut and remove the first batch of Queens ; start the first batch of 

 Black Jamaicas, Cayennes,' or other similar sorts ; keep a genial heat 

 to the second lot of Queens ; water freely and saturate the air with 

 manure-water ; syringe the fruit as soon as it is out of flower ; grow 

 on succession-plants sturdy and strong; give all the light and air 

 possible ; avoid scorching by free ventilation and partial shade ; pot 

 any plants that require it. 



JULY. 



Remove any ripe fruit to a cooler house ; attend to gills and crowns, 

 remove the former, and regulate the latter ; keep a high moist atmo- 

 sphere, and shut up early in the afternoon, syringing freely ; push on 

 succession-plants; pot suckers. 



AUGUST. 



Start the second lot of winter and spring fruiting-pines, the smoother- 

 leaved Cayenne being the best for the season, either in the end of the 



