354 FORCING GARDEN. 



The reasons alleged for this extraordinary practice are, 

 that the pine-apple plant is continually pushing out roots 

 at the surface, while those below are rapidly dying ; that 

 the soil, in the course of three years, becomes completely 

 exhausted; and, lastly, that this treatment prevents pre- 

 mature starting in the course of the second year, This 

 last reason is very questionable, and it assumes that pine- 

 apple plants must be treated for three years before they 

 produce fruit. There is some force in the other reasons, 

 but they certainly do not prove the necessity of the prac- 

 tice. Roots may be pruned without being removed 

 altogether. The earth may be shaken almost entirely 

 away, and replaced by fresh compost, at the expense of 

 only a few fibres. Again, if, at every shifting, a small 

 portion of the earth be taken from below, as florists treat 

 auriculas in pots, at the end of two years scarcely any por- 

 tion of the original soil will remain. The grand objection 

 to the operation is the great and unnecessary check to vege- 

 tation, and the consequent stuntedness of habit, which, in- 

 succulent plants of such an age, is scarcely remediable. 



That it is possible successfully to cultivate pine-apples 

 without thus cutting away the roots is borne out by the 

 testimony and practice of Griffin, Appleby, and other dis- 

 tinguished cultivators. When the roots are even partially 

 removed, the plants must be shaded for some time, and be 

 watered sparingly, till they begin to grow freely. The 

 summer temperature should be comparatively warm, the 

 range being from G5 Q to 70 p of fire-heat, or during night, 

 and from 7(P to 85^ solar heat. Abundance of air should 

 be admitted, and the plants ought to be set widely, that 

 they may have room to swell below, and become stout and 

 bushy. 



Biennial Course — The method of culture which we 



