PINEAPPLE. 



367 



PINEAPPLE. 



alone to form additional wood for laying 

 in, or broken off at four inches from their 

 base, if not too strong, or if very vigorous, 

 they may be broken at this distance from 

 the base, and then snapped off at about 

 the same distance beyond the first fracture. 

 Third Year, Treatment in. In the third 

 year the minute branches at the lower 

 third of the main branch will have de- 

 veloped into fruit buds, and will bear fruit, 

 now becoming fruit spurs. The fruit buds 

 may be easily distinguished from leaf buds, 

 as they are very thick and full at the upper 

 part when compared with the latter, which 

 are slighter and more elongated . The longer 

 shoots in the intermediate third have also 

 formed minute branches, and so have the 

 stronger and shortened shoots at the 

 extreme third, and fructification will ensue. 

 When after the lapse of years the fruit 

 spurs become too large and require prun- 

 ing, they must be cut back as will be ex- 

 plained in instructions on Pruning. Some- 

 times it will happen that fruit spurs are per- 

 mitted, through want of care, to attain too 

 great a size. They must then be shortened 

 back gradually, portions furthermost from 

 the base being taken off the first year, then 

 other portions in the second year, reserv- 

 ing the final shortening for the third year, 

 because, if they were cut back to the full 

 extent that is necessary all at once in the 

 first year, the consequence would be that 

 the spurs thus shortened would put forth 

 vigorous shoots which would assume the 

 character of wood branches. 



Pineapple. 



At one time pineapples, or pines as they 

 are usually called for the sake of brevity, 

 were the great luxury of the upper ten 

 thousand ; now, through the numerous 

 quantities imported, they are brought 

 within the reach of all : perhaps chiefly 

 for this reason they are not so generally 

 grown as formerly. There is also a very 



prevalent idea that their cultivation is both 

 difficult and expensive. The formidable 

 treatises published on their culture have 

 frightened many from undertaking it ; and 

 yet few plants are more easily cultivated. 

 There is also no comparison between a 

 well-ripened English-grown pine and an 

 imported one. The former is generally 

 a luscious fruit ; the latter is very often 

 but little better than a sweet turnip. 

 Occasionally, however, good foreign pines 

 may be had ; but they can never compete 

 with English ones ; and there is no reason, 

 in cultural difficulties nor expense of pro- 

 duction, why every lover of this fruit should 

 not grow his own. 



Houses and Heating. Houses for their 

 culture are easily made. No peculiarity 

 of structure is necessary. Doubtless the 

 nearer the light they can be placed the 

 better, although excellent pines may be 

 grown under the shade of vines at least a 

 yard from the roof. The most convenient, 

 and ultimately the cheapest mode of supply- 

 ing bottom-heat, is by hot water ; pipes, 

 and a hot-air chamber under the bed, are 

 best, and least liable to accident. 



Beds. The bed to grow pines in should 

 be 4 feet deep, to allow of a sufficiency of 

 plunging material to cover the highest 

 pots, and of sufficient soil to plant the 

 pines out in the bed. This latter is the 

 best, cheapest, and most efficient mode of 

 growing pines. Prepare the bed thus: 

 Place 6 inches of rough brickbats for 

 drainage, then a layer of broken bones two 

 inches thick ; on this a layer of rich loam, 

 in whole pieces, with the turf inverted on 

 the drainage in solid pieces one foot square 

 and 2 to 3 inches thick. Then fill up to 

 within 8 inches of the top, with this soil 

 chopped into pieces about four inches 

 square, mixed with broken bones and 

 pieces of charcoal, and broken freestone 

 instead of sharp sand. The charcoal or 

 bones give a sort of enriching power to 



