16 FOREIGN MODES OF CULTIVATING 



The time, from the beginning of the fruit to its 

 perfect maturity, cannot be limited to a certain 

 number of days and weeks, since it depends very 

 much on the weather of two summers following. 

 During the spring, when the plants are in the hot- 

 house, a very natural growth may be obtained by 

 heating the stove, and by the sun shining at right 

 angles on the glass, which growth may be continued 

 during the summer. In autumn this cannot be the 

 case, because the sun has less power, and the rains 

 common to that season diminish it still more ; there- 

 fore, from December at latest, more and more arti- 

 ficial heat must be given to the plants, until they 

 begin in the middle of February, or at farthest in 

 the beginning of March, to show their fruit, which 

 then, with good summer weather and proper treat- 

 ment, will attain to maturity in the beginning of 

 July, and thus are five months ripening ; the fruit, 

 which shows itself in the beginning of March, wants 

 at least a fortnight more to ripen ; that which appears 

 in the middle of March wants a month more, and 

 consequently is six months coming to maturity ; 

 that which shows itself in April wants still more, 

 and seldom becomes so ripe as to obtain its proper 

 taste and smell. The agreeable smell which the 

 ripe Ananas emits on lifting up the sashes, is the 

 surest proof of maturity : it is then of a deep yel- 

 low, and the knobs have brownish yellow spots. 



The time for removing the plants from the bark 

 bed into the flued pit, and hence again into the 

 bark bed, cannot be fixed, as this depends on the 



