THE PINE APPLE. ,59 



But it will be proper here to observe, that in some 

 hot-houses it is found difficult to get plants of the 

 Antigua and Sugar-loaf kinds to fruit at a proper 

 age ; and, in that case, I advise the shaving off the 

 roots on the outside, and reducing the balls of 

 them at this shifting. A greater proportion of sand 

 should also be added to the compost, which will 

 be the means of bringing them into a fruiting state 

 at a proper season. 



The disproportion of the second-sized and fruit- 

 ing-pots is so great, as to admit of a good quantity 

 of fresh mould at this shifting, which is absolutely 

 necessary to support the plants till their fruit be- 

 comes ripe : it also affords an opportunity of per- 

 forming, the operation of shifting the plants with- 

 out injuring their roots. As there will be a large 

 space between the ball and the side of the pot, the 

 mould may be put round the ball with great ease ; 

 whereas, when plants are shifted into pots only a 

 small size larger than those from whence they were 

 taken, they are generally much injured by the ope- 

 ration of shifting : besides, even with the greatest 

 care, there will frequently be spaces left hollow 

 between the ball and the side of the pot. 



A little fresh tan should be added, and the bed 

 forked up, but not to the bottom of the pit, as the 

 tan is liable to heat violently at this season of the 

 year ; of which when there is the least appearance, 

 the pots should be raised immediately. The delay 

 of doing it one day may be attended with very bad 

 consequences. 



