THE PINE APPLE. 73 



added, which generally, with an addition to the 

 upper part of it, retained its heat till the latter end 

 of February or beginning of March ; at this time 

 the plants were divested of a few of their lower 

 leaves, to let young roots spring freely out of their 

 stems, the surface of the earth in the pots cleared 

 down to the roots, and fresh earth laid on, pressing 

 it close to the stems of the plants. After this 

 dressing, the plants needed not to be moved again 

 till they ripened their fruit, unless they required 

 more bottom heat. This is the general process 

 which I used, though I found it necessary to vary 

 according to occurring circumstances, regarding the 

 heat of the tan bed, the condition of the plants, and 

 the state of the weather. 



' Some large kinds of Pine Apple plants require 

 three seasons to grow before they can bring large 

 sized fruit, such as the black Antigua, the Jamaica, 

 the Ripley, &c. ; therefore in the month of April 

 or May, after they have been planted upwards of a 

 year, it is best to take them out of the pots, and to 

 cut off all their roots close to the stem, or leave 

 only a few which are fresh and strong, and then 

 plant them- again in good earth in clean pots, and 

 plunge the pots in a tan bed with a lively heat in 

 it. After this process, a stronger heat than usual 

 must be kept in the house, till the plants have made 

 fresh roots and their leaves be perceived to grow, 

 when a little water may be given to them, which, 

 together with a good bottom and top heat, will 

 make them grow finely. 



