THE PINE APPLE. 95 



This precaution, however, is only necessary for the 

 sake of such crowns and suckers as have been 

 struck late last season, and are not very well 

 rooted ; such being more apt to damp off than 

 others that are better established." In summer he 

 supplies water regularly and plentifully once in 

 three days; giving the proper quantity at root, 

 and then a dewing over the leaves. He waters fre- 

 quently with the drainings of the dunghill. 



Air he admits to the nursing-pits every good 

 day. Even in hard frost, when the sun shines, two 

 or three of the lights should be slipped down, to 

 let the ratified air escape at top. After potting 

 unrooted offsets, he gives no air till the heat begin 

 to rise in the bark-bed ; but as the plants indicate 

 their having made roots, he gives air during sun- 

 shine, so as to keep down the thermometer to 85 

 or 80. 



Suckers planted in summer he shifts or re-pots 

 in the following March. He says, " Let them be 

 shaked out entirely ; the balls be quite reduced ; 

 the roots be trimmed of all straggling and decay- 

 ed fibres ; and let them be replaced in the same, 

 or in similar pots. The proper size of pots, how- 

 ever, in which to put crowns and suckers struck 

 last season, is about four inches inside diameter at 

 top, and six inches deep. A little clean gravel 

 should be laid at the bottom of each pot, in order 

 to drain off extra moisture ; and this should be 

 observed in the potting of Pine-plants of all sorts. 

 I have generally observed, that if the bark heat be 



