THE PINE APPLE. 115 



months old. " This method, in point both of time 

 and expence, has greatly the advantage of the 

 common plan of raising Pines in three years by 

 fires, when the fruit at last is frequently small and 

 ill-flavoured." 



" It is a peculiar recommendation of this plan, 

 that the plants reared in frames without fire, the first 

 year seldom or never run to fruit ; whereas, on the 

 contrary, when stoves are used first for a nursery 

 for young plants, and next for succession plants, 

 and lastly, for plants for the fruiting-house, it 

 is seldom that one-third of the plants come to 

 the forcing-house, because so many of them 

 have run to fruit; and even those that stand 

 are necessarily dried and stunted, being subject- 

 ed to the attacks of various insects ; not to men- 

 tion the enormous care and expence attendant 

 upon a three years' cultivation. The above ap- 

 pears to me to be the most easy and economical 

 plan to raise Pines ; one-third of the coals are suf- 

 ficient, and less than one-half of the labour and 

 buildings required for that purpose." Culture of the 

 Ananas, p. 28. 



Insects. After, as usual, many fruitless attempts, 

 he at last discovered the following method : " Take 

 horse-dung from the stable, the fresher the better, 

 sufficient to make a hot-bed three feet high, to 

 receive a melon frame three feet deep at the back ; 

 put on the frame and lights immediately, and 

 cover the whole with mats to bring up the heat. 

 When the bed is at the strongest heat, take some 



