TftE PINE APPLE. 161 



have paid a second, or third visit ; but every one 

 has ultimately declared himself a zealous convert. 

 I have never yet seen plants of the same age equally 

 strong, nor any producing fruit better, nor indeed 

 so well swelled; nor any equal in richness and 

 flavour. But I have never taken off, nor shortened 

 a root, nor taken any other measures to retard the 

 period of fructification, with the prospect of obtain- 

 ing larger fruit ; and my plants have almost always 

 showed fruit when fourteen or fifteen months old, 

 though propagated from small and young suckers, 

 or crowns. A great part of my Queen Pines (I 

 have hitherto scarcely ever cultivated any other 

 varieties) have, however, at that age, shown fruit 

 with eight, and some with nine rows of pips ; and 

 I often see fruit of less weight growing upon plants 

 of nearly double that age. Whether I shall be 

 able to retard the period of fructification, or not, I 

 have yet to learn ; but I believe, I shall succeed by 

 crowding my plants close together, so that each 

 may receive less light. 



" Pine plants will, however, grow perfectly well 

 in composts of different kinds ; but I have found 

 that they have succeeded best when the materials 

 have been fresh, and retaining their organic form, 

 particularly if the pots be large, relatively to the 

 size of the plants, which, I think, they always ought 

 to be, for the mode of culture recommended. I 

 have used, with advantage, the haulm of beans cut 

 into lengths of about an inch. 



" Very contrary to the conclusions which I should 



M 



