166 IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CULT-URE OF 



being wholly incapable of supporting it. The taste 

 and flavour of this fruit were excellent, and the ap- 

 pearance of the other, which is not yet ripe, and is 

 of a larger size, is still more promising. I purpose 

 to profit by this result in the next summer ; and I 

 hope to be able to communicate some further infor- 

 mation to the Society in the autumn. I feel per-- 

 fectly confident, that if the roots of these plants 

 had grown in a hot-bed of any kind, their sap 

 would have been impelled into other channels ; and 

 that their fruit would not have attained, in any 

 degree, the state of perfection which I have de- 

 scribed." 



This is the latest printed account of Mr. Knight's 

 experiments on the Pine Apple, It would be 

 premature to draw any general conclusions in so 

 early a stage of their progress, and might ex- 

 cite prejudice to anticipate the final result. That 

 the Pine plant will grow and thrive without what 

 is technically called bottom heat, is an obvious 

 truth, since no plant in a state of nature is found 

 growing in soil warmer than that of the superin- 

 cumbent atmosphere. But to imitate nature, is 

 not always the best mode of culture ; for the more 

 correct the imitation, the less valuable would be 

 the greater part of her products, at least as far as 

 horticulture is concerned. What would our celery, 

 cabbage, and apples be, if their culture were copied 

 from nature ? Though the Pine Apple will grow 

 weh 1 without bottom heat, it may grow with bottom 



