378 THE HOT- HOUSE. [APRIL 



the largest plants. A few of the most promising being marked, a 

 small iron rod, made with a sharp angular point, may be thrust down 

 the centre of each sucker arising therefrom, which being turned two 

 or three times around, will drill out the heart and prevent its growth. 

 Thus the plants being sufficiently supplied with water, and having 

 nothing to support but the fruit, will sometimes grow amazingly 

 large. But this method is not to be practised on too many plants, 

 as it would be attended with the entire loss of all the suckers. 



WATERING THE PINES. 



In the West Indies, where pines grow to the greatest perfection, 

 rains are very unfrequent during the period that this fruit is coming 

 to maturity j but the dews are remarkably heavy, therefore it is 

 principally supplied with moisture from the latter, in imitation of 

 which you should raise artificial dews in the hot-house by watering 

 the walks and flues frequently in dry weather. This will be found 

 extremely beneficial, not only to the pine-apple but to all other plants 

 which are natives of similar climates, and by this management they 

 will require much less water than they otherwise would. However, 

 regular waterings, taking care to give but little at a time, just to keep 

 the earth moderately moist, will be necessary. 



TOP AND BOTTOM HEAT. 



Continue to support the requisite heat in the hot-house by aid of 

 moderate evening fires and a constant good heat in the bark-bed ; the 

 fruiting plants in particular will require this. If the bark was not 

 turned and fresh tan added thereto in March it should be done in 

 the first week of this mouth, as there directed ; but if then attended 

 to there is no necessity for it now, as the pit will yet continue to be 

 in excellent order. 



ADMITTING AIR. 



Air should now be admitted in proportion to the increasing heat 

 of the season. A great deal depends on this article, for without due 

 attention to its utility and great influence on the plants they may, if 

 deprived of a sufficiency, be soon rendered of little value. 



Every warm sunny day, when the wind is not cold, let some of 

 the glasses or lights be opened a little way, and more in proportion 

 to the heat of the day ; but this should not be done before nine or 

 ten o'clock in the morning, and they ought to be continued open 

 longer than while the air in the house keeps up to a proper degree 

 of warmth. 



Towards the end of the month you will find that a sufficiency of 

 air cannot be admitted by the upright glasses, therefore it will be 

 very necessary to have your roof-lights constructed so as to slide up 

 and down by means of pulleys. Seventy or seventy-two degrees of 

 Fahrenheit will be a good medium for sun-heat, but always when it 

 rises above that give abundance of air j and in the early part of the 



