JULY] THE HOT-HOUSE. 481 



ing, however, that if the soil, from which the turf had been taken, 

 inclined any way to sand, that should be now omitted. This makes 

 a proper compost for crowns, suckers, and young plants. 



2. To make a compost for fruiting plants use three barrows of the 

 above reduced sward, two of the vegetable mould, one of coarse sand, 

 and one-fourth of a barrow of soot. 



The above compost should be made some months before wanted, 

 and very frequently turned during that time, that the different mix- 

 tures may get well and uniformly incorporated. As to the quantity 

 of sand to be added, you must be governed by the nature of the soil 

 from whence the turf was taken; for too great a portion of sand 

 would be injurious, and subject many of the young plants to go into 

 fruit before the proper period. 



Where oak leaves are not used in hot-houses, or for hot-beds, &c., 

 the vegetable mould may be made by laying a quantity of them 

 together, as soon as they fall from the trees, in a heap sufficiently 

 large to ferment. They should be covered at first for some time, to 

 prevent the upper leaves from being blown away ; the heap must 

 afterwards be frequently turned, and kept clean from weeds ; the 

 leaves will be two years before they are sufficiently reduced to be fit 

 for use. 



Keep the different heaps of compost at all times free from weeds, 

 turn them frequently, and round them up in rainy seasons ; but they 

 should be spread out in continued frosts, and in fine weather. 



RAISING THE PINE BY CROWNS. 



The crown is perfected at the time when the pine-apple is quite 

 yellow ; therefore the crowns of such fruit may be planted in two or 

 three days after being taken off; but if the fruit be cut green, as is 

 practised by some persons with the queen pine, or if only the top 

 of the fruit be green when cut, as is the case frequently with the 

 sugar loaf kinds, even when the principal part is thoroughly ripened, 

 then it will be necessary to let the crowns of such fruit lie five, 

 six, or seven days, after they are taken off, in a shady part of the 

 hot-house, in order that the wounds should dry, and particularly to 

 give them that degree of maturity to which nature was not allowed 

 to conduct them. 



The crowns may then be planted in small pots and plunged into 

 the tan-pit, where they will soon strike root, and get into a growing 

 state. But before the crowns are planted their lower or bottom leaves 

 should be cut off close with a knife or a pair of scissors, which will 

 cause them to decay much sooner, and make room for the roots to be 

 produced with greater ease. 



The crowns will require but very little water till they have taken 

 root, and are in a growing state ; when it may be administered more 

 freely, but always with a sparing hand. 



RAISING THE PINE BY SUCKERS. 



As the fruit of the pine-apple is the principal object and sole 

 31 



