482 THE HOT-HOUSE. [JULY 



reward of the great expense attendant on its management, few per- 

 sons choose to permit the suckers to remain on the plants till they 

 grow very large, as they would injure the fruit and prevent its 

 swelling ; they are, therefore, generally stopped in growth, or 

 taken off as soon as it can be done with safety ; but when a stock of 

 plants is the object, the additional advantage which might be gained 

 in the fruit is given up, or at least of as many as will produce 

 the number of suckers required, in order to encourage their growth, 

 and are permitted to remain on the old stocks or plants even for 

 some time after the fruit is cut.* In this situation the suckers 

 will grow very large, provided the stools are plentifully supplied with 

 water. 



The suckers should not be taken from the plants till they are 

 grown to the length of about twelve inches, when their bottoms will 

 be hard, woody, and full of round knobs, which are the rudiments of 

 the roots. 



In taking off each sucker, remove it two or three times backward 

 and forward, in a side-way direction, and it will come out with its 

 bottom entire, which should be cut smooth, and deprived of any 

 raggedness. 



Place these in a shady part of the hot-house for two or three days, 

 and then plant them in small sized pots, just so deep as to keep 

 them fast in the earth ; after which they are to be treated as direct- 

 ed for the crowns. The proper size of the pots to plant full grown 

 crowns and suckers in, is six inches diameter in top, and five and a 

 half deep. 



CARE OF THE FRUITING PINES. 



The fruiting pines must now have abundance of air, which adds 

 much to the flavor of the fruit ; but though the heat of the day, at 

 this season, is very intense, yet, when northwesterly winds prevail, 

 the night sometimes happens, though not frequently, to be rather 

 cold for the fruiting plants ; in which case it may be prudent to close 

 the lights at night, taking care to slide them open early in the morn- 

 ing; this, however, must be governed by circumstances and by the 

 heat of the bark pit, which, if any way brisk, will render it the more 

 necessary to give plenty of air at all times. 



As the pine-apples come to maturity, care should be taken to cut 

 them off when in due perfection and before they become too ripe ; 

 generally cutting them in a morning, each with several inches of 

 the stalk, and with the crown of leaves at top, till served to the 

 table. 



When the fruit is eaten, it will be proper to preserve the crowns 

 and any young suckers growing round at the base,f particularly if 

 wanted for increase. 



* Much of the expense here spoken off may be obviated by planting out 

 in beds in the hot-house, and having a part of the hot-water pipes sunk in 

 a chamber underneath for bottom heat. All potting, bark beds, and re- 

 peated shiftings are thus avoided. 



t The brown Antigua, the king, and the sugar-loaf kinds, commonly 



