JULY.] THE HOT-HOUSE. 447 



ing it so as to expose a considerable surface to the summer sun, as 

 well as to the frosts in winter ; but in v/et weather it will be proper 

 to gather it up into a high ridge, to prevent its rich juices being 

 dissolved and carried away by water. If a quantity of sheeps dung 

 could be collected fresh and mixed therewith, in the first instance, 

 it would greatly improve it. 



1. Having the above prepared, and made fine with the spade, but 

 not screened ; to three barrow fulls of it, add one of vegetable 

 mould of decayed Oak-leaves, and half a barrow of coarse sand, 

 observing, 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 vegetable mould, one of coarse 

 sand, aud one fourth of a barrow of soot. 



The above composts, should be made some months before want- 

 ed ; and very frequently turned during that time, that the different 

 mixtures 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 suffi- 

 ciently 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 re- 

 duced 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. Pines 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 somer 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 particu- 

 larly 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 pair of scissars, which 



