THE PINE- APPLE. 33 



best condition. To start pines into fruit at any given 

 time, and more especially very early in the year, it 

 is necessary to their doing so satisfactorily, that they 

 have a period of rest previous to their being subjected 

 to the treatment required to start them. Such as 

 have completed their growth as I have described early 

 in the season, can have from ten to twelve weeks' rest, 

 and be started in time to ripen their fruit in the end 

 of May and June. From the beginning or middle of 

 October, onwards to the end of December, it rarely 

 occurs that pines intended to start thus early are the 

 better for a drop of water, when grown on a bed of 

 fermenting material. And when the bottom-heat is 

 supplied with pipes, it is much the safer way to keep 

 the plunging material moderately moist than to water 

 the pines often. 



The night temperature should drop gradually to 60 

 by the middle of October. In November, and until 

 the time they are to be started, I prefer the tempera- 

 ture at 55 at night during cold windy weather, and 

 60 when mild. The bottom-heat should be propor- 

 tionately low, just enough to maintain the roots in a 

 white healthy condition, and 80 is quite enough for 

 that. When with sun-heat during the day, which 

 may occur during clear frosty weather, the tempera- 

 ture exceeds 65, air should be given. With such 

 weather as this it is sometimes necessary to fire sharply 

 at night to keep up the required temperature ; in which 

 case the fires should be checked the first thing in the 

 morning, especially when a cold night is succeeded by 

 a bright day. Where it can be so arranged that 

 covering can be used over the glass during cold 

 weather, it prevents radiation, and the atmosphere 



c 



