154 The Gardener's New Director. 



fea, they had better be put between the decks, for their 



better proteftion. 



The number of plants neceflary to furnifh the ftove, 

 with their different ages, are as follow, viz. 



Six 



infeSls multiply greatly, and contribute to their decay. 

 There are fome perfons who regulate the heat of their 

 ftoves by thermometers in fummer; but at that feafon 

 this is unnecefTary ; for the outward air in hot weather 

 is frequently greater than the Ananas heat marked on the 

 thermometers ; fo that the heat of the ftoves at that 

 feafon will be much greater. The ufe of the thermo- 

 meter is only in winter, during the time the fires are 

 continued ; by which it is eafy to judge when to encreafe 

 or diminiih the fires; for, at that feafon, the ftoves 

 fhould not be kept to a greater warmth than five or fix 

 divifions above Ananas^ nor fuffered to be more than as 

 many divifions below it. In winter the plants muft 

 have lefs water, but they will require to have it re- 

 peated at leaft twice a week : when the plants are 

 placed in the tan for the winter-feafon (which fhould 

 be about the beginning of OSloher), the tan-bed ftiould 

 be renewed, adding two-thirds of new tan, to one- 

 third of the old. If this be well mixed, and the new 

 tan is good, the bed will maintain a proper degree 

 of warmth till February, at which time it will be pro- 

 per to ftir up the bed, and add a load or two of new 

 tan, fo as to raife the bed as much as it funk fince 

 the autumn ; this will give a frefh heat to the bed, and 

 keep the plants growing ; and, as the fruits will now be- 

 gin to appear, it will be abfolutely neceflary to keep the 

 plants in a growing ftate, otherwife the fruit will not be 

 large ; for if they receive any check at this time, it will 

 greatly injure them. 



In April it will be proper to ftir up the tan again, and 

 if the bed has funk fince the laft ftirring, it will be pro- 

 per to add fome frcfh tan to it : this will renew the 

 warmth of the bed, and forward the fruit. At this time 

 it will be proper to fhift the young plants, which are de- 

 figned to produce fruit the following year ; the tan-bed 



into 



