loo The Gardener's New Diuector. 



fruit, and amongll the leaves; thefe are not to be taken 

 off, until they are turned knobby at bottom; and are 

 not to be planted, until iheir wounds, occafioned by 

 taking them ofF from the mother plants, are not only 

 healed, but pertectly dry; otherwife they will rot. 



By this good management, your Pines will be ripe by 

 the end ot June, or in July, which you v/ill perceive by 

 the fruits turning yellow, and emitting a fine fcent, and 

 the knobs of the fruit yielding to the prefi'ure of the 

 finger. Befide thefe figns of ripenefs, that of their e- 

 mitting a flrong and poignant fmell is not the leaft. 

 Thefe figns are particularly to be attended to, for fhoujd 

 the iruit become too ripe, they turn moft infipidly fweet, 

 and have no more tafle than a fweet Lemon. The fruit 

 are to be cut about eight in the forenoon, with four 

 inches of llalk to them ; and when they are to be eaten, 

 hoM the fruit or its ftalk in one hand, then with the o- 

 ther twift off the crown, when ir will come off like a 

 ball out of a focket, which is to be returned to the gar- 

 dener ; the fruit is to be lliced upon a plate, leaving the 

 rind on, for the better preferving the juice, not fuffer- 

 ing one flice to lie on another, as their rich juice would 

 make them ftick together. When thefe fruits are to be 

 lent any dillance, they fhould be cut a day rv two before 

 they are quite ripe, with a good part of the flalk, and 

 ieaving the crown on, to be well covered in paper, and 

 fecured in a box for carriage. 



As foon as the crowns and fuckers are fufficiently 

 dry, and ready for planting, take halfpenny or far- 

 thing pots, according to the fize of the bottom of 

 the plant?, covering the holes of the pots with con- 

 cave oyfter-fiiells, that the water may pafs off, and not 

 (lagnate ; plant them in thefe pots filled with the com- 

 poft direQ:ed for the old plants, water them gently, 

 preffmg the earth to their rootis, then fink their pots in 

 the tan-beds up to their brims, fhading them from hot 

 funfhine, obferving to continue to give them air and 

 gentle waterings, until you perceive them growing, 

 when you may admit the fun, air, ard water, in the 

 fame manner as directed for the old plants. If they have 

 filled the pots they were at firfl: planted in by Michael- 

 masy or the beginning of September) I would then take, 



iherfi 



