172 The Gardener's New Director. 

 and the lining muft he taken from the back part of the 

 frame : and when the pots are plunged, you muft move 

 the frame over them again, and then begin to make a 

 frefti lining at the back part, agreeable to the directions 

 jufl: given. 



If thefe plants are carefully managed in this man- 

 ner, during the winter, they will begin to fhew their 

 fruit about the middle of March. And if any of them 

 Ihould happen to fhew fruit earlier, they mull: not be 

 fiiifted after the firft appearance of it. For this cannot 

 be done without checking them greatly; the natural 

 confequence of which will be, that the fruit will be long 

 in ripening, and at laft fmall, and but indifferently fla- 

 voured. 



When the fruit appears in the hearts of thefe plants, 

 you fhould be careful not to water them over the leaves, 

 more efpecially when they are in bloom. For it will 

 prevent feveral of their tubercles from fwelling : and 

 this will render the fruit unfightly. But when the blof- 

 foms are gone off, you may without danger venture to 

 water them all over. As the fruit advances in magni- 

 tude, be fure to keep a good heat, by applying frefh 

 dung to the back part of the frame. Let this be your 

 principal regard ; for the beauty, fize, and exquifite fla- 

 vour of the Pine-apple chiefly depend upon the freedom 

 of its growth after the fruit appears. Encourage this 

 therefore by frequent refreshments of water, and by giv- 

 ing them air as often as the weather will permit. 



You will eafily perceive vi^hen the fruit is ripe, by the 

 beautiful yellowncfs of its colour, and the grateful per- 

 fume of its effluvia. It fhould be cut in the morning 

 before the fun (hines upon it, and laid in a cool place. 

 The fuckers fhould now be taken off, if they appear 

 brown at the bottom, and the leaves trimmed off from 

 the mother plant, which fhould be plunged into a mo- 

 derate hot-bed. If you are careful to refrefh thefe fre- 

 quentl'y with water, they will produce more fuckers; fo 

 that you may very foon have plenty of them, if you are 

 difpofed to preferve the old flools. Some perfons indeed 

 raife objeaions againft thefe fuckers that are produced 

 near the roots, and call them contemptuoufly under- 

 ground 



