20 8 MY GARDEN. 



grown ; and for winter use the Black Jamaica is recommended. The 



best soil for them is a mixture of top spit 

 loam, peat, and horse-droppings, with a little 

 sand. The plant should always be grown close 

 to the glass. The blossom of the pine is interest- 

 ing, as it flowers at each little compartment, 

 beginning from the bottom and continuing till 



FIG. 394. Pine-apple in flower. it reaches the CrOWtt (fig. 394). 



At the present time there is a great scarcity of good fruits, and 

 it would be highly desirable that a far larger quantity should be 

 supplied to the large towns of England. Many gentlemen overworked 

 with the arduous duties of life would find relaxation and pleasure in 

 their leisure hours in planting orchards, in superintending the cultiva- 

 tion of their trees, and in the production of fruit. But the residents 

 of large towns cannot buy, neither can the producers sell, as both 

 parties are entirely in the hands of the middle man. The barrister, 

 the physician, and the merchant can apply their intelligence to the 

 growth of fruit, but cannot and will not attend to the sale of it. 

 An improved system of public market is required, which demands the 

 careful and immediate attention of the Legislature, that the people 

 may be fairly supplied with the fruits of the market. The learned 

 antiquary, Mr. Charles Roach Smith, has called attention in a pam- 

 phlet to the scarcity of fruit, and I hope that the details which 

 have been given of my experience will tend to diminish the want. 

 At the present time tens of thousands of a few kinds only of fruit- 

 trees might be grown with great advantage to the crowded population 

 of our large overgrown cities. I will name six constantly bearing fruit- 

 trees, the produce of which would be a gain to every householder in 

 the country, be he rich or be he poor: Apples, Lord Suffield and 

 Wellington ; Pears, Louise Bonne for eating and Catillac for baking ; 

 Plums, Gisborne and Rochester Cluster Damson. 



In concluding my remarks on fruit-trees, I must again observe, 

 that much is owing to art, little to the soil. My garden was selected 



