342 FORCING GARDEN. 



of some species of aloe. The fruit grown in Britain is 

 considered equal in all good qualities, and generally supe- 

 rior in size, to that reared in tropical countries. The 

 Lond. Hortic. Catalogue enumerates 56 varieties : of these 

 the following may be deemed most worthy of notice. 



The Queen Pine is very generally cultivated. Its fruit 

 is of a cylindrical or tankard shape, of a yellowish color 

 inclining to orange, and sometimes weighs three pounds ; it 

 is, at the same time, of fine flavor. This kind produces 

 with greater certainty than most others, and the fruit may be 

 easily ripened in fifteen or eighteen months from the plant- 

 ing of the crown or offset. It is therefore the most useful 

 of all the pines. A sub-variety called Ripley^s Queen is 

 also excellent. 



The Black Antigua has leaves armed with large spines : 

 the flowers are purple ; the fruit cylindrical, averaging five 

 pounds weight. It should be cut a little before it be quite 

 ripe. 



The Black Jamaica, or Old Jamaica. In this variety 

 the spines on the leaves are small ; the flowers purple ; the 

 fruit oblong, averaging about four pounds. This is an ex- 

 cellent kind, and is considered the best sort for fruiting 

 during, the winter months. 



The New Jamaica is rather an inferior kind, but is pret- 

 ty good when ripened in the summer time. 



The Brown-leaved Sugar-loaf is a capital black va- 

 riety ; and the Enville a showy and useful pine, with large 

 flat pips, and the fruit often attaining a considerable size. 



The St. Vincent's, or, as it is sometimes called, the 

 Green Olive, has middle-sized spines, purple flowers, and 

 pyramidal fruit, which average about two pounds and a. 

 half. It succeeds well as a winter fruit. 



The White Providence has small spines, dark purple 



