PIN 



PIN 



policy pursued, almost universally, in 

 cultivalihg llie piiular, by covering 

 over the top witli eartli when tlicy 

 hcgin to bloom ; this is not only un- 

 necessary, but positively injurious ; 

 although the toj), or vine, grows 

 straight up at tirst, yet when it is 

 time to seed, the small fibres on the 

 end of which the pea grows arise, 

 the vine inclines to the ground until 

 it finds a proper location, and then 

 extends its branches, two, three, or 

 lour feet in length in every direction, 

 touching the earth. The only culti- 

 vation requisite is to keep the ground 

 loose and clear of weeds and grass, 

 and as level as possible, so that the 

 fibres on ^vhich the pea grows can 

 penetrate the ground easily. I intend, 

 next year, to plant pindars m hills, 

 or, rather, in checks, two feet apart 

 each way, which will cause them to 

 grow in upright hunches, yielding 

 more hay, and will he easier dug, and, 

 I think, will probably yield as many 

 peas." 



The pindar is a legumen, like the 

 pea and bean, and it is, when raised 

 for seed, as exhausting. It differs 

 from them in containing a large 

 amount of oil, and is therefore much 

 more fattening, and equally nutri- 

 tious as respects the strength of ani- 

 mals. Lime and bone earth would 

 be found capital manures. The green 

 stems, ploughed in, are equal to clo- 

 ver as a fertilizer. 



PINEAL GLAND. A small gland 

 of the brain. 



PINEAPPLE. Bromclia ananas. 

 A native of the American tropics, 

 with dry, spiny leaves. The supply 

 of tliis fruit is so great, and the price 

 so cheap, that no inducement is of- 

 fered for its cultivation, which is te- 

 dious, and requires a full supply of 

 heat. The woody fibres of the leaves 

 are readily separated by dew-rotting, 

 and are said to form a silky llax, 

 which has been made use of to a lim- 

 ited extent in manufactures. 



PINE BARREN. The extensive 

 districts of sandy lands in the South 

 on which the pine only grows. It 

 is supposed by naturalists that they 

 would become deserts if the trees 



.578 



were once removed, for they are wa- 

 tered chiefly by the moisture attract- 

 ed by the trees. 



PINE-TREE. The genus Pmus, 

 the trees of which afford the well- 

 known timber, as well as tar, turpen- 

 tine, &:c. The pines are distinguish- 

 ed from firs, larches, and spruces by 

 their needle-shaped leaves, grouped 

 in twos, threes, &c., and collected 

 into a sheath at the base. The P. 

 sirubus, or white pine, also called 

 Weymouth pine, yields nearly all the 

 choice deals of the country : the 

 leaves are in fives. The P. pahistris 

 yields the tar and resin of North 

 Carolina ; it is southern, but the P. 

 rigida, which is more extended, and 

 fills the barren, sandy lands of the 

 seaboard, is also rich in tar. The 

 P. Canadensis, or hemlock, furnishes 

 timber, and the bark is used in tan- 

 ning. The old field pine of the South 

 is the Pitius la-da ; the young shoots, 

 or browse, are very healthy and nu- 

 tritious for sheep ; they answer well 

 to protect autumn and spring garden 

 crops from frost. The pines are 

 readily propagated by seeds, which 

 are found in the cones before they 

 have been exposed too long. They 

 may be budded, or, rather, grafted in 

 tlie growing, tender shoots, with a 

 little care, but not on the drier wood. 

 Several species of pines produce 

 seeds in their cones, which are suffi- 

 ciently large to be obtained for food. 

 In Italy, the P. finra yields a large, 

 excellent nut, much esteemed ; some 

 of the Mexican pines also produce 

 edible fruit. 



PINING. A disease of sheep, 

 languishing. " It is most fatal in a 

 season of drought, and June and Sep- 

 tember are the most deadly months. 

 If ever a farmer perceives a flock on 

 such a farm having a flushed appear- 

 ance of more than ordinarily rapid 

 thriving, he is gone. By that day 

 eight days, when he goes out to look 

 at them again, he will find them ly- 

 ing, hanging their ears, running at 

 the eyes, and looking at him like so 

 many condemned criminals. As the 

 disease proceeds the hair on the ani- 

 mal's face becomes dry, the wool as- 



