THE HOTHOUSE PINEAPPLE ig5 



If a bed of this kind is carefully prepared with good drainage, a couple ol 

 crops may be gathered before renewing the soil and stock. When the first 

 crop is off, a strong sucker will usually come away at the base of the old plant; 

 the latter can then be cut down and the sucker may take its place. If a por- 

 tion of the surface soil is now removed and a good top dressing applied, this 

 sucker will make rapid headway, and another crop may be had within nine or 

 ten months if all goes well. But it depends upon circumstances. If root action 

 is poor, it would be foll\- to make the attempt. If the bed is in good 

 condition, two good crops may be gathered, with a saving in time and 

 labor. The plants should be sprayed lightly in the morning and again 

 in the afternoon, except in damp or very cloudy weather. Do not spray 

 while they are in flower. 



Feeding requires good judgment. The plants must be in a good, strong 

 condition before the fruiting stage is reached, otherwise they cannot bear large 

 fruit; light feeding may, therefore, be of benefit before they set their fruit, 

 although the bulk of feeding will generally be done while the fruit is developing. 

 Excellent results are obtained by the use of blood and bone, also potash and 

 ammoniated foods. All these should be applied with a view to building up the 

 plant and bringing the fruit to the highest state of perfection. Even a little 

 nitrate of soda may be used to good advantage when the fruit is swelling, in the 

 proportion of a small tablespoonful to three gallons of water, and applied a couple 

 of times while the fruit is developing; this will increase the weight and make 

 for perfect finish. Drainings from the horse stable are also good, if so diluted 

 as to avoid danger of burning the roots. Quite a little ammonia may be ob- 

 tained in this manner. In any case, this treatment seems peculiarly adapted 

 to the Pine, which will respond freely to it, if everything else is working satis- 

 factorily. But it will avail nothing unless root action is perfect at all times; 

 with sluggish root action no amount of food will do any good. If the Pineapple 

 plant under glass is checked even once, and loses its roots, it may as well be 

 cast aside and a fresh start made. While fruit may be had from a plant that 

 has received a setback, such fruit will be undersized, poor in quality, and not 

 worthy the name of hothouse fruit. But if the compost is carefully selected 

 and of a kind that will not readily sour, there should be no difficulty in pro- 

 ducing a fine crop under glass. There is no outdoor fruit to compare with the 

 hothouse Pineapple as a dessert delicacy; but if it is treated carelessly in the 

 matter of watering and airing, it will certainly react and be a cause of disap- 

 pointment. 



Top dressing is of importance in producing active roots. The same material 

 as that recommended for the bed should be given, although a larger quantity 

 of blood and bone may be added. When first planting a house it is well to allow 

 space for top dressing about twice during the season. The plants will show 

 their appreciation of such treatment within about a week by sending their roots 

 through the soil with new energy and more intense color to the foliage. While 

 plants cannot talk, as is often said, their actions occasionally speak plainer than 

 words. If we watch plant life closely, we may learn many valuable lessons from 

 their mute behavior. 



