372 FORCING G-ARDEN. 



recommendation of Abercrombie and the other older 

 authorities to cut away the whole of the roots, and to 

 repot the plant somcAvhat in the capacity of a sucker. 

 The reasons alleged for this extraordinary practice are, 

 that the pine-apple plant is continually pushing out roots 

 at the surface, while those below are rapidly dying ; that 

 the soil, in the course of three years, becomes completely 

 exhausted ; and, lastly, that this treatment prevents 

 premature starting in the course of the second year. 

 This last reason is very questionable, and it assumes 

 that pine-apple plants must be treated for three years 

 before they produce fruit. There is some force in the 

 other reasons, but they certainly do not prove the ne- 

 cessity of the practice. Roots may be pruned without 

 being removed altogether. The earth may be shaken 

 almost entirely away, and replaced by fresh compost, 

 at the expense of only a few fibres. Again, if, at every 

 shifting, a small portion of the earth be taken from be- 

 low, as florists treat auriculas in pots, at the end of twa 

 years scarcely any portion of the original soil will re- 

 main. The grand objection to the operation is the 

 great and unnecessary check to vegetation, and the con- 

 sequent stuntedness of habit, which, in succulent.plants 

 of such an age, is scarcely remediable. That it is pos- 

 sible successfully to cultivate pine-apples without thus 

 cutting away the roots, is borne out by the testimony 

 and practice of Griffin, Appleby, and other distinguished 

 cultivators. When the roots are even partially removed, 

 the plants must be shaded for some time, and be wa- 

 tered sparingly, till they begin to grow freely. The 

 summer temperature should be comparatively warm, 

 the range being from 65° to 70° of fire-heat, or during 

 night, and from 70° to 85° solar heat. Abundance of 



