378 FDRCING GARDEN. 



when, therefore, there is no tank within the house, the 

 watering-pots should be filled, and left in the house for 

 some time before the water be applied. Fire-heat is 

 kept up either continuously or a^t intervals, during the 

 greater part of the season.- It should always be mode- 

 rate, never exceeding, by itself, 70°. During sunshine, 

 the temperature may range from 70° to 100°. The 

 greater proportion there is of sun-heat the better. Whilst 

 the fruit is swelling, care must be taken to carry on the 

 growth of the plant with equability arnd moderation. 

 Violent checks are pernicious ; they debilitate the stalk, 

 and cause a stringiness in the fruit. As the fruit ap- 

 proaches maturity, water is gradually withheld, lest the 

 flavor should be injured. Pine-apples should be cut a 

 short time before they' attain complete maturity. The 

 larger varieties will keep^ood only for a day or two ; 

 the smaller varieties a week or more. 



The following tabular compendium is from Aber- 

 crombie, altered, however, in some of its details, to suit 

 the idea of two crops a year. To execute this plan, 

 two fruiting-houses or pits, and one succession-pit, 

 would be required, together with a -variety of hotbeds, 

 or pits for the nursing .department. It is necessary to 

 premise, that crowns and suckers are usually potted 

 soon after they are taken off, and that August 15 may 

 be considered the date at which the whole operations of 

 potting should be finished. When there is only a bien- 

 nial course, it commences from about February 14, 



