PINE-APPLE. 291 



cultivation has reached a degree of perfection that could 

 never have been anticipated by the first growers of the 

 Ananas in this country. It is said already to have been 

 brought to a higher state of perfection here than in its 

 natural soil ; to what farther degree of excellence it may 

 arrive, under the skilful treatment of the British horticul- 

 turist, time alone will shew. We consider the principal 

 cause of the ease with which this fruit is now grown 

 amongst us, is the liberal and spirited manner by which 

 the growers have, from time to time, laid their improved 

 plans before the public by their well-directed pens. The 

 only return we can make for these national benefits, is to 

 compile from authentic sources the most accurate infor- 

 mation respecting this delicacy of the Torrid Zone. 



It appears to us to have been indigenous to the new 

 world only, as the fruits of Africa were well known to the 

 ancients, and this is not noticed in the works of any of 

 their authors who wrote on the plants of India. 



That it is now found growing wild in many parts of 

 Africa, is no proof of its being a native of that soil ; it 

 was never heard of in Europe until the discovery of Ame- 

 rica, but when once transplanted within its natural lati- 

 tude, it would necessarily continue to propagate itself, or 

 be assisted by the birds conveying the seed from place to 

 place. The Chinese cultivated the ananas to a consider- 

 able extent, before it was attempted in Europe ; and they 

 acknowledge to have received it from South America. 

 Parkinson writes, in 1640, that " it was first brought from 

 Santa Cruise in Brassill, where it is natural!, into both 

 West and East Indies, being not natural to either of them, 

 but is only manured there, and now is growne plentiful!." 



Father Athanasius Kircher is the oldest author that we 

 have met with who particularly notices this fruit; we shall 

 therefore extract from his work, as the translation stood 

 in 1669. 



u 2 



