J, ..v.J THE HOT-HOUSE. 457 



&c. the vegetable mould may be made by laying a quantity of tliem 

 together, as soon as they fall from the trees, in a heap sufficiently 

 large to ferment. They should be covered at first for some time, 

 to prevent the upper leaves from being blown away; the heap must 

 afterwards be frequently turned, and kept clean from weeds; the 

 leaves will be two years before they are sufficiently reduced to be 

 fit for use. 



Keep the different heaps of compost at all times free from weeds, 

 turn them frequently, and round them up in rainy seasons; but 

 they should be spread out in continued frosts, and in fine weather. 



Raising the Pines by Crowns. 



The crown is perfected at the time when the pine apple is quite 

 yellow; therefore the crowns of such fruit may be planted in two 

 or three days after being taken oft"; but if the fruit be cut green, as 

 is practised by some persons with the queen-pine, or if only the 

 top of the fruit be green when cut, as is the case frequently with 

 the sugar loaf kinds, even when the principal part is thoroughly 

 ripened, then it will be necessary to let the crowns of such fruit 

 lie five, six, or seven days, after they are taken oft', in a shady part 

 of the hot-house, in order that the wounds should dry, and particu- 

 larly to give them that degree of maturity to which nature was not 

 allowed to conduct them. 



The crowns may then be planted in small pots and plunged into 

 the tan-pit, where they will soon strike root, and get into a growing 

 state. But before the crowns are planted their lower or bottom 

 leaves should be cut oft' close with a knife or pair of scissors, which 

 will cause them to decay much sooner, and make room for the roots 

 to be produced with the greater ease. 



The crowns will require but very little water till they have taken 

 root, and are in a growing state; when it may be administered more 

 freely, but always with a sparing hand. 



Raising the Pine by Suckers. 



As the fruit of the pine apple is the principal object and sole 

 reward of the great expense attendant on its management, few per- 

 sons choose to permit the suckers to remain on the plants till they 

 grow very large, as they would injure the fruit and prevent its 

 swelling; they are, therefore, generally stopped in growth, or 

 taken oft* as soon as it can be done with safety; but when a stock 

 of plants is the object, the additional advantage which might be 

 gained in the fruit is given up, or at least of as many as will pro- 

 duce the number of suckers required, in order to encourage their 

 growth, and are permitted to remain on the old stocks or plants 

 even for some time after the fruit is cut. In this situation the 

 suckers will grow very large, provided the stools are plentifully 

 supplied with water. 



The suckers should not be taken from the plants till they are 

 grown to the length of about twelve inches, when their bottoms 

 3 K. 



