ON THE CULTURE OF THE PINE-APPLE. 243 



describe, commenced. They were put into pots of somewhat more than 

 a foot in diameter, in a compost made of thin green turf, recently taken 

 from a river side, chopped very small, and pressed closely, whilst wet, 

 into the pots ; a circular piece of the same material, of about an inch in 

 thickness, having been inverted, unbroken, to occupy the bottom of each 

 pot. This substance, so applied, I have always found to afford the most 

 efficient means for draining off superfluous water, and subsequently of 

 facilitating the removal of a plant from one pot to another, without loss 

 of roots. The surface of the reduced turf was covered with a layer of 

 vegetable mould obtained from decayed leaves, and of sandy loam, to pre- 

 vent the growth of the grass roots. The pots were then placed to stand upon 

 brick piers, near the glass ; and the piers being formed of loose bricks (with- 

 out mortar), were capable of being reduced as the height of the plants 

 increased. The temperature of the house was generally raised in hot and 

 bright days, chiefly by confined solar heat, from 95 to 105, and sometimes 

 to 110, no air being ever given till the temperature of the house exceeded 

 95; and the escape of heated air was then, only in a slight degree, permitted. 

 In the night the temperature of the house generally sunk to 70, or some- 

 what lower. At this period, and through the months of July and August, 

 a sufficient quantity of pigeon's dung was steeped in the water, which was 

 given to the pine-plants, to raise its colour nearly to that of porter, and 

 with this they were usually supplied twice a day in very hot weather ; the 

 mould in the pots being kept constantly very damp, or what gardeners 

 would generally call wet. In the evenings, after very hot days, the plants 

 were often sprinkled with clear water, of the temperature of the external 

 air; but this was never repeated till all the remains of the last sprinkling 

 had disappeared from the axillae of the leaves. 



It is, I believe, almost a general custom with gardeners, to give their 

 pine-plants larger pots in autumn, and this mode of practice is approved 

 by Mr. Baldwin*. I nevertheless cannot avoid thinking it wrong ; for 

 the plants, at this period, and subsequently, owing to want of light, can 

 generate a small quantity only of new sap ; and consequently, the matter 

 which composes the new roots, that the plant will be excited to emit into 

 the fresh mould, must be drawn chiefly from the same reservoir, which is 

 to supply the blossom and fruit : and I have found that transplanting 

 fruit-trees, in autumn, into larger pots, has rendered their next year's 

 produce of fruit smaller in size, and later in maturity. I therefore would 

 not remove my pine-plants into larger pots, although those in which they 

 grow are considerably too small. 



* Baldwin's Practical Directions for the Culture of the Ananas, page 16. 



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