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XLVIII. FURTHER OBSERVATIONS ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE 



PINE-APPLE. 



[Read before the HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, March 5, 1822.] 



THE following circumstances, relative to the habits of the pine-apple 

 plant, appear to me so interesting and singular, that I am induced now 

 to send an account of them to the Horticultural Society, though I have 

 so recently addressed a communication* upon nearly the same subject. 

 In that communication I mentioned the extraordinary growth of a pine- 

 apple, which had passed the whole of the last summer and autumn in 

 very low temperature, and which then, in the beginning of November, 

 continued to increase in size, four months having at that time elapsed, 

 since the period of its blossoming. I saw the same fruit in the first 

 week of the last month (February), when it still continued perfectly 

 green, and apparently growing rapidly. Our member Mr. M earns, who 

 has had not only the advantages of long and very attentive experience, 

 but who has also visited the stoves of a very great number of the most 

 celebrated cultivators of the pine-apple in different parts of the kingdom, 

 has been to view the fruit above mentioned; and he assures me that he 

 has never seen a queen pine-apple growing upon so small a plant, so per- 

 fectly well swelled out, in any season of the year, under any circum- 

 stances. He was of opinion, when he saw it, which was early in the 

 last month, that it would probably ripen about the end of the present 

 month, or early in April. It had passed the winter in the temperature 

 which is usually given to common green-house plants, and it had certainly 

 not had the advantages in any degree of judicious management, having 

 been very irregularly, and at times much too profusely, supplied with 

 water. What will be the merits of it when ripe, time alone can show ; 

 but I shall here observe, that I have found all fruits (and particularly 

 the melon) to acquire their highest state of excellence when their growth 

 has been slow provided it has been regularly progressive, and that 

 the fruit has ultimately attained its proper size and perfect maturity ; 

 and I believe, that no fruit has ever been seen perfect, either in taste or 

 flavour, the growth and maturity of which had been greatly accelerated 

 by much fire-heat, and of necessity, abundant water. I am, therefore, 

 much inclined to believe, that the pine-apple will be found to acquire 

 its highest state of excellence, when a considerable time elapses between 

 the period of its blossom and that of its maturity. 



Should it be found easily practicable, as I very confidently believe 



* See above, page 242. 



