Book I. 



PINERY. SUCCESSION DEPARTMENT. 



523 



growth of the new roots. At the same time, it is to be observed, that encouraging, in an 

 extraordinary degree, the production of roots, though it will ultimately increase the vigor 

 of the herb and fruit, will retard their progress. 



2767. On shifting with the balls entire, Speechly has the following judicious observ- 

 ations, which coincide with those we have above submitted : 



2768. First, It is observable, that the pine-plant begins to make its roots at the very bottom of the stem, 

 and as the plant increases in size, fresh roots are produced from the stem, still higher and higher ; and the 

 bottom roots die in proportion : so that, if a plant in the greatest vigor be turned out of its pot as 

 soon as the fruit is cut, there will be found at the bottom a part of the stem, several inches in length, 

 naked, destitute of roots, and smooth : now, according to the above method, the whole of the roots 

 which the plant produces being permitted to remain on the stem to the last, the old roots decay and 

 turn mouldy, to the great detriment of those afterwards produced. Secondly, The first ball which 

 remains with the plant full two years, by length of time will become hard, cloddy, and exhausted of its 

 nourishment, and must, therefore, prevent the roots afterwards produced from growing with that free- 

 dom and vigor, which they would do in fresher and better mould. Thirdly, The old ball continually re- 

 maining after the frequent shirtings, it will be too large when put into the fruiting-|>ot, to admit of a suffi- 

 cient quantity of fresh mould to support the plant till its fruit becomes ripe, which is generally a whole 

 year from the last time of shifting. 



2769. Temperature. Speechly approves of rather a lower top and bottom heat for 

 pines in the winter season than what some later authors recommend. " There is nothing 

 so prejudicial to the pine-apple plant, (insects and an overheat of the tan excepted,) as 

 forcing them to grow by making large fires, and keeping the hot-house warm at an im- 

 proper season, which is injudiciously done in many hot-houses. It is inconsistent with 

 reason, and against nature, to force a tropical plant in this climate in a cold, dark season, 

 such as generally happens here in the months of November and December ; and plants 

 so treated, will in time show the injury done them ; if large plants for fruiting, they 

 generally show very small fruit-buds with weak stems ; and, if small plants, they seldom 

 make much progress in the beginning of the next summer." M In the hot regions," 

 Abercrombie observes, " to which the pine-apple is indigenous, the growth of the herb 

 and fruit proceeds, at all times of the year, as the new plant may happen to spring, and as 

 the advancement of the herb, and the expansion of the organs of fructification follow at 

 natural intervals. Thus the rising and intermediate pines have, at home, the same heat 

 as fruiting plants. As the force of the climate is always equal to conduct the plant to 

 the next stage, whatever the present may be, nature's plants always show their blossoms 

 opportunely ; and the fruit is swelled to perfection, however different periods of growth 

 in plants of one family fall together. But, under a course of artificial culture, although 

 a similar promiscuous succession may go on, and be cherished to the end of fruiting with- 

 out miscarriage ; yet to let the critical periods of growth fall in winter, without any failure 

 of the crop, or debasement of the fruit, requires so much additional expense and attend- 

 ance, that our cultivators of pines endeavour to keep the mam stock of established plants 

 just vegetating in winter, and to bring the time of full expansion in the herb, and as 

 much as may be of the long and trying time of fructification, to coincide with the spring 

 and summer of this climate. The dependence of the plant on artificial excitement is 

 then so much less. Hence, though it is contrary to the free progress of nature, the suc- 

 cession pines are kept under a temperature rather lower than that of the nursing -pit, in 

 order that while the complete developement of the herb is provided for, the plant may not 

 be excited into fruit prematurely in regard to its age, nor unseasonably as to the course of 

 the natural climate during the period which the fruit will take to ripen." 



2770. The minimum temperature for succession plants, 

 on which the preservation of a gentle course of growth de- 

 pends, cannot be safely reduced lower than that which is 

 specified under Temperature in Nursing Department. But 

 it is important to carry the maximum, as it respects both 

 fire-heat, and the accumulation of sun-heat in the cham- 

 ber, no higher in this than is fixed for that department, 

 and rather to aim at a maximum from two to five degrees 

 less intense. Thus the double object, of avoiding to excite 

 the plants too strongly, and of giving air at a good oppor- 

 tunity, will be consulted. [See the Table.) 



2771. M'Phail says, " Let the succession pine-plants have 

 about the same degree of heat to their roots in the tan-bed, 

 and in the air of the house about them, as I have recom- 

 mended for the fruiting plants ; viz. from 80 to 100 at the 

 bottom of the pots, and from 65 to 80 in the atmosphere of 

 the house. Some writers," he says, " recommend that a 

 less heat be given to succession plants than to fruiting ones. 

 I can see no reason for making the difference, nor did I 

 make a practice of doing it, except to young plants in 

 winter, in pits without fire-heat, which at that season could 

 not at all times be kept to that degree of heat which might 

 be done by the influence of fire. When succession plants 

 are kept in a less degree of heat than that necessary for fruiting them, they require a longer time to bring 

 them to a proper size for producing large fruit ; and of course the expense of rearing them is greater 

 than when they are kept in a vigorous growing state. Nothing better suits a pine-apple, nor any fruit- 

 bearing plant, than to keep it in a vigorous growing state, from the time it is planted till it ripen its fruit." 



2772. Xicol says, " The temperature in January by fire-heat should be kept as near to 60 as possible, 

 and even in sunshine, should not be allowed to pass 65, lest the plants start into fruit." In May, he in- 



Standard for the Thermomel 

 Succession-House. 



