PINE- APPLES. 361 



careml to introduce it into the mould for plants of 

 all ages. I generally used small sea gravel, in which 

 was a considerable proportion of shells, or chips of 

 shells, with other particles of a porous nature ; and 

 I have uniformly observed the finest fibres cling to 

 these, and often insinuate themselves through the 

 pores, or embrace the rougher particles. Therefore, 

 if sea gravel can be obtained, prefer it ; and next, 

 river gravel ; but avoid earthy pit gravel, and ra- 

 ther use sharp sand, or a mixture of pounded stone 

 chips and brick-bats. 



The plants being re-potted, plunge them in the 

 bark-bed again, quite down to the rims of the pots, 

 keeping them perfectly level. Eight or nine inches 

 from centre to centre will be distance sufficient. 

 When they are all placed, give a little aired water, 

 to settle the earth about their roots. This need not 

 be repeated till the heat in the bed rise to the pots, 

 after which, as the plants will now begin to grow 

 freely, they must be watered at the root once in 

 four or five days ; and they may have a dewing 

 over head, from the fine rose of a watering-pot, oc- 

 casionally, if the weather be fine. 



The temperature should now be gradually raised 

 to 70% at which it should be kept as steadily as pos- 

 sible ; the times of regulation being six in the morn- 

 ing, and eight or nine at night. Air should be ad- 

 mitted every day, as freely as the state of the wea- 

 ther will permit ; and in sunshine, to such an ex- 

 tent as that the thermometer may not pass 80. 



