394? THE FORCING GARDEN. [MAY. 



to plants whose fruit are nearly ripe ; but chiefly to 

 healthy plants new shewn, in flower, past the flower, 

 or about half grown. And with respect to any that 

 are unhealthy, and whose fruit are less than half 

 grown, do not hesitate to shift them, or to follow the 

 directions given on this particular point in Febru- 

 ary. It is a very great improvement in the culture 

 of pines, which I formerly practised, have since ad- 

 vised, and have seen followed with much success. 



Replunge the pots to the brim as before, and give 

 each a little water ; which, after the heat rises in 

 the bark, repeat in the same liberal way as advised 

 last month, both to roots and leaves. From the 

 time the fruit begin to colour, however, begin also 

 to lessen the quantity of water ; and towards its be- 

 ing fit for cutting, withhold water entirely, else the 

 flavour will be very much deteriorated. 



I shall here observe, with respect to the different 

 kinds of pines (See Sect. III. on the kinds of Pine- 

 Apples), that the Queen and the Sugar-loaf sorts, 

 require considerably more water than the King or 

 Havannah, and the Antigua. The difference in the 

 manner of watering should be more particularly at- 

 tended to as the fruit approach to maturity ; as the 

 latter named kinds are naturally more juicy and 

 watery than the former. 



It may also be remarked here, that if pine-apples 

 be not cut soon after they begin to colour, that is, 

 just when the fruit is of a greenish-yellow, or straw 

 colour, they fall greatly off in flavour and richness ; 

 and that sharp, luscious taste, so much admired,, 

 becomes insipid. 



