AUG.] PINE-APPLES. 413 



This treatment, in conjunction with that of a mild 

 bottom heat, as noticed above, will be a mean of 

 preventing the plants from shewing fruit at this sea- 

 son, which, if they did, they would be next to lost. 

 I would rather have a one-year old, than a two- 

 year old plant show now, as the loss would evident- 

 ly be less ; but frequently the former will bring a 

 better fruit than the latter, in the end of the season. 



Of shifting the Nurse Plants. 

 The nurse-plants are now to be reckoned the suc- 

 cession, and are to be removed into the succession- 

 pit ; which, for their reception, should be prepared 

 in every respect, as directed above ; and the plants 

 must also be treated in the same manner, with re- 

 gard to water, air, &c. It is unnecessary to say 

 more of them, therefore, than that they should be 

 put into pots of about seven or eight inches dia- 

 meter and nine or ten inches deep. The kind of 

 earth for these, and for all other pine-plants, has 

 been noticed in the section on Soils for forced 

 plants, p. 291. 



Of striking Crowns and Suckers. 



These having been laid aside, as above hinted, 

 should be potted as soon as the operations in the 

 other compartments of the pinery are over. 



A brisk and lively heat is necessary to their strik- 

 ing freely, and making good fibres ; so that in 

 trenching and preparing the bark-bed for their re- 

 ception, new bark to the extent of an eighth, or a 

 sixth part may be added ; observing to skim off a 

 quantity of the surface-bark, if it be much wasted, 



