706 Growing Pine-apples in Moss. 



the sprouts left three or four days on a board to dry in the 

 hot house. If the individuals are tolerably strong, the scaly 

 leaves at the trunk are taken off, for the purpose of giving a 

 better opportunity to the new roots for spreading themselves. 



The crowns are also freed from the fibres at the lower end 

 with a knife, and also dried in the hot-house; and, if neces- 

 sary, some leaves may be cautiously taken from them at the 

 base. But if it is wished to transfer into moss young or old 

 plants which have taken root in the earth, the mould, on their 

 being taken up, is shaken off, the roots closely cut off the 

 stem (stipes), and the stem cleared of dry leaves, and also of 

 some green ones ; which, however, must be done with care. 

 If the stem is too long, or dry or rotten at the base, it must 

 be shortened, and the rotten part cut out. This kind of plants 

 must also be dried in the hot-house like the former. 



On transplanting any of the stems, they are placed into 

 the aperture left in the moss, the interstices filled up with 

 fine rich mould, and the whole pressed firm, so as to make 

 the plant stand upright. When the planting is finished, 

 the pots are placed in the pine-apple pits, in a tan bed pre- 

 viously prepared, treating them in the usual manner. I have 

 observed, however, for several years, that pine-apples grown 

 in moss are not so sensitive as those which are grown in 

 earth, and bear watering better ; by this, however, I do not 

 mean to say that they are to be kept absolutely wet. Besides 

 being watered, the plants should also be moistened with the 

 following preparation : — 



In the month of March I put into a cask, holding about 

 two hogsheads, two bushels of cow-dung, one peck of horn 

 shavings, and from 20 to 24 quarts of bullock's blood, filling 

 the remaining space with water ; and I leave it for three or 

 four months to a voluntary fermentation, causing the liquid to 

 be well stirred up about once every week. 



Use of the Liquid. — At the end of those three or four 

 months the fermentation will have been completed, and the 

 liquid may be applied to the piue-apples towards the end of 

 May or the beginning of June, and again in September and 

 October, under the following regulations : — When the moss 

 in the pots had got properly dry, I watered the plants copi- 

 ously with this liquid stirred up, and afterwards each indi- 

 vidual plant with clean water, in order to distribute the former 

 equally among the pots. I only used the liquid once, employ- 

 ing water at other times. I used this liquid again in Sep- 

 tember or October, also for once only, and then again used 

 pure water. 



By this method my plants grew rapidly, having fine green 



