576 Culture of the Pine-apple. 



Art. XXI. On the Culture of the Pine-apple without Pots. By 

 Mr. James Mitciiinson, Gardener at Pendarves. 



Sir, 



Having seen an account of the culture of the pine-apple 

 without pots in the Royal Kitchen-gardens at Nymphenburg, 

 by Mr. Joseph Lang, in the Gardener's Magazine, Vol. V., 

 p. 427-j I felt determined to make a similar trial ; and, 

 about fourteen months since, having three lights of our pine- 

 pit at liberty, 1 had it filled with oak leaves to a sufficient 

 height. These having been well trodden down, and made 

 perfectly level, I had a little earth put along the back of the 

 pit where the first row of plants was to stand ; I then turned 

 some succession plants out of their pots, and, placing them in 

 a row behind, filled the spaces between them with earth, 

 keeping it as light as possible ; I also put it in rather rough, 

 that the roots of the plants might run more freely through it. 

 When one row was planted, I proceeded as before, till three 

 rows were in, which filled the pit, it being only 6 ft. wide 

 inside. I then gave a gentle sprinkling with water, to wash 

 off the dirt from the plants, and settle the earth a little. In 

 about a fortnight I found the plants begin to grow rather 

 strong, which they continued to do, and in the course of the 

 summer most of them showed fruit ; and, although I had 

 some plants in pots much larger than they were, the fruit 

 from these was finer and much higher flavoured. One plant, 

 a Jamaica pine, which did not show fruit till late in the sum- 

 mer, ripened this spring a fruit 4£ lbs. ; and, although ripe 

 about a fortnight, it obtained an extra-prize at the first ex- 

 hibition of the Royal Cornwall Horticultural Society at 

 Truro, June 29. 1832. I have now three Montserrats and 

 a queen in fruit in the same pit, that were put out as above, 

 fourteen months since, which are now looking extremely 

 well, and seem likely to be both large and handsome : in fact, 

 so great was the satisfaction I experienced from the experi- 

 ment, that this spring I planted, in the same manner, the 

 whole length of our pit, being 70 ft. long and 6 ft. wide ; and, 

 as before stated, containing three rows of plants. I am ex- 

 tremely glad to be able to say that these newly planted pines 

 are doing equally well, and that many gardeners, as well as 

 gentlemen, who have seen them, say they never saw finer 

 plants or finer fruit ; for my own part, I can only say I am 

 not ashamed to show them. 



In winter, autumn, and spring, we use hot water to obtain 

 the requisite degree of heat for keeping the plants in a healthy 

 state. I also use a lining of hot dung in front of the pit (it 



