594? Culture of the Pine-apple. 



after it has gone through the first stage of decay in the forcing- 

 ground, as Hning, &c., it is then in excellent condition to ma- 

 nure their vegetable ground. This is one reason why commercial 

 growers surpass many private growers in cropping. But, though 

 Norwood loam, in a pure state, suits the purpose of commercial 

 growers, who have plenty of dung, and aim at growing the 

 greatest number of middle-sized fruit (such being most profit- 

 able), in the shortest time, and at the least expense, the amateur 

 and family grower, whose means and aims are different, would 

 be disappointed by following this practice. To the gardener 

 and amateur, dung is the costliest, the worst-looking, and the 

 most laborious agent that can be employed : their aims, likewise, 

 are different. Gentlemen's gardeners and amateurs prefer a 

 few pines at all seasons, rather than a great many at one season ; 

 and they generally wish to have those few of the finest flavour, 

 the richest colour, and the largest size. It is the circumstance 

 of commercial growers attending so little to the flavour of their 

 fruits, provided they look well, that has induced connoisseurs 

 in this fruit to rear their supply themselves ; and the methods 

 adopted by the most successful of their growers I shall here 

 detail, for the sake of those who are not professed pine-growers, 

 as minutely as my limits will allow: — First, then, it is an error 

 to say that *' the pine produces fruit, and dies." In the bosom 

 of every leaf is an eye, and, under proper treatment after fruiting, 

 every eye may be forwarded, and made to form a fruiting plant ; 

 and this is the secret of propagating all sorts of pines. By 

 keeping the stools in a strong moist heat, plunged in a good 

 bottom heat, I have seen hundreds of suckers got from stools, 

 a year or two after the fruit had been cut from them ; while, 

 from not being aware of this simple fact, I have known persons 

 throw away stools of the New Providence, and other shy breed- 

 ing black sorts, and have to purchase suckers, of the same 

 kinds, at half a guinea each. 



As soon as the suckers are taken from the stools (and that 

 should not be done till they are well nursed), let their root 

 ends be smoothened, by cutting about ^ in. or J in. off", 

 and pick off about five or six of the abortive scales, like 

 leaves at the bottom, to permit the roots to issue from their 

 bosoms into the soil. They may then be potted outright, with- 

 out drying, as I have never known that process do them either 

 good or harm : drying to excess certainly injures a free-growing 

 sucker. The pots should be proportioned to the sucker; and, 

 as a guide to the uninitiated, I may observe that, from 1 in. 

 to ] J in. should be left between the brim of the pot and the 

 stem of the sucker. The pots should be of the same depth 

 as diameter, and the bottom of the sucker be put about half 

 way into the pot. 



