20 Culture of the Queen Pine, 



appeared, till the climbers reached the length of the rafters, and 

 the shrubs to the glass. A few buds were then left near the top 

 of the plants, for cuttings, which, so soon as of sufficient length, 

 were taken, along with the main top, for that purpose. When 

 struck, the top cutting was selected, or, if that failed, one of the 

 strongest of the others, and this cutting was placed where the 

 parent plant, which was now thrown away, had stood. These 

 were again kept to one stem, by rubbing off all lateral buds as 

 they appeared, till they reached the top of the house ; and cut- 

 tings were taken from them again to undergo the same treat- 

 ment as before, till they produced flowers. So soon as the 

 flower-buds appeared, the lateral buds were allowed to remain; 

 and they produced flowers also, upon most species. After 

 having brought any species into flower, no farther particular 

 management was necessary ; as plants struck from cuttings, taken 

 from the flowering branches, generally flowered at a small size, 

 and under ordinary management ; and the original plant was taken 

 out to make room for another species that had not flowered. 



If the above treatment were persevered in by different indivi- 

 duals, many plants might be brought into flower, even if they 

 do not flower in their native country till they attain a great 

 height. This system is founded on the principle of increasing 

 the length or height of the plants ; and this may be practically 

 accomplished to any extent by repeatedly taking cuttings from 

 the points of their shoots. The only difficulty will be in striking 

 the cuttings; but this part of gardening practice is now so well 

 understood by most gardeners, that there is scarcely a plant which 

 cannot be so propagated. 



By the mode of treatment above described, Joliffm africana, 

 Clerodendrum macrophyllum and emirnense, Dalbergm Bar- 

 clayriwa, /hibiscus Ziliiflorus, Cineraria discolor, Quisqualis in- 

 dica, &c. ; and a tuberous-rooted herbaceous plant, the omime 

 plant of Madagascar (Plectranthus ternatus) which rarely 

 flov/ers, even in its native country, were first brought into a 

 flowering state. 



Birmingham^ Sept. 3. 1834, 



Art. X. On Mr. Doivding's Manner of cultivating the Queen Pine- 

 Apple for Early Fruit, as a Market Speculation. By Mr. Alex- 

 ander Forsyth. 



According to promise, I have enclosed a paper on the cul- 

 ture of a complement of queen pines that were grown and fruited 

 here, on speculation, for the market; and which have answered 

 beyond our expectations, owing chiefly to the fineness of the 

 weather. This, however, was not solely the case ; for we had a 



