as practised at Downton Castle. 37 1 



immediate roots, until it has performed its office. Pots of a 

 cylindrical form are used, measuring 10 in. inside in diameter, 

 the same width bottom and top, and from 16 in. to 22 in. in 

 depth, varying to suit the length of the old stems and suckers, 

 which are to be removed into them. Draining of the bottom of 

 the pots is considered of little importance, for some of them have 

 no holes at all to allow the escape of excess of moisture; but care 

 and judgment must be used in giving water in such cases. 



" The sorts of pines grown or valued here are the St. Vincent 

 or green olive, the green providence, the queen, and black 

 Jamaica ; and the mould in which these plants are grown is a 

 compost of rich loam with a proportion of animal matter well 

 incorporated. The plants, on being potted, are placed in very 

 high heat, not less than 100°. While the temperature is kept 

 at this height, a good deal of water may be given freely, and in 

 such quantity as to reach the bottom of the pots. At this stage of 

 growth, the plants will occupy very little room, as the pots may 

 be placed close together, and will only require to be removed to 

 a greater distance as they increase in size. 



" The pine plants are never moved out of the pots in which 

 they are at first put until the fruit is cut ; and in all seasons, 

 except in the dead of winter, they require a good deal of water, 

 and to have the air of the house in a continual state of humidity : 

 for this purpose, water must be frequently thrown over the flues 

 and floor of the house. The pines are sprinkled with water in the 

 evenings of hot summer days in such quantity as to cause some to 

 remain in the axillae of the leaves until the following day. Manure- 

 water especially, when the fruit is swelling, may be given to the 

 roots with advantage. The plants require no shading in the 

 hottest season, provided the mould in the pots be kept damp, and 

 the house be kept in a humid state ; but when the pines were 

 grown in the curvilinear-roofed houses (which is not the case 

 now), a curtain was drawn over the roof in the first bright 

 days of spring, and of the early part of summer. In dry air the 

 plants will not thrive well, and will run prematurely to fruit ; and 

 this want of moisture has probably been the only cause why the 

 pine-apple has not succeeded well out of the bark-bed. Mr. 

 Knight has been always indifferent as to the introduction of 

 insects into his houses from diseased plants, as no insect that 

 has ever infested the pine-apple plant can survive after being 

 subjected to the operation of two or three times syringing with 

 water at the temperature of 150°, at which heat water may with 

 safety be ejected from a syringe upon the plants, without the 

 least apprehension of danger. You will observe that there is no 

 regular time for shifting the pine-plants grown at Downton, for, 

 as soon as a fruit is cut, the plant undergoes the operation already 

 stated, and is left in that state until the sucker produces fruit. 



