20 Culture of the Pine-apple at Versailles. 



sivel}'', each in its turn, from month to month, from October to July. The 

 series placed in the fruiting-house in October shows fruit in December and 

 ripens it in June ; and the last series, which is placed in heat in July, ani 

 which shows its fruit in October, does not ripen it till April and May, for fruit 

 ripens very slowly during winter. 



As it is only at the end of two months that the plant stripped of its roots 

 has produced new ones in sufficient quantity to be set for fruiting, it is neces- 

 sary to select, long before the month of October, the plants that are to com- 

 pose the first series, the fruit of which is to be ready in June. Consequently, 

 as early as the 1st of August, those plants are selected from the frames where 

 they attained their growth, that appear the strongest, to form the first series. 



Before being set to fruit, the plants must be kept during the winter at a 

 very moderate temperature. The temperature of the bed may be kept at 

 13° of Reaumur (66°Fahr.); that of the air may be at 15° Reaumur in 

 the day, and 8° Reaumur (30° Fahr.) at night. When the temperature of 

 the air is too high and dry, the heat causes the plants to run to fruit prema- 

 turely ; when too high and moist, it makes the leaves grow rapidly, when 

 the light of the short days is not sufficient to colour them. For those plants 

 which are to be preserved till their turn arrives of being put into the fruiting- 

 liouse, the heat of the dung alone placed outside the shelter is more favour- 

 able than the heat of the fire. 



Watering should be very moderate during the six months of winter. During 

 this time the roots only are to be watered ; and to" prevent wetting the leaves, 

 and particularly the heart of the plant, which would be liable to perish if the 

 water which may have fallen on it were not removed by a pipe, the watering 

 is effected by means of a funnel, under which there is a horizontal tube formed 

 of several pieces, which carries the water to the most distant plants. 



4. Shelter. Fruiting-house, where the plants are placed to show fruit. 



This hothouse should be large to contain a great deal of air ; it ought to 

 be raised above the soil to be very dry ; besides, the glass of the sashes must 

 be renewed from time to time, for the action of the light through new glass is 

 as necessary to induce the plant to show fruit, as the action of the dry air and 

 the heat of the fire. 



The bed should be new to be very warm, and composed of new dung mixed 

 with leaves to preserve the heat for a long time. It is covered with a bed of 

 tan, in which the pots are plunged. During the two months which elapse 

 before the plant shows its fruit, and also during the time of flowering, the 

 roots should be at a temperature of 30° of Reaumur (100° of Fahr.), but not 

 higher; at 40° Reaumur (122° Fahr.) the roots would perish. A thermo- 

 meter enclosed in a metal tube, and plunged as low as the pots, indicates the 

 temperature. 



When the soil round the roots is at the temperature of 30° Reaumur (100° 

 Fahr.), the air may be also at 30° Reaumur during the day, and at 20° Reau- 

 mur (77° Fahr.) during the night. This temperature^ which in the sunk and 

 damp shelter would make the leaves of the plants grow too much, does not 

 produce the same effect upon the same plants placed in the fruiting-house. 

 The dry heat of this hothouse stops by degrees the growth of the leaves in 

 proportion as the parts of fructification are developed. The offsets are deve- 

 loped also, and sometimes too numerously : therefore, to prevent them absorb- 

 ing for their own use the sap which was to nourish and swell the fruit, care is 

 taken, after having removed those reserved for multiplication, to prevent the 

 growth of the rest by pulling out the heart with a pair of nippers, long and 

 flat at the point. 



Though the plant in the fruiting-house is exposed to a very great heat, it 

 is watered very little during the time it is showing fruit, and then only on the 

 roots. Too much fluidity in the sap, and consequently too much watering, 

 would excite the plant to grow and not to fruit ; but from the moment the 

 fruit begins to show itself in the centre of the leaves, till the period when it 

 has attained its full growth, the roots ai'e watered abundantly as well as the 

 plant. 



