THE PINE-APPLE. 



261 



flowered Sunflower, is a vigorous-growing peren- 

 nial, four feet in height, producing large deep 

 yellow flowers from June to October, very useful 

 for cutting, and one of the best of our autumn- 

 flowering perennials, either for massing or for 

 single specimens in the border, and it is one of 

 the few plants that will thrive in a smoky atmo- 

 sphere. S. muttifloi-us flore-pleno is a double 

 variety oftener met with than the single form, and 

 produces large double yellow flowers of a hand- 

 some character. A variety named maximus, the 

 Great Perennial Single Sunflower, is an enormous- 

 growing variety, attaining the height of six to nine 

 ieet, and producing immense golden-yellow flowers, 

 almost as large as those of the annual species. 

 Other useful species are S. decapetalus, S. oceiden- 

 tale, and S. orgijalis, but they are not nearly so much 

 -grown as the forms of H. multijlorus, which are 

 ■decidedly the best. H. rigidns, better known as 

 Harpalium rigidum, is one of the best of our autumn- 

 flowering perennials ; the flowers are very large and 

 of a bright golden-yellow colour, with a strikiug 

 black disc. It grows about three feet in height, 

 flowers very fully, and forms a very attractive object. 

 It is a native of North America, and has roots 

 which spread about very much. Like aU the peren- 

 nial Sunflowers, this does well in ordinary borders, 

 in which, from its rapidly-spreading habit, it will 

 require annual division. 



The forms of H. multiflorus are being much grown 

 hy gardeners, as they are found so useful for cutting 

 from for decorative purposes, and yellow flowers 

 being in much demand at the present time, their 

 growth is deserving of encouragement on this ground 

 also. 



The Jerusalem Artichoke [Helianthus tuberosm) is 

 a Sunflower. Artichoke is a name which Diez de- 

 rives from the Arabic ArdischauM, " Earth-thom," 

 and which was introduced with the plant by the 

 Moors of Spain. This particular plant is called 

 Artichoke from the flavour of its tubers, and Jeru- 

 salem, which has puzzled many, from the Italian 

 Oirasole, " Turn-sun," that is, a sim that turns about. 

 Unlike the other Sunflowers, it very seldom blos- 

 soms ; it will sometimes flower in this country, 

 after a short dry summer like that of 1884, when 

 several instances of its doing so are recorded. 

 There is not suflScient heat in our climate to mature 

 the seeds : but M. Vilmorin, of Paris, states in the 

 Bon Jardinier that he has obtained seeds and raised 

 several varieties. This species produces tubers in 

 the soil, and they are baked, roasted, boiled, and 

 served up with milk and butter, and in various 

 other ways. 



It is found wild in Upper Canada and the United 

 States. 



THE PINE-APPLE. 



Bt William Coleman. 



CULTIVATION (continued). 

 Resting. — By the beginning of August, the ma- 

 jority of the plants wiU be firm, stocky and well 

 matured, with plenty of white, healthy roots, working 

 round the insides of the pots, and through the 

 drainage. The gTOwing season, if they are to start 

 into fruit at the time we have named, wiU be nearly 

 over, and the next two months wiU be devoted to a 

 gradual reduction in the supply of heat and water. 

 By gradual it must be imderstood that the transition 

 from active growth to comparative rest must be so 

 steady as to prevent the possibility of a premature 

 check, which may lead to the most promising plants 

 throwing up their fruit in mid-winter, when, in the 

 case of Queens, the labour of the past season would 

 be thrown away. Therefore the supply of water to 

 the roots, and in the air of the house, must be regu- 

 lated by the state of the weather, and the condition of 

 the bed. If the chilly, foggy nights which charac- 

 terise the month of September prevail, the reduced 

 supply of water to the roots and in the atmosphere 

 must be given early in the day ; plenty of air during 

 the hours of sunshine wiR then carry off superfluous 

 moisture, and an external covering of some kind, 

 while economising fire-heat, will, to a great extent, 

 prevent the condensation of moisture under the glass 

 at a time when drip will be most hurtful to the plants. 

 Unless the weather is very bright and fine in October, 

 no more water must be given to the roots ; but if, on 

 examination, the lower part of th^ plunging-bed is 

 found to be at all dry, it wiU then be prudent to 

 water between the pots until the whole of the tan 

 is moderately moist, and capable of feeding instead 

 of robbing the roots during the season of rest. 



By the end of October the bottom heat should be 

 brought down to about 75°, and the day and night 

 temperatures proportionally low-^say, 65° as the mini- 

 mum, and 75° as the maximum — with air whenever 

 the sun raises the house to 70°. Through November 

 and December a further aU-round reduction of 5° 

 may be made ; but lower than this it wiU not be safe 

 to go, unless the weather is very severe, when a fall 

 of a few degrees through the night, and on dark 

 days, will be preferable to sharp firing, which will 

 render a corresponding supply of moisture absolutely 

 necessary to counteract its parching influence. If all 

 has gone well, the plants will not require a drop of 

 water through December ; neither must the fire- 

 heat, which is often necessary at this period, be so 

 severe as to rob the plants and pots of the stored-up 

 moisture, which will soon be again set in motion. To 

 counteract its influence on the roots, the watering of 

 the old tan may be repeated, and when it has thrown 



