THE PINE-APPLE. 



263 



On bright avmny days, whicli sometimes prevail in 

 January, the maximum may touch 80°, air being 

 given when the glass registers 76°. 



Felruary. — If the past month has been bright and , 

 fine, the plants may now have another watering with 

 weak guano- water, or diluted liquid manure, at a tem- 

 perature of 80°. Atmospheric moistm-e, still in mode- 

 ration, should be provided by damping the paths and 

 walls and filling the evaporating pans with diluted 

 liquid. "When feeding Pine plants, it is a good plan 

 to vai-y the liquid as much as possible, where animal 

 as well as artificial manui'es can be obtained. 

 Manure-waters of all kinds should be quite clear 

 when used. The night temperature may be steadily 

 raised from 65° at the beginning to 70° at the end 

 of the month, and that by day from 70° to 76° 

 When the latter point is reached, give sufficient air 

 to allow a rise to 30° under the influence of sunshine. 

 Close early to economise fire-heat, and run down the 

 blinds at night. If the plants are satisfactory, some 

 of them will begin to show fruit by the end of the 

 month, when a little more water may be given with 

 advantage, and the surface of the bed syringed on 

 bright afternoons. If the bottom heat varies, take 

 steps to reduce or raise it to about 83°; but be careful 

 as to the disturbance of fermenting beds, as sun-heat 

 in March sometimes causes a, sudden rise of several 

 degrees, which might be hurtful to the plants at a 

 time when all their energy is needed to force the 

 fruit well out of the foliage, and aid in the rapid 

 development which will take place during the next 

 two months. 



March. — Early in this month, all the plants which 

 have responded to the autumn, rest will be throwing 

 up fruit, and suckers wiU be starting from the stems 

 of the Queens and other free kinds. As stock of these 

 is always plentiful, not more than two of the best 

 need be kept to grow on. All the others, as well as 

 the gills, which form just below the fruit, should be 

 removed as soon as they can be seen, otherwise they 

 will take away the strength which should be thrown 

 into the fruit. 



As this is a very trying month, a portion of the 

 day often being verj- bright, with sharp piercing 

 winds, followed by cold, arid nights, the minimum 

 and maximum temperatures from fire-heat should, 

 not be much increased; but sun-heat must be 

 husbanded to the fullest extent, by closing in time 

 to run up to 90° for a short time, with atmospheric 

 moisture, which is best produced by syringing the 

 walls and floors and occasionally the surface of the 

 bed. Overhead syringing must not be indulged in 

 until after the flowers on all the pips have set. 



Cross - fertilisation.— If cross-fertilisation is 

 contemplated, the time is now at hand, and early, 



spring-started plants wiU be found the best, as the 

 seeds will be ripened under the most favourable 

 conditions which this climate afEords. Should the 

 month be unusually bright and dry, watering with 

 stimulating liquid must be more frequent; but of 

 two evils it is best to err on the side of dryness, 

 provided the soU is kept in a fairly moist growing 

 condition and atmospheric moisture is liberally 

 supplied. To counteract the rapid escape of heat 

 and moisture, the blinds should be let down 

 dm-ing the hours of darkness, when the front 

 brick ventilators may be opened to let in a chink 

 of fresh air. 



April. — Under the favourable influence of nuld, 

 gleamy days, the night temperature should range 

 from 75° at banking time to 70° in the morning, and 

 the maximum from 80° to 85° by day. Air must be 

 given at the apex when the thermometer touches 

 78°, and steadily increased to an extent that will 

 allow the mercury to rise to 85°. When it begins 

 to decline, reducing must also have timely attention, 

 as rapid forcing with plentj'' of solar heat and 

 moisture on fine afternoons is in every way prefer- 

 able to early firing to catch the night heats. Imme- 

 diately after the house is closed, the plants should 

 be regularly dewed overhead with water at a 

 temperature of 80°, and a little thrown into the 

 axils of the lower leaves will feed the stem-roots ; 

 but the latter practice, while keeping them moist, 

 should not be carried to an extent that will load 

 them with water and so increase the size of the 

 crowns to the "detriment of the fruit. As the latter 

 are now swelhng fast, neat sticks firmly placed in 

 each pot and rising a little above the tops of the 

 crowns wiE be needed as supports to keep them 

 upright. In lean-to houses, the fruit is apt to lean 

 with the plant to the south, when the crown gets 

 drawn out of the perpendicular. 



May. — Any fruits that were not tied up last month 

 will now require attention, as nothing looks worse 

 than a crooked crown. When all have been tied up, 

 examine the beds ; if dry, water between the pots, 

 using soot or lime-water where worms have found 

 an entrance. If free from these pests, clear diluted 

 liquid is preferable to pure water, as it throws off 

 ammonia at a time when stimulants in moderation are 

 constamtly needed. If the fermenting material has 

 left the sides of the pots, replace it, set the pots level 

 and add a thin surfacing of tan or leaves. Gentle 

 stimulants at every watering will do good service, 

 until the most forward fruits have attained their 

 size, when root-feeding must be discontinued. Some 

 Pine-growers lay great stress on certain animal 

 manures, such as deer or sheep dung; but for all 

 round, general purposes there is nothing better than 

 weak solutions of guano, and the contents of the 



