THE PINE- APPLE. 2$ 



pot the less water it holds in suspension, a point of no 

 small importance in the growth of so succulent a plant 

 as the pine. I never remember seeing really healthy- 

 pines or fine fruit in a rich puttied soil, holding a 

 siiperabundance of water about the roots. The soil 

 should be made thus firm all round the ball and about 

 the collar of the plants up to within an inch of the rim 

 of the pot. 



"When the whole are shifted they should be plunged 

 in their growing quarters at once. And should there 

 for the time be a scarcity of room for the desired 

 number, with the prospect of more room in the course of 

 a few weeks by getting rid of others that are fruiting off, 

 they may be arranged rather thicker than is proper for 

 them to make their summer growth. But if at once 

 they can have the necessary amount of room — namely 

 two feet from plant to plant in and between the rows — 

 all the better ; for there is nothing more to be deprecated 

 in pine-growing than overcrowding. 



Particular attention must now be paid to the bottom- 

 heat ; 85° should be the point aimed at. And, where 

 the heat is derived from tan and leaves, should it exceed 

 90°, the pots should be moved from side to side, so as 

 to leave an opening round their sides. Although there 

 may not be absolute danger of burning the roots while 

 they have not reached the sides of the pots, yet too 

 much bottom-heat causes an over-rapid growth at too 

 early a season, which, in the absence of longer days and 

 brighter sunshine, is exceedingly undesirable. During 

 the month of March the atmospheric heat should range 

 during cold dull weather from 60° to 65° at night. I 

 am not particular as to a few degrees, but much pre- 

 fer being guided by the outside temperature. During 



