102 BICTON PINE-APPLES. 



chiefly of Queens, Black Jamaica, Monteerrat, EnvUle, Moscow Queen, 

 Anson's Queen or Otateite, and Black Antigua. The plants employed 

 had never heen subjected to fire heat at any time. They were turned 

 out after they had blossomed. The fruit, ripened under these 

 circumstances, was of the highest quality in point of flaTour ; and 

 although the night temperature to which the plants were exposed, was 

 occasionally below 40°, no injury was sustained by them. The cold 

 winds were kept off by banks thrown up across the prevailing currents. 

 The want of a sufficient amount of earth heat was compensated for by a 

 " linin g" of leaves still capable of fermentation. And by covering the 

 scene of the experiment with a black substance, the heat-absorbing 

 power of tiie ground was so much increased as to enable it to maintain 

 a night atmosphere round the plants high enough to repel the late frosts 

 of Devonshire, and to maintain a healthy growth during the day. 

 The admirable flavour of the fruit could not have been owing to high 

 temperature, nor to bright and long-continued sunshine, for the 

 weather was stormy, with many dark sunless days. It was caused by 

 the free access of air constantly passing over the leaves, incessantly 

 feeding them on the one hand, and helping them on the other to 

 elaborate their juices by the as incessant' removal of their superfluous 

 water. The fruit was not indeed very large, but its size was as great 

 as sufficed to render it an ornament to a table, as the foUowing weights 

 of fruit cut in 1847 prove. 



July 7 — 2 Queens, whose united weights were 8 lbs. 6 oz. 



18-1 » „ „ 4 



28-1 „ „ „ 4 8 



Aug. 11—1 „ „ „ 4 



14-1 .. ., „ 4 7 



21—1 Enville „ „ 6 2 



24—1 Queen „ „ 4 8 



31—1 .. „ „ 4 8 



Sept. 26—1 EnviUe „ 6 



Oct. 4—1 Montserrat „ „ 4 



9—1 



8 

 5 



Total . . . . 55 lbs. 15 oz. 



Others, cut at intervals, weighed from 3 lbs. 8 oz. to 4 lbs. 



One of the most essential of the alterations which occur in 

 fruits during ripening is the decomposition or dissipation of 

 the water that they attract from the stem. A diminished supply 

 of water wiU, under equal circumstances, produce an accelerated 

 maturation, because less time will be required to decompose 



