THE PINE-APPLE. 25 



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 

 superabundance 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 fruit- 

 ing 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 bot- 

 tom-heat; 85° to 90° should be 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. Al- 

 though 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 atmo- 

 spheric heat should range during cold dull weather 

 from 60° to 65° at night. I am not particular as to 

 a few degrees, but much prefer being guided by the 

 outside temperature. During bright sunshiny days, 

 when the pinery can be shut up in the afternoons 



