THE PINE-APPLE. 37 



at any stage when working amongst them. Those 

 who shift and plunge the strong prickly varieties can 

 easily protect their hands from being torn by wearing 

 a pair of gloves. In plunging them they should not 

 be put thicker than two feet from centre to centre, and 

 that side of the plant which has been to the sun all 

 the growing season should be placed so still. Indeed, 

 very strong plants require more room. 



As soon as they are all plunged, if they are dry, 

 water them with guano -water at 80°, giving them 

 sufficient to moisten the whole ball, but be careful 

 not to splash it about the leaves. The atmospheric 

 temperature for January should be 65° at night, and 

 70° by day without sun; with sun, 80° will be suffi- 

 cient, and air should be given when it exceeds that. 

 The moisture in the air must also be proportionately 

 increased, and should be done by sprinkling the paths 

 and walls with tepid water two or three times a-day, 

 instead of steaming the pipes for the present. A 

 watchful eye must be kept on the state of the soil, 

 and no more water given than is sufficient to keep it 

 moist, but not wet. With too much water, and the 

 degree of top and bottom heat now necessary, the 

 tendency of pines to make growth at this season and 

 miss starting for the time being is increased. With 

 these conditions the plants having a mass of healthy 

 roots in an irritable state will soon show signs of 

 motion, and all the more surely in proportion as the 

 heat and moisture are steadily administered. 



In February the heat must be advanced to 70° at 

 night, and 75° by day, and air put on when it exceeds 

 80° with sun, shutting up the house early in the 

 afternoon so as to husband sun-heat. The moisture 

 in the air must not be much more than in January, 



