FORCING DEPARTMENT. 379 



ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE PINE APPLE PLANT. 



The crowns and suckers being the first formation 

 of the Pine Apple Plant, I will begin by stating the 

 course of culture which I have followed with them, 

 through the different stages of their growth, in order 

 to bring the plants to the best degree of strength, for 

 producing good-sized fruit. As soon as the fruit is 

 cut, the greater portion of the old leaves is cleared 

 away, close to the stem of the old plants, in order to 

 admit the sun and air for the perfecting of the 

 suckers, which are permitted to grow until there are 

 a sufficiency of crowns and suckers collected for 

 tilling a two or three-light pit. In June, or July, 

 according as the fruit has been cut, a bed of well- 

 tempered dung or leaves is prepared, and the largest 

 of the suckers taken off, and potted into pots of 

 from four to five inches diameter, which are filled 

 with leaf-mould, well incorporated with sandy loam. 

 Before the suckers are potted, they are left in a 

 warm situation for a few days to dry, and some of 

 the lower leaves divested from the part that is to be 

 inserted into the soil : those that appear perfectly 

 ripened, and are of a firm texture, and of a brownish 

 colour at the bottom, and separate easily from the 

 mother plant, are immediately potted, and suc- 

 ceed as well as those laid up to dry. When the 

 crowns are returned, they are likewise dried previous 

 to planting, and a few of the leaves are removed 

 from their base. When the bed appears to be of a 

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