530 



PRACTICE OF GARDENING. 



Part III. 



quontly the case, a month hefore the fruit ripens, and planted, will, in the end of 1821, 

 OK early in the spring of 1822, ripen its fruit. 



2828. Baldwin, however, accomplishes this by both crowns and suckers in a shorter period, and appears 

 to have great merit, not only in that, but in growing his successi(xi plants without the aid of fire -heat. The 

 following are his observations on both subjects. " The New Providence, black Antigiia, Jamaica, Enville, 

 and the other large sorts of ananas, will require the cultivation of three years to bring them to perfection ; 

 but the old queen and Ripley'^s new queen may be brought to perfection in fifteen months. To effect this 

 it must be observed, that some of the plants will fruit in February or the beginning of March, and conse- 

 quently that the suckers may be taken off in June, or the beginning of July. Make then a good bed of 

 tan with lining of litter round the outside, to keep in the tan ; make the bed to fit a large melon-frame ; 

 nut the suckers into pots of about nine inches diameter, filled with the compost ; plunge them in the bed, 

 prepared in regular order, and throw a mat over them in hot weather, for shade, till they hare taken 

 root ; let them remain till the end of September, and then shift them into pots of about twelve inches dia- 

 meter, and plunge them in the fruiting-houso. I have had fine crops of pines raised from these suckers, 

 many of them four pounds each, from plants only fifteen months old. This method, in point both of time 

 and expense, has greatly the advantage of the common plan of raising pines, in three years, by fires ; when 

 the fruit at last is frequently small and ill-flavored." It is a peculiar recommendation of this plan, that the 

 plants reared in frames, without fires, the first year seldom or never run to fruit ; whereas, on the con- 

 trary, where stoves are used, first for the nursery, next for the succession, and lastly for the fruiting 

 house, it is seldom that one third of the plants come to the fruiting-house, because so many of them have 

 run to fruit ; and even those that stand are necessarily dried and stinted, being subject to the attacks of 

 various insects ; not to mention the enormous care and expense attendant \i\Mn a three years' cultivation. 

 By this plan, *' one third of the coals are sufficient, and less than one half of the usual labor and build- 

 ings." {Cult, of Allan, p. 28.) 



2829. Growing the fruit of an extraordinary/ size. Spcechly and M'Phail say, " In March, to make some 

 of your fruit swell very large, prevent all suckers from growing on the plants. You may destroy them by 

 twisting out their hearts with a sharii-pointed stick, or a piece of iron about eighteen inches long. This, 

 however, should not be made a general practice." 



2830. Abercronibie concurs in this practice, and adds, " A yet further advantage may be given to the swell- 

 ing of the fruit, by having a few of the lower leaves of the plant taken off, and by putting a rim of tin, or 

 any thing else in the form of a hoop, round the top of the pot, sufficient to raise the mould three or four 

 inches. The mould should be of the best quality, and constantly kept in a moderate moist state : this 

 may be done by having the surface kept covered with moistened moss. The roots of the pine-plant, es- 

 pecially those produced from the part of the stem just under the leaves, will then make a surprising pro- 

 gress, and tlie fruit will be greatly benefited by this expedient." 



28.31. IV. Hogg, who has grown the largestpines next to Baldwin and Buchan, " in March, 1820, had several 

 of different sorts, which had been suckers taken from the parentplants in 1816, and which, under the usual 

 treatment, had become too large to receive proper sustenance while remaining in pots. To provide a fit place 

 for them, he cut a deep trench along the back of the bark-bed, into which he put a quantity of good earth, 

 and then turned the pines out of the pots into it, and filled up round the balls with mould of the same qua- 

 lity, which he covered lightly with tan. At the time a few only of the plants were showing fruit, but 

 they all (with the exception of one plant of the New Providence) fruited immediately, and extremely well, 

 yielding fruit from 3 lbs. to 5f lbs. each in weight. The plant of the New Providence continued growing 

 luxuriantly till the foUomng February, when it showed fruit, which was cut in June, and weighed 9 lb. 

 4 oz. During the growth of this pine, it was twice nourished by a supply of fresh earth to its roots." {Hort. 

 Trans, iv. 555.) 



2832. Cutting ripe pines. " It is easy to know," Speedily observes, " when the pine 

 becomes ripe by its yellow color, yet they do not all change in the same manner, but 

 most generally begin at the lower part of the fruit ; such fruit should not be cut till the 

 upper part also begins to change, ^vhich sometimes will be many days after, espe- 

 cially in the sugar-loaf kinds. Sometimes the fruit will first begin to change in the 

 middle, which is a certain indication of its being ripe ; such fruit should be cut imme- 

 diately." 



2833. Abercro?nbie says, " The indications of maturity are, a difflisive fragrance, accompanied by a change 

 , in the color of the fruit ; most sorts becoming yellow, or straw-color ; others, dark-green, or yellowish tinged 



with green. Cut pine-applcs before they are dead-ripe, or the spirit of the flavor will be dissipated. Bring 

 away, with the fruit, above five inches of stalk ; and leave the crown adhering to the top." 



2834. Nicol, " If pine-apples be not cut soon after they begin to color, that is, just when the fruit is of a 

 greenish-yellow, or straw-color, they fall greatly off in flavor and richness ; and that sharp luscious taste, 

 so much admired, becomes insipid." 



2835. Retarding and keeping frtdt. " It sometimes happens," Speechly obsei-ves, " that 

 great part of a stove of plants will show their fruit at or near the same time, and with 

 the same treatment, would consequently become ripe too nearly together. To prevent 

 this, and bring them into a regular succession, when the fruit is nearly ripe, part of 

 the plants fnay be taken out of the stove, and set in a dry shady place ; as, for instance, 

 the stove-shed, where the pots should be covered with moistened moss, but no water 

 given them ; it must be observed, that every one of the plants must be taken into the 

 hot-house again, and set in the tan-bed for a w^eek or ten days before the fruit is cut, 

 to give it a good flavor. When there is a variety of hot-houses, this caution is not 

 necessary." 



2836. Aberci-omhie saySf contrivances for retarding fruit, are sometimes resorted to, that plants which have 

 started too soon into fruit, may have a better season to ripen in ; and sometimes in order that a whole 

 crop may not come in at once. The former may be provided for by shifting early in spring, or at any time 

 before the fruit has attained half the full diameter ; and the latter inconvenience may be thus obviated : 

 " If you perceive the fruit ripening too fast, or advancing too nearly together, set as many plants as you 

 intend to retard into a dry airy place, affording both shade and shelter. Give no water as long as you 

 wish to suspend their progress. For the same purpose, others may be set out green ; while the excite- 

 ment of these is lowered, they must be kept in a growing state." 



2837. M'Phail observes, " If pines ripen too fast after one another, set the pots out of the house with the 

 fruit on them, into an airy, cool, dry shade, and the fruit will keep a fortnight or longer, if it be set out 

 before it is full ripe. The plants, while in this situation, should have no water given them : and it may be 

 necessary sometimes, in order to have a succession, or constant supply of fruit for a long time, to set some of 



