37 



a more simple, uniform, genial bottom heat, applica- 

 ble at all times and seasons just to the required ex- 

 tent, without all the above former-days' complicated 

 methods of watchfulness. Surely in these times no 

 cultivator needs advice or caution regarding the ap- 

 plication of bottom heat, for no well-instructed gar- 

 dener of our days would now think of preparing a 

 dangerous, expensive, laborious bottom heat, and 

 then practise a remedy also equally dangerous, to 

 avoid its evil consequences I These are not times, 

 we should hope, that such things are to be found in 

 practice, but are only matters of record. 



Disrooting. — The old system of pine culture used 

 to adopt as a principle that which is now justly con- 

 demned as the worst of all practice — the frequent 

 disturbance and even destruction of the roots. So far 

 from this being desirable, let the gardener ever keep 

 in mind, both for this and all other crops, that the less 

 the root is disturbed the finer will be the produce. 

 Upon this point of pine-culture we will quote Mr. 

 Hamilton's very judicious remarks. He says, neither 

 shaking out, nor transplanting healthy plants into 

 larger pots after the fruit is cut, can be adopted as 

 a general rule, without deteriorating the quality of 

 the succeeding fruit. Therefore merely dress off the 

 bottom leaves, as high as where the roots appear ; 

 which is generally two or three inches above the level 



