87 



i fruit, it is necessary to admit a plentiful supply of air 

 [ early in the morning, say when the thermometer 

 ' reaches 80 degs., but taking care to avoid cold cur- 

 rents. The paths of the house are to be well watered 

 [' to saturate the air with moisture ; a point in culture 

 not sufficiently attended to, and which is often appa- 

 rent in the flaccid state of the foliage after a hot day ; 

 continue watering, till the fruit changes colour, when 

 it must be withheld from the plant, until it is cut. 

 The plants must be freed from all suckers, except one 

 or two at most, to be retained for stock. When it is 

 desirable to keep a ripe fruit back for a few days, the 

 plant may be set upon the kerb of the pit, or removed 

 to a vinery ; after the fruit is cut the soil in the pot 

 must be stirred up to the depth of an inch, and the 

 stool well supplied with water, and every encourage- 

 ment given to strengthen the suckers. 



The successional crops of fruiters have the same' 

 routine of management, but as many of them that ripen 

 their fruit in autumn require a difference in the 

 amount of air and water, these are regulated by the 

 weather ; if it is fine and sunny, it will be nearly the 

 same as for the first ; but if dull, cold, or w^et, a 

 diminution of each is necessary ; and to swell the 

 fruit to perfection, a little fire will be necessary on 

 dull cold days or nights until the whole are cut. 

 {Gard, Journ. 1845, 247.) 



