106 



plants are allowed to stand dormant any time ; or, if 

 they meet with a sudden check after they are set for 

 fruit ; or if they are allowed to stand still, or come on 

 too slowly when first set, or are starting for fruit, they 

 are the plants which always produce gills in the great- 

 est abundance. A healthy growing plant, or rather, 

 we should say, a plant grown into fruit without receiv- 

 ing any check, rarely produces any, or but few gills. 

 We have observed gills push forth from the stalks of 

 pine apples, and at the base of the fruit, with two or 

 three pips in depth of fruit to them, somewhat in the 

 manner of the hen and chicken daisy. 



Excessive Crow^n.— This takes various forms. 

 The crown may be flattened, or fasciculated, which is 

 described by gardeners as cockscomhing ; or several 

 crowns may be produced ; or there may be only one 

 excessively large. Each and all of these may be con- 

 sidered as a disease, being an excessive or plethoric 

 growth. 



The cockscomhing of pines, to which, by the way, 

 the Enville is peculiarly subject, is a deformity ; and 

 if two specimens, nearly equally swelled, heavy, and 

 otherwise good, are placed for competition, the prize 

 must be given against the cockscomb. But if the 

 cockscombed is decidedly better grown than others not 

 cockscombed, to which it is opposed, then this defor- 

 mity ought not to be a, bar to its winning ; because it 

 is not caused by bad gardening, nor capable of being 



