56 



which, on e hand should be placed at the bottom of 

 the plant to keep it steady ; the other as near as 

 possible to the bottom of the sucker ; after which, 

 the sucker should be moved two or three times back- 

 wards and forwards in a side way direction, and it will 

 fall off with its bottom entire. Whereas, when a 

 sucker is bent downwards immediately from the plant, 

 it frequently either breaks off in the stem, or splits at 

 the bottom. (Speechly on the Pine Apple, 260.) 



Some, most erroneously, think it necessary to dry 

 crowns and suckers before potting them, and for that 

 purpose lay them on the shelves, &c of the stove for 

 a week or ten days. By this treatment, they certainly 

 may be hurt, but cannot be improved, provided they 

 have been fully matured before being taken off from 

 the fruit or stocks, and that these have previously had 

 no water for about ten days. They will succeed as 

 well, or better, if planted the hour they are taken off, 

 as if treated in any other way. 



It is quite true that large suckers have been known 

 to vegetate after lying in a hot-house unplanted dur- 

 ing the six summer months, but this only proves their 

 tenacity of life. Cut the base of the sucker smooth 

 before planting. 



Mr. Mills agrees in recommending the suckers to be 

 planted immediately after separation from the fruit. 

 He says, that planting crowns or suckers of pines in 

 pots, as soon as removed from the parent plants, is 



