65 



to be grown on the pot system, the young plants 

 should be potted singly into forty-eights or thirty- 

 twos, and on good bottom heat, and be near the 

 glass to prevent their being drawn up weak, with a 

 top heat of 65 to 85 degs. during the growing sea- 

 son, with plenty of air and moisture, and occasional 

 shade. (Mills on Pine Apple, 72). 



SOIL AND MANURES. 



It is quite true that the pine apple will root and grow 

 in almost any permeable medium. Mr Hamilton has 

 employed nothing but undecayed tan for the purpose ; 

 Mr. Oldacre was equally successfully with powdered 

 bones alone ; and Mr. Brown, gardener at Mere vale 

 Hall, is strongly in favour of peat without any mix- 

 ture. He says, those who have the good fortune to 

 reside near good peaty soil need not be afraid of using 

 it wholly in which to grow pines. For plants that 

 are to fruit in winter, peat is excellent, on account of 

 its loose texture. Pines planted in a mixture of half 

 charcoal and loam, fruit very well. All sand gives no 

 one cause of complaint ; on the contrary, it should 

 rather be recommended, for the roots become very 

 strong in it, and the rootlets are extremely numer- 

 ous. It is not of much importance what kind of 

 material pines are grown in, provided the roots are in 



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