338 



PINE APPLE. 



will cause a robust stocky growth, and put them 

 in prime order to go into fruit pots in October. 



Some pine growers use no succession house, 

 raising all their plants to the fruiting size on dung 

 hotbeds. This is not a convenient plan : but where 

 there is a command of means it is a very successful 

 one, the plants being got up into a fruiting bulk in 

 a comparatively short time. 



At the last shifting, the plants are removed into 

 larger pots, filling round with fresh compost ; the 

 bark turned, receiving a supply of fresh, and the 

 plants replunged therein. If there be fear that the 

 heat will rise too strong, the pots should only be let 

 in half their depth, and as the heat subsides, be 

 either plunged to their full depth, or have the sur- 

 face among the pots made up by fresh bark. The 

 same may be required in the spring, to enable the 

 plant to perfect the fruit, and which also very much 

 assists to strengthen the suckers. 



Trials have been made to grow pines on shelves, 

 instead of plunging the pots in beds of bark or leaves, 

 and the plan has partly succeeded ; but it must be a 

 slower process ; and unless the air in the house be 

 kept very moist, and of equal temperature, the roots 

 close to the sides of pots must often be injuriously 

 affected. Pines have also been grown without pots, 

 in a bed of earth over a steam chamber ; good fruit 

 have been produced in this way, but it is a trouble- 

 some plan, and without any advantages. 



Next to the proper treatment of pines as far as 

 regards light, heat, air, moisture, and situation, pre- 



