340 



PINE APPLTH, 



kinds of dung*, and other substances, the writer has 

 found of no manner of use. Lig^ht fresh loam en- 

 riched with rotten dang is all that is necessary. 



In potting' the plants, care should be taken that 

 the pots be well drained with pot-sherds, and the 

 bottom dusted with a little soot to offend the worms. 



The best form of pots for ])ines should be deep, 

 in proportion to their width ; wide and shallow pots 

 are not at all suitable. Even for fruiting plants, the 

 pots do not require to be so large as many imagine ; 

 a pot of eight inches diameter, and nine deep, is 

 quite sufiieient for a queen pine. 



Having made these general observations, there re- 

 mains to be noticed the different varieties of this 

 matchless fruit now cultivated in British gardens, 

 viz, 



1. ^ueen Pine, — This is the oldest, as well as one 

 of the best of our sorts in cultivation. It is the most 

 hardy, and most to be depended upon for a regular 

 crop ; easily distinguishable from others by its 

 shorter leaves, and strong spines. The leaves are 

 covered with a leprous mealiness, which insects ap- 

 pear to be fond of. The fruit are oval ; colour deep 

 yellov/ ; pips prominent and pointed ; pulp yellow, 

 and full of a rich acid juice of a peculiar flavour. 

 The fruit vary in weight according to cultivation, 

 generally from two pounds to five, but very rarely 

 the latter. A gardener named Griffin, cut in the 

 year 1805, twenty-four queen pines, which weighed 

 together one hundred and eighteen pounds three ounces , 

 an amazing and valuable crop ! 



