238 



PREFACE TO THE 



of indigenous vegetables, as by furnishing us with 

 a variety of fruits and flowers, the natives of a 

 warmer climate : and all these too in such perfec- 

 tion, and at such various seasons, as must ever be 

 productive of amusement and advantage. 



It also affords a source of pleasure of a still dif- 

 ferent nature, especially to those who reside much 

 in the country : for as many months intervene 

 between the first formation of fruits 3 and the time 

 of their perfection, there is an almost daily variety, 

 which occupies, and at the same time relieves, the 

 speculative mind when oppressed by long attention 

 to objects of business or study. 



The culture of the Pine has already been treated 

 of by many persons, who have varied much in the 

 methods they have recommended. Far from 

 meaning to depreciate their labours, I shall only 

 observe, that my advice and pretensions rest solely 

 upon the success which I have met with in my ex- 

 periments. 



As the vegetable mould, from decayed leaves, is 

 used in the compost for the Pine-apple plant ; and 

 as the use of oak-leaves in hot-houses is a very im- 

 portant article of information, I have given the 

 process of that method at the end of the first book. 



It being a practice with some to fruit the Pine 

 by setting the pot in water ; while others produce 

 the fruit by setting the plant only in water, (in a 

 similar manner to what is often practised with Hya- 



