268 



ON THE CULTURE 



the tan. Some persons plunge a thermometer in 

 the tan, with the ball of its tube as deep as the 

 bottom of the Pine pots ; and by repeated observ- 

 ations, a point is fixed for the spirits in the part of 

 the tube above the surface of the tan, to show when 

 the pots should be raised. Whether the above, or 

 the putting watch-sticks in the tan (which is the 

 most common method) is practised, too much at- 

 tention cannot be had whenever there is the ap- 

 pearance of too violent a heat in the tan. 



If the above directions are strictly attended to> 

 the plants will be grown to a large size by the be- 

 ginning of August ; when they should be shifted 

 into the largest-sized fruiting pots, with their roots 

 and balls entire. 



But it will be proper here to observe, that in 

 some hot-houses it is found difficult to get plants 

 of the Antigua and Sugar-loaf kinds to fruit at a 

 proper age ; and, in that case, I advise the shaving 

 off the roots on the outside, and reducing the balls 

 of them at this shifting. A greater proportion of 

 sand should also be added to the compost, which 

 will be the means of bringing them into a fruiting 

 state at a proper season. 



The disproportion of the second-sized and fruit- 

 ing pots is so great, as to admit of a good quantity 

 of fresh mould at this shifting, which is absolutely 

 necessary to support the plants till their fruit be- 

 comes ripe : it also affords an opportunity of per- 

 forming the operation of shifting the plants witta 

 out injuring their roots. As there will be a large 



