£74 



ON THE CULTURE 



being marked, a small iron rod, made with a 

 sharp angular point, may be thrust down the 

 centre of the sucker, which, being turned two or 

 three times round, will drill out the centre, and 

 prevent its growing. This must be performed on 

 all the suckers as fast as they appear. Thus the 

 plant being plentifully supplied with water, and 

 having nothing to support but the fruit, will some- 

 times grow amazingly large. But this method 

 should not be practised on too many plants, as it is 

 attended with the entire loss of all the suckers. 



A yet further advantage may be given to the 

 swelling of the fruit, by having a few of the lower 

 leaves of the plant taken off, and by putting a rim 

 of tin, or any thing else in the form of a hoop, 

 round the top of the pot, sufficient to raise the mould 

 three or four inches. 



The mould should be of the best quality, and 

 constantly kept in a moderate moist state : this 

 may be done by having the surface kept covered 

 with moistened moss. The roots of the Pine-plant, 

 especially those produced from the part of the 

 stem just under the leaves, will then make a sur- 

 prising progress, and the fruit will be greatly be- 

 nefited by this expedient. 



Here it may be necessary to observe, that both 

 the growth and size of Pines depend much on the 

 construction and condition of the stove in which 

 they are cultivated. In many places small stoves 

 of a particular construction (in the which the Pines 

 stand very near the glass) are erected solely for 



