306 



ON THE CULTURE 



ments I had the satisfaction to find the pits so 

 filled to retain a heat through each season, equal 

 to the other pits that were filled entirely with new 

 leaves ; and since that time we have always used 

 the whole of the undecayed leaves, mixed along 

 with the new ones, 



I also have constantly used the leaves after they 

 were taken out of the hot-house in the early-made 

 hot-beds, and always found them to answer quite 

 as well as fresh leaves. 



I must beg leave to observe, that when the 

 leaves are intended to be used a second time, it 

 will be proper at the taking them out of the pits to 

 remove some few at the top, as also on each side, 

 because the leaves at the top and outside of the 

 pit approach most to a state of decay. 



After this the Pines will have no occasion to be 

 moved but at the stated times of their manage- 

 ment, viz. at the shifting them in their pots, &c. 

 when at each time a little fresh tan should be 

 added, to make up the deficiency arising from the 

 settling of the beds ; but this will be inconsider- 

 able, as the leaves do not settle much after their 

 long couching. During the two first years of my 

 practice I did not use any tan, but plunged the 

 Pine-pots in the leaves, and just covered the sur- 

 face of the beds, when finished, with a little saw- 

 dust, to give it a neatness. This method was at- 

 tended with one inconvenience ; for by the caking 

 of the leaves they shrunk from the sides of the 

 pots, whereby they became exposed to the air, and 



