OF THE PINE-APPLE. 8^7 



Pine-plants are the months of March and Septem- 

 ber : the former is most proper for small or succes- 

 sion plants, but cannot be practised on them except 

 in places where there is a variety of hot-houses apart 

 from each other ; and when there is that conveni- 

 ence, March is greatly to be preferred. At that 

 season I strongly recommend that the tan-bed be 

 prepared eight or ten days before, and the pots 

 plunged therein, as the plants will be very greatly 

 benefitted by being put immediately into a good 

 heat. But when the dressing is to be general, the 

 latter month is the most proper : the crop of fruit 

 at that season being commonly nearly over, that 

 part of it which remains may easily be preserved 

 in hot-beds till it is ripe, by contrivances made with 

 melon-frames, which at that season are generally 

 out of use. 



I have already observed that the last species of 

 insect, called the Pine -bug, moves to every part of 

 a hot-house ; but it is probable that this may be 

 only in the very hot part of summer : therefore it 

 may be supposed that at the above seasons they 

 are, in general, upon the Pine-plants. 



A farther reason that recommends the above 

 seasons is, that they are the most proper for shift- 

 ing the Pine-plants in the pots ; and it is at those 

 seasons that the generality of gardeners perform 

 that business. 



It may be thought by persons unacquainted 

 with the management of the Pine-apple plant, 

 that the plants receive a material injury by the loss 



y 4 



