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LVIII. On the Management of Bark Beds. By Mr. John 

 Jackson. 



Read February 18, 1834. 



Sir, 



A l t h o u g h there are many excellent plans laid down by the 

 most eminent gardeners, for the culture of the Pine Apple, I pre- 

 sume to hope that what I am about to say upon the management 

 of the Bark-bed, will be found of some utility. 



I have generally had my Bark-beds to turn and renew only once 

 in twelve or fourteen months; instead of three or four times a 

 year. My plan is to have the bed riddled over when I turn 

 my pit, and I then add as much fresh tan as is requisite ; I further 

 have about a cart-load of fresh tan, that has been well fermented 

 with yeast for about three weeks or a month beforehand. I gene- 

 rally put from five to ten pounds of yeast into the above cart-load 

 of tan, observing to keep it in a good shed or any other covered 

 place till the great fermentation is over, and then I mix it up in a 

 regular manner all over my bark-bed. I never tread the bed hard 

 down ; I only level it, and put upon the top of it as much tan- 

 dust as I can easily plunge my Pines into. Care, however, should 

 be taken that the bed does not heat too strongly at first by the 

 above method; I have sometimes had the heat, stand at 80° of 

 Fahrenheit for fourteen months within the bed, which is a long 

 period and may seem improbable to any man till he tries the ex- 

 periment. The expense will be found greatly diminished by those 

 who will give the plan a fair and impartial trial. 



