% Thomas Andrew Knight, Esq. 545 



A very great number of gardeners have within the last 

 twelve months visited my garden. Some of these were at 

 once convinced of the advantages of the mode of culture 

 which they saw ; others have paid a second, or third visit; 

 but every one has ultimately declared himself a zealous con- 

 vert. I have never yet seen plants of the same age equally 

 strong, nor any producing fruit better, nor indeed so well 

 swelled ; nor any equal in richness and flavour. But I have 

 never taken off, nor shortened a root, nor taken any other 

 measures to retard the period of fructification, with the pros- 

 pect of obtaining larger fruit; and my plants have almost 

 always shewed fruit when fourteen or fifteen months old, 

 though propagated from small and young suckes, or crowns. 

 A great part of my Queen Pines ( I have hitherto scarcely 

 ever cultivated any other varieties ) have, however, at that 

 age, shewn fruit with eight, and some with nine rows 

 of pips ; and I often see fruit of less weight growing 

 upon plants of nearly double that age. Whether I shall 

 be able to retard the period of fructification, or not, I have 

 yet to learn ; but I believe, I shall succeed by crowding 

 my plants close together, so that each may receive less 

 light. 



I have tried a variety of composts ; and of these I have 

 found that which I have described in a communication rela- 

 tive to the culture of the Cockscomb,* to be the most stimu- 

 lative of growth. Pine plants will, however, grow perfectly 

 well in composts of different kinds ; but I have found that 

 they have succeeded best when the materials have been fresh, 



* See page 321 of this Volume. 



