On the Culture of the Pine Apple. 185 



for the space of three weeks, after that time it was applied 

 more freely, but, at all periods and seasons, in giving water, 

 I am guided by the state of the weather, and the heat of the 

 bark-bed. The atmospherical heat in the pits during the 

 nights was kept between 60° and 70°, and in the days the 

 sun's heat was not permitted to raise the quicksilver in the 

 thermometer more than 12 or 15 degrees above the heat 

 obtained from the fermentation of the linings of the pits, 

 which linings consisted of deciduous tree leaves only. 



In the beginning of October the plants were shifted into 

 pots a size larger, and the bark-bed prepared by sifting all 

 the old tan, and replacing the dust thrown away by an equal 

 quantity of fresh tan. Every time new tan is added to the 

 old, the whole is forked over, that the old and new may be 

 thoroughly mixed together. The plants in their fresh pots 

 were regularly replunged, giving water and air as the weather 

 and the state of the bark-bed rendered proper. 



The following March, 1824, the plants were all removed 

 from the pit, and turned out of their pots, and the earth 

 shaken from their roots ; their roots were trimmed of all dead 

 fibres, and replanted in the same or similar sized pots, and in 

 the same sort of compost as before stated. The bark-bed 

 being renewed by sifting the upper half of the old tan, and 

 adding fresh to make good that which had become rotten, 

 the plants were then replunged in the bark-bed, and attended 

 to as before with water and air, the heat being still the same 

 as already recommended. 



In the beginning of July the plants were all moved out of 

 the pit, and shifted into pots a size larger. At this time 

 there was no fresh tan added, the old being merely forked 



VOL. vii. B b 



