July.] THE HOT-HOUSE. 453 
Loosening dnd giving fresh earth* 
It will be very proper at this time to examine the pots and tubs 
in general; and where the earth is inclinable to bind, let the surface 
be carefully loosened to a little depth, breaking the earth small with 
the hands, and at the same time add thereto, if not done in any of 
the preceding months, some fresh compost; then level the surface 
neatly. 
This dressing will do the plants more good than many people 
might imagine; but in particular to such as are in small pots. 
Gathering and sowing seeds. 
Collect all the different sorts of seeds as they ripen; spread them 
upon paper in a dry shady place; and when sufficiently hardened, 
let them be carefully preserved in their pods or husks, or in paper 
*.bags, till the proper season for sowing them. 
The seeds of Geraniums, Xeranthemums, and of any other 
quick growing kinds of Green-house plants, may now be sown, and 
if properly attended to, will attain to a neat size before winter. 
The hot-house, 
Pine-Apples. 
The Pine-apples being now arriving at maturity, it may not 
be unacceptable, to give some account of the different varieties. 
Of the Bromelia there have been nine distinct species described, 
Viz. the B. Ananas. B. Pinguin. B. Karatas. B. lingulata. B. 
humiiis. B. Acanga. B. bracteata. B. nudicaulis, and the B. 
paniculigera. But as the first species is the only one cultivated on 
account of its fruit, I shall confine myself exclusively to it, at least 
for the present. 
From the Bromelia Ananas, or Pine-apple, as it is called, on ac- 
count of the resemblance of the shape of its fruit to the cones of 
some species of pine-tree, particularly to that of the Pinus frinea % 
or stone-pine, there arise six principal varieties, which have been 
cultivated for their fruit, &c. 1. The variety ovata, or Queen-pine* 
2. The pyramidalis, or Sugar-loaf Pine. 3. The lucida, or King- 
Pine. 4. The glabra, or Smooth Pine. 5. The serotina, or Late 
Pine; and 6. The viridis, or Green Pine. 
The Queen Pine, is the most commonly cultivated, but seems 
daily to decrease in esteem. Its flesh is of a fine yellow colour, 
but in the hot summer months it is very apt not to cut firm; is lia- 
ble to crack in the middle, and often contains an insipid watery juice; 
