2S4 
GROWING PINE APPLES WITHOUT POTS. 
pieces of thin copper or zinc, a quarter of an 
inch in breadth, are bent into the shape of the 
letter S, and hooked upon the edge of the in- 
verted glass ; then, a second glass just so much 
smaller than the first as to fit within its rim, 
is placed with its mouth downwards, its edge 
merely covered by the water ; it is of course 
sustained in this position by the S shaped 
pieces of copper. In this way aquatic plants 
may be grown on the table of a living room, 
the leaves being protected from the dry air by 
the upper bell-glass, made air tight by its 
edge dipping into the water. The water, as 
often as necessary, is withdrawn by a few 
inches of small lead pipe bent into the form of 
a syphon. These globes might of course he 
made of large size, and ornamental, and the 
water might be withdrawn by the use of a 
small tap ; while gold fish might be intro- 
duced into the glass amongst the roots of the 
plants. 
Any of the small growing aquatic plants 
will be suitable for these glasses. To those 
who would find amusement in examining the 
development of botanical curiosities, the dif- 
ferent species of Lemna might be recom- 
mended. Even the fresh water Algae, such as 
confervas, might be introduced. These might 
be placed in glasses of small size. The fol- 
lowing plants would require more space, but 
would also have more general interest : — 
Aponageton distachyon, white flowers ; Byblis 
liniflora, blue ; Oxrdis ?iatans, white ; Pistia 
Stratiotes, white ; Pontedera crassipes, blue ; 
Vallisneria spiralis, small greenish ; Alisma 
natans, white tinged with purple ; Hoftonia 
palustris, pale purplish ; Hydrocharis Morsus- 
rance, white ; Utrictdaria vulgaris. 
The chief recommendations of this simple 
contrivance, are its small cost, and facility of 
application. Any person could contrive to 
manufacture one such as is here described, 
and the whole cost would be but a few shillings. 
GROWING PINE APPLES WITHOUT POTS. 
The plan of growing pine-apples without 
pots, which has recently attracted much notice, 
under the name of the Hamiltonian system, 
was described many years ago, in the Gar- 
deners' Magazine, by Mr. Joseph Lang, kitchen 
gardener to the King of Bavaria. About the 
end of March he formed a pit, and the mould 
having reached a certain temperature, he 
placed such plants in it, from the pine stove, as 
already showed fruit, and were in vigorous 
growth. He then proceeds to say-—" Holes 
being made in the mould, which consists of two 
parts of rich black soil, and one part of turfy 
loam, with a little sheep'3 dung, the plants are 
turned out of the pots, without the ball being 
disturbed, placed in the holes, and the soil ( 
I made firm about them. "When the row is 
I planted (twenty-four plants contained under 
I one sash, forming six rows in the width of the 
pit), I place on the top of the soil, round the 
roots, some cow-dung, several years old, and 
therefore thoroughly rotten, and not too wet. 
The coldness of our climate renders it neces- 
sary, when the heat of the manure subsides, 
or when there is a deficiency of solar heat, to 
light fires in the stoves, and to keep up a heat 
of from sixty-three to sixty-eight degrees, 
Fahr. In summer I allow the plants from 99 
to 113 degrees, Fahr. of solar heat, and only, 
when the sun is too hot, a few hours' shade is 
given by fir branches, or reed mats placed on 
the sashes. In July, or the beginning of 
August, the plants are watered, when neces- 
sary, with cow's urine, diluted with one half 
water ; and subsequently, I only sprinkle them 
with fine river water. When the day has 
been very hot, in the height of summer, the 
plants are rather freely sprinkled, in the 
evening, before the sashes are covered up, 
with river water ; which producing a vapour 
during the night, is very beneficial to the fruit, 
and also gives the plant a clean look. "When 
the plants have done bearing, which is in 
August or September, I let them stand with- 
out doing anything to them, except shortening 
the leaves of the main stem where the fruit 
has been growing, for the purpose of procur- 
ing more air and light for the new shoots or 
suckers. I have frequently taken from thirty 
to forty suckers from one old stock. About 
April the suckers are thinned, the finest being 
left standing ; the others are put into pots, 
although never smaller than of the appearance 
of two or three years' growth. Then the 
ground is loosened (an operation which is 
rather difficult), and fresh cow or sheep's dung 
put round the plants. During the summer 
months they are watered and treated as before. 
If I find in autumn that the plants, after 
having done bearing, do not look so promising 
as might be wished, I transfer them carefully, 
with the ball, to a new bed, made like the 
former, except that it is advisable to put some 
sand round the plants ; and here I treat them 
as before. During the winter a heat is kept 
up of from forty- six to fifty degrees, Fahr. 
There is no fear of their suffering, even though 
the coverings cannot be opened for several 
days ; for the plants do not begin to grow till 
the month of February. The fruit-bearing 
plants may remain for three years in the same 
place ; and I have seen them, in several in- 
stances, producing from three to six fruit 
every year of that period, of from one to two 
pounds weight each. I call this the wild mode 
of pine culture, because one sees on the same 
plant fruits large and small, ripe, half ripe, 
green, and in blossom." 
