MARCH. 
67 
an advocate for the use of the syringe as many, preferring to maintain 
a moist atmosphere by means of evaporating troughs over the pipes, 
and well damping the floors, &c., to the application of the syringe too 
frequently; by a nicely regulated distribution of troughs (which should 
be cast on and with the pipes), the quantity of vapour given off is in 
proportion to the amount of fire-heat employed. 1 have often observed 
that, when the syringe has been used very freely, too much water reaches 
the roots, which in consequence are kept constantly damp, a practice I 
have no hesitation in calling injurious. To promote the healthy action 
of the roots, the soil should become somewhat dry before water is 
applied, and too much syringing prevents this ; as a consequence the 
roots get surfeited and inactive, and though this is, in some measure, 
compensated for by absorption by the leaves, we should never forget 
that setting up this leaf action must be at the expense of that of the 
roots. I therefore prefer feeding the plant through its legitimate chan¬ 
nel —the roots , to keeping the foliage constantly damp by the use of the 
syringe. Some Grape cultivators, in my opinion, fall into the same 
error, in their desire to swell their berries off to an extra size by the 
same means. 
As the fruit advances, the suckers (when more than one is pro¬ 
duced, which will be the case with Queens and some others) should be 
taken clean out, avoiding any injury to the plant in the operation; one 
sucker will be plenty to each plant, unless more are wanted for par¬ 
ticular uses. The fruit will also require tying carefully up, that the 
crown and fruit may be upright when they come to maturity. 
The requisite attention to air and water, bottom and top heat, which 
will be required from the period of the fruit commencing to swell till it 
begins to change colour, are simple, and precisely those recommended for 
growing the young plant up to the resting period, and need not be 
repeated. Liquid manure may now and then be supplied, but I believe 
the too frequent use of this stimulant, incautiously given, does more 
harm than good. The grower should bear in mind that, within certain 
limits, as to too low a temperature, the longer time he can allow for the 
swelling and ripening of his fruit, the larger it will grow and the finer 
will be its quality; and that, as it approaches maturity and begins to 
change colour, water should be very sparingly given and the fruit 
exposed to all the light which the house admits. The flavour will also 
be heightened by allowing a larger quantity of air than may, perhaps, 
be advisable for swelling fruit; but as we have insisted on a much freer 
admission of this necessary element than is usually given, it will only 
be necessary to place the fruit, when ripening, in a position where it 
can have a full exposure to its influence, to combine the richness of 
colour and high perfume which indicate the possession of all the quali¬ 
ties for which this fruit is celebrated. Some good growers shade the 
swelling fruit — a practice I cannot approve of, but prefer giving more 
air instead ; and I am persuaded that the shading of tropical fruit in 
this climate is as unsound in practice as unnecessary for the obtaining 
of any kind of tropical fruit in perfection, if properly cultivated in 
other respects. 
f 2 
