122 THOUGHTS UPON THE CULTURE OF THE PINE-APPLE. 
consequence of checking is always a premature and weak production of 
fruit.” 
Now it must not be forgotten that Mr. Knight, the President of the 
Horticultural Society, had distinctly said, that, as he did not wish his 
plants to grow during winter, he kept his stove cool, (forty-eight to 
fifty degrees,) and its atmosphere very dry; a treatment diametrically 
opposite to that which he gives in the growing seasons of spring and 
summer, when excessive heat (eighty to one hundred and ten degrees) 
is maintained by fire and sun, accompanied by a state of extraordinary 
moisture, amounting nearly to that of a vapour-bath. 
The following note is added to Mr. Greenshields’ paper, and imme¬ 
diately succeeding the passage quoted above, which, if not written by 
the conductor, had at least his sanction : — ee This last observation 
deserves the particular attention of gardeners, as it applies not only to 
pines, but to the whole class or order of vegetables termed by botanists 
Monocotyleclones” 
Here, then, we perceive that a state of constant growth, without 
interruption or check, is insisted upon by the skilful pine-grower of 
Englefield-house, and sanctioned by the conductor of the Gardener’s 
Magazine! 
But (at page 242, vol. v.) we find the following passage, which 
occurs in the Notes and Reflections during a Tour in France:—“ As 
the pine-apple is, or ought to be, kept in a dormant state during the 
winter, the diminution of light, in consequence of such a covering, 
would not be an insuperable disadvantage,” &c. This remark accords 
with the following, from, I presume, the same pen (vol. vii. p. 540) :— 
“ As points of culture and management in hothouses, we have seen 
reason for recommending the application of the principle of giving all 
plants a winter, or period of rest once a year, at the time when they 
are, from habit or circumstances, in the most dormant state, instead of 
keeping them, pine-apples and bulbs more especially, continually 
growing. The best dormant season for pine-plants is during the three 
winter months, unless for such as are intended to come into fruit, or 
to ripen their fruit, at that season.” 
From these statements I am constrained to suppose that Mr. Loudon 
has observed facts which have led him to depart from his opinion, that 
the pine ought to be kept slowly growing at all times. Be this as it 
may, the practice of many gardeners stands opposed to the theory of 
giving rest to the pine; and, not to multiply quotations, I would refer, 
on this point solely, to the circumstantial article (in vol. ix. p. 303) on 
Cultivating the Fine-Apple, by Mr. T. Appleby, wherein we find 
a register of the temperature of the stoves for every day in the year: 
