F o r the purpose of (juiek fruiting, tlic first four sorts in the above selection arc to bo
recommended. As very large sorts, the Trinidad and Black Antigua should have tho
preference; and to these, the Otahcitc and White Frovidcnco may be added, where size
is more the object than flavour. The Black Antigua, however, is very good, as well as
very lai-ge.
3045. Plan o f culture. As the pine plant is generally considered a triennial, bcailng
fruit once only, unlike the peach and the vine, and other fruit-bearing plants, its propagation,
reming, and fruiting are necessarily all cm’ried on in every garden where it is
cultivated. Its culture formerly used to commence in a common hotbed frame, heated by
d u n g ; at the end of a period varying from six to nine months, it was removed to a larger
framed hotbed, or pit, generally called a succession bed or h ouse; and after remaining
there from eight to twelve months, according to circumstances, it was removed to its final
destination, the fruiting bed, pit, or house. Here it showed its fruit, and continued iu
a growing state during a period varying from six to twelve months, according to the
variety grown, mode of culture, &c.; and finally ripened its fmit, and died, leaving the
crown or terminal shoot of the fruit, and one or more suckers or sido-shoots as successors.
The production of a single pinc-applc, therefore, according to this plan of management,
required a course of exotic culture, varying from eighteen months to three years, and
generally not less than two years, though now the ordinaiy time is fifteen months, aud by
Hamilton’s system much less.
3046. According to Hamiltoris plan o f culture the pinc-applc is treated as a perennial;
and fruit is allowed to ripen on the suckers thrown up by each plant, without the old
plant being destroyed. Thus some plants have been known to produce four fi-uits in
succession, without the old root being destroyed. In October, 1840, Mr. Hamilton
planted a sucker of the Black Jamaica, with a few inches of the old tm u k attached, and
cut a fruit from it in Februaiy, 1841, which weighed 3 lbs. 14 oz. The next fruit was
cut iu November in the same year, and it weighed 5 lbs.; the third fruit was cnt in
October, 1842, and weighed 6 lbs. 12 oz.; and the fourth fruit, which was cut iu tho
autumn of 1843, weighed 6 lbs. (Treatise on the Pine-apple, p. 48.)
S u b s e c t . 2. S o il
3047. Tht' pine-apple soil o f Speechly is as follows: — “ In th e month of April or May, let th e sward or
tu rf of a pasture, where th e soil is a strong rich loam, and of a reddish colour, be pared off, not more
than 2 in. thick : let it then be carried to the pens in sheep pastures, where sheep are frequently put for the
purpose of dressing, which places should be cleared of stones, &c., and made smooth; then let the tu rf be
hud with the grass side downwards, and only one course thick ; here it may continue two, three, or more
months, durmg which thne it should be turned with a spade once or twice, according as the pen is more
or less frequented by the above animals, who, with their urine and dung, will enrich the tu rf to a great
degree, and thcir foet will reduce it, and prevent any weeds from growing. After the tu rf has lain a
sufficient time, it should be brought to a convenient place, and laid in a heap for a t least six months (if
a twelvemonth it will be the better), being frequently turned during that time; and after being made
pretty fine with the spade, but not screened, it will be lit for use. In places where the above mode cannot
beadoiitod, the mixture is made by putting a quantity of sheep’s dung (or doer’s dung if it can be got) and
tu rf together. But here it must be observed, that the dung should be collected from tlie pastures when
newly fallen; also, that a larger proportion should be added, making an allowance for the want of urine.
1. Thre e wheelbarrows of th e above reduced sward or soil, one barrow of vegetable mould from decayed
oak leaves, and half a barrow of coarse sand, make a compost mould for crowns, suckers, and young phmts;
2. T’hree wheelbarrows of sward reduced as above, two barrows of vegetable mould, one barrow of coarse
sand, and one fourth of a barrow of soot, make a compost mould for fruiting plants. T h e above composts
should bo made some months before they arc wanted, and very frequently turned during that time, that
th e different mixtures may get well aud uniformly incorporated. It is observable, that in hothouses,
where nine plants are put in a light soil, the young plants frequently go into fruit the first season (and are
then what gardeners term ru n n e rs ); on th e contrary, where plants are put in a strong rich soil, they will
continue to grow, and not fruit even a t a proper season : therefore, from the nature of th e soil whence
th e sward was taken, the quantity of sand used must be proportioned: when th e loam is not strong, saud
will be unnecessary in th e compost for young plants.”
3048. The soil fo r the pine-apple,recommended by M ‘Phail, “ is any sort of rich earth taken from a comi
artment of the kitchen-garden, or fresh sandy loam taken from a common. Iona nastured with sheen. &c.
I the earth be i:
riN E R Y , A R T IF IC IA L HEAT.
3052. Barnes' soil fo r the pine-apple. About the year 1843 the pine-apples growing at Bicton, a seat
belonging to Lady Ilolle, in Devonshire, began to attract general/lUention from^heirjarge^sizc^and high
die common,long pastured w
l)e not of a rich sandy quality, of darkish colour, it should be mixed well with s
ar
sheep, — ................— J. w.viOT., .i. i/v ..i.AUAA vr.wi somcperfectly
rotten dung and sand, and if a little vegetable mould is p u t among it, it will do it good, and also a little
soot. Ih o u g h pine plants will grow in earth of the strongest texture, yet it is found by experience that
they grow most freely in good sandy loam not of a binding quality.”
soit for tke pine-apple. From old pasture or meadow ground strip off the turf, and dig
to the depth of G in. or 8 in., .according to the goodness o fth e s o il; draw th e whole together to some con-
P rt rotten d u n g ; frequently tu rn it over for twelve months, and
•It will bo tit lor use. I his is the only compost dung for young and old plants.” {Cult, o f Ananas, p. 8.)
30o0. rhc soil limiultonjinds inost suitable fo r the pine-apple. “ is a sound loam, which has been several
years under grass Let the tu rf be stripped off to the depth of 2 in. or 3 in ., and add one third of well decomposed
dung, from the stable yard, or from an old ho tb ed ; to this may be added one tenth part of wood
ash/is. i.e t the whole be piled up m a ridge, and in a few weeks it will be fit for use. By those who have
not these at hand, and are in immediate want of soil, tho following may be used with great success: prepare
a tank qt liquid manure ; into which throw your turf, and let it steep a few days, or weeks if not wanted :
then take it out and dry it in a shed, after which chop it with a spade, and it will be fit for use.” {Hamil-
Um's Cultureofthe P in e .a p p le ,2 4 e 4 \t.p .3 \.) ^ \ a
30.51. The soil used at Meudon fo r growing pines is a kind of sandy peat, composed of sixty-two parts of
fine sand, twenty parts of vegetable remains, sixteen parts of humus, eight-tenths of a part of carbonate
of lime, and one part and two-tenths of a part of matter soluble in cold w ater. There is, however, a large
stone vau t bclow_the b e d / filled or nearly so with fermenting dung, the gases from which may rise
through the boarding which forms the bottom of the p i t ; and to which pit the atmospheric air has free
access. {Journ. Hort. Soc., vol. ii, p, 225.)
flavour ; and since th at period several papers have been published by Mr. Barnes, the gardener at Bicton, on
their culture. T h e soil he uses is, he says, taken “ from a hungry situation on acommon, where some poor,
starved stunted furze bushes grow from 4 in. to 8iu. high, with some heath and stunted brambles here and
there • the subsoil a rank red clay. I do not know where to look for soil th at to all appearance is poorer.
Mv system is to cut the surface, about 2 in. or 3 in. in thickness, with a mattock, into sods and turts, with
bushes and whatever vegetation there may happen to be growing on it besides, in dry weather m summer,
taking it home, and stocking it, without adding the least particle of manure or anything else whatever.
1 make use of it in as rough a state as possible, furze bushes and all, without anything being added, only
letting it lie together a sufficient time to kill th e vegetation, th at it may not become troublesome by
Ei-owiiiK amongst the plants, and never by any means making use of it when rotted down : I would sooner
use rt quite fresh and green. My reason for using it in a rough state, and without being decayed to any
extent, is th a t the atmosphere, heat, and water, may have an opportunity of acting in unison with the
salts, limes, &c., o fth e earth ; and good drainage and some coarse charcoal on the top, supply tho means
of all acting together in the healthiest manner.” (Barnes, in Gard. Mag., vol. xix. p. G97.)
3053. Soil used at Eridge Castle. “ I first,” says M r. Ogle, “ used three-lourtlis peat or heath mould, p ro cured
from a spot covered with the common heath ; and one-fourth very indifferent loam, which, however,
was th e best I could procure ; to this I added some bone-dust, charcoal, and soot. The soil was used
immediately after being dug, and was only very coarsely chopped. The plants made most astonishing
progress in this mixture ; many of the leaves of th e Jaraaicas and queens were 4 m. in diameter within
twelve months of their being first potted. But although they were so vigorous, and as fine as any plants
could possibly be they did not produce such large fruit as the size of the plants led me to anticipate,
none of tiie’queens being over 4^ lbs., or the Jamaicas more than G^ lbs.
’ s I
hi
le plat .
I have therefore recently used
more loam and as far as I can a t present judge, with advantage. I do not, however, consider much importance
is to be attached to the quality of the soil they are grown in ; the principal matter to be attended
to is, that it is loose and porous, so as to allow the water to pass through it freely; it can then be enriched
to any extent by liquid manure.”
S u b s e c t . 3. Artificial Heat.
3054. Bottom heat. The pine, when originally introduced into England, was cultivated
without bottom licat, on stages, like other succulents. Ingenuity, however, soon suggested
and experience approved the advantage of the latter, first, in prcsci-ving a moist
cciuablc h e a t; and, secondly, in preventing the plants from feeling so much as they
otherwise would any casual declension iu the firc-heat, or sudden vicissitude in the temperature
or moisture of the extenial air. Not that they cannot be gi-own without bottom
lieat; but that according to the present an-angemcnts of gardens, they are grown with it
at less expense, with less trouble to the gardener, and with gi-eatcr certainty of success,
than by any other mode hitherto practised.
3055. Bark-pits are filled with tan which has previously undergone a com*se of
draining and sweating. The heat thus produced will last from three to six months, when
it is sifted, and again put into a state of fennentation, by replacing the deficiency
occasioned by decay, and separation of the dust by sifting with new tan. In this way
the bark-hed is obliged to be stirred, turned, refreshed, or even renewed, several times a
year, so as to produce and retain at all times a bottom heat of from 75° to 85 in each or
the three dcpai-tmenis of pine culture.
3056. Dung-heat. Pines are grown to the greatest perfection by many gardeners
without cither bark or fire heat, simply by the use of dung. A frame double the
usual depth, and also about a third pai't broader than the common cucumber frames,
is placed on a bed of dnng, or of dung and tan, or dung and ashes, or even dung and
faggots, mixed, or in alternate layers. This bed of itself supplies heat for a while, and
when it begins to be exhausted, linings are applied in the usual way, and continued for a
year or more, reviving and renewing them as may become rcciuisitc, tiU the bottom bed
becomes too solid for the readv admission of heat. The frame and pots arc then removed
to a prepared bed, and this old bottom is taken away, or mixed up with fresh materials.
In this way, as Weeks observes, evci'y one that can procure stable-dimg may grow pines.
3057. Heat from hot water has been tried extensively, and with the most perfect
success. As a bottom heat, steam has been tried in different places hy turning it into
vaults of air or cisterns of water, or chambers of lai-gc rough stones (which imbibe the
heat, and give it slowly out to the bed above) ; but it is now very seldom cmp%ed, as it
is found not only much more expensive and troublesome than hot water, but less efiicacious.
The tank system, that is, having cisterns or troughs of hot water covered with slate to
foi-m the bottom of the bed, now appears most generally approved ; and with an apparatus
of this kind, Mr. Ogle informs us that during the early part of the winter he keeps
np the temperature to 70° or 8 0°; but the beginning of Febmaiy he increases it from
80° to 90°, and so continues it through the summer, “ by occasionally putting the
fires, and only allowing the water to circulate in the trough below the bed. (H . C. Ogle,
Eridge Castle, March 21st, 1849.)
S u b s e c t . 4. Propagation o f the Pine-apple.
3058. The pine is qenerally propagated hy crowns and suckers, though, in common with
every other plant, it may be propagated by seed. Speechly prefers suckers, because
generally larger than crowns, and those produced near the middle of the stem he considers
the best. He does not, however, reject crown.s; but selects the largest, which, he
j ,
I"
I' :
’ ! I 'I
I- 'I ('
I y m
■! ' I
i'll