The Pinei.y.
214. Three sorts of frames, pits, or houses, are required for the successful or extensive culture of the pineapple: a bark pit, for nursing the crowns and suckers ; a low stove, generally called the succession pit, where the plants are kept till they be ready for fruiting ; and a pine-stove or fruiting-house.
215. The Pine-apple is the Bromelia ananas of Linnaeus, (belonging to the class and order Hexandria i1ionogynia, and to the. natural family Bromelice of Jussieu.) Some have supposed it to be a native of Africa ; but Linnaeus considered it as a Brazilian plant. It was introduced into this country as a curiosity about 1690 ; and Bradley has preserved to us correct information concerning its first cul tivation for the sake of the fruit. In 1724, Henry Tclende, gardener to Sir Matthew Decker, at Richmond, had forty ananas, which ripened their fruit by means of the artificial heat arising from the fermentation of tanner's bark ; and by the year 1730, pine-stoves, of various kinds, were esta blished in all the principal English gardens.
The name pine-apple seems to be derived from the general resemblance of the fruit to some large cone of a pine-tree. The fruit may be described botanically as a kind of pulpy scaly strobilus, composed of a number of coadunate berries. In richness of flavour it cannot be surpassed ; and it is one of the greatest triumphs of the gardener's art to be able to boast, that this fruit can be pro duced in Britain in as high perfection as in a tropical cli mate. Its culture is however very expensive, the plants requiring constant attention for at least two years, very commonly for three.
216. The following are the most approved varieties: The Queen pine is perhaps the most common in this country, and in Europe, as it is the hardiest. The fruit is of an oval or rather tankard shape, of a yellowish colour, but the pulp pale. It grows to a large size, sometimes weighing 31b.
The Brown sugar-loaf is of a pyramidal or conical shape, with a yellow or straw-coloured pulp, and brownish leaves. The plants may be distinguished by the leaves having pur ple stripes on the inside throughout their whole length. The fruit also grows to a large size. Its juice is accounted less astringent than that of some other varieties, and con sequently it may he eaten more freely.
The Striped sugar-loaf is so named, from its green leaves being striped with purple ; in one sub-variety they are prickly, in another smooth. In colour and flavour, the fruit resembles the Queen pine, and it is nearly as hardy.
The Montserrat pine is distinguished by the leaves be ing of a dark brown, inclining to purple on the inside ; and by the pips or protuberances of the fruit being larger and flatter than in the other kinds.
The King pine is a large fruit, first raised in this coun try by Miller ; its leaves are of a grass green colour ; the pulp is hard, and rather stringy, but of good flavour when ripe.
The Green pine is not common ; when ripe, the fruit is of an olive hue.
The Black ?1ntigua pine is shaped like the frustum of a pyramid. The leaves of the plant have a' brownish tinge, and fall down ; they have strong prickles, thinly scattered. The pips of the fruit are large, often an inch over ; it attains a large size, weighing sometimes 31b. or 41b. ; it is of a dark colour till it ripen ; very juicy, and high flavoured.
The Black Jamaica is likewise a very large kind, and similar in habits and character to the black Antigua.
217. In gardens of the first order, the pinery is now generally placed in a detached situation, and the three kinds of pits or houses above mentioned conveniently form a continuou's range or suite by themselves ; the fruiting house, being higher in the roof, occupies the centre, and the nursing pit and succession house are placed to the right and left.
218. The nursing pit is commonly about three or four feet high in front, and between seven and eight at the back wall, or the difference between the height in front and in rear does not exceed one-third of the breadth, whatever that may be. The front and roof are of glazed frames. These pits are generally furnished with small flues ; but as a much less degree of heat (from 55° as the minimum, to or at most 70° Fahr. as the maximum) is required in these than in the fruiting-house; sometimes no flues are em ployed, the heat being trusted entirely to the fermentation of a dung hot-bed, lined when necessary. When flues are used, tree-leaves or tanner's bark are still proper for re ceiving the pots, and equalizing the heat.