The pine-apple is propagated, by planting either the crowns or tufts which grow on the fruit, or by the suc kers which appear on the fruit-stalk, or which proceed from the base of the plant. The crowns are therefore in general returned to the gardener, after having been pre sented at table attached to the fruit ; and they are kept four or five days longer, till the place of separation be healed over or dried ; they may however be almost im mediately planted, if the parent plant have not received water perhaps for a fortnight before, in order to heighten its flavour. The stocks also from which fruit has been cut, if thought of superior quality, may be encouraged to set out many suckers, by plunging them in a hot-bed, and regularly watering them ; such suckers making excellent plants.
Some writers give nice and curious directions for form ing a compost for pine-apple plants ; but vegetable mould, such as rotted tree leaves afford, may be considered as perfectly good. Even kitchen garden mould which has not been exhausted, answers very well. If old pasture soil he used, it should be mixed with well rotted dung, and laid in heap for a year before being used, during which time it should be repeatedly turned. The pots used for crowns and suckers are three inches in diameter, inside measure, and 41 deep, for the smaller plants; 4 inches in diameter, and 6 deep, for the larger ; but it is much worse for the plants to have pots too large than too small. Dry shivers or chips of broken pots, or clean gravel, to the depth of an inch, arc placed in the bottom of the pots. No water is given for a few days, till the plants shew signs of growing. The principal potting is naturally in July and August, after the fruiting season. Next April, or as soon as the growing season has fairly commenced, the plants are shifted into larger pots, 5 inches in diameter withm, and 7 deep. They are shaded by a canvas sheet for a kw days, at least during sunshine ; and when the plants begin to grow again, water is given both at root and over the leaves with a fine rosed watering-pot. During winter, it may here be remarked, water is given only once a week, or even seldomer ; and it is kept for some time in the pit or stole before being applied. To the roots of young plants, dunghill drainings are sometimes supplied. Minute rules for admitting air are laid down by Speedily, Mac phail, Nicol, and Abercrombie : these should be studied by the gardener ; bu4much must still depend on his own ex perience and sagacity.
219. The succession it resembles in structure the nurs ing pit. In this, during the second autumn and winter, the plants ate kept merely vegetating. if they be main
tained in health, it is not expected that they should increase in size, unless perhaps that, having more room, they may swell at bottom : the temperature therefore is kept rather lower than in the nursing pit. When plants are shifted into this, which is commonly when they are about a year old, the business should if possible be completed in one day. The pots now used are 24's, or 7 inches across, and 9 deep. Any injured parts of the roots are carefully cut off, and a few of the oldest or lowest leaves are re moved.
220. In the fruiting-house, more room, greater height, and at the same time a higher temperature, are required. The pots here used are from 8 to 10 inches in diameter, and 10 inches deep. In the bottom of these fruiting-pots, it is better to put half rotted grass•turf than shivers or gravel. From the time that the plants begin to show fruit, the temperature is not suffered to fall below 65° Pally.; it is kept generally at 75°, or at least above 70° : in sunshine it is allowed to rise to 85°, or even as fresh air can thus be more freely admitted. Water is given very cautiously, sufficient only to keep the plants healthy, but not to injure the flavour of the fruit. Pine-apples should be cut a short time before they attain complete maturity, or be dead ripe. When the fruit changes colour, in most varieties when it becomes greenish-yellow or straw-coloured, and when it also diffuses its peculiar odour to some distance, it may be considered as fit for cutting.
221. A clearer idea of the course of culture, in the nursing pit, succession pit, and fruiting-house, may per haps be obtained from the following compendious view of the operations, suggested by Abercrombie, in which specific days or months are assumed, merely in order more distinctly to mark the anniversary or relative pe riods, 222 Success in the culture of this fruit, it may be re marked, very much depends on two circumstances ; on giving them plenty of MOM in the nursery pit and succes sion frame, so that the lower part of the plant may swell out and increase in bulk, without being drawn up ; and on keeping the fruiting plants in a continued healthy or vigorous state : for this last purpose, early in the spring the tan of the fruiting house should be stirred, and a fresh quantity intermixed, so as to raise a new fermentation and accompanying heat. In the different pine-stoves it is found very advantageous frequently to white-wash the plaster, and to repaint the wood work.