Queens intended to supply ripe fruit next May ought to have their pots well filled with roots and their growth well matured by the end of the month. Avoid an over-abundant supply of water and air-moisture in the case of these. Do not give them auy more towards the close of the month than is just sufficient to prevent their receiving any violent check. Lower the night temperature a few degrees by the end of the month with the view of gradually getting them into a state of rest by the end of September. All syringing of these should cease. Sometimes there are suckers produced at the neck of these early plants, especially if they have been over-syringed; when these appear remove them at once. Late Queens intended to make a growth in early spring before starting should still be encouraged to make growth freely, as directed last month. Air these, and all other rapidly-growing stock, freely on warm sultry days, and do not give more fire-heat than is necessary to prevent the temperature sinking much below 75° at night, but gradually lower the night temperature as nights lengthen.

Keep them steadily supplied with a moderate amount of water at the root, and air-moisture, and water always with weak guano-water. Suckers on those plants which have ripened their fruit will now be strong and ready to pot or plant out in beds. The largest may be put into 7-inch pots, and the smallest into 6-inch. Avoid the common error of crowding these closely together. If at all possible Pine plants should be allowed plenty of room from the very first, for if drawn up weakly from over-crowding it is difficult to make satisfactory plants of them by any after-treatment. Neither is it necessary to shade them much or to syringe them overhead so frequently as is practised in some cases. The pots for these should be well drained, the soil full of fibre and firmly packed into the pots. Plunge them in a bottom-heat of 85° to 90°, and when they begin to root and grow freely, air them freely on fine days. Where there is a stock of plants that were suckers on plants that ripened fruit in March and April, see that they do not get pot-bound, or they may start prematurely; give them a small shift before there is any risk of their starting. These may be induced to grow freely far on into the autumn, with the view of their being started next summer.

The surest way of keeping up a constant supply of ripe Pines is to have a certain number of plants in a good many stages of growth. Fruit swelling off will still require a good supply of moisture in both the soil and air. When more fruit ripen at once in hot weather than are required, remove them to a cool room, where they will keep much longer than if left in the pinery; any good suckers that are on them should be first taken off and potted.