■3G 



THE AGEiCULTUKAL NEWS. 



Feekuaey 8, 19P8. 



WEST INDIAN FRUIT. 



PROFITABLE VARIETIES OF PINE- 

 APPLES. 



Tlie Cuha Jierinv U>v December last gives the 

 folluwiiig particuhus as to varieties of pine-apples most 

 worthy of attention : — 



The Ivfd Spanish is the only Viuiety that it is protitalile 

 to grow on a I'lmimcrcial scale at the present time. It is 

 a very .strong, iiardy, and vignrims variety. The fruit is 

 small to medium, weighing fnun -J {<> ^ h. The ilesh is pale 

 yellowish-white, solid and juicy. The Uavour, however, is 

 poor, being very acid unless riliened on the plant. For home 

 u.se the lied Spanish is not to be compared with some other 

 varieties, liut it will stand the rough handling that at iiresent 

 seems to be con.sidered as part of the pine-apple business. 



The (iolden t^)ueen i)ine-apple is an early variety and is 

 described as a fmit the plants of wliii-li do well upon high 

 lands, but will not stand wet soils. 'I'lie fruits weigh from 

 2 to 6 lb., and are of a handsome, golden-yellow colour. The 

 flesh is solid and the flavour delicate, (iolden Queen is not 

 a long keeper, but an excellent variety for home use. 



The Smooth Cayenne and Sugar T.,oaf varieties are also 

 recommended as producers for the honir market The 

 former produces a large, handsome fruit with an excellent 

 flavour, rnfortunately, however, it doe.s not possess keeping 

 (puditics, which render it unsuitable for the exjjort trade. The 

 Sugar Loaf liine-apple is a late variety which will do well on 

 jioor land and is also able to stand drought. The variety 

 is productive, the fruit has good flavour, Imt this also does 

 not keej) well. 



CITRUS FRUITS AND PINE-APPLES 

 IN PORTO RICO. 



Owing largely to .-Vnieriean initiative and the 

 favourable market offered by the Ignited States, the 

 growing of oranges and ])ine-apples gives good returns 

 "in Porto Kico. With better facilities for transport, too, 

 the industries will in all probability undergo still 

 further development. The American ('inimdiir ami 

 Trade Reports for December last contain the following 

 particulars: — 



Until the American occuiiation ol' 1' 

 ]]ractically no shipments ol' oranges to 

 'j'iie natives jiossesscd no knowledge 

 methods, and the duty was prohibitive, 

 occupation, the duty was reduced, whicl 



an ini[ietus and led a few American packers to 



)rto jlii-o ihri-e were 

 the I'nilrd States. 

 >f pioprr packing 

 Atlcr tlir Amei'icaH 

 gii\c till- iiidu-~liy 

 connneTice 



shipping to the I'nited States. Previously no citrus fruit.s 

 were cultivated in the island, while at the present time it is 

 estimated that about 7,000 acres are under cultivation, prin- 

 cipally on the northern coast between San .Juan and Arecibo. 

 The stocks are 1-Toridian and California, and the plantations 

 are owned and managed exclusively by Americans. The prin- 

 cipal yield, however, is from the native or wild orange tree.s, 

 neither cultivated nor fertilized, which grow in the mountaiu 

 regions, on the west coast in the ^layaguez and Aguadilla 

 district.s, and on the south coast in the Ponce district. With 

 few exceptions, the;'c arc no regular orange plantations in 

 the ?ilayaguez or Ponce districts, the large number of trees 

 being found on the eoft'cc plantations, where they were 

 planted to give .shade to the coftec trees. 



These so-called wild oranges, like all tropical fruits, must 

 be handled with the utmost care in order to reach the United 

 States in good condition. This has been accomplished 

 during the last two years owing to the improved methods 

 which the packer.s lui\e adopted in the picking, transporting, 

 and packing ol the fruit. The sea.son begins in September 

 and lasts until about the middle of April. The Porto Kieo 

 orange is very sweet and of fine flavour, and the exportation 

 of them has annually increased since the opening of the 

 industry, amounting at present to 250,000 boxes a year. 



Pine-apple culture is increasing in the island, this fruit 

 having been extensively j)lanted during the past two years. 

 The largest plantations are on the north coast, though a great 

 many pine-apples are raised in the Jlayaguez district. The 

 variety most suitable for shipment in a green state, packed in 

 crates, is the Eed Spanish, wdiich originated in Cuba. This 

 is the only variety which can be depended upon to arrive in 

 the I'nited States in good condition. There are now .several 

 caniung factories on lioth the northern and western coasts, 

 which are buying up all those varieties and grades which will 

 not bear shi|iment in their original condition. This industry 

 has been a very paying one to the planters for the past year, 

 and promises to as^inne larger proportions. One planter has 

 recently set luit a [ilantation comjuising 6(jO acres. I am 

 informeil that there are many fruit growers who two years 

 ago paid !roO an acie for land which was at once planted with 

 pine-apples, and 1 lie returns for the first croji year show 

 a profit of over 100 per cent, with the land still in their 

 possession and a growing crop for the next .season. This has 

 stimulated fruit growing to a remarkable extent. Labourers' 

 wages on the piui fii)ple jdantations have increased with the 

 devi'lopment of the industry, and the man who formerly 

 demaniled a Idc. daily wage now receives 55 or 60c. for his 

 day's laliour. 



