PINE-APPLE CULTURE. 171 



In the West Indies and Bahamas, the growers plant 

 close to keep down the weeds, and they succeed admirably 

 in keeping down the fruit also. They plant from twenty 

 thousand to twenty-five thousand on an acre ; this is why 

 we see so much small and inferior fruit thrown on the 

 American markets. 



Planted as the experience of our leading Florida grow- 

 ers recommend, as given above, an acre will contain, say 

 six thousand five hundred plants; these, at twenty-five 

 cents for each fruit, will bring their owners the respectable 

 sum of one thousand six hundred and twenty-five dollars 

 no mean showing as the earnings of one acre of ground ; 

 and in addition to this amount of hard cash must be added 

 its representative in the shape of the suckers, crownlets, 

 and slips that remain after the fruit is ready for market, 

 enough to set out two or three acres of land. 



Sometimes fruit is obtained in twenty months, oftener 

 in two years, and sometimes not for three or more from 

 the setting out of the offsets ; it all depends on the care 

 they receive, and, above all, on their proper protection 

 from frost. 



Pine-apples once started need little care, almost none if 

 the ground about them is heavily mulched ; they should 

 be mulched to keep down weeds, this latter being the ex- 

 tent of their requirements after being properly prepared 

 at the outset. Some growers prefer frequent cultivation 

 with hoe or harrow instead of mulching ; it is as yet an 

 open question as to which mode is preferable. Soil and 

 location must decide this matter in individual cases. The 

 question of frost protection is a most important one to the 

 Florida grower, for the plant is essentially tropical, and the 

 least frost injures it more or less; a light frost only kills 

 the leaves, and if the plant is not near fruiting this injury 

 will only diminish its size and retard the fruiting season. 



