PLNE-APPLE CULTURE. 175 



hurry their growth, or none at all, to retard it. Sometimes 

 they even resort to the heroic treatment of sacrificing the 

 bloom, so as to induce the immediate starting of the suck- 

 ers that always appear at the blooming season, ready to 

 grow off rapidly and bear fruit on their own account at a 

 more suitable season than that essayed by their parents, 

 whose career was, as we have seen, "nipped in the bud." 



Great care is taken in handling and packing the fruit, 

 so that it may reach its market in full perfection. Choice 

 specimens, frequently weighing twelve to fifteen pounds, 

 are cut with the stem several inches below the fruit ; then 

 an ordinary flower-pot, or even a tin can is filled with 

 mold, and the stalk inserted in the latter in such a manner 

 that it looks as though it were grown there; each pine 

 thus prepared is placed in a wooden skeleton case, just 

 large enough to hold it, the pine being first wrapped in 

 paper ; in this way it can be transported without risk of 

 injury. Extra choice fruit, such as we have described, is 

 frequently sold in London for from twelve to fifteen dol- 

 lars each, but usually the best prices obtained are from four 

 to five dollars each. 



The Florida grower has not the incentive of such extra- 

 ordinary prices for his pines, but still there is profit enough 

 even in the American markets, to induce careful culture 

 and packing ; and, therefore, he would do well to follow 

 the example of the Azorian grower. 



Pine-apples, growing as they do on a tall stem, must 

 naturally, as they grow large and heavy, incline to one 

 side or other, and finally, if not prevented, will lie pros- 

 trate among the leaves or on the ground, exposed on the 

 one side to rot from undue moisture, on the other to sun- 

 scorch from the direct rays of the sun falling on it while 

 moist with dew or rain. The pine-apple stalk should, 

 therefore, be secured to a stake to keep the fruit upright. 



