PINE-APPLE 



PINEROLO 



187 



Pine-apple, or ANANAS (Ananassa satina), a 

 plant of the natural order Bromeliaceae, highly 

 esteemed, and much cultivated for its fruit. The 

 fniit is a sorosis, formed by the calyces and bracts 

 of a close spike of Bowers, becoming succulent 

 and combined. This is the distinctive character 

 of the genus Ananassa. The pine-apple has a 

 number of long, serrated or smooth -edged, sharp- 

 pointed, rigid leaves, springing from the root, in 

 the midst of which a short flower-stem is thrown 

 up, bearing a single spike of flowers, and therefore 

 a single fruit. From the summit of the fruit 

 springs a crown or tuft of small leaves, capable of 

 becoming a new plant ; the pine-apple, in cultiva- 

 tion, l>eing propagated entirely by crowns and 

 suckers, as, in a state of high cultivation, perfect 

 seed is almost never produced. The pine-apple is 

 a native of tropical America; it is found wild in 

 sandy maritime districts in the north-east of South 

 America, Imt it has been very much changed by 

 cultivation. It has also l>een gradually diffused 

 over tropical and subtropical countries, and not 

 only as a cultivated plant, for it is fully naturalised 

 in many parts both of Asia and Africa. It delights 



Pine-apple (Ananatta tativa). 



in a moist climate, and consequently does not 

 succeed well in the dry climate of the south of 

 Italy, although the warmth is sufficient. The first 

 particular account of the pine-apple was given by 

 Oviedo in 1535. It was in Holland that it first 

 began to be cultivated in hothouses; but it was 

 introduced into England from that country in 1690, 

 anil first cultivated by Mr Bentinck, ancestor to 

 tin- ilueal family of Portland; and it cultivation 

 rapidly liecame general in the gardens of the 

 wealthy. It is only since the peace of 1815 that 

 it has received similar attention in continental 

 Europe. Great care is requisite in the cultivation 

 of the pine-apple, which without it is generally 

 fibrous and coarse, with little sweetness or flavour, 

 and with it one of the most delicate and richly 

 flavoured of fruits. Its size, too, very much depends 

 on cultivation, but there is also considerable 

 difference in the size of the fruit in different 

 varieties, the largest not l>eing always the most 

 luscious and superior in flavour. The size varies 

 from 2J 11>. to 12 Ib. in weight. The pine-apples 

 grown in British hothouses are generally much 

 superior to those of the West Indies, because the 

 latter grow almost or altogether without cultiva- 

 tion : but the importation of pine-apples from the 

 West Indies has now been carried on to a consider- 

 able extent, and, as it promises to add to the 

 sources of wealth for these colonies, this has led to 

 greater care in cultivation there, and consequent 

 improvement of quality. 



Formerly the culture of the pine-apple in Britain 

 was a costly and extremely tedious process. Since 

 very early after its introduction it has always been 

 cultivated in hothouses specially appropriated to 

 it called pine-stoves, which were heated with 

 smoke-Hues, with tanners' bark or oak-leaves and 

 dung for bottom heat. But by the universal 

 adoption of hot water in horticultural heating the 

 labour and cost attendant on those clumsy expedi- 

 ents have been much reduced and better results 

 attained. Along with this there has been brought 

 about a more rational treatment of the plants. 

 Instead of high tropical ground and atmospheric 

 heat Iteing maintained in winter, which resulted in 

 destroying the roots of the plants in the prelimin- 

 ary stages of their growth, and. so retarded or 

 deferred their fruiting period, the skilful pine- 

 grower now finds that success is best assured by 

 adopting a minimum of 60 of air-warmth and 

 75 of bottom-heat at that season. By these and 

 other improvements in treatment superior fruit is 

 obtained in half the time formerly considered 

 necessary. The pine-apple is cultivated in pots 

 or planted out in beds. It is more completely under 

 control in pots than planted ont, hence the results 

 are always more certain when it is grown in that 

 way. It is propagated by suckers and by the 

 crowns that surmount the fruit ; but, except in 

 the case of varieties which produce the former 

 too sparingly for the requirements of stock, the 

 latter are usually rejected because they do not 

 make so good plants nor fruit Bo quickly as a rule. 

 The varieties of the pine-apple that are worthy of 

 being cultivated in Britain are few. For producing 

 superior fruit in winter the Smooth Cayenne and 

 Black Jamaica are two of the l>est and most reliable, 

 and the Queen, of which there are several sub- 

 varieties, is the most highly esteemed for summer 

 fruiting. Turfy, fibrous, sandy loam that has lain 

 in a stack for nine or twelve months is an excellent 

 soil for the pine-apple. A spirituous liquor (Pine- 

 apple Itum ) is made from the pine-apple in some 

 warm countries. The use of the fibre of the pine 

 apple is noticed in the articles BROMELIACEA:, 

 FIBROUS SUBSTANCES. For Pine-apple Oil, see 

 BUTYRIC ETHKR. 



Pine-beetle. See BARK -BEETLES. 



Pine Bluff, capital of Jefferson county, 

 Arkansas, is built on a high bluff on the south 

 bank of the Arkansas River, about 120 miles from 

 its mouth, and 43 miles by rail SSE. of Little 

 Rock. It contains large ironworks, ships a good 

 deal of cotton, and manufactures cotton-seed oil, 

 flour, lumber, bricks, &c. Pop. ( 1900) 11,496. 



Pinel. I'im.nTE, a Parisian physician (1745- 

 1826) who gained for himself undying fame hy his 

 reformation of the old barbarous methods of treat 

 ing the insane. See INSANITY. 



Pinero, ARTHUR WINO, born in London in 

 1855, studied law, hut in 1874 made his debut on 

 the stage at Edinburgh, and in 1875 joined the 

 Lyceum company. He is best known as the 

 author of a number of successful plays, including 

 The Squire (1881 ), The Socket ( 1883), Sweet Laven- 

 der (1888), The Second Mrs Tanqueray (1893), and 

 The Notorious Mrs Ebbsmith ( 1895). 



Pinerolo, or PIGNEROL, a town of North Italy, 

 at the east foot of the Alps, 23 miles by rail S\V. 

 of Turin. Originally a town of Savoy, it was re- 

 garded as the key of Italy. In its strong citadel, 

 the Man with the Iron Mask, Lauzun, and Fouquet 

 were imprisoned. This fortress was in French 

 hands from 1536 to 1574, again from 1630 to 1696, 

 from 1704 to 1706, and from 1801 to 1814. The 

 town contains a cathedral and a technical school. 

 Clotn, paper, leather, cotton, and silk are maniv 

 factured. Pop. 12,003. 



