PINEAPPLE AND POMEGRANATE 399 



wood, Los Angeles County. Mr. Rapp's place is in the Cahuenga 

 Valley, and in that part of the valley which is famed as frostless, where 

 even beans and tomatoes survive winter temperatures. Mr. Rapp set 

 out his first twenty-five plants in 1891, and a number of his neighbors 

 also set out groups of plants, but two years finished up all but his. In 

 1893 the first of his plants fruited, but they did not seem to take kindly 

 to the situation at first. They grew very slowly and the first fruit only 

 weighed half a pound. After setting out his own acclimated plants, 

 they have done better each year, and the fruit which Mr. Rapp has sold 

 recently has weighed from two to four pounds each. If the strongest 

 offsets or suckers are planted they bear inside of a year, and Mr. Rapp 

 is endeavoring to have his fruit set from May to November, as the fruit 

 setting at other times in the year is usually undersized on account of 

 the slow growth during the winter and early spring. It seems probable 

 that the pineapple resents the dry air of our summer as well as the lack 

 of winter heat, and a lath covering and a summer spraying may be 

 desirable. It is very doubtful whether the fruit can be profitably grown 

 in this State on a commercial scale. 



The pineapple thrives best on a fine sandy loam, but will grow well 

 on many soils if well drained and cultivated. The plants can be set 

 three by three or four by five feet, so as to allow cultivation both ways 

 while the plants are young. Plants are secured from "suckers," which 

 come from the root, from "slips," which grow on the stem just below 

 the "apple," and from "crowns," or the tufts of leaves at the top of the 

 fruit. Suckers are said to bear in one year, and slips and crowns in 

 two years. Strong suckers are best for planting, and they should be set 

 out early in the spring as soon as the danger of cold weather is over. 



THE POMEGRANATE 



This fruit (Punica granatum), famed in literature and art, is grown 

 in various parts of the State, and certain amounts are profitably sold. 

 The shrub or low tree, in good soil, will reach the height of twenty 

 feet. It is a hardy plant, easy of propagation from seed or cutting. 

 The beauty of the tree, not taking the fruit into account, has caused it 

 to be planted in many gardens. Exposed to the raw sea winds it does 

 not bloom well not set with fruit, and is best adapted to the warmer 

 regions of the interior, where it is an early and abundant bearer. The 

 variety chiefly cultivated is a bright orange color, but there is found a 

 large variety of them, varying from almost pure white with a faint 

 blush, to dark red. The fruit ripens in the warmer parts of the State, 

 north and south, in October. 



Pomegranates for eastern shipment are proving profitable in the 

 Porterville district, whence nine carloads were shipped in 1913, and 

 the packers reported the supply scant of the demand. In that year the 

 greater part of the fruit shipped netted about $2.00 for four-basket 

 boxes, or at the rate of approximately $75 per ton net to the growers. 

 An especial feature was made of fancy packages, which proved accept- 

 able to the trade. 



