290 HORTICULTURE, FORESTRY, FLORICULTURE 



every advantage possible to produce the finest fruit. Practically 

 the time for setting out pineapple suckers is limited to the season 

 from July to November, and in a more limited way to the 1st of 

 February. (F. B. 140.) 



Fertilizers. The pineapple is a voracious feeder. It requires 

 heavy fertilizing. Nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash are all re- 

 quired in generous amounts. Perhaps the following manures are 

 the best sources from which to obtain these requirements: Poultry 

 manure, stable manure, guano, blood and bone, bone meal, cotton- 

 seed meal, acid phosphate, sulphate of potash, and well-rotted muck. 

 If compost is used, it should be well-rotted and ready for assimila- 

 tion. Compost, undergoing fermentation, will destroy the feeder 

 roots. Lands containing much silica and vegetable mould, are the 

 best for this fruit, especially if there is a good foundation to prevent 

 leaching away of fertilizers and moisture. 



Cultivation. Clean cultivating is best, with a scuffle hoe, being 

 careful not to cut the feeder roots, which are found one to two inches 

 below the surface. Mulching is often a disadvantage, for while the 

 mulched plants are green and thrifty, they are too susceptible to 

 frost. If planted in well pulverized rich soil, 18 by 18 inches, the 

 plants will protect each other, and prevent the fruit from falling 

 over to get sun-burned. 



When planted close together, the leaves stand more erect, and 

 become a partial shade for the fruit during a part of the day, which 

 is an advantage. If set close together, they only require cultivating 

 the first year, as the plants monopolize the ground and keep other 

 vegetation down when one year old. It has been found that pine- 

 apples are just as large from plants set 18 inches by 18 inches as 

 from plants set four feet each way. Plant closer rather than farther 

 apart. With the pineapple, as with everything else, the less injury 

 to the foliage the better. In cultivating, step on top of the leaves, 

 as bending them down does no great amount of harm, while striking 

 a leaf sideways is likely to tear it loose and injure the stalk. In fer- 

 tilizing a plat, mix the fertilizers well and sow over the plants, like 

 sowing oats broadcast, and let the dew and rains dissolve and carry 

 it down. (Fla. E. S. B. 27.) 



Gathering. It is not an unusual experience for the agricultur- 

 ist to do all that is necessary to bring a crop to excellent maturity 

 and lose it all or in part for the want of proper handling at the time 

 of gathering. In no line of work is it more necessary to pay the 

 close attention to details in gathering than in growing tropical 

 fruits. This operation is the one most directly under control, and 

 yet it is the one most liable to be slighted. It is the operation in 

 which judgment plays the most important part. It cannot be 

 learned except by experience. 



Selecting. The fruit should be dry when gathered. The first 

 act in gathering is to select the fruits thought to be ripe enough to 

 reach the market in the best condition. This is done by a laoorer 

 under the direct supervision of some responsible person who from 

 time to time instructs him as to whether to select more mature or 



