119 



Northern orchardists find it to their advantage to purchase their 

 young fruit trees from reliable nurserymen whose business it is to propa- 

 gate and supply such trees, healthy as to vitality and authentic as to 

 name and character. Promoters of orange groves will ultimately learn 

 that it will prove most economical and in every way to their advantage 

 to procure their young trees from similar sources. 



As to trusting to seedling trees for the best marketable products, 

 it is found that opinions do not vary so much on this point as they did 

 some years ago. Consumers are learning that there are differences in 

 oranges as there are in apples, pears, and other fruits, and shipments 

 of choice named kinds will take precedence over those which contain 

 fruits of various merits as gathered indiscriminately from groves of 

 seedling trees and whose uniformity can not be guarantied. 



THE PINEAPPLE. 



The pineapple can not be considered as a perfectly safe crop in Florida 

 north of the twenty-eighth degree of latitude. Its cultivation is some- 

 times attempted a full degree north of this limit with winter protection, 

 and unless the thermometer sinks below 30 they will pass through the 

 winter unhurt. Being allowed ample space and freely manured, the 

 plants attain large size and produce fruits from 4 to 9 pounds in weight 

 varying according to the variety. 



Pineapples are commonly protected by erecting a horizontal platform 

 of small poles or laths, supported by posts, and elevated high enough 

 so as not to interfere with the upward growth of the plants. This plat- 

 form is closely covered with palm leaves during the winter, and forms 

 a good protection againt light frosts. A slight shade is always allowed 

 during summer. This, it is claimed, enhances the value of the fruit, 

 causing it to be more tender and juicy than it would be if exposed to 

 the full force of the sun throughout the summer. The plants are usually 

 grown in beds 8 or 10 feet in width ; the covering is thus easily applied. 



North of the latitude mentioned pineapple production in the open 

 field does not appear promising, unless in exceptionally favored places 

 and under the best conditions of culture. In the plantations visited, 

 on an island near the southern junction of the Indian and Banana Eiv- 

 ers, the plants appear to be set about 18 inches apart, in masses, thus 

 preventing effective cultivation. The brown and bleached aspect of the 

 leaves indicate injury from cold weather. The fruits are mostly small, 

 and having to enter markets in competition with fruits of the same 

 kind imported from the West Indies, which sometimes sell at prices 

 not much above those given for the best oranges, the profits are not 

 encouraging. 



When plants are allowed space for full development, and due atten- 

 tion given to the slight protection necessary during the winter, fruits 

 weighing from 6 to 10 pounds are produced, and these command 

 remunerative prices. 



