PINEAPPLE CULTURE IN SOUTH AFRICA 



methods of planting; many soils suitable for Pineapples will 

 require only small amounts of these particular chemicals, but 

 that is purely a matter of investigation on the part of the 

 grower. After a plantation has produced several crops of fruit, 

 it should receive fertiliser, even if planted on the widev plan, 

 no matter how rich the soil may be at the time of planting; 

 cropping continuously with the same crop, is bound to reduce 

 the amount of available plant food. In most cases the reduction 

 of these foods is shown by a decrease in the vigour of plants, 

 as well as in the quality and size of fruit. 



SOIL DEPLETED OF CERTAIN FOODS. 



The food of which the soils are depleted will mostly be found 

 to be nitrogen and potash, and applications .of fertilisers con- 

 taining these ingredients are essential, if the quality and size 

 of the fruit are to be maintained. The Pineapple plant is not 

 inclined to send out its roots a great distance in search of food. 



PICKING AND PACKING. 



Careful handling of the fruit is essential, if the best results 

 are to be obtained. The usual method is to cut the stalk 8 or 4 

 inches, below the fruit. The fruit should be well coloured 

 before despatching to the packing shed. In Cuba it used to be 

 the custom to pack in barrels, into which good-sized holes were 

 bored all round to prevent fermentation. This system has little 

 to recommend it, and properly constructed fruU cases to hold 

 the fruit in single layers, are much better for the purpose, both 

 for Local and Export purposes. A question has developed in 

 this country of shipping pines loose in trucks for the Local 

 markets, and whilst this continues low prices are bound to be 

 the result. The problem of the use to which small-sized fruit 

 can be put, instead of glutting the Local markets, must be solved 

 by the erection of canning factories in those districts in which 

 large quantities of Pineapples and other fruit are grown. 



HARVESTING THE CROP. 



Ha i- vesting the crop takes place, so far as the bulk is con- 

 cerned, during two periods, although in a large field there is 

 scarcely a day on which some may not be cut. January to 

 March, and June and July are the main seasons with the larger 

 bulk. Unfortunately up to the present, except in some few 

 cases, the handling of the crop has been crude, and has tended 

 to great loss. The fruit, although to all outward appearances 

 capable of standing rough handling, is really as delicate as the 

 apple, although pressure on the Pine does not show so readily 

 as on the latter. Rough handling is bound to show before the 

 fruit reaches the market; some will come through undamaged, 

 but the sample lot may be spoilt, and only those who have 



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