PINEAPPLE CULTURE IX SOUTH AFRICA 



drag harrowing after the second or cross ploughing and discing. 

 The land left in a somewhat rough condition is not so liable 

 to wash away if heavy rains set in, and will absorb more 

 moisture than if fined down with the drag harrow. The applica- 

 tion of Kraal or artificial manure must depend on the character 

 of the soils. Many soils on which pineapples are grown need 

 little or no feeding, whilst others of the poorer sandy type will 

 not produce a marketable fruit after the first crop unless heavily 

 fertilised. 



METHODS OF PLANTING. 



Much diversity of opinion exists as to the best distances to 

 plant, and this diversity is partly due to the varying conditions 

 of soil and climate. On the small islands or Keys of Florida 

 the soil is extremely shallow, underlaid with Coralline rock. 

 The life of the plantation under these conditions does not exceed 

 five to six years, and it is frequently less. In some cases these 

 are planted as close as 18 inches by two feet. On the mainland, 

 where the soil is particularly poor, although of good depth the 

 distance is 2 ft. x 2 ft. In this case heavy applications of fer- 

 tiliser are needed yearly, and the life of the plantation is con- 

 sidered to be from five to six years. Under these conditions, 

 which- may be said to apply largely to the Pine growing areas 

 of Natal, especially those near the coast, this closer planting 

 and short crop method is advisable as giving a greater return 

 per acre, but under other conditions, where the quality of the 

 soil is such that little or no fertiliser is needed, the wider 

 methods adopted in the Eastern Province are undoubtedly more 

 suitable. 



THE WIDER PLANTINGS. 



These are usually five feet apart from row to row, with plants 

 two feet apart in the row; by this system almost all the cul- 

 tivation is done with a single horse cultivator, and this in a 

 large pinery considerably reduces the cost of production. The 

 method of planting is to stretch a wire line up to 300 ft. long 

 with a good strong ring attached to each end. This wire has 

 small pieces soldered to it every two feet. Great care must be 

 taken to get this first or base line perfectly straight and true. 

 Now at each end of this, another wire is stretched at right 

 angles to the base line. The method of obtaining a right angle 

 is very simple, and has been described so frequently that it 

 ought to be known to all. In case some of my readers have not 

 seen it described I will repeat it here: From the first solder 

 mark on the base line count off to the 15th mark, i.e., 30 feet, 

 stick in a peg at No. 1, and at No. 15; stretch the second line 

 so that it is as near to a rectangle at number one peg, measure 

 off 40 feet along the second line and mark with a peg number 3. 



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