PINEAPPLE rn/n'RE ix SOUTH AFRICA 



ticularly do those from Bat.hurst) is of superior quality, ami 

 though lacking somewhat in size, this deficiency can he made 

 good by proper methods of cultivation, etc. The future of this 

 particular Pine is assured, not only for export, but for canning 

 purposes, and with the establishment of good factories for that 

 purpose, the grower of these Pines will have a small gold mine 

 in hand. Even with the present methods of railing great quan- 

 tities in bulk, as many as 1,700 dozen being shipped in a truck 

 without packing of any sort, the growers maintain that the crop 

 pays better than any other raised in the district, and when 

 more up-to-date methods of handling are adopted in these mat- 

 ters, the profits from this business will be materially increased. 



SMOOTH CAYENNE known also as Giant Keir or St. Michael. 



Only a limited number of these Pines are grown in South 

 Africa, principally for local markets, yet this is the species 

 grown all through the Azore Islands for the London and Con- 

 tinental markets. It is of very handsome appearance, of a 

 bright red colour, but the segments of the Pine are very flat and 

 bruise with the least pressure: owing to this and the large 

 quantity of moisture it contains this Pine has not carried well 

 when shipped to England from Natal. 



The methods of packing adopted by the growers in the Azores 

 are such that the cubic space occupied by the case containing i> 

 or Pines, is greater than would be occupied by two dozen or 

 more of the Egyptian Queens. This, with the limited amount of 

 cold storage available on our shipping lines, will' deter us from 

 attempting to rival the Azore growers in placing on the London 

 market Pines of this variety. There is little doubt that this 

 and other varieties may be profitably grown, both for local mar- 

 kets and for canning, but until the space available for shipping 

 Home in cold storage is very largely increased, it would be folly 

 to recommend planting such a variety in large areas. 



OTHER VARIETIES. 



A few other varieties are cultivated in Natal, but none have 

 been propagated to any extent. One variety which would prob- 

 ably pay best of all, when once it becomes acclimatised, is that 

 known as Red Spanish. This fruit is extremely hardy, very 

 prolific, and does not sucker so freely as the Egyptian Queen, 

 as it reproduces itself largely by means of slips. This variety 

 is the main crop both of Florida and the Bahamas, and is 

 largely used in the latter place for canning, whilst in Florida 

 it is mainly produced for shipment to the Northern cities. I must 

 emphasise the point that it may take some years before such a 

 variety would become acclimatised. 



