PINEAPPLE CULTURE IN SOUTH AFRICA 



IRON NECESSARY TO HEAI/THY GROWTH. 



This led to the filial conclusion that iron is necessary to the 

 health of the plant; it therefore seems that the pineapple grow- 

 ing in a Chlorosis soil. i.e. one which, contains an excessive 

 amount of lime, absorbs so much of it that it is unable to absorb 

 the iron constituents, even if same be present in the soil. 



IRON IN PLANTS. 



Iron is known to exist in all plant organisms, yet, whilst iron 

 is not a constituent of Chlorophyll, it appears to be necessary to 

 the production of Chlorophyll, as plants grown under experiment 

 in soil devoid of iron become bleached or chlorotic. 



SITES FOR PINEAPPLES. 



The plant, being fortunately of erect, stiff habit, the selection 

 of site,, so far as shelter from high winds is concerned, is of 

 small account: very sharp slopes should be avoided, particularly 

 if the soil is of a very light sandy nature, otherwise if fertiliser 

 is used, the lower portion of the slope is likely to receive the 

 benefit, the heavy rains washing down a greater part of it. Flat, 

 poorly drained land should be avoided, or it may be found that 

 the water unable to escape will stagnate and destroy the roots 

 of the plants. The site selected should be, as far as possible, 

 fairly high rolling land with nice even slopes, avoiding anything 

 in the shape of a vlei, remembering always that even in our 

 semi-tropical belts, the vleis, although the hottest in daytime, 

 are the coldest at night; where a hillside may be absolutely free 

 from frost, a hundred feet lower down it may be severe enough 

 to kill all tender vegetation. 



A WORD OF CAUTION 



is accessary as regards distance from rail. Plantations 

 should not be laid out at too great a distance from a station or 

 siding. The pineapple is a soft fruit, although it has been, and 

 I fear is. in many cases, still treated more like a stone than a 

 fruit. If the best results are to be obtained, the less handling 

 and jolting it has the better; properly packed it may be carried 

 any distance, but to attempt to cart pines into a packing house 

 20 or 30 miles away in an open wagon, piled perhaps 20 or more 

 deep, is fatal to good returns. 



RAINFALL, ETC. 



The pineapples, like all the family Bromilaca^, is not a thirsty 

 plant, and will thrive and produce better fruit so far as carrying 



