T33' J 



As many as 20,000 plants (planted 2 ft. x i ft, apart) art 

 crammed into an acre in the Bahamas islands whence the 

 fruits are largely exported to the United States. The ground 

 chosen in these islands is more or less rocky. The owners of 

 land share with the cultivators in the produce. The proprie- 

 tors of land make advances in cash or provisions to the culti- 

 vating labourers until the reaping of a crop, and the cultivator 

 is precluded under an agreement from selling his share to any 

 other than the landlord, the price paid for being is. to 15-. 6d. 

 per dozen according to the date of production. 18 months to 

 2 years must elapse between the planting and the reaping ; of 

 the first crop, each plant producing one fruit Sometimes a 

 plant bears in 12 to 15 months. When ripe, the pineapples 

 are cut and carried on the heads of men and women to the 

 beach nearest the plantation whence they are shipped i a large 

 American vessels. The London Market is principally sup- 

 plied by the Azores and Canary Islands. But the best pine- 

 apples are grown in English hot-houses. It is a mistake to 

 suppose that the best fruits grow in shade. Pineapple does 

 grow in shade, but it grows better in the open especially in 

 the lower districts of Bengal where the climate is moist and 

 equable. In districts where the soil is dry, or rocky and harsh, 

 it grows better in shade. The Mauritius variety which, we 

 have in the Sibpur Farm is a superior variety. The Sylhet 

 and Assam pineapples generally, are also famous. 



490. Manure. Cotton seed meal and tobacco dust at 

 planting have been found to be the best preparatory manures 

 for pineapples. A month before fruiting bone-dust gives 

 the best result. 



491. Pineapple fibre sells at 150 dollars per ton in London 

 and New York. Ten leaves weigh about a pound and 22,000 

 leaves a ton. A ton of leaves yields 50 to 60 Ibs. of clean fibre 

 obtained by scraping and beating, steeping, washing and 

 finally exposing the fibre to the sun. The steeping, washing 

 and exposing to the sun are repeated until the fibre is white, 



