Fruit Growing in the Gulf States. 211 



On these keys the pine flourishes in a very thin stra- 

 tum of leaf mould lying on coralline rock, and requiring 

 no previous digging or cultivation. It would seem that 

 the hard ground prevents the use of any implement, and 

 so the slips are stuck into any convenient cranny, or 

 else planted in a little scraped-together soil, where 

 weeding can only be done by hand. 



I may here record a West Indian superstition that 

 the time that will elapse before a pine plant will bear, 

 depends on the number of chops or blows given with 

 the hoe when planting it. If a sufficientlv deep hole is 

 made with one chop the pine will bear in one year, if 

 two chops are required the fruit will take two years, 

 and so on. 



The crop of the Florida keys, with the exception of 

 small quantities carried to the coast, is sold in New 

 York. Want of rapid communication prevents the con- 

 veyance of this fruit to the ports on the Atlantic and 

 Gulf. 



The pine is reported to be a "good shipper" for a 

 tropical fruit, standing rough handling, and, if not cut 

 too late, keeping for three weeks. 



The report gives a list of no fewer than 63 varieties 

 of the pine. The names of some of which indicate a 

 West Indian origin, such as Antigua Queen, Black 

 Jamaica, Montserrat, Cayenne, Striped Surinam, St. Vin- 

 cent, Trinidad Pitch-lake, &c. 



I am not aware how many different sorts of pine are 

 raised in Guiana As a rule one only sees two yellow 

 kinds, often brought to market in a bruised condition, and 

 a fine flavoured variety, with red skin and white flesh, 

 resembling in taste that of a peach. 



DD2 



