24 



THE CUBA REVIEW. 



but it will stand the rough handling that at present is considered a part of the pineapple 

 business. 



Golden Queen. — The plants are hardy, strong, and vigorous upon the high lands, but 

 will not stand the wet soils as well as the Red Spanish or the Sugar Loaf. The fruit is 

 small to mediuni, averaging from two to six pounds. Its color is a haadsome golden 

 yellow, flesh a bright yellow, firm, solid; flavor very fine, sweet, juicy, melting, with a very 

 delicate acid. This variety has a distinct and peculiar flavor of its own. It is not a 

 long keeper, but is very productive. It is one of the finest early varieties for the 

 home garden. 



Smooth Cayenne. — The plants are very large, strong, and vigorous; fruit medium 

 to large, varying from five to ten pounds. The color is a handsome golden yellow, and 

 the shape smooth; iiesh a pale yellow, very firm, solid and heavy, but tender to eat, 

 melting and juicy; flavor high, delicate, and sweet, with a mild acid.. It is a grand 

 pine, but not a long keeper. The plant has an advantage over all other pines for it 

 has very few spines along the edges of the leaves. 



Sugar Loaf. — This is a later, or summer pine and is commonly grown by the people 

 of this country to supply the 'home trade. The plants are hardy, strong and very vig- 

 orous. This variety stands poor care, wet lands, and drought as well as, if not better 

 than, the Red Spanish. The fruit is medium in size, tapering in shape from the base to 

 the top, the fruit stem is strong and stifif; the color of the fruit is a pale greenish yellow 

 an'd it seldom becomes full and deep in color; the flesh is a pale yellowish white, tender, 

 soft and juicy; the flavor is mild, pleasant and very sweet. This variety is very 'produc- 

 tive, but not a long keeper. It should be grow^n by everyone for the home garden. 



CUBAN PINEAPPLE EXPORTATIONS. 



Month of November, 1906. 

 Month of November, 1907. 



Crates. 



3,967 

 9,008 



Jan. 

 Jan. 



to Nov. 

 to Nov. 



Crates. 



30, 1906 924,509 



30, 1907 658,784 



THE GROUND NDT OR PEANUT. 



THE GROUND NUT. 



The ground nut or peanut (Arachis hy- 

 pogaea) — a plant which deserves more at- 

 tention in the West Indies than it at pres- 

 ent receives — belongs to the natural order 

 Leguminosae. 



It shows some striking differences, how- 

 ever, as compared with peas, beans, and 

 other well-known leguminous plants — 

 more especially in the interesting formation 

 of underground fruits. The pods of most 

 of our common leguminous plants break 

 open at maturity. This is not the case 

 with the ground nut. After fertilization 

 has been effected, the yellow petals of the 

 blossom drop off, the flower-stalk elongates 

 and as a result, the tip of the stalk, to- 

 gether with the remaining portions of the 

 flower, is buried in the soil. If the stem 

 fails to reach the ground no pod is formed, 

 but once the tip of the stalk finds its way 

 into the soil the pod develops rapidly. The 

 ground nut is therefore an underground 

 legume — hence its name hypogaea (under 

 the earth). 



Grown as an economic crop the ground 

 nut gives good results without demanding 

 the most fertile soils, or requiring expen- 

 sive cultivation and manuring. It prefers 

 a sandy loam, and the presence of a good 

 proportion of lime is an advantage. Being 

 a leguminous plant the ground nut is able 

 to absorb nitrogen from the atmosphere, 

 and so to enrich the soil in nitrogenous 

 constituents. The plant has practically no 

 insect enemies, a fact which of itself goes 

 a great way toward ensuring a profitable 

 return. 



