THE CUBA REVIEW. 



METHODS OF PLANTING AND VARIETIES OF PINEAPPLES. 



Cuban Pineapples Well Known in the United States Markets. Methods of Culture. 



Ridge and Level Planting Contrasted. Picking, Grading and 



Packing. Profitable Varieties to Grow. 



By C. F. AusTiNj 



Chief of the Horticultural Department, Cuban Agricultural Experiment Station. 



Pineapple culture is one of the best established fruit industries on the island of Cuba. 

 Pineapples have been grown for export for a number of years and have become well known 

 on the market. The annual crop varies from 600,000 to over 1,000,000 crates, and is steadily 

 increasing. 



The red lands of Havana Province are the center of the industry and it ranges from 

 IMarianao to Artemisia, along the calzada, or high road, and the Western Railroad. During 

 the last few years it has been extended to the lighter soils of Pinar del Rio Province and 

 to many sections of the center and eastern part of the island. 



METHODS OF CULTURE. 



The common method of planting, and one that seems best adapted to the heavy lands, 

 especially those which do not have ia good bottom drainage, is to lay off the land into 

 rows 5 feet apart, and throw them up into wide low ridges from 12 to 18 inches high. 

 These rows are then cut into sections from 25 to 50 feet long, so that the whole field is 

 made up of short ridges. The plants are then set upon these ridges from 10 to 12 inches 

 apart. With this method of culture practically all the work has to be done by hand, for 

 there is no place to cultivate except in the bottoms between the ridges. 



Level culture is another method. We are giving it a trial, and so far there seems to 

 be no difference between its results and those of the ridge system. A good many growers, 

 especially those living upon the loamy lands, are growing pines by level culture, both in 

 single rows and by the bed method, and both seem to give excellent results where the 

 soil is light and mellow so as to give quick and easy drainage. 



PINEAPPLE CULTURE IN LEVEL BEDS— FIRST CROP VARIETY RED SPANISH. 



