The Problem of Growing Pineapples for Market— By John Gitiord/'z 



ONE FRUIT CROP THAT IS ADAPTED TO THE CORAL KEYS OF FLORIDA — 

 PECULIARITIES OF ITS NEEDS AND THE ACTIVE COMPETITION OF CUBA 



\ FEW years ago the pineapple was 

 ■'*■ extensively cultivated on the coral 

 keys of Florida. The natives cut the 

 forest, burnt the wood and debris on the 

 ground and planted "pines" in the ashes. 

 I protested against this method because 

 it destroyed the humus, and ordered all 

 wood and brush burnt in piles on my 

 land. My man, a Bahaman Negro, well 

 versed in the pineapple business, insisted 

 that the land must be "hot" for pines, 

 that they needed the ashes, and that if 

 the burning was done in a moist time 

 only the surface rubbish would be des- 

 troyed. Time proved that he was right. 

 These pineapple fields were weeded once 

 or twice a year, no fertilizer was applied 

 but a heavy yield was secured in spite 

 of the sparseness of the soil and the crude 

 nature of cultivation. 



But what a mess it was at harvest time! 

 They commenced to break pines in early 

 summer. The plants were full of spines 

 and more than waist high. Canvas mit- 

 tens were necessary. It was usually hot 



and the mosquitoes were a pest beyond 

 description. The Negroes toted the pines 

 to the boat in baskets on their heads, over 

 rough rocks along narrow well-worn paths. 

 There is uncut land left on these keys 

 and a railroad is now in operation in a part 

 of this region, but the pineapple business 

 is practically dead. With a field of 

 pines and a patch of limes and wrecking 

 on the side these Key people were once 

 well to do and their lands were valuable. 



Further up the state along the east 

 coast there is a long stretch of sand dune 

 country. It was once covered with a 

 sparse growth of pine trees and the 'Soil 

 was naturally sterile. A balanced ration 

 of fertilizer was applied by the pineapple 

 growers and immense crops were pro- 

 duced, a few acres yielding a fane income. 

 Of late, returns have been small and many 

 growers have quit the business. Over in 

 the Bahama Islands it is the same story. 



In Cuba there is a lot of soil especially 

 adapted to pineapple culture. An owner 

 of a young citrus grove plants pineapples 



between the trees and thus receives a 

 quick return. The Cuban people are 

 fond of the pineapple or "lapina" as they 

 call it. It is ground fine, sweetened and 

 mixed with cracked ice. It is sold in this 

 form at all refreshment stands and is 

 certainly one of the most refreshing 

 drinks imaginable on a hot day. If served 

 throughout the United States in this way 

 it would soon become popular. This 

 would increase the consumption of this 

 fruit to an enormous extent. 



One hears complaints of small returns 

 on pines even in Cuba. In fact it looks 

 like a case of over production. The pine- 

 apple is well knoM'n in the North, is 

 largely canned and relished by everybody. 

 We import twelve million dollars' worth 

 of bananas every year, but the pineapple, 

 coming only at a special season and not 

 having the filling food value of the banana, 

 is at a disadvantage. The pineapple suffers 

 severely in the process of transportation. 

 It is usually picked too green. A pine 

 is at its best when it ripens on the plant 



This was a common sight in Florida a few years ago. but the pineapple industry has greatly diminished 



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