68 



usually slightly mixed with sand, is partly of a vege- 

 table and partly of a mineral origin. 



The treatment of the plants in Brazil is very simple. 

 As the fruit ripens in January, the young suckers 

 from the roots are taken off in April or May, and 

 planted in the newly cleaned fields at a distance from 

 1^ to 2 feet from each other, and the strongest of 

 them produce fruit in the following year, seldom 

 weighing above 3 or 41bs. ; but those which do not 

 fruit the second year, grow very large, and their fruit 

 often weighs from lOlbs. to 12lbs. 



In the Bahama Islands the pine apple affords still 

 stronger evidence that it is not indifferent as to the soil 

 in which it roots. The Hon. J. C. Lees, writing from 

 New Providence, says, in those islands is a very red 

 soil, in which alone the pine apple will grow. There 

 are two other kinds of soil ; one, a very white calca- 

 reous soil, consisting of chiefly finely pulverized Mad- 

 repore limestone, in which the maize or Indian corn 

 grows remarkably well ; and the other, a deep black 

 soil, almost entirely vegetable, and very light, in which 

 many things grow luxuriantly, but in neither of them 

 will the pine apple grow at all. The red soil does 

 not, as far as pines are concerned, appear to be im- 

 proved by manure. Mr. Lees planted several in the 

 same bed, some without manure, and others with 

 different proportions of stable-manure ; between those 

 in the natural soil and those slightly manured, he 



