JAMAICA. 



B [J L L E T I N 



OF THE 



BOTANICAL DEPARTMENT. 



Vol. IX. NOVEMBER, 1902. Part 11. 



THE CULTIVATION OF PINEAPPLES. 



An Address delivered before Teachers of Elementary Schools at 

 The Mico Institution, Kingston. 

 By Chas. Eugene Smith. 

 Soil. 



The pineapple is a decidedly exacting member of the vegetable 

 kingdom, insisting upon having its wishes and needs respected and 

 provided for, making no allowance whatever for our good intentions, 

 and well illustrating what Miss Greenwood calls " the cussedness of 

 inanimate objects." The soil is of first and most vital importance The 

 pineapple will grow upon soil too poor for other products, but this soil 

 must be light, loose and thoroughly drained. 1 quote a partial analy- 

 sis of a typical pineapple soil in frouth Florida : — 



Insoluble Residue 97.5085 o/o 



Humus . . , .24 



Mtrogen .. . . .0378 



Total Phosphoric Acid . . .0-536 



Total Potash . . . . . 0086 



Total Lime .. .. .2100 



What portion of the phosphoric acid and potash given above is 

 available is not stated. 



In comparison I also give the analysis of the soils at Barbican and 

 Billy Dun, St. Andrew, as recently furnished by the Island Chemist : 



Barbican. 



Insoluble Residue 77.40 o/o 



Humus .. 1.765 



Nitrogen .1190 



Total Phosphoric Acid . . . 0973 



Available Phosphoric Acid . . .0402 



Total Potash . . . . . 9887 



Available Potash .. .0134 



Total Lime . . . . . 7672 



