163 



The true suckers are the offshoots growing out from among tue 

 leaves of the parent plant. They are the best, and in a properly man- 

 aged plantation, the only offshoots available for propagation. 



Ratoons are also suckers but are designated as ratoons when thrown 

 out from underground. After the fruit is cut the ratoon is the off- 

 shoot allowed to remain to bear the following year as it is more firmly 

 attached to the stock than the higher suckers and has in addition roots 

 of its own. Wben two ratoons are thrown out one should be removed 

 and planted. 



Slips are the offshoots found at the base of the fruit in most va- 

 rieties. Save that they are slower of growth, they answer as well as 

 suckers for propagating, but, as I have remarked, in a properly man- 

 aged plantation they are not available, as they should be broken off 

 as soon as formed, so that all the strength of the plant may go into the 

 fruit. The smooth Cayenne has no slips, only suckers, and this is one 

 of several reasons which accounts for the high price for this variety. ' 



The crown is the tuft of leaves on top of the fruit. Crowns will 

 make plants, but are of slow growth, and, save when a fruit has been 

 spoilt by rats or sunburn, they are naturally not available for plant- 

 ing, the crown being an attractive feature to the purchaser. 



Seeds are rarely found. I notice they are more common in Jamaica 

 pines than in those from Florida. They are only used after hybridi- 

 zing for the purpose of producing new varieties. 



Planting 1 



The land being properly prepared and the suckers secured — by the ' 

 way, they should be 12 or 18 inches long ar>d selected from healthy 

 plants which have borne or are bearing fruit —we are ready for plant- 

 ing. Opinions differ as to the best distance, there being arguments in 

 favour of both wide and close setting. Four years ago I commenced 

 planting at the usual Florida distance, 22x22 inches then 24x24 24x30 

 3 x3ft., and even 3x4ft. I have gradually been working back to 

 shorter distances, and have just set 2,400 at 18x24 inches. I believe 

 2x2ft. may be considered safe, though much depends upon the loca- 

 tion and variety. In St. Thomas-ye-Yale where the sky is clouded a 

 great part of the time and there is a heavy rainfall, wide planting 

 seems desirable, but in St Andrew I prefer close planting, so that the 

 ground may become quickly shaded to prevent scalding of the roots* 

 Care should be taken to have the plants set in true lines each way. 

 Many methods of accomplishing this will suggest themselves. My 

 own way is to run a base line the width of the field at right angles to 

 the beds ; I then stretch a line along each side of the bed to be 

 planted, staking off these lines at the distance I wish to set the suck- 

 ers in the long rows. I use a strip of 1x3 board with notches show- 

 ing where each plant should be set across the bed, and move this strip 

 from stake to stake, planting the suckers with a small hand trowel. 



The handle of the trowel may be used for pressing the earth firmly 

 about the base of the plant. The only preperation of the sucker is to 

 strip off the lower leaves, and cut the broken end clean that it may 

 callous readily. 



