Edible Products. 



220 



September, 1910, 



plants, although a pinch may be safely- 

 scattered in the leaf bases of large 

 plants. 



Varieties, 



To classify the varieties of pineapples 

 in the West Indies in such a manner 

 that the classification may be of practical 

 value to the plauters seems an almost 

 hopeless task. In Porto Rico aloue the 

 same variety shews distinct charac- 

 teristics in the different parts of the 

 island, and the varieties imported from 

 other West Indian Islands under 

 given names are wholly different from 

 those already growing; in Porto Rico 

 under those names. Furthermore, new 

 types are constantly originating from 

 seeds. Types are formed by degener- 

 ated varieties escaped from cultivation, 

 and some are found in the Manati 

 section in Porto Rico of which it is 

 difficult to judge if they had ever been 

 under cultivation. The varieties known 

 and commonly planted in Porto Rico 

 until a few years ago were Cabezcna, 

 Pan de Azucar, and Negrita. In the 

 last few years the variety known as 

 Red Spanish has been planted exten- 

 sively, and several varieties have been 

 imported from the various West Indian 

 islands for the experiment station and 

 a few cases by individual planters. 



Cabezona. 

 In Florida the Cabezona is classified 

 as the Porto Rico, which would indi- 

 cate that it came to Florida from Porto 

 Rico, It is not known whether it origin- 

 ated in Porto Rico, but, according to 

 hearsay, it has been grown at Palmarejo, 

 a village about two miles west ofLajas 

 since the earlier part of the nineteenth 

 century. In 1903 the entire planting at 

 that place amounted to about 135 asres, 

 and the amount of fruit shipped from 

 there was approximately 140.U00 pines. 

 At that time there was about 100 acres 

 planted to the Cabezona in the Bayanon 

 section also, but it was noticed that the 

 plants were smaller, the leaves narrower, 

 the colour lighter, and the fruit distinct 

 in flavour from the Palmarejo fruit. 



The Cabezona is one of the largest 

 varieties grown. The plant is large, 

 with broad, dark green, spiny leaves. 

 The fruits vary in shape from oblong, 

 tapering, often irregularly bulging, to 

 almost cylindrical with regular sides. 

 The Palmarejo fruits average 8 to 10 

 pounds. Twelve to 15 pounds is very 

 common, and as high as 25 pounds has 

 been reported, although the writers have 

 seen none that weighed over 18 pounds. 

 The colour of the frnit is a dark green, 

 turning to bright yellow when ripe. 

 The crown is large aud regular and 



crown slips are not often found. The 

 fruit stalk is large and extends up into 

 the fruits, so that when brokeu off it 

 leaves a cavity. 



Red Spanish. 



Just as in the Cabezona, there is con- 

 siderable variation in the Red Spanish 

 in the different parts of the island, It 

 is not definitely known who brought 

 in the first plants or where they were 

 brought from, but in 1905 aud 1906 large 

 shipments were made from Florida and 

 some from Cuba. Some have been 

 brought in from other islands of the 

 West Indies, so that at present there 

 are a number of strains, but these 

 are not distinct and cannot be readily 

 distinguished. Changes due to soil, culti- 

 vation, and climate are often groater 

 than the strain difference, 



In general the fruit of Red Spanish 

 is small to medium, somewhat cone- 

 shaped, and of medium quality. Oft- 

 times the fruit is so short compared to 

 its diameter that it has a flattened 

 appearance. The eyes are relatively 

 quite large, and when ripe have a bright, 

 clear red colour. The plant is vigorous, 

 but not as large as the Cabezona. Its 

 leaves are reddish green at tips, chang- 

 ing to a bluish green near the base. 

 They should be quite wide relative to 

 length, and with heavy thick base, with 

 little danger of being injured. Just 

 before blooming the centre turns bright 

 red, thus affording an indication as to 

 time for fertilising the fruit. 



The plant quickly shows poor growing 

 conditions by turning reddish or losing 

 colour and becoming yellow. It is very 

 susceptible to soil conditions and methods 

 of culture. Data from many fields show 

 an average of over five slips per plant, 

 aud the writers have often counted 

 twenty and more slips, suckers, and 

 ratoons on a single plant. This rapid 

 multiplication, together with excellent 

 qualities, make the Red Spanish the 

 great commercial variety of the present, 

 though many others surpass it in quality. 



Aside from these two leading varieties, 

 there are a large number of native and 

 introduced forms. At the stations some 

 twenty and more introduced and select- 

 ed varieties are being tested and a 

 number of seedlings are being grown, 

 but thus far none give promise of soon 

 replacing the Red Spanish or Cabezona. 

 Some of the new varieties produced on 

 the experimental grounds at Miami, 

 Florida, far surpass all other varieties, 

 and one selection made by this station, 

 a variegated Cabezona, gives consider- 

 able promise for a fancy decorative 

 pine, but it will be many years before 



