September, 1908.] 



233 



Miscellaneous Products, 



results indicate that neither slag, super- 

 phosphate, mixed phosphate nor sulphate 

 had any effect in checking the formation 

 of such fruits. The fertilizers used in 

 the experiments were sulphate of am- 

 monia almost exclusively for nitrogen, 

 superphosphate and steamed bone for 

 phosphoric acid and sulphate of potash 

 for potash. 



H. H. Cousin* states that soil contain- 

 ing thirty times the amount of plant- 

 food present in the Florida sands has 

 been used for pineapples, in some in- 

 stances, with the result that the plants 

 made phenomenal growth of foliage, but 

 scarcely any fruit. Nine-tenths ot the 

 plants were monstrosities. The fruits 

 consisted of reduplicated crowns, and in 

 some cases a mass of axillary leaf shoots. 



Notwithstanding the small amount of 

 experimental work that has been done 

 on the fertilizing of pineapples, much 

 progress has been made along this line 

 during recent years, and very satisfac- 

 tory results are being obtained by many 

 of the growers. However, there still 

 remains much to be learned> and it was 

 with the hope of adding something to 

 the knowledge already existing on this 

 subject, that the Experiment Station, in 

 co-operation with Hardee Bros., of 

 Jensen, began, in 1901, an extensive 

 fertilizer experiment, the results of 

 which, up to the present time, will be 

 reported in this bulletin as intelligently 

 as possible. 



Object. 



The object of this experiment is to 

 find out from what source or sources it 

 is best to obtain fertilizing materials for 

 pineapples ; the proper quantity to use 

 for the best results as regards quantity, 

 quality, and shipping properties ; best 

 methods of applying ; ratio of phos- 

 horic acid, nitrogen and potash ; the 

 effect of shading, and to determine any 

 other conditions which will prove of 

 advantage to the industry. 



General Plan op the Experiment. 



In the spring of 1901, Hardee Bros, set 

 aside for the use of the Station, under con- 

 ditions presently to be named, about one 

 acre of virgin spruce pine land. This was 

 cleared, put into thorough condition and 

 finally laid off into 96 plots, with 

 alleyways between the plots. During 

 August this was set with slips of the 

 Red Spanish variety, this being the 

 variety that is grown almost exclusi- 

 vely on the East Coast. The rows 

 are twenty inches apart and the plants 

 twenty inches in the row, with the size 

 of the plots so arranged as to make just 



* Journal, Jamaica Agricultural Society 5, 1901, 

 No, 10, pp. 403-405. 



30 



100 plants in each plot; making 9,600 

 plants in the entire experiment. The size 

 of the entire plot excluding alleyways, 

 which are more numerous than would be 

 found in an ordinary field, is about two- 

 thirds of an acre and the size of each 

 individual plot is 1-150 of an acre. There- 

 fore, in calculating from one plot to rate 

 per acre it is only necessary to multiply 

 by 150. The entire plot was protected 

 later by a shed of the usual type produc- 

 ing one-third shade. The shed extends 

 out a little beyond the plot on all sides, 

 and under this part of the shed is a 

 border of pines separated from the ex- 

 periment plot by the usual alleyways and 

 fertilized as the owners of the land 

 fertilize their general crop. 



Samples of the soil and sub-soil were 

 collected and analyzed in order that the 

 fertilizer requirements might be better 

 understood. The results will be found 

 in Table 1. 



Table 1. 

 Analysis of Soil* and Sub-soils 

 from Experiment Plot. 



Substance. SoiL Sub So °- SubXl. 



%■ %• %■ 



Insoluble matter SiO j 99-3700 99-5670 99-2660 



Soluble Silica SiOj 00-0132 00'0162 00*0412 



Lime CaO 00-0087 00-0000 00-0062 



Magnesia MgO 00 '01)58 00-0049 00-0131 



Potash K 2 00-0061 00-0048 00-0110 

 Iron & Alumina Fe:03, 



AI2O3 00-1700 00*1775 00-3693 



Phosphoric Acid P2O5 00-0087 00*0062 00-0194 



Sulphur Trioxide SO3 00-0000 00*0000 0U-0000 



Volatile Matter 00-4200 00*2480 00*3160 



Humus 00-1500 00*1200 00*1300 



Nitrogen 00 -0100 00"0055 00*0050 



The agreement entered into between 

 the Station and Hardee Bros, was that 

 the Station should plan and conduct the 

 experiment, put up the shed, furnish the 

 fertilizers mixed and bagged ready for 

 the various plots, and have such fruit as 

 might be required for analytical pur- 

 poses. Hardee Bros, were to furnish the 

 laud, set out and cultivate the plants, 

 apply the fertilizers under the direction 

 of a representative of the Station, gather 

 and keep count of the crop, and have such 

 part of the crop as was not required by 

 the Station for analytical purposes. It 

 was mutually agreed that the experi- 

 ment should run for at least five years. 



Detailed Plan of Fertilizer 

 Application. 

 Before deciding upon the ratio in 

 which phosphoric acid, nitrogen and 

 potash should be used in the fertilizers , 



* For a discussion of pineapple soils, see Pine- 

 apple Culture I. Soils. H. K. Miller and H. 

 Harold Hume, Bulletin No, 68, Florida Experiment 

 Station, 



