Edible Products. 



346 



(October, 1908. 



loped in the fruit is less than in summer, 

 and to secure good edible quality it 

 should be allowed to remain on the plant 

 as long as possible. The winter fruit, 

 because of weather conditions, does not 

 become overripe so rapidly, and the 

 yellow exterior is not an indication of 

 the same degree of ripeness as in sum- 

 mer. In winter the fruit may be left 

 on the plants until it has become 

 slightly coloured in the case of Cayenne 

 or quite coloured as in Spanish pine- 

 apples. 



Just before the pineapple reaches full 

 maturity it is dark, black green in colour 

 and the eyes are somewhat pointed and 

 angular. 



As it matures the eyes flatten down 

 somewhat in the centre and become 

 slighty elevated around the margins, 

 while the colour changes to a very 

 pale green. The opening and spreading 

 of the crown may be taken as one 

 of the best indications of maturity. 

 To the veteran picker the length of 

 the fruit stem, the size and length 

 of the slips are a good general guide 

 of the stage of maturity, As the 

 fruit ripens its stem elongates, the 

 slips grow rapidly and their leaves 

 spread out. In looking for evidences of 

 maturity the basal eyes of the fruit 

 should be closely examined as the pine- 

 apple ripens from the base upwards as 

 well as from the core outward. 



In the summer if intended for short 

 distance shipments and immediate con- 

 sumption, the basal eyes may be allowed 

 to attain some colour. If a considerable 

 time is to elapse between picking and 

 consumption in summer, the fruit 

 should not be quite so mature. Fruit of 

 good quality, judiciously grown on good 

 land, judiciously fertilized, may be 

 allowed to become riper than fruit not 

 grown under such favourable conditions. 



There is a tendency towards shipping 

 fruit too green. This should be guarded 

 against. A pineapple ripened in a 

 freight train, in a crate or on a fruit 

 stand is never so good as one allowed to 

 ripen on the plant. The consumer 

 should be given the best flavour and 

 quality. It Avill make him want more. 



How to Pick. 

 Spanish pineapples can be broken 

 from the plants without injury to the 

 fruit. A quick, sharp jerk, using the 

 crown as a handle brings them off. 

 Other varieties, such as Cayenne, and 

 particularly Porto Rico and Abbachi are 

 not so easily handled. If the last two 

 varieties are broken off they frequently 

 "plug" up into the fruit, i.e., the stem 



breaks off a short distance up into the 

 fruit, leaving the flesh exposed. The 

 only way to get around this difficulty is 

 to use a knife and cut them off the 

 stems. 



The fruit may be taken out of the beds 

 in armfulls and laid in the walks to be 

 taken up afterwards. This must usually 

 be done under sheds. In the open Held, 

 however, the best plan, and the one 

 usually followed, is for the picker to 

 break the fruit off and throw it to its 

 helper who stands in the walk between 

 the beds, catches it and places it in his 

 wheel-barrow or basket. 



Pineapple Packages. 



At the present time two different 

 standards of size for pineapple crates 

 are in use in Florida. It would perhaps 

 be better were there only one, but so 

 long as there is such a wide variation in 

 size of the different varieties of fruit 

 shipped, so long will there be a demand 

 for the fancy pineapple crate. The 

 demand has been made necessary owing 

 to the larger size of the fruit of some 

 varieties and their crowns. 



But whatever the size of crate in use 

 it should be of the exact standard size 

 and should not vary much, even the 

 fraction of an inch one way or another. 

 The wood used in making them should 

 be bright, clean and attractive. The 

 sale of any fruit is injured by being 

 placed on the market in dirty, or 

 uninviting packages. In the damp 

 climate of Florida the packages are 

 subject to mildew if left exposed to 

 the weather. As soon as the shipment 

 is received it should be placed under 

 cover, the loft of the packing house 

 being frequently used for the purpose. 

 This makes some unnecessary labour, and 

 if possible the packing house should be 

 so arranged as to place the packing room 

 and the materials brought for packages 

 on one and the same floor. But if the 

 crates can be made in the loft this 

 objection is largely overcome. 



One of the objections which was for- 

 merly urged against the panel head was 

 that it warped so readily, > but this 

 objection can be overcome if the ma- 

 terial is immediately put under cover. 

 If left exposed to the rains and dews 

 they will warp past recognition and be 

 totally worthless. 



Size of the Crate. — The pineapple crate 

 used throughout the Florida East Coast 

 for Spanish pineapples is made of pine 

 12 inches wide. 10£ inches deep and 36 

 inches long. There is a partition in the 

 middle, the ends and partition being 



