A Pineapple Shed in Florida 



PINEAPPLE-GROWING IN FLORIDA. 



A NEW AND PROMISING INDUSTRY. 



HE pineapple seems to find a con- 

 genial home in Florida, and from 

 the present rapid development of 

 the industry, it is not too much to 

 expect that the state will soon be 

 as famous for her pineapples as 

 for her oranges. Within the last 

 five years the industry, starting 

 with a few small plots out on the Keys south of our 

 peninsula, has grown until now there are hundreds of 

 acres on the Keys, and the craze for "pine-growing" 

 has reached the mainland. There are now thousands of 

 acres planted to pineapples on the lower eastern coast, 

 known as the Indian River and Lake Worth sections. 

 Some planting is also done on the mainland along the 

 lower Gulf portion of the state, where there is little 

 trouble from frost. Here, in the farther northern por- 

 tion of Orange county, there are a good many acres of 

 pineapple-plants, and larger fields will soon be planted. 



All pineapples grown in this section ?re protected from 

 frost by a " pineapple-shed." This is a framework over 

 the whole ground, made on posts yj^ feet high, covered 

 with 1x3 strips, placed 3 inches apart, to let in the sun 

 and air. The whole is boarded up on the north and west 

 sides during the winter. The latticework overhead is 



left on the year round, as the pineapples are thought to 

 be finer when grown in partial shade. A pineapple-shed 

 is a pretty sight when the fruit is well developed. 



Last April I visited Eden, on the lower Indian river, 

 where hundreds of acres of open ground are planted in 

 pineapples. Many of the planters began here with little 

 means, but some of them are now called rich. The sale 

 of fruit has brought from $400 to $500 an acre. Last 

 season one grower sold his new plants from one acre for 

 $2,500. Some of the fancy varieties were sold for $300 

 per 1,000 plants. As 10,000 plants are required to set an 

 acre, it costs considerable to start a pineapple-farm if 

 smooth-leaved Cayennes, Abakchis or Black Jamaicas 

 are used. Most of the pineapples grown heretofore have 

 been Red Spanish, and some Queens. Plants of the 

 former sell for half a cent each ; of the latter, for from 

 5 to 25 cents each. The demand now is for finer and 

 larger sorts. It is just as much trouble to grow a Red 

 Spanish that, when ripe, weighs two pounds, as a smooth 

 Cayenne, that weighs eight pounds. 



The pineapple crop just harvested from the Indian 

 River section amounts to some 25,000 barrel-crates, and 

 the net returns to the growers to about $122,000. It is 

 safe to say that next season's crop will be twice as large. 



Florida. James Mott. 



