9 



the soil, the roots develop partly around the base of the new plant 

 under the lower leaves and partly in the leaf axils of the mother 

 plant. In that position the sucker will grow and bear fruit exactly 

 ns if its roots were taking nourishment from the soil. The nourish- 

 ment may in this case be taken up by the roots from the leaf axils 

 where they are developing or through the stem by which the sucker 

 is attached to the mother plant. It has been proved that the sucker 

 grows as well after severing the connection with the mother plant as 

 before, showing that the roots are actually taking up nourishment, 

 although not in connection with the soil. The practical importance 

 of this is that where the plants are close enough together to prevent 

 the suckers from being blown over they can be depended on to bear 

 a crop of fruit. Both the rattoons and the suckers can be severed 

 from the mother plant at any time and used for planting. (See PI. 

 II, Nos. 2 and 3.) 



SLIPS. 



The plantlets appearing on the fruit stalk below the fruit are called 

 " slips." They are similar to the rattoons and suckers, but they sel- 

 dom attain the size of those while attached to the mother plant, and 

 they can not reach maturity and bear fruit without being planted, as 

 they have no chance for root development. (See PL II, No. 5.) 



CROWN AND CROWN SLIPS. 



The rosette of leaves on the apex of the fruit is called the " crown." 

 This is similar to the slip, and when cut off from the fruit and planted 

 it will grow and produce another fruit, 



Frequently, and especially in some of the varieties, a number of 

 slips will be found beneath and around the crown; these are called 

 " crown slips.'' They are usually small because they do not have time 

 to develop: they can be used for propagation, however, if other slips 

 can not be obtained. (See PI. II, Nos. 7 and 8.) 



SEEDLINGS. 



Practically all varieties of pineapples produce seeds in the West 

 Indies. The quantity produced varies in the different varieties and ap- 

 parently depends on the locality as well as the season. In the experi- 

 mental plats on the station grounds we have frequently found fruits 

 so seedy that they were almost inedible. (See PL III, fig. 1.) The 

 seeds germinate freely, but not very quickly. The plants develop 

 slowly until they reach the size of a small slip; after that there seems 

 to be no difference in growth. 



In propagating from seeds, plant in boxes under cover, use light 

 soil, and cover the seeds lightly. The seedlings are subject to damp- 



