16 



planting in a moist soil or in the rainy season the work is not worth 

 the cost. 



The trimming consists in cutting off the base and stripping off the 

 lower leaves, leaving an inch or more of the stem exposed. If large 

 suckers are planted it is quite common to cut the ends of the leaves 

 off, but this is not desirable, because cutting or breaking the leaves 

 lowers the vitality of the plant. (See PI. IV, fig. 2.) 



PLANTING THE FIELD. 



The beds being prepared according to the desired system of culture, 

 the rows can be marked off either with an ordinary marker or with 

 a line, but whichever method is used the rows should be straight. The 

 distance between the rows, as well as between the plants, will vary 

 according to the variety and also according to the soil and the system 

 of planting. Pineapples, no matter what variety, do not have an ex- 

 tensive root system, and when planted in single rows 12 to 15 inches 

 apart they have enough room for root development. In beds with 

 several rows, 15 to 18 inches for Spanish and other small varieties 

 and 21 inches for Cabezona and other large varieties is space enough. 

 Under no circumstances should pineapple plants be set over 21 to 30 

 inches apart in the row, because it is a waste of land, it leaves too 

 much soil uncovered, and increases the work of weeding, while it 

 gives no support for the plants and the fruit. 



In planting it is a good plan for one man to drop the plants the 

 desired distance apart and another man to follow with a blunt dibble 

 with which to make holes to 3 inches deep, according to the size 

 of the plants. The base of the plant is inserted into the hole and the 

 soil pressed firmly down with the dibble and with the foot. 



The number of plants per acre will differ, depending on the system 

 of planting adopted. The following table gives the approximate 

 number of plants per acre for the different systems of planting: 



Approximate number of plants per acre. 



System of planting. Varieties 



Single row . . 

 Double rows 

 Three rows. 

 Four rows.. 

 Five rows . . 



Six rows 



Thirty rows . 



Distance 

 apart of 

 plants in 



Width of paths between banks. 



feet. 



4 feet. ! 5 feet. : 6 feet. 



/Small . 

 \ Large 

 (Small , 

 \ Large - 

 (Small , 

 (Large 

 (Small 

 \Laige 



Inches. 

 12 

 15 



12 by 12 

 15 b\ 15 

 15 b** 15 

 18 nv :.8 

 18 by 18 

 24 by 2-,- 



j Small 18 by 1* 



\ Large j 24 by 21 



(Small ' 18 bv 18 



\ Large....-..., j 24 by 24 



(Small 18bvl8 



\Large • 24 by 24 



8, 712 



6,969 

 14, 520 

 11, 022 

 13, 926 

 10,890 

 12, 232 



7,920 

 13, 200 



8, 377 

 13, 939 



8, 712 

 17, 889 

 10, 371 



7, 260 



5, 808 

 12, 446 



9,504 

 12, 324 



9, 379 

 11,120 



7, 260 

 12, 100 



7,778 

 12, 906 



8,166 

 17, 514 

 10, 209 



