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determining just the condition best for picking. As a rule the more 

 nearly ripe the pine can be allowed to become before gathering the 

 better the quality ; but usually the pine will ripen and color fairly well 

 after being gathered if the eye margins are well rounded, the spaces 

 between show a light greenish yellow, and the leaflets are wilted or 

 withered. If gathered earlier, the fruit may apparently ripen, but 

 the quality will be poor and usually the color as well. 



If the fertilizer has been well balanced and other conditions what 

 they should be, the fruit can be left until more mature, and hence of 

 higher quality. A soft fruit indicates improper soil or fertilizer con- 

 ditions. 



YIELD. 



The yield of pineapples is such a varying quantity and dependent 

 upon so many factors that it is almost impossible to make any definite 

 statements. From data gathered from prominent growers in differ- 

 ent parts of the island, it is probable that 93 per cent of the Red 

 Spanish plants should yield fruits, 60 to 70 per cent of which would 

 grade as 24's or larger. With the Cabezona variety 50 to GO per cent 

 of the plants should bear fruits, 95 per cent of which would be 24's 

 or larger. Some growers obtain from 98 to 100 per cent fruiting 

 plants, 70 to 80 per cent of the fruits grading 24's or more. It is 

 here that the test of the whole system lies. It is the yield in its 

 broad sense of both quality and quantity that determines the grower's 

 success. 



FIELD AFTER FRUITING. 



How to treat a field after the crop is gathered becomes a complex 

 question where the fruit is ripening over such a long period. As 

 shown under the discussion of fertilizers, as soon as the fruit is 

 gathered the plant should be fertilized. Where fruit matures very 

 irregularly this can be done hy having a man go over the field after 

 every heavy picking and fertilize the plants from which the fruit 

 was just gathered. The small expense will be more than gained in 

 growth of slips and suckers. 



A second need after fruiting is a thorough cleaning and cultivation. 

 This is difficult to accomplish, as it is not wise, if it can be avoided, 

 to cultivate strongly those plants having fruit nearly mature. Such 

 cultivation may result in renewed growth and yield soft fruit. On 

 the whole, it is best to wait until the most if not all the fruit has 

 matured for the thorough cleaning of the field. At the time of 

 cleaning, all diseased and poor plants should be removed and their 

 places, as well as all vacancies, filled with strong, vigorous ones. 



At this time some advise cutting off the leaves of the old plants. 

 While it is a good plan to clean the plant from dead or badly injured 

 leaves, it is not advisable to cut others except in special cases. If the 



