149 
in the experiment was that it had been used previously as a 
pineapple fertilizer by a number of growers with moderate 
success. The bonemeal used was steamed and finely ground. 
The reasons for considering steamed hoofmeal as a nitrogen 
carrier were that it is more easily obtainable, blood always 
being at a premium, and that there has been some prejudice 
against its use which we hoped to prove unwarranted. The 
other materials used are from the stock ordinarily carried by 
fertilizer manufacturers. 
CLIMATIC CONDITIONS. 
During the growth of the pines the rainfall was moderate, 
but sufficient, and conditions were very favorable for pine- 
apples. At planting and during the fall of 1908 the precipi- 
tation was mostly in the form of showers, which allowed the 
pines sufficient moisture, but which were never heavy enough 
to give the ground a good wetting. In March and April, 1909, 
there were heavy rains, thoroughly moistening the ground and 
making radical dififerences in the various plats perceptible. 
The fall of 1909 was rather dry, but in the spring of 1910 suffi- 
cient rain fell to supply a liberal amount of moisture just as 
the fruit was setting. From forty to fifty inches a year is the 
average rainfall in this section, as will be seen from the fol- 
lowing table showing the precipitation during the growth of 
the pineapple : 
Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Augr. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. 
1908 2.74 1.67 2.60 5.00 2 2Q 1.8,5 .^.46 
1909 4.31 3.35 12.02 6.18 4.70 5.14 2.00 3.11 3.13 2 35 8.50 
1910 4.95 1.80 5.26 3.74 5.23 5.47 ... 
FIELD NOTES. 
During the progress of the experiment field records were 
kept, indicating the relative conditions of the different plats. 
These notes in a great many cases were borne out by the re- 
sults which were later actually found, but in some cases the 
appearances as recorded were not at all permanent and plats 
which were termed very good and excellent in appearance did 
not yield the fruit that might be expected. For example : 3-D 
and 4-D were considered the best from the first, and from all 
appearances were destined to give a very heavy yield, but in- 
stead of giving extra heavy fruit they matured earlier than 
the balance of the crop ; 4-D produced the most fruit at the 
first picking, and on July 1, 1910, Avas practically harvested, 
while the fruit on many of the other plats was just ripe 
enough for the first picking. 
Six-A never did well and was considered poor, fair and in- 
different from the start. There were only nine plants in the 
