June 1, 1904. J THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTUEIST. 
841 
PINEAPPLE GROWING IN JAMAICA. 
THE METHODS OP AN EXPERT. 
Pineapple- growing in Jamaica and in ihe West 
Indies in general has never been made a regular 
business and, strange to say, little enthusiasm 
has ever been taken in the growing of this delicious 
fruit. A few during the past years have under- 
taken the business, but whether from ignorance 
or other reasons such attempts have invariably 
resulted in complete failure. The unwise selection 
of varieties of pineapples has been one reason why 
failures have resulted, and the much-lauded 
'* Smooth Cayenne " has been the cause of much 
financial loss. 
THE SMOOTH CAYENNE VAKIETY. 
The " Smooth Cayenne " pineapple is an utter 
failure in Jamaica, being susceptible to " wilt " 
though from what cause no one has ever been able 
to find out. And whether planted in well- 
drained heavy or lose soil the same 
disease affects it. I have nearly 100,000 pineapple 
plants of different varieties under, cultivation and 
but 1,500 of them are " Smooth Cayenne," all I 
want ! It is difficult to give any general method 
of cultivation as practised in Jamaica because no 
one in the entire Island is growing this fruit as 
a specialty but myself, and I venture to make the 
statement that I am the only grower in Jamaica 
depending wholly on pineapple- growing for 
a living ! 
METHODS OF CULTIVATION. 
My system, which has proved successful after an 
experience of 21 years, is as follows :— Any good 
loamy and well-drained soil, provided the rainfall 
is not more than 75 inches per year and the ele- 
vation nob more than 1,500 feet, will be suitable 
for pineapple-growing. First, have the land cleared 
completely and thoroughly ploughed, cross- 
ploughed and well-harrowed with a wheel or disc 
harrow until the soil is free of all lumps and per- 
fectly mellow to the depth of at least 12 inches, 
the deeper the better. Then stake off with a line 
trenches 18 inches wide and 12 inches deep, dug 
perfectly straight conforming to the fall of the 
land, having the soil dug from the ditches 
thrown upon each side to assist in elevating 
the bed. Beds are 18 feet wide with trenches 
between, and the beds should be graded making 
them higher in the centre and gently sloping on 
each side towards the trenches, enabling 
all surplus water to drain away into the 
trenches. Beds can be made as long as practicable. 
After the beds are smoothed and graded carefully 
with a steel rake; they are then ready for receiving 
the suckers or slips. 
MARKING OUT THE LAND FOR PINES. 
My mode of marking for pines is with a rough 
wooden 5-toothed marker, drawing it first length- 
ways of the bed (after first starting a base line 
for guidance), and afterwards pulling it across, 
forming checks 18 inches square. My favourite 
distance for planting pineapple suckers is 18 and 
20 inches and 1 really find no difference or advantage 
in either distance. I have been told many times 
that I planted my pineapple suckers too close, 
but my long practical experience has taught me 
which is most advantageous, and I now adhere to 
18 inches apart for all varieties. 
PLANTING THE SUCKICRS. 
After the beds are marked out (which I always 
do myself), a man comes along and drops a sucker 
at the iutergection of every cross mark, whilst two 
and sometimes three men come behind with trowel^ 
who dig deep holes (I insist upon deep holes) 
setting the sucker as deep as possible so as not to 
get the heart of the plant smoothered with dirt. I 
also insist that after each plant is set, the 
planters press the soil firmly about it with their 
feet which, after a little experience, is quickly 
done. As I pay my labourers by the day, 1 
usually get my planting quickly done by 
offering a certain price per 1,000 plants for 
every thousand planted from Monday to Saturday 
evening beside their regular wages, which — 
unnecessary to state — proves the means of hurrying 
through an otherwise tedious job. 
HOEING AFTER PLANTING. 
After the suckers are planted, which should be 
strictly in true rows and perfectly straight, they are 
hoed at once, using a single or double tang Dutch 
or push hoe 8 inches wide using a handle sawn 
from 1| inch board and rounded 12 feet long. 
This enables the hoer to stand in the trenches 
and hoe between the suckers without trampling 
on the beds, remembering always to hoe out the 
trenches, keeping them free and clear of soil and 
weeds. In fact, a pineapple field, if expected to 
brine; good results, must be frequently hoed ; in- 
deed, hoed after every rain so that the soil is 
always kept mellow and never a weed allowed 
to grow, and never permitting the land to take 
or form a crust. 
TOBACCO-DUSTING THE PLANTS. 
About four to five weeks after my plants are 
set out, I apply tobacco-dust, having a man with a 
bucket of the dust go carefully over each bed and 
dropping about two teaspoonfuls of tiie dust direct- 
ly in the centre or heart of each plant, repeating 
this operation three times during the first nine or 
ten months, after which the plants become too 
large and thick so that it becomes near an 
impossibility. Besides the tobacco dust has 
effected all the benefit necessary. Good tobacco 
dust (which is sold by the American Tobacco 
Company in the United States) contains about 6 
per cent potash, 3 per cent nitrogen and 1 per cent 
phosphoric acid beside being sure death to mealy 
bug and red spider, stimulating the plants and 
freeing them of insects. 
lu 10 to 12 months after the suckers are planted, 
marketable fruit should be ready to ship and if 
the fields have been properly cared for, 90 per cent 
at least should be the yield of fruit — in fact 98 
per cent is not uncommon. 
GATHERING THE FRUIT, 
In gathering the fruit experienced hands go 
into the fields, wearing canvas gloves, and break 
from the stalk each full pineapple, handing it 
to a man standing in the trenches who carefully 
places it in a large basket, who, after filling his 
basket, carries it away to a spring cart where 
the fruit is hauled to the packing house, where 
it; is assorted and carefully laid in three tiers 
to cool overnight before packing in crates. I 
never have a pineapple cut from the plant but 
insist that each fruit be snapped, leaving the stalk 
with all slips on the plant. These slips in three 
to four weeks grow to a good size when they can 
be removed and are preferable for planting to 
suckers, although they require two to three months 
longer to come into fruit ; the extra wait com- 
pensates for the more vigorous plant in the future 
and a plant that will produce a larger pineapple. 
My reason for snapping the pineapple from the 
