718 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[May 1, 1902. 
able feature of cultivation is demonstrated nnder 
these siieJs, one that further exeuipliiies the consti. 
tut-ioral flexibility of thia plant. During seveial 
months of winter when frost is dreaded, when every 
hour of night is watched tor possible disaster by all 
concerned, the whole of this shed structure is covered 
■with canvas, sometimes even with laths fitted 
interstices of the fixed roof l.th?, wiih the 
result that all the plants in the interior are shrouded 
in comparative darkness for several months. Within 
this covered roof when the thermometer falls to about 
400 in a two acre pinery a hundred fires are lighted, 
sometimes stoves. The smoke from the fiies combats 
the frost, though the plants frequently suffer from the 
smoke. 
In one instance last winter one of the best growers 
risked his one and a half acre pinery throughout the 
winter without using canvas. He experienced many a 
sleepless night, but there was no frost, and he said 
he had stolen n march upon his neighbours from the 
fact that his plants looked much better than those 
that were covered. However the other pineries that 
were darkened, bore crops just as well as his. Thus 
the dark treatment does not effect the accommo- 
dating powers of the plant. The cultivation 
under sheds is a remarkable success, it is 
not only perfect garden cultivation, but it rivals 
the most skilfully conducted green-house cultivation. 
Nine thomand are planted to tha acre, every plant 
practically speaking flourishes. It is not uncommon 
to see a pinery with 95 per cent, bearing fruit. The 
average is 80 per cent. The soil is an important fac- 
tor. It is nearly all sand containing as it does from 
96 to 98 per cent, of silica. The growers furnish all 
the food by fertilizers W'hich bring forth luxuriant 
crops; The fertilizers are manipulated and applied 
with scientific precision, just what is desired to ensure 
complete prodactivene-s. There are altogether 
about 209 acres of cultivation under sheds. 
Large extensions are made annually. At the 
time of my visit there was one application for 
100,00c suckers. A one-acre or a two-acre shed (and 
there are many such) is considered a lucrative invest- 
ment for a small capitiilist. The lu-gcr cultivitors 
have sheds occupying from 5 to 12 acres each. 
The cost of erecting sheds per acre averages fully 
$300 and for the canvas as much more. Tuey last 
about 7 years. Suckers cost 10 cents eaoh, 9,000 per 
acre ($900). '' he fertilizers cost about $100 per acre 
8.nnually. Thus an acre costs fully §2,000 on the first 
crop. The first crop in about 20 months covers all ex- 
perises. The range of prices obtained is from 20 to 75 
cents each. This is for " fancy " fruit, practically all 
Smooth Cayenne. The net profit is stated to be about 
40 per cent. The leading cultivators nett more than 
§3 per crate averaging 16 fruits. Home of the growers 
replant, after reaping each crop, some after two 
crops. 
Throughout the year, even during the cool season, 
the sun 'shines with tropical brilliancy. During most 
of the year the temperature approximates to that ex- 
perienced in Jamaica. During my stay it was higher 
than it is in .Jamaica at any time. The average rain- 
fall for 7 years has been 49 inches and it is evenly dis- 
tributed. The suckers are set in long beds usually 
with 7 in the cross rows 18 inches apart and from 22 
to 24 inches between the rows. The sandy soil is 
kept perfectly free from weeds by means a souffle hoe 
every fortnight, with which also the fertilizers are 
turned in two or three times a year. This hoe is 
worked from the passages on either side of the bed. 
Notwithstanding the sandy character of the soil, 
forestn of pine trees covered the land anterior to 
cultivation. Oak trees are also dispersed here and 
there. Tlio inference to bo drawn from the presence 
of these and otlicr trees, is that there is more stamina 
in the soil th;tn is apparent. However the trees pene- 
trate to a considerable depth. Certain varieties of 
Poaches and Pears flourish in the opon when fertilizsra 
are applied, Miine is cultivated on selected spots and 
j-itids 1.5 bushel B per acre. lu moat parts the sandy 
B«il verj deep. 
The fruiting season is affected by shci caltivation. 
Crops are obtained to some extent at the time desired 
by the cultivator according to the time of planting, 
The principal season is in August ani Septembsr. A 
grower infoimed me that the "Hmooth Cayenne has 
the great advantage of blooming any time." 
The plants that bloom in the summer here pro- 
duce finer fruit thru the ones that bloom in the cool 
Spring. The size of the crates used by the Florida 
Fancy Pineapple Association is 12 by 20 by 24 inches, 
number of fruit 10, 12, 14 and 16. 
The growers claim that the fruit from the sheds is 
superior to that grown in the Azores under glass, 
where the same variety is cultivated. Oae grower had 
a fresh stock of suckers which he imported from the 
Azores for propagating purposes. 
Jensen on the Indian Kiver is situated much farther 
southj about 27* on the east coast. Here are vast 
fields, many miles of solid cultivation. Altogether 
there are several thousand acres cultivated on either 
side of the railway. Perhaps there is no such concen- 
trated area of ctxual extent under sugar cane cultiva- 
tion in Jamaica. 
The pioneer pineapple cultivator here, indeed 
pioneer cultivator on the Peninsula of Florida, Cap- 
tain Richards, gave me an historical account of his 
initial experiments; how he 18 years ago (at that time 
the district was a vrilderness) brought the first schooner 
load containing 40,000 suckers from the Key islands, 
how they failed except a limited number, as he knew 
not how to treat them in the changed conditions of 
soil. He returned to the Keys for another^ schooner 
load. He persevered amidst the greatest difficulties. 
Mosquitoes vpere awful, heads and faces had to be 
shielded by a netted contrivance. His first shipment 
to New York attiaited great attention. A son is noi\ 
a large grower, shipping from 8,000 to 10,000 crates 
per year (average per crate 30). This veteran is at 
present experimenting with Pineapple wines, etc. 
This is the greatest Pineapple region in the world ; 
about 200,000 crates containing six million fruits are 
shipped to the northern cities annually, and planta- 
tions are constantly being extended. Practically all 
the plants cultivated are the red Spanish variety. 
This variety is generally admitted to be inferior in 
quality to several others, but growers claim that " it is 
the hardiest, easiest to c:iltivate and best suited to 
varying conditions. " The Jamaica Ripley is well 
known amongst growers and is considered the most 
luscious of fruits, but though repeatedly tried it has 
not been successfully cultivated. The Smooth Cayenne 
is cultivated in the open to a small extent bat not 
quite satisfactorily. 
For a long period of years frost w is unknown here, 
but the calamitous freeze of 1891-1895, destroyed all 
the plantations and ruined most of the planters. How- 
ever most of the growers were determined to resist all 
obstacles, — -the class of men that make a nation pros- 
perous. They obtained from the Keys and the Bahamas 
fresh supplies of suckers and made new plantations. 
Another freeze two years ag'o, much less severe than 
the previous one, committed considerable destruction ; 
suckers sprang up from the ground this time. Some 
pineries suffered more than others. From year to 
year the growers live in terror of the return of this 
disaster, lihough they look forward to comparative 
exemption from frost upon their devoted culture. 
The soil here is practically the same as that at 
Orlando. The soil is a mystery, chemicaiy and 
physically ; it is not known how Pineapples can grow 
in soH^ wiiich is practically devoid of plant food. '-J use 
how it is that the pineapple can thrive in such soil that 
seems to be exceedingly deficient in all the necessary 
qualifications of good land has not been explained. It 
will probably be necessary to institute careful phy- 
siological experiments with the plants itself before the 
matter shall be thoroughly understood." Again I quote 
from the Agricultural experiment station Report " we 
have here a plant that increases in size during the 
period of greatest drought, when there may fae no rain 
tor 6, 8, and at times 10 weeks, in a soii containing 
t)9,44per cent, of insoluble residue I " 
