May 1, 1902.] 
THE TEOPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
7lS 
The average area of eaoh pinery ia from 20 to 60 
acres. I noticed that the smallerareas wei'e under 
much better cultivation than the lai-fjer. This ia what 
mij^ht be expected, when it ia remembered that a 60 
acres pinery contains some 7,00 000 plants. Through- 
out these thousands of acres of pineries weeds are 
conspicuous by their absence. Thay are carefully sup- 
pressed in the early stage of cultivation. The plants 
are set about 18 to 22 inches apsrt, some 12,000 to the 
acre, iacludiiig passages. This extremely close plant' 
ins is considered advantagpous. 
It is claimed that this dense mass not only supports 
the plants and fruit, has th-it it prevents the growth of 
■weeds. The first crop is obtained in about 20 months, 
and at this stage the fields present a fine symmetrical 
appearance. For the second and subsequent crops, a 
coup le of suckers are left to eaoh plant ; this aggrO' 
g-i'.es into a dense mass of plants after the first crop 
ia harvested, so much so that ' ne wonders how the fruit 
is cropped. Eich sucker yields a fruit, so that greatly 
augmented crops are obtained. From the period of 
planting the cultivation is kept np from 8 to 10 years. 
I noted that they passed their prime in 4 years, hence 
frequent replanting would be better, but a crop at least 
is lost by replanting, and when they are densely mai- 
sed a touch of frost affects them less than it does 
those wider apart. The 12,000 plants per acre is esti- 
mated to yield from 8,000 to 9,000 fruit per acre. These 
with the additioiuil suckers yield from 9,000 up to as 
many as 15,0U0 per acre. I nave frequently counted 8 
and 10 fruits on a square yard. One man reaped 600 
crates per acre this year, though some growers got less 
than 200 crates per acre, and this may be put down aa 
the general average. 
The great bulk of the crop i^ harvested in June. 
Last June the growers were unfortunate in having 
heavy rains (17 inches) which affected the keeping 
quality of a considerable number of fruits. Not long 
-before they experienced a drought, the fruit was smaller 
00 this account. The fruit when packed is sent by rail 
io Jacksonville the great distributing centre of Florida, 
— one day for this. They are then transferred to other 
trains for the north, — 3 days more. When packed in 
the trains, a space is left between the crates for ven- 
tilation. 
The standard size of the crate is lOJ by 12 by 36 in- 
ches, two divisions. Aerate holds 18 large fruits, next 
sizes 24, 30, 36, 42 and 48. Average size 30. The 48's 
are so small that they are hardly worth shipping. Be- 
fore packing each fruit is wrapped with paper. 
The average amount netted per acre is about $400. 
" We have had from ono acre of pines containing 
10,000 plants 250 crates averaging 30 to the crate, or 
7 500 pineapples, netting us over transportation, com- 
mission, &o. ^'2 per crate or ^5 lO for Jhe acre. " 
Others state that H)0 % profit is realized. 
The importance of ammonia and potash are cons- 
tantly discussed, and potash applied at the fruiting 
season is said to improve the keeping qualitiea of the 
fruit. The fertilizers are mixed by the grower to suit 
his own opinion as to the relative merits of eaoh in 
gredient, Certain fertilizers are simply thrown over 
the tops of the plants, but wherever praiMcible bet- 
ween them. The cost of fertilizer ranges ir.jm a'jout 
$50 to $100 per acre per annum. 
Many vegetable forms here arc purely tropical, in- 
cluding some of our West Indian species, intermingled 
■witb scrubby oaka, &c. Innumerable trees were com- 
pletely destroyed by the great freeZ3 that swept deso- 
tation over Florida. The cool winter season here, 
barring frost, is quite favourable to many tropical 
plants. This is accentuated by the cloudless sky. 
The rainfall averages about 60 inches. Amongst tro- 
pical fruits that flourislj here may be mentioned the 
mango and the avocado pear. This indicates the 
nuture of the climate. The characteristic vegetation 
is the spruce p.oe and the beautiful palmetto which is 
distributed in vast numbers. Thus the two great 
representatives of northern and southern latitudes ap 
pear in companionship. 
Besides the open system of pineapple cultivation so 
extensively carried on hire, the Orlando shed system 
has betn inaugurated since the great freez i of 1895, 
and so successfully that there is already about the 
same area of sheds as at Orlando, about 2U0 acres, and 
they are in point of size much larger here. Dozens of 
acres are being extended at a cost of more than $300 
per acre. Peaches thrive iu the sheds but not outside. 
Ihe Jensen flndiau Eivtr) growers cultivate the red 
Spanish pu.e under sheds in contra-distiuction to the 
UrJando growers with their smooth cayenne. Aa 
already stated frosts are less frequent and less severe 
than at Orlando but the temperature falls to d^^uger 
point under 40* from time to time, when thp Plant» 
begin to suffer No canvas covering or fires are "«ed 
degrees. This is imporiant in itself bur ^"^^ 
advantages accrue by the adoplfof of th s gre'at E 
growing coutrivance. The Red Smnish ► ^ 
far more luxuriantly there n t he W t .^if-°^ 
larger and it is decidedly improved in Wo ,r o'i .'^'^ 
plants are cult.;vated with considerably es?f''tll"^^ 
ingredients. Fruit burning is also obviaterl ^^^''^'^'^S 
observat on of the opea fields and of the shedded^fi'M^ 
side by side, conclusively prove the far m-«if i ^^^^^ 
and more perfect culti^a'tion unde, tfe t tei"" T^^ 
adoption of this system of cultivation is an hi „ 
portant for the Red Spanisii varieU as k ' f"' 
Smooth Cayenne. ^ ^""^ the 
The shed method has thus brou -hd li^ut 
tural possibilities of the ph eapp e ' 
several mouths of winter at Odl\uU ^ ^"^"-'"^S 
with the perfect cultivation of the pknt' "f, 
sun.hiae throughout the year by m ans f";,"^'/'^ 
both varieties, enhances t'leluxurianrp .. i 
size and flavour of the fruit andX 'c'oTt of fr?-f^' 
ing IS materially reduced thorebv. One great ^ 
to whom I was referred by the Denar Lni *f /'ower 
ture informed me in the PresLt^s^of " " ^ 
grower, that if he had from he first confined ""^'".^ 
tention to 10 acres of sheds, he could have ^.n T.f^' 
than by cultivating 60 acres in thropen MoT of 'bf 
cultivation is now under sheds AnH fh. of hia 
opinion is markedly in favour of shed cuUr"'"^h°* 
same grower declared that more monev is T^l 
the Red Spanish, than from the f rnnvTrnl f 
the demand for them being iafin elyVeater b?'il" f*^"' 
of cheapness. ^ ^ reason 
Oranges too, succeed perfectly in sheds but thp Inff 
structures requisite are very exnensivfl t u 
dozens of acrts. norticulturahy The -vsL^'" 
the most vigorous development of plant' A?^h °'"'^' 
Hotels at Palm Beach, &c„ ornamenU 'nM 1"'° ^'^^'^ 
tensively cultivated in sheds T noUbie n /'^ 
the importance of shed cutivafinn instance of 
me at ^Washington on iny^'l^t rfrn Sa'^o''' 
of the experts at the A^ricultunl nL ? ' 
called my attention to ttffac tha in fh'. -^- 
Tampa on the west coast the shed svstem f '-^ °* 
ing Tobacco, is adopted with rZl Ct^\l7nl^^^^^^^^^ 
as to quality and qunncity "the cron i= t , , 
that the land is nol covered with che^ese c otl7^n?f 
on wood framed 9 ft. high ■■ Tn Tnm.f^ i P'aced 
Tobacco may become fn" impo°rttTTnd'asU^'"^4^^ 
quantity per acre would be greatly augmented „« 
as improved m quality, and it can Kownin ni 
where it cannot be grown successfully Sou't' tX, 
The conclusions I arrived at with r=irard fn ft, " 
actual benefit conferred on plants bv th«'^ i ,° '''I 
shed cultivation are as fo lows --If 
fierce burning rays of a troplcarsu^^upZ'E hf^"' 
It prevents continuous and excessive evaporation If' 
interrupts the force of winds which Sees 
Increased evaporation and aridity Thr.« u , 
mass of plants within creates atn^osptfc condSis 
