134 
FIRST BOOK. 
2. They talked together for some time about 
the fruits, and at last Mr. Hill said : " I will send 
to buy a pine-apple, and then we can taste it as 
well as talk of it. 
3. Pine-apples are grown in great quantities 
in the Bahama Islands, and there are a good 
many in Jamaica too/' he added. ''To-morrow 
we will go where some are growing. But be 
careful then ; for they are well guarded, and you 
may be sorry if the ripe fruits tempt you to go 
too near them." 
4. ''Why, Uncle?" asked Fred. 
" Because of the strong prickles on the edges 
of the leaves. When working amongst them 
people often wear strong leggings and gloves, to 
protect themselves." 
5. What are the flowers like?" asked Fred. 
" They are blue, and grow very close together 
on a spike which bears a tuft of leaves above it," 
replied his uncle. 
"That explains why the fruit has a green tuft 
at the top, I suppose," said Fred. 
6. "Yes," said Mr. Hill; "and if that tuft, or 
crown, were put into the ground, a plant would 
grow from it. But pine-apple plants are not 
often raised in that way. The suckers that grow 
round the first plant are taken to start new ones. 
That is a better way than sowing seeds." 
