( 6 ) 
Yield of The pines begin to fruit at from 12 to 
Fruit. 18 months, and during the first year 
of fruiting will produce one fruit per 
plant; but, with good cultivation, they should 
produce an average of about two fruits to each 
plant every year after the first year of fruiting. 
Under ordinary conditions the average yield of pines 
is about 4,000 to 5,000 per acre per annum. 
There are usually two main crops during the year, 
the first in May and June and the second in 
November and December, but the crops depend very 
much on rainfall. When there is a spell of dry 
weather of long duration the pines do not fruit. 
A properly cared-for estate, as cultivated in the 
Straits Settlements, will produce good fruits for 5 
to 6 years, after which the pines gradually become 
smaller, and it is usually found necessary to remove 
the old plants and replant strong fresh suckers. 
Canning. The pineapple canning or tinning in- 
dustry is in the hands of Chinese 
merchants. In the Straits Settlements, the pines 
are always peeled and cut by hand, as hand labour 
is found to be more economical. The peeler wears 
a rubber glove on the left hand as a protection from 
the juice of the fruit. After peeling, the pines 
either whole, in slices or in cubes are placed in tins, 
which are filled either with water or syrup. In 
the case of whole pines, the cores are removed 
previously, if required, by a tin tube which is 
pressed through the centre, but most pines are 
tinned without coring. The syrup consists of about 
3 parts of sugar to 100 parts of water, but is varied 
with the ripeness of the fruit. After the pine is 
put into the tin, the tin is soldered Up and a number 
of tins are placed on a wooden rack slung on wires 
