FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
57 
fruit grower in this state. In conclusion, 
I must reiterate that my observation is, 
that we have even now, or we soon shall 
have in this state, a very large overproduc¬ 
tion of grapefruit. I would not be un¬ 
derstood as discouraging its culture en¬ 
tirely, but it should certainly be made 
subservient to the real condition of things 
as regards its scope and its market. 
T ropical Fruits. 
By Mrs* E* E* Ankcncy, Eldred^ Fla. 
Mr. President^ Ladies and Gentlemen: 
In the recent reports of this committee 
I find that those reporting gave you a 
wide outlook upon the pineapple industry, 
its history, increase and desirability as an 
investment. One committeeman says: 
“To go into the details of pineapple cul¬ 
ture would be entirely foreign to this re¬ 
port,” and another says “I should hate 
very much to feel called upon to relate 
* * * the details * * * ^nd I 
take it that people generally care little for 
such information.” As I have neither a 
• wide experience nor extended observation, 
I must necessarily confine myself .to my 
smaller knowledge which covers only the 
methods of culture employed by myself 
and some others in my own vicinity. 
I have been a member of this society 
and read its reports for six years past, but 
have never had the pleasure of attending 
a meeting where I could ask questions; 
so that when I read that Mr. Porcher has 
found a new bug on his orange trees, 
which he got rid of by spraying, I am glad 
if he describes it so that I may know it 
should it come down our way; or when 
Mr. Hart says there is a fungus which 
will take care of that bug just as well, and 
does not tell what that fungus looks like, 
whether green, brown, or yellow, or 
where it grows, how shall I know that 1 
have the panacea on hand when the dread 
enemy appears? I am sure the facts and 
minute details are what make the Annual 
Reports of this society valuable. 
PINEAPPLES. 
Pineapples have as yet only one great 
enemy and he is the, hitherto, unconquer¬ 
able Jack Frost. He has laid them low 
several times but, like Truth, though 
crushed to earth they rise again and grow 
and grow. In the hope of making my 
paper practical, therefore, to those newly 
starting in the business, I will tell you how 
some of us grow Red Spanish pineapples 
out of doors at Eldred on the East Coast. 
Our land is spruce pine and high ham¬ 
mock. It is cleared, grubbed deeply and 
raked as for a garden. The slips which 
form around the base of the apple are 
allowed to grow after the fruit is picked 
until mature, and are considered the most 
desirable to plant, although suckers usual¬ 
ly bring a higher price per thousand. 
