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FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 
its feeders left between the stalk and the 
point where the root is cut. But said 
root will never branch out and form new 
laterals to extend such root or lateral, 
like the orange, apple, or vegetable 
kingdom in general. 
I have seen the feeders extend them¬ 
selves several inches in length at the ter¬ 
minus of the roots, where roots have 
been severed, trying, as it were, to form 
new laterals, very much like Aesop’s 
fabled jackdaw which swooped down 
and tried to carry off a sheep, to emulate 
the strength and flight of the eagle, and 
so became entangled in the wool. The 
farmer came along, clipped his wings, 
and taking him home, his children asked 
what kind of a bird it was. He replied, 
“To my certain knowledge, he is a daw, 
but he will have it that he is an eagle.” 
So with the pineapple roots, it is impos¬ 
sible to make laterals from feeders, no 
difference how much they try—enforced 
by heavy feeding—to emulate the lat¬ 
eral. They will, to my certain knowl¬ 
edge, be feeders still, and nothing else. 
This is a significant fact in studying 
the pineapple, and especially this disease 
called blight. For if many of these 
roots are cut the feeding capacity of the 
plant is injured, and if all the roots are 
damaged or cut off close to plant, that 
plant will die as sure as roots become 
damaged or cut, unless there are more 
eyes further up on the stalk to furnish 
new roots. And if the plant is of good 
size, the chances are mighty slim for 
enough roots to form to insure the plant 
proper nourishment to maintain growth 
already started, for new roots do not 
start only from these root eyes, and a 
large plant needs many roots for healthy 
growth. And if a sufficient number do 
start out, the plant will be nearly, if not 
altogether, dead before enough feeding 
capacity is furnished to sustain life and a 
sufficient growth of the plant. 
Then again, if there are more root 
eyes, the chances are the basal leaves 
have not been pulled off high enough to 
permit the growth of these roots; so 
they form what is called or commonly 
known as tangle root, and so are not per¬ 
mitted to give the plant any help. Hence 
deep setting may cause this so-called 
blight, for these lateral roots don’t take 
kindly to deep setting. Deep setting 
will put these deep in the soil, while the 
natural place is very close to the surface 
where they can obtain plenty of air and 
warmth, which are absolutely necessary 
for good growth for this luscious fruit of 
the tropics. 
Some may ask what is the remedy for 
this. In answer, I would say, for a me¬ 
dium to large plant, there is practically 
no remedy. Better pull up and replace. 
But a small one may revive if the soil is 
removed, so that one can pull off basal 
leaves, which w r ould permit these root 
eyes to put out new roots wherewith to 
feed the plant. But never by any 
means should the plant be pulled up to 
remove roots and to trim, which destroys 
all roots already started and feeding the 
plant, as these are absolutely needed to 
carry on the good work. 
Now, I have presented my views. To 
me they seem reasonable, but to you 
maybe otherwise. If I have made any 
statements you don’t agree with, give 
them a good breezing, which will be a 
benefit to all of us, by helping to unravel 
this mystery. 
