136 
FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
the harrowing from $ 4 - 5 ° t° $ 5 *°° P er 
day. 
The construction of the shed is next 
in order. Ten years ago when we could 
buy the best lumber for $14.00 per thou¬ 
sand feet delivered, we used 1x3 inch 
slats, generally 16 feet long, for the par¬ 
tial covering, placing the three-inch slats 
three inches apart, thus making a half 
cover, and a protection from both heat 
and cold. These slats were placed north 
and south so that there would be alter¬ 
nately sunlight and shade over the plants 
and the fruit, as the sun makes its daily 
journey from east to west. They were 
placed on 1x8 inch by 16 ft. stringers, 
which rested on fat pine posts eight feet 
apart one way by fourteen or sixteen 
feet the other way. Those sheds then 
cost about $600.00 per acre. The great 
advance in lumber, however, necessitates 
the construction of cheaper sheds, so we 
now place our posts fourteen by fourteen 
feet apart, using No. 10 galvanized wire 
instead of the heavy 1x8 stringers, No. 
14 wire for cross supports and ordinary 
building, or plaster laths, woven with No. 
16 wire, instead of the 1x3 slats for the 
cover. This shed can be constructed for 
about $400.00 to $450.00 per acre. It is 
about seven feet high, and protects the 
pineapple from both extremes of heat and 
cold, and conserves the moisture in dry 
seasons. This, together with proper fer¬ 
tilization and cultivation, produces pine¬ 
apples so large, so juicy, so luscious, and 
so tender that one fruit will be sufficient 
for two meals for a large family and the 
pulp may, if desired, be separated from 
the peel and eaten with a silver spoon. 
Next, the beds are made up and the 
plants are set out. There are four kinds 
of plants, viz., suckers, slips, rattoons, 
and crowns. Of the four, suckers are 
best and crowns least desirable. I usually 
set plants eighteen by twenty-four inches 
apart, thus getting about ten thousand 
to the acre. Other growers set them at 
different distances, each to his own lik¬ 
ing. Plants cost from $25.00 to $50.00 
per thousand, according to whether they 
are or are not culled. As before stated the 
pineapple is a gross feeder. After hav¬ 
ing been set out the young plants should 
be fertilized immediately and afterwards 
at intervals of every six weeks, of course 
being frequently worked with the “scuf¬ 
fle” hoe. At least $100.00 in fertilizer 
per acre should be given the plants to 
bring them to maturity. 
Plants mature their fruit from fifteen 
to twenty-four months after having been 
set out, and the same plant, or rather, the 
plant and suckers thereon, will bear, if 
properly cared for, several crops. I have 
plants which were set out more than five 
years ago and which are still giving me 
good results. The richer the soil in 
which the young plants are set, the longer 
will the fruiting continue. 
The pineapple has many diseases and 
the fruit many enemies. Thus, wilts (a 
fungus growth), root-knot, dieback, ants, 
and mealybugs are some of the principal 
enemies of the plant. It matters not 
which of these diseases attacks a plant 
the result is much the same, that is, the 
roots die and the plant languishes, get¬ 
ting what nourishment it can without 
roots. Six years ago we used to throw 
these plants in piles outside the pinery and 
burn them, to prevent, as we supposed,. 
