The disease is due to nematodes that infest many light soils of the South. The remedy is to sow the land to velvet beans or natal grass for two or three years and starve them out, building up the humus content of soil, before replanting the pineapples. The Spanish pineapple is more resistant to this disease than Cayenne and coming up with more nematode resistant pineapples would improve the crops. The red spider sometimes attacks the base of the leaves, causing them to rot if allowed to go unchecked. To solve this problem, throw a handful of tobacco dust in the bud of the affected plant and repeat in ten days if necessary.
Mealy bugs attack the base of the leaves near the ground, also the bud and the slips.
Apply tobacco dust if the insects are discovered while at the base of the leaves. If not discovered until later, spray with fish-oil soap, resin wash or resin compound or one of the distillate oil emulsions. A scale may cause trouble in dry localities. It appears on the under surface of the leave, which shows through to the upper surface as a yellow spot. To solve this problem, spray as for mealy bugs.