The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1882-07-15
HOW PINEAPPLES ARE GROWN.

regard to the pineapple and its culture.
The Bahamas generally are noted for
the thinness of their soil, which seldom
inches; but fortunately is not Il sine qua
h0n with vegetable life in these islands.
the islands are composed largely of
species of limestone made up of sand,
carbonate of lime and the remains OF
myriads Of defunct coral insects, so that
the rock itself is Il fertilizer of no mean
quality: indeed, prolific vegetation flour
shes apparently upon the bare rock, the
surface Of which is broken and honey
combed, the small openings being full of
vegetable mould, and furnishing holding
places for the roots Of not only plants
and grasses, but often for those of large
and stately trees.
The ordinary soil of the Bahamas is
not fitted for the culture Of the pineapple,
which plant requires Il depth Of at least
two feet TO be grown successfully. But
upon many of the islands are found eX-
tensive tracts of soil composed of a red
dish clay, about two feet in depth, pecu-
liarly adapted to the pineapple. The soil
is very rich, being, us biologists say, com
posed of the decayed remains of decom-
posed vegetable life and the debris of
shell fish and coral insects, each cubic
foot of the ashes or soil representing the
decay of about one thousand times that
quantity of original matter.
In preparing field for planting, the
first thing to be done is to clear away the
dense natural growth of bush or chapar-
raj, which is done by cutting and burning
the cutting being effected by the blacks,
not with the modern AK, but with heavy,
clumsy, long bladed knives, called ma
chetes. The plants are then set out about
two feet apart, and seldom, if ever, fail
to take root and grow. When once start
cd. the only care of the planter is to keek
down the weeds: the plants will take
care of themselves if this is done. The
fruit will come to maturity i'll from
eight to nine months, at which time the
|
of young sprouts, which in turn spring
up and bear fruit. The bush or plant
upon which the pineapple grows is at
maturity about thirty inches high, with
long slender, hard, sharp, blade-like
leaves, with serrated edges. The leaves
bend outward from the centre and out
of this centre shoots the fruit-one ap-
pie only to each plant. An acre Of good
land will easily support 5000 plants of
the sugar-leat variety, or about 5000 of
the scarlet kind.
The average life of the " scarlet pine
is three years: that Of the sugar-loa is
about five. The average weight of the
| fruit in the Bahamas is from three to
three and half pounds. y field is gen
orally gone over three times during the
season, aiforGing three grades of fruit,
called first, second. and third cuttings.
The scarlet variety ripcns month earlier
than the sugar loaf. Owing to the sharp
serrated leaves of the plant the gathering
of the fruit is a tedious and difficult mat
ter, the men, women and children engag-
ed in the work being obliged to wear
heavy canvas leggings and gloves with
gauntlets to protect themselves against
the Sharp pines of the plant.
The pineapple plants furnish but one
regular crop during the year, although
the local markets are seldom without a
| few pineapples on sale. About the mid
die OF April the first cuttings are made
of the scarlet pines, and the last is made
about the first of July. The sugar loaf
pine is at maturity during July and
August, The shipping season is one of
signal activity in the colony, for when
the fruit is ready for the knife, it must
be cut and hurried with all speed to mar
kets. The average exports of fruits are
said to reach ( 600, 900 to 1000, 600 pine
apples during the season. The fruit for
shipment is never allowed to ripen but
is cut when green, us soon as it is full of
JUICE, otherwise it would spoil before
reaching a market. The average price
|
is ~ cents per dozen for first cuttings;
81 cents per dozen for second cuttings,
and so cents per dozen for thirds. Some
growers ship their own fruit; others sell
to local buyers, who purchase the crops
at about the foregoing figures; While
the others sell ia shipmasters, who call
with the cash and take the fruit away
with them.
There have been years when the pine
apple crop has been sold for from $780,
900 to $500, 900: sometimes it has brought
less than half those figures. The scarlet
variety goes to the United States; the
sugar-loaf to England. AS the latter
voyage is Il long one, the pineapple plant
is cut oil II tbs root, ana .lIaEt ina fruit
are shipped unseparaIed. This is an eX-
pensive proceeding, but the prices real
lied in England justify il; indeed, i'll no
other way could the fruit be taken thith-
er. Sales are conducted differently in
London and Sew York. In the latter
city the fruit is sold over the vessels side:
in London it is landed, assorted, cata-
logued, advertised, and sold Oh fixed days
at established prices. The fruit. remain
ing on the plant can be kept IA long time.
The crop is not now all exported,
portion being put up or preserved in tin
cans, several factories upon the islands
being engaged i'll this work, Some of
the fruit exported is preserved ~ a SINH
lar way III the United States, but it is in
fericr in flavor and quality to that pre-
served at Nassau, which is allowed to
ripen on the plant, whilst that canned
Abroad has been plucked green for ship
ment and has detcriUraIed by the voyage,
handling, bruising and sometimes by de-
day.
The expense of transporting the fruit
to market is not great, as the pines are
shipped in bulk; and SO at first blush one
might think the trade would be very pro-
titable, since the pineapples retail i'll the
United States at from II to p cents
apiece. But the whole business is to the
last degree hazardous one. If every
thing is favorable, good profits are real
lied. but a few untoward circumstances
l.. l,.N&