Morning journal and courier., 1882-07-20
Production of PineappIes.

The ordinary soil of the Bahamas is not fitted for the culture of the pineapple, which plant requires depth of about two feet to be grown successfully. But upon many of the islands are found extensive tracts of soil composed of reddish clay, about two feet in depth, peculiarly adapted to the pineapple. This soil is very rich, being as geologists say, composed of the decayed remains of de- composed vegetable life and the debris of ehelltish 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 a field for planting, the first thing to be done is to clear away the dense natural growth of bush or chapparal, which is done by cutting or burn ing, the cutting being effected by the blacks, not with the modern axe, but with heavy, clumsy, long bladed knives called machines. The plants are then set out about two feet apart, and seldom if ever fail to take root and grow. When once started the only care of the planter is to keep down the weeds; the plants will take care of themselves if this is done. The fruit will come to maturity in from eight to nine months at which time the main stalk dies, leaving an abundance 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, blade-like leaves, with serrated edges. The leaves bend out ward from the centre, and out of the centre
 
 plant. An acre of good land will easily sup port 5000 plants of the sugar-loaf variety, or about 5000 of the scarlet kind. There Is considerable land suitable for pineapples which has never yet been cultivated. Good land can be bought for prices ranging from $S5 to S20 per acre, depending in value upon the size of the tract, the fertility of the soil, and it's proximity to & suitable place for ship ment of the fruit AS much of the fruit IS taken on board of vessels which call along the cost during the season, plantation which borders upon some cove, bay or good anchorage is valuable one The average life of the scarlet" pine is three years; that of the sugar-loaf is about five The ave- \ rage weight of the fruit in the Ba- hamas is from three to three and l half pounds. field is generally gone over three times during the season, affording three grades of fruit, called first, second and ' third cuttings. The scarlet variety ripens a month two earlier than the sugar loaf. Owing to the sharp serrated leaves of the ! plant the gathering of the fruit is @ tedious and difficult matter, the men, women and children engaged in the work being obliged to wear heavy canvas leggings and gloves ! with gauntlets to protect themselves against ! the sharp spines of the plant. The pineapple ! plants furnish but one regular crop during ! the year. although the local markets are sel ! dom without few pineapples on sale About the middle of April the first cuttings are made of the scarlet pines and the last is made about the lst 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 market or it will be lost. From seventy i've to a hundred carGoes of fruit are
 shipped from April l5 to July 15, and about
 40, GOO pineapples make an average crop, the | total exports reaching from LOGO, 900 to ], 900, 900 pineapples during the season. The
 fruit for shipment is never allowed to ripen,
 but is cut when green, as soon as it is full of juice; otherwise it would spoil before reach ! lna n market