The rustler., 1891-12-18

TIE Grswth saa Dln.r..a Us-. sf m
I-Iaa


The pineapple i fruit that i very
highly esieemrd and ought 10 b. more
generally cultivated than Il i a. pres
ent Il Is native Of tropical Anerica.
and = often fouud growing Wild In some
Of the sandy districts This fruit how
ever. is greatly improved by cultivation
In fact the taste aud texture are quite
changed BY H. II grows also In many
parts of Asia aud Africa. succeeding
best In q moist climate. The pineappls
was trst cultivated In hot-houses In
Holland. afterwards being introduced
into England. where IL Is now much
grown In the gardens aud ho;-houscs Of
the wealthy.
Great care Is essential 20 the proper
cultivation Of the pine. as without Il
this fruit is coarse aud tastclesS In
deed, one could hardly imagine the dif.
I ference between the tastes Of the hne
and common varieties Some kinds
aave little flavor or sweetness, others
being delicate, sweet aud juicy. The
sizc of this fruit also depends on cult.
vation. IL ranging in size from two and
and half TO twelve pounds In weight
The English appear TO understand its
proper cultivation. and the flavor OF
those grown in British lighthouses was
formerly much superior 10 those Of the
West lndiea, because more care was ex-
ercised In England 20 bring them "a
perfection. Now, however. the impor-
tation Of pineapples from the West In.
dies Is carried on to such an extent as 20
bid fair 10 add 10 the wealth OF those
colonies, and has led 10 greater pains
being taken in their cultivation and
consequent great improvement OF
quality.
In growing this fruit in Great Britain
tropical heat must always be main
tanned. The houses where II is cult.
waited exclusively are appropriately
called ''pinc-ies" The old method of
cultivating the pine was 10 grow the
plants in pots plunged TO certain
depth in tanners barK. transferring the
plants as they grew from one compart-
ment to another, three years being
generally the length OF time required
from the planting Of crown" OF
sucker TO the production OF ripe fruit.
Now the crowns" are generally planted
In beds and fruit of very fne flavor
is often produced in fifteen months.
The proper soil for this fruit is n rich
and sandy loan, and a plant which has
once borne fruit is thrown aside as
,gorthless
There are very many varieties of the
pine, and they differ in the form of the
leaves as well as in the tuste and siz.
of the fruit A liquor entitled pine.
apple rum is made from the fruit in
some countries, the sugar-loaf variety
being much used for the purpose. This
variety is also one of the most delicate
kind for the table, being deliciously
sweet and tender. We may consider
the pine, too, as one of the most useful
OF fruits us well as ornamental, a very
beautiful material for ladies' dresses
being made from it. This cloth is made
from tho hbers of the leaves of the
pineapple and is called pima" or pine.
apple cloth" In its manufacture the
method resembles horse-hair cloth. only
small pieces being made at n time. The
workers have, however, "A way OF ioin.
ing the fibers Of the coarser kinds end
to end, which makes warp threads OF
considerable length. Pima cloth is very
strong and some kinds far exceed the
finest lawn in texture. The particular
species of plant from which this cloth
is generally made is called "Amanessa
satina,' it being made only in Manila.
Lovely pima handkerchiefs are often
beautifully embroidered. This working
the pima cloth into handkerchief and
ornamenting them forms species of
industry for many of the ladies' in the
hot countries where the pine" grows,
and travellers frequently delight their
friends by bringing home to them as
presents some of these useful and beau
tiful articles Old Homestead.