The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1897-11-26

properly extracted.
Fabric making is an industry almost
lost: as no cloth is now made Of it ex-
cept by the Zapotec Indians, who by
their careless and wasteful manner of
separating the fibre produce cloth
much inferior to that formerly made.
A textile fabric as fine and beautiful
as silk is made of this fibre. The fine
cloth of various colors used by the
upper classes among the Eztecs was
made of the pineapple fibre.
The cultivation of the pineapple on
suitable land is simple and at a cost
which brings remunerative returns on
the fruit alone
Every plant produces on an average
rs leaves; 10 leaves will average one
pound, and one ton of leaves yields
from 80 to 60 pounds of fibre.
In one year or eighteen months after
the pineapple has been planted Cac-
cording TO variety, soil, and climate).
three or four suckers form around the
parent stock These can be detached
and planted and will produce an in
dependent plant.
There are quite number of varie-
ties, but the most common are the La
Reina or Morada, which produces the
first year, first harvest c'plant'), 24O
dozen per acre; second year ('soca'D,
$50 dozen. and the third year Gre
socaD and the fourth year c'segunda
resoca''). 24O dozen each. The La
Reina weighs to 4 pound each.
The La Esmeralde, or Pima Azucar
does not produce but seven-tenths of
the yield of La Reina, the pines being
the same weight. The Ameteca Cthe
native Mexican Variety, weighs but
from I to pounds, and yields about
as much as lie Esmeralda. The Mon
serat weighs 315 to AZ pounds, and
yields about the same as La Esme-
ralda. The Cayenne variety yields
weighs from to pounds each and
yields more than any with the excep-
ton of the La Reina. The La Esme-
ralda, Cayenne and Monserat keep
bearing as late as November, but the
fruit is not so numerous nor of as good
quality as the main crop.
The fruit is cut with a long sharp
knife, leaving the shoots on the plant
Before it begins to turn yellow if for
export; for the home market it is cut
as soon as the eye of the fruit is open
ed and its rind becomes of an orange
color.
1t is the custom to plant the land in
corn in rows six feet apart, leaving a
bank between the rows in which the
suckers are planted, the corn row be-
ing used for beans, corn and catch
crops for four years, when it is plant
ed in pines and the old pine rows are
given up to corn or beans.
For the choice, high-priced trade. it
is probable that the Cayenne are the
best variety.
When properly cut and packed the
fruit will stand from 20 to 25 days
shipping.
The United States consumes more
than 1OO.OOO,OOO pines per year, New
York alone received from Cuba so
100000 in one year; and Baltimore
100000 from the Bahamas and jana
lea.
The pineapple has only one pest or
insect enemy and this only appears in
old districts and almost entirely upon
the Monserat variety. This is an in
sect which attacks the plant at its
base, making a wound, which if not
stopped renders the fruit unstable.
though fit for canning or syrup MAX
ing. Proper wedding and the use of
lime is an effectual preventive of this
insect.
With proper cultivation and packing
Mexico could control this market on
account of the superiority and fneness
of the fruit
In rich ground, with good cultiva-
ton, the pines will continue to yield
proftably for eight years; in poorer
ground from four to six years. Be
yond a rough mulch of leaves in dry
seasons, no fertilizer has ever been
tried.
The pineapple needs no irrigation in
THE dry season. as it retains between
its leaves about a pint of water, gath
cred from the dew and moisture of the
air. It is thought of advantages TO
lightly stir the soil with cultivator
or mulch with leaves. Leaf mould is
still better as it serves also as an en-
richer.-Philadelphia Record.
Settlement Music.