Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1898-05-30

- .iJ.l III -.
which cut the hands like a sharp saw
when one is working among the plants.
This is free from that objection. The
fruit is of exceptionally high charac-
|. ter. 1t attains size of from three to
eight, and sometimes ten or eleven.
pounds. The fruit is not only of ex-
cellent quality, but it bears shipment
well, and if properly handled can be
shipped from Florida to London and
arrive in prime condition.
Again, it is reliable in fruiting, and
the young plants, if of good size and
well cared for will give their first crop
IN fifteen or eighteen months from the
time of planting.
The accepted rule among Orlando
pineapple men is ten thousand plants
to the acre. They claim that 95 per
cent of these should fruit within a year
and half, and this claim is borne out
by their experience. When a plant
is fruiting, or Immediately after the
fruit is cut, one of the suckers below
the fruit is selected for the next crop.
This is left on the original plant All
of the others are removed and used
for planting new beds. The second
sucker will fruit within another year,
when the process is repeated until
each of the original plants has pro-
Guced three or four apples. 1t is then
taken up, the ground given proper
preparation, and the plant replanted
with young plants. Each plant will
produce three or four successors per
year while it is fruiting. Thus it will
be seen that the propagation of pine
apple plants is rapid.
And yet it has not been rapid
enough to keep up with the demand,
and growers realize more from the sale
of young plants than from the fruit.
Plants are row in demand at from
10 to Is cents each, according to size
and condition. The apples bring to
the growers Is to rs cents each.
! 1t will readily be seen that when a
man has an acre or two in pineapple
plants of these choice varieties he has
a little bonanza in the way of an in
| come.
The pineapple is tropical fruit. 1t
is susceptible to frost, and as frosts
sometimes visit this section, protec-
ton is an item. The plan which has
been adopted is to inclose the pinery
with a tight plank fence eight feet
high. Cracks are closed as tightly as
possible. Then upright posts are set
over the entire area in rows s by Is
feet The posts are seven and half
feet above the ground. On these are
strong joists 2 by 6 inches and cross
these are nailed Stats l by 8, leaving
three-inch spaces between.
This forms half shade or arbor,
which is material protection against
frosts in winter time and the strong
sunshine of summer. Under such an
arbor the fruit grows rapidly, attains
large size. and is tender and free
from the fibre which is so objection
able in the common pineapple of the
market
When the freezes of 1S94-'95 came TO
this section the sheds were not suffic
lent to protect the pineapple plants.
The last one of them was frozen into
| the ground, and the pineapple men,
| some of whom had their entire capital
invested in the business-were hope
! lessly ruined. But in a week young
suckers began to appear from the old
roots, and before the end of 1895 the
growers were in clover again. They
had young plants to set cut and to
! sell, and inside OF two years from the
| day of their supposed destruction they
had an exceptionally large crop of fruit
ready for the market. The prompt
ness with which the industry reinstat-
| ed itself gave the business a sort of
| boom, and it has been on the flood
/ tide since that time.
! Some of the figures herein given
may look SO fabulous that the reader
will naturally ask what will the end
the demand and everybody rush into
the business? Well, hardly. Only a
few men out of the entire population
have the necessary ready cash, and
only few of these would select pine
apples growing, with its infinite detail,
as cOngenial vocation.
! AS in every other vocation there
will be failures Some will not look
after the details, some will make bad
selections of land, some will start in
with zeal and cool off when their
hands get sore from working in a
STOPPING posture. There will be
enough failures to keep the business
from outgrowing itself, and the limit
ed area adapted to it will do the rest
| Would you advise man to go into
pineapple growing? No Better let him
investigate for himself first and decide
/ whether he would succeed in growing
cabbages or onions. Let him ask
whether he has the necessary capital
to make it a success. If he decides
that he is in possession of these essen
tails, then it is suggested that he spend
few weeks giving the details of the
business a thorough investigation
After this his judgment will be his
best and safest guide.
The Republican would be glad to
hear from such of its readers as have
had experience with this fruit and dis
seminate the knowledge which cannot
fail but to be profitable.
PROFITS IN CATTLE RAISING.
Those who receive the highest prices