New-York tribune., 1903-03-15
HER PINEAPPLE GROVE.
Il Woman Who Is Meeting With
Success IN Florida.

From a hardw working life behind the footlights to
a calm and peaceful existence among the pines OF
sunny Florida is as great change as couio wen
he ina gined but this is what has Just happened 10
Miss Jessie Mae Hail. OF New-York. who FOR mere
song became the owner OF pineapple grove or IA
acres in Southern Florida.
There is no more profitable investment than
pinea pple farm in good condition. acre OF such
land in cultivation being equal In value to loo acres
Of grain. and Miss Halls farm has fifteen acres
of pines. with five Of bananas and cOi uncuifFateo
acres. There Is also no easier or more peasant
work. particularly for woman than pine farming
All she has to do is to order her slips select her
land. hire her help and superintend the planting
Then she can rest for d year leaving nature
to do its work In twenty-four months or less the
fruit will be ready for the market. 1t Is not all
play but there Is seldom any worry as to the sue
cessful marketing Of crop; for the pineapple COM
ing, 1t does. when strawberries are pretty well
and the peach crop not yet at its height. Is
always heartily welcomed.
The expense of putting the land under cultivation
is comparatively small amounting to about $500 for
the first year. while each succeeding year brings
the down. If help has to be hired the eA-
pense be reduced to about $50 an acre. with
an expenditure of about so more before the first
crop is produced The returns in the case OF Miss
Halls farm last year $1,000 acre.
The cultivation of the land after the crop has
been set ont is A matter which requires almost no
attention. TIE only danger is from the drpuths
to which the pineapple district of Florida is liable,
and which occur between the time Of blooming
and the time of ripening. Sometimes these drouths
of months six weeks duration with
total rainfall of inch. and the effects are very
serious. The pinea ppl" leaf. however. makes 1t
resistant to drnuth unless it is broken. winch
happens very early and causes the plant to lose
its moisture. Special care must he taken. there
fore all opera ons In the groves not to break the
leaves.
The harvesting of the pines requires skill ana
In the first place. the gatherers must Rno"
just when pick the fruit. The crates going ny
freight in tho summer be filed with fruit
that is inst turning Those going earlier in the
season. shorter distance. may hold fru1t
quite we'll Colored. The EathererS wear leEgfnSs
which roach to the knees and canvas mift@nS
They stand in rows. and they break off the fruit
by deX1erous twist they toss It to the ''Secohn
helpers. who stand in the pathway between me
Of pines. These seconds. they are ca led
stack fruit up carefully in pyramid rows after
which Il gathered and put in field crates ana
taskets. to he taken to the packing sheds Here
long tables the four sides of the room. and
the workers and wrap the pines according
f and grade. Ther" is way IF measuring
the fruit. has he done by guess. but in few
weeks he rones skilled III selecting pines
uniform size that the packers have no trouble
in nng tho
II is in the groves that the mUsr ne
taken, for tlne specimen can be ruined by being