The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1905-02-23
FLORIDA PINEAPPLfS.
Some Points on their Growth. Price of
Land, etc.
Correspondence of The Journal.)

PALM BEACH, FLA, Feb. ~, 1905. 1
proposed to tell you something concern
ing pineapple growing in the South and
in this letter will give few points"
One Of the best fields l have seen here
is that of the Dewey's, although there
are others larger. Land suitable to
pineapple growth is abundant and costs
about SIS per acre. The method of
work is as follows: First, the land is
cleared of all trees, oak runners and
palmetto roots, and made ready for the
pillow. If labor has to be paid for this
costs from $25 to $50 per acre. After
blowing the land is carefully raked
over with long four-tined fork and all
the roots raked out. Then the soil is
given a chance to absorb the rains and
pack down so as to receive the plants.
Ten thousand can be planted to the
acre, set generally in rows two hun
dred feet long, eight rows to a bed,
plants and rows eighteen to twenty-five
inches apart.
Before planting, the ends of each slip
are trimmed with a knife, leaving a
smooth bottom cut, and few of the
lower leaves are pulled off; from where
these join on to the plants the rootlets
soon begin to start out in lateral di-
rection, running close to the surface of
the ground. The main planting season
generally runs from May to October.
In three to five weeks the slips will
have taken root, when they should be
treated with an application of cotton
seed meal, or cotton-seed meal, blood
and bone or tobacco dust at the rate Of
1000 pounds per acre. This should be
thoroughly worked into the soil with
hoe or rake. The cost of this applica-
ton of fertilizer will be from S12 to S15
From this time on cultivate at least
once in two months. No more fertili-
ger will be needed until the next spring,
when they should be treated with the
same amount and kind of fertilizer be-
fore used. No more fertilizer will be
needed until after the gathering of the
first crop. At least 80 per cent of the
plants will produce a pine weighing
from four to six pounds each, or from
400 to 450 standard crates, which at
present prices will bring from $500 to
5000 per acre. Each plant will produce
from four to six slips, which are worth
from So to $3.50 per thousand. 1t takes
about eighteen months from planting
TO gathering the first crop.
Pineapple growing has passed through
all the phases incident to the introduc-
ton of any new crop, and is now on
solid basis. The growers who follow it
are generally in good condition tinan-
cially. Visits to their homes show their
prosperous condition in the homes,
themselves and their furnishings.
Pineapple growers have no difficulty
in getting loans from local banks to
move the crop. One East Coast bank
er remarked to us, ''The pineapple
growers generally are SO we'll fixed fl
nancially that they don't need as much
money as we would like to loan them"
Growers OH the East Coast have prac-
tically abandoned the culture of the So
called fancy" varieties, over which
such a stir was made few years ago,
and now place their dependence on the
Red Spanish. In fact, Red Spanish,
from well fortified plant grown
under shed of lath protection, leaves
little to be desired
The Indian River orange has gained a
world wide reputation as being the best
orange, everything taken into consid-
GRAFTON, of any orange grown in the
world. So the pines grown in this far
southern section are gaining the repu-
tation Of being the best pineapples
grown on this continent. Their rich
ness of flavor, the absence of woody
fibre, their sweetness, and large size is
a combination not found in pines grown /
in other sections.
In quality the Florida pines beat |
anything that can be brought to the |
market in the United States. They are
picked when near ripe and reach the
market within few days.
The pineapple acreage shows steady
increase on the coast, not only through
new settlers, but by those already en-
gagged in it.
Mr.. Charles w. Frederick and Mrs.
J. W. Frederick were here last week on
their way to Miami, where they are to
make short visit and will later return
for visit in Palm Beach. Another
we'll known visitor to Florida is the
popular Maine photographer, Mr.. G.
W. Morris, who is doing a great deal of
in this section in the in
terest of the Atlantic Coast Line.
Mr.. Henry NJ. Flagler has one of the
orettiest winter residences here to be
found in the south He has been a great
factor in opening the east coast of
Florida, and his work while bringing
thousands to him has brought much to
the residents of this section. He is re-