Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 July 1893 — A Plate of Pineapples. [ARTICLE]

A Plate of Pineapples.

Cutting a pineapple the other day some one warned me to be careful and wipe my knife, “as the outside skin is supposed to be poisonous. ” I bare not been able to verify the suggestion, but in the attempt to do so became much interested in the history of this remarkable fruit—which is really a flower—a "sorosis,” formed by the calyxes and bracts of a close spike of flowers, becoming succulent and combined. The tuft of tall leaves at the top of the fruit is capable of becoming a new plant. One realizes what a luxury this fruit is when the fact is recalled that unless the suckers are Left attached each plant produces but a single fruit, and is then thrown away as worthless; also that it reqires groat care and many months to perfect the succulent, richly pei fumed fruit. Some fifty kinds are cultivated. The first attempt was made in Holland. England began its culture in 1776, and in 1777 the King of Sardinia sent his gardener toEngland to And out the best method of its cultivation. The United States has not been very successful in growing it, as there is so much competition with fruit brought from the West Indies, noted for the production of pineapples. This fruit is a native of Brazil and other tropical parts of the world; is a biennial, and for a fine specimen the praise of an old priest describing it was not too enthusiastic when he said: “The gods might, luxuriate upon It, and it should only be gathered by the hand of Venus.” If pineapple essence is desired it is much the better way to extract the juice and bottle and seal while hot, as the essence manufactured by the chemist, with butyric, ether, alcohol, etc., is not good, especially when old, although it strongly resembles pineapple essence in flavor.