New Oppoktunities in Subtropical Fruit Growing

NEW OPPOKTUNITIES IN SUBTROPICAL FRUIT GROWING.

By p. H. ROLFS, Pathologist in Charge of the Subtropical Laboratory y Bureau of Plant Industry,<^

INTRODUCTION. Agricultural problems in the Tropics and Subtropics until recently have been confined principally to products which will not deteriorate by being carried long distances in slow sailing vessels. The chief productions hitherto have been rubber, tobacco, fibers, and similar materials. The principal reason for this has been that ocean transportation has been slow and irregular. With the advent of new steam- ship lines and better railway facilities, together with an increased demand for food supplies, it has become possible to transport quickly and without loss large quantities of such perishable products as fruits. The possibility^ of making the production of fruits a thorough finan- cial success has been suiEciently tested to make it no longer open to question. Business men of means are now planting orchards as rapidly as the necessary nursery stock can be supplied. For persons of smaller capital there is a most excellent opening in growing the plants to supply such stock. The demand is considerably in advance of the supply, especially for grafted and budded trees. The difficulties in the way of providing this line of nursery stock are somewhat greater than in the case of citrus and deciduous fruit trees, but the selling price is from six to ten times as great, and the margin of profit is much greater. The direct personal attention of a most capable worker is, however, required. AVOCADO.

The avocado, known by many names in the various tropical countries of America, is a salad fruit, occupying a place more nearly com- parable with the olive than any other fruit. In the markets of the United States it is sometimes called '^avocado pear" and '^alligator pear," but the name ''avocado" is now more generall}'^ used than either of the others. There is no good reason for continuing such a barbarism of language as ''alligator pear," since the term "avocado"

« Since this paper was prepared Mr. Rolfs has become the Director of cthe Florida Agricultural Experiment Station at Lake City, Fla. 439 440 YEARBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. is sufficienth^ distinctive, and the word ''pear" is altogether a mis- nomer. Mr. G. N. Collins," in his paper on this fruit, shows that no less than 43 common names are applied to it, though it is almost unknown outside of the American Tropics. This speaks volumes for its popularity. Chemical analysis brings out the fact that the ripe fruit contains from 10 to 15 per cent of fat, clearly indicating its value as a food. As a breakfast food it is of superior excellence. Adding pepper and salt as condiments and a teaspoonful of lime juice makes it a dish to please an epicure. However much it may fail to please on first trial, one is almost certain to become extravagantly fond of it if he continues to live in the Tropics. It is, indeed, the rare exception to find a person living in the section where good ripe fruit may be obtained in quantity who is not extremelj^ fond of the avocado. Fruits picked green and ripened in a crate are as far from the real thing as are green tomatoes from ripe ones. Then, too, there are as great varietal variations as in other cultivated fruits. The tree is easily budded and readily transplanted,* so there is no need of planting and growing seedling orchards. A variety lately imported from Mexico by the Bureau of Plant Industry has passed through a freeze of 15.5^ F. with a loss of only the smaller limbs. This hardiness greatly increases the possibilities of extending the range of this fruit.

USES OF THE FRUIT. The most primitive way of using the avocado is to cut it into halves, remove the seed, and dip out the meat with a teaspoon; it should cut readily, and yet should come out neither oily nor mushy. A rancid avocado is simply nauseating, and a green one not edible. The addition of salt and pepper in no wise detracts from its flavor, and the novice may prefer to add a teaspoonful of lime juice, lemon juice, or vinegar to give it piquanc3\ A very small quantity of sugar may be used to reduce the sharpness of the acid. Mayonnaise, or even oil, is sometimes added, but this would seem entirely superfluous, since the fruit already contains so large a percentage of fatty matter. People accustomed to the use of sugar and cream with fruits sometimes add these. In hotels and restaurants the avocado is often cut into small cubes or thin slices and served in small dishes. This is done to econ- omize the fruit, as a single avocado will fill six such dishes, while if served in the " half shell " it would suffice for only two people. The^ dressing or condiments used when sliced are the same as when served in the half shell. The ripe fruit, cut into cubes a half or a third of an

«The Avocado, a Salad Fruit from the Tropics, Bui. 77, Bureau of Plant Industry, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, 1905. «> Rolfs, P. H., The Avocado in Florida, Bui. 61, Bureau of Plant Industry, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, 1904, p. 17. SCTBTEOPIOAL FRUIT GROWING. 441

inch in size, is frequently mixed with minced salads. At times it is added to lobster and shellfish salad, to which it imparts a pleasing nutty flavor. In Mexico and other Central American countries small cubes of avocado are added to soup as it is served. This imparts to the soup an agreeable nutty flavor that is pleasing to the novice. A mixed sweet pickle made up largely of avocado cubes has been prepared. Thoroughly ripened fruit was chosen and prepared before it had softened, as otherwise it would have become mushy in cooking.

PROPAGATION, Until very recently the propagation of avocado trees as a commercial enterprise was not undertaken, and the only method employed to extend the culture was to plant the seed where the tree was expected to fruit. Under this method no extensive plantings were made, since the resulting crop proved too variable and uncertain. All species of plants grown from seed are subject to variation. Our principal fruit trees, without exception, must be propagated by asexual means to obtain even an approximately uniform product. It has been asserted frequently that the avocado comes true to seed, and until the growing of it was taken up for commercial purposes this view was generally accepted. In fact, only a few years ago it was generally believed that avocados. could not be budded, and it has been but recently demonstrated that budding and grafting are practicable. Mr. Henry Davis, ^ speaking before the Farmers' Institute of Hawaii, February 4, 1905, said: ''I can positively state that I have planted seed from selected fruit, both as to size and quality, and the resulting tree upon bearing produced fruit entirely different from the original." The experience in Florida* with seedling avocados is quite the same as in the Hawaiian Islands. The budded orchard has so many advantages over one consisting of seedlings that it is not at afl probable that any grower would plant seeds in order to establish an orchard. A few good varieties can now be obtained in limited quantity from nurserymen. The present high prices indicate a strong demand for the stock rather than a diflSculty in the operation of budding. There are now thousands of seedlings that are producing fruit; among these will be found a few of such superior excellence that buds ought to be taken from them for propagation. BUDDING. The simplest form, known as shield budding, is the best one to employ for the avocado. This not only proves very successful, but admits of being done most rapidly. The operation is very simple and «Tropical Agriculturist, XXV, 256. & Rolfs, P. H., The Avocado in Florida, Bui. 61, Bureau of Plant Industry, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, 1904, pp. 21-23. 442 YEARBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

readily learned. A longitudinal cut is made in the stock li or 2 inches long, followed by a transverse cut either at the upper or lower end of the longitudinal one. This makes a cut shaped like a T or an inverted _L (fig. 104). The blade of the budding knife or the ivory end is then inserted into the longitudinal cut and the bark lifted so as to permit the bud to be slipped into place. A bud on the bud stick (fig. 106) is then chosen. Here care must be exercised not to get a

FIG. 103.—Shield FIG. 104.—Seed- FIG. 105.—Shieia FiQ. 106.—Bud stick; a, a, etc., bud cut out ling avocado bud wrapped * • live " buds in various stages preparatory to stock with with waxed of development; b, b, etc., insertion. shield bud in- cloth. blind buds which should not serted. be used. ''blind" bud (fig. 106, i 5), but a live one (fig. 106, a a, and fig. 103). In cutting a bud the knife should be forced deep enough into the bud stick to cut out a' small portion of wood. The bud is then inserted in the most convenient way, either right end up or the reverse. When the bud has been inserted firmly, if a portion should project beyond the crosscut, it can be cut off and the bud fitted into place. The bud may then be wrapped with the waxed tape commonly used in budding or grafting (fig. 105). In a dry climate or during a dry season waxed tape is better than twine or raffia for wrapping, as it prevents the bud from drying out before it has had time to ''take." The time required for a bud to " take" depends entirely upon the condition of the stock; if it is growing vigorously, as is usually the case in a nursery, twelve to SUBTROPICAL FEUIT GKOWINÖ. 443

twenty days will be sufficient. After the twelfth day a few buds should be examined; if they show a plumpness indicating that they have increased in size, it proves that they have taken. After a little practice, even the novice in the work will be able to judge whether the buds have taken or not. When the buds have taken, the wrapping should be removed, and a week or two weeks later the stock should be lopped. Here is where considerable difficulty will be experienced, as a vigorous-growing avocado stem will snap off rather than be lopped. If the entire top is taken off it is apt to prove fatal to the bud. Where the stock happens to be yerj brittle it becomes necessary to resort to ringing; this should be done 2 or more inches above the bud. Where ringing has to be practiced it should be followed by cutting back the growing tips of the stock so as to force the bud along, and any buds of the stock that have been forced into growth as a result of the ringing should be removed. As soon as the buds have grown to the desired size and the wood has matured, the trees must be taken from the nursery and set out in the places they are to occupy in the orchard. In transplanting, a considerable portion of the top should be cut off; otherwise the amount of evaporation from the leaves will be too great for the plant and the death of the tree will result. The extent to which the top must be cut back will depend upon the proportion of the roots that has been lost in the digging. When the trees have been set out, some kind of shade should be provided to protect them from the direct rays of the sun. This can be most readily accomplished by employing palm leaves, which are easily procured throughout the region where avocados grow. MARKETING. At the present time avocados are shipped in tomato crates, eggplant crates, barrels, and even in other kinds of packages; consequently there can be no uniformity in quotations. In the local markets they are sold by the dozen, the prices varying according to size and appearance—the largest ones bringing the highest price. In size they range from a few ounces to 3i pounds, both extremes being somewhat unusual. Avocados ranging in size from a pound to a pound and a half seem the most desirable to meet the conditions of the grower and the seller. As the bulk of the' crop is at present borne by seedlings, there are as many varieties of fruit as there were trees to produce it, which makes grading and sorting according to size impracticable and good packing difficult. In the matter of ripening there is also great variation. Some trees will mature nearly all their fruit so that the whole crop may be gathered at one time, while others have to be picked over several times, and a few trees extend their ripening period over three months. 444 YEABBOOK OF THE DEPABTMENT OF AGBICULTUBE.

EXTENT OP ORCHARDS. The orchards that are now producing fruit are rarely more than 2 acres in extent, but the budded orchards recently set out range in size up to 15 acres, having been limited by the number of trees procurable. The trees are usualty planted at the rate of 80 to 100 per acre and cost about $1.50 apiece. This price tends to deter the man of very small means from planting avocados, since it is possible for him to buy three to five times as many citrus trees for an equal amount of money. It is possible, however, to secure an orchard of considerable size with no great outlay, since by his own labor the grower can secure the seed, plant his nursery, and set out his own orchard, costing him not more than 10 to 25 cents per tree in addition to his labor.

MANGO. The mango (PI. L) is one of the most beautiful fruits placed on the American markets. The varieties range in color from light lemon to dark scarlet, and also various shades of green. In form the fruits vary considerably, but iuxgeneral they may be described as unsj^mmetrically heart-shaped. Some sorts, like the variety called "Bishop," are very long and narrow, while others, notably those belonging to the apricot mango group, are short and thick. The skin is smooth and usually covered with a slight waxj^ bloom. Since the mango is one of the fruits that have come to us from the Orient, it has had the advantage of hundreds of years' cultivation and selection. It is one with which thç traveler in eastern countries becomes acquainted and which he always recalls with much pleasure. It should not be supposed for an instant that all mangoes are good mangoes, any more than that all peaches are good. Some seedling mango trees, the descendants of a fine parental variety, are simply abominable, but a fine specimen of a well-ripened Mulgoba mango is luscious and fragrant. The aromatic principle is decidedly pleasant and has a quality peculiarly its own, and the fruit is not to be compared with any other known to the writer. There is nothing that confuses a novice so much as his first experir ence i« using the fruit. Of course, it can be pared and sliced before serving, but in this way the aromatic principle escapes, so that one enjoys merely a sweet, subacid, slippery something that hints at a mango. In some cases the fruit is served accompanied with a three- tined fork,^ the side prongs being only a fraction of an inch long, while the middle one is stronger and longer than those usually found on table forks. This middle prong is thrust deeply into the fruit at the stem end, enabling one to hold the fruit firmly, remove the skin,

« Collins, O. N., The Mango in.Porto Rico, Bui. 28, Bureau of Plant Industry, Ü. S. _ Dept. of Agriculture, 1903, PI. VI, fig. 3. Yearbook U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, 1905. PLATE L.

FIG. 1.—METHOD OF EATING THE MULQOBA MANGO.

FIG. 2.—CLUSTER OF MANGOES. SUBTROPICAL FRUIT GROWING. 445

and then slice off the meat. This is not possible with the fibrous seedlings now frequently found in the market. Another easy way of handling this fruit is to cut with a penknife or other sharp instrument around the stem a circle about three-fourths inch in diameter, and then a similar circle at the distal end; then place the middle finger of the left hand within the circle made at the stem end and the thumb within the circle made at the distal end, and with a sharp knife cut the skin into six or eight longitudinal segments; then, by placing the blade of the knife under a segment at the stem end, it may be pulled off with ease. This operation is continued until all the segments have been removed, after which the fleshy part can be cut off readily with a table knife, cutting from the stem toward the apex. With the fine varieties, such as the Mulgoba and most of the Manila mangoes, no such difficulty is encountered, sincie the fiber is so much reduced that the fleshy ])art may be cut out with a teaspoon, as is done with a cantaloupe, the fruit being prepared before serving by making an X-cut on each side and peeling the corners back as far as possible, and then putting them into place to prevent the aroma from escaping. To use the fruit the corners are turned back and the melting pulp dipped out with a spoon, as shown in Plate L, figure 1. Another way of serving this variety is to cut the fruit in half and remove the seed. The only fibers noticeable in this sort are at the edge of the seed. If the fruit be cut into longitudinal halves by run- ning the knife near the edge of the seed, one-half of the fibers will come off; those remaining may then be readily broken, when the seed will come free from the other half. A very prinoiitive way of eating seedling mangoes, and one thoroughly enjoyed by boys, is to seize the ripe fruit, force the teeth into the skin at the stem end, pull off strip after strip until the fruit is completely peeled, and then munch the delicious fibrous mass. The mango is still too new on the market to be thought of to any extent for culinar}^ purposes. In India it is said to be used in a great many different ways. It is frequently employed as an ingredient in chutneys. The green fruits have been employed in various ways for sauce and for making pies. Mango pie, made of the green fruit, is not readily distinguished from rhubarb pie. The ripe fruits make an excellent marmalade, which has a character of its own and is relished by everyone who is fond of this class of preserves.

PROPAGATION. The greatest barrier in the way of a more rapid introduction of the mango has been the difficulty of budding and grafting. For a considerable time there was a general belief that certain varieties came true to seed. It is quite true that the seedlings come true to seed within the limits of a race, if cross-pollination with another race has not 446 YEARBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE.

taken place, but the variations that occur in a seedling orchard are too great to make it a profitable undertaking. Each race has its own peculiarities, and cross-pollination has more or less obliterated the demari-ations. Nearly all the fruit that has been marketed' has been produced from seedling trees, and no one has considered it a sufficiently safe commercial project to plant these on an extensive scale. With the advent of the fine Indian varieties the matters of propagating and planting out are being pushed as rapidly as the material at hand will permit. Fruit trees are usually propagated most rapidly by budding, but in the case of mangoes some obstacles are met that are not encountered in the propagation of avocados. For one thing, the bud wood of the mango requires a longer time to mature sufficiently to be used to best advantage. The stock must also be in first-class thriving condition to make the buds take well.- The most successful method of budding has been found to be the patch bud. This is accomplished by removing from the stock a piece of bark a half inch wide by an inch and a half long, approximately, and fitting into this a similar-shaped piece of bark, in the center of which is contained a bud from the bud stick. Then the bud is wrapped with waxed tape, as described in the para- graph on budding the avocado. The degree of success attained depends upon the rapidity and skill with which the work is done. After the buds have grown well considerable difficulty is encountered in transplanting the trees to the orchard. Inarching, while an ancient method, is still the most successful, though probably not the cheapest means of propagating the mango. It has a great advantage over budding in that the scion wood can be used as soon as the ''flush" has hardened, while in budding at least two flushes have to be sacrificed to secure bud wood that has matured sufficiently. It is true that one bud stick will usually have a dozen buds, but many of these same buds would sprout later and produce terminals for inarching. In preparing stock for inarching it is necessary to have it in some kind of pot to enable one to move it to the tree from which the branch to be inarched is to be secured. Experiments at the Subtropical Lab- oratory, Miami, Fla., have shown that the best form of pot available is one made from 5-inch shingles. Enough is sawed from the thinner ends of the shingles to leave them 12 inches long. Four of these shingles are lightly nailed together and a piece 5 inches square and one-half inch thick is used for the bottom of the pot. When properly constructed such a box-pot would be approximately 5 inches square and 12 inches deep. By putting a strand of rather thin galvanized wire about the pot 3 inches from the bottom and another wire 2 inches from the top, it is made strong enough to be handled with perfect safety. When the inarched plant is to be set out, the wires are cut SUBTBOPICAL FRUIT GROWING. 447

with a pair of clippers and the shingles are pried apart with a hatchet, enabling one to remove the plant with no injury whatever to the roots. The next operation in inarching is to bring the stock into contact with the scion. A fully matured end of a limb is chosen as the scion; the stock in a pot is then placed either on a scaffolding or other support in such a manner »that the scion and stock can be brought into direct contact; then a strip of about 3 inches in length is cut from the side of the scion, penetrating through the bark and taking out only a small piece of wood. A similar cut is made on the stock. If these two cuts have been made properly, their flat surfaces can be brought into neat contact, when the stock and scion are bound firmly together with a stout twine. In the course of two weeks the wound should be examined carefully without loosening the twine, and, if the cut surfaces are beginning to knit, a V-shaped cut should be made on the scion, below the juncture. This cut should extend about one-third through the limb. At the end of the third week the cut may be deepened nearly to the middle of the scion, and this operation may be repeated at the end of each succeeding week, gauging the cutting so as to sever the scion from the tree in six weeks. Where the conditions of growth have not been favorable, the cutting operations should not be begun so soon, and the final cutting should not be done before eight weeks or even longer. Each time a cut is made on the scion a similar cut should be made on the stock above the wound. After the scion has been separated and the top of the stock taken off, the inarched mango should be returned to the plant house for two to three weeks to allow time for a more complete adjustment of the scion to the stock before setting out into the orchard.

VARIETIES. Strictly speaking, there is only one variety of mango fruiting in Florida at present that is generally distributed and true to name, viz, the Mulgoba. There are many other so-called varieties, but as the trees are seedlings the product is by no means uniform in quality. The race commonly called No. 11 has been exploited as coming true to seed, but the fruits, now that the trees are bearing, vary as greatly as do seedling oranges. While this race has a certain general resem- blance in color and shape (see PI. L, fig. 2), the flavor or taste of the fruits varies from the most palatable to the most insipid, and even repulsive. In size and quantity of fiber present the mango is also quite variable, and there is a considerable variation in the date of ripening of different trees. Even the mango known in Mexico as the Manila, and said to be the same as the ''Philippine" of Cu})a, is found to be exceedingly variable in shape, size, and edible qualities. The growers of this fruit are very positive in their assertions that it comes true to seed. A very 448 YEAEBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. brief examination by one familiar with mangoes,^ however, is sufficient to show that different trees bear fruits that are distinctly different in shape, size, and quantity of fiber. For commercial purposes the planter should strive to have in his orchard for early ripening the best selections from the No. 11 and the Manila races, for midseason the Gordon, and for late season the Mul- goba. A single fruit of the Manila mango brings as much in the Mexican market as a dozen of the common kinds. The Mulgoba is of such superior excellence that it will sell at a high price even when the market is filled with other fruit.

MARKETING. The mango ripens from April to about the last of June. This is an opportune time of the year from the grower's standpoint, as the fruit can be placed on the market earlier than the bulk of southern peaches and northern bush fruits. The tomato crate is most commonly used for shipping the mango. Of the fine Indian varieties the Mulgoba mangoes have been selling for 25 cents apiece. The prices obtained for the common fruit in the local markets of Florida and in the larger cities on the Gulf are so satisfactor}'^ that very little effort has been made to introduce the mango into new markets. A considerable quantity of the fruit is so inferior that it is absolutely valueless, except to furnish seed for propagation. Fine mangoes sell for from 20 to 40 cents a dozen on the tree, and good bearing trees in south Florida have produced löO dozen each. On such trees the fruits hang in clusters (PL L, fig. 2),

SAPODILLÁ. ' The sapodilla, as rough as a russet apple and as luscious as a peach (PI. LI, figs. 1 and 2), has the disadvantage of being American in origin. The great trend of tourist travel has been toward the Orient, and there these travelers have learned to know the oriental fruits and to like them. The sapodilla is as good as many well-known fruits, yet it is almost unknown in any markets except those on the Gulf of Mexico and the east coast of Florida. There is no more difficulty in shipping this fruit than in shipping peaches. It grows without cultivation on the Bahamas, and stands the winter as far north as Palm Beach, Fla., where large trees have been producing heavy crops for many years. It grows wild in all the warmer portions of Mexico, and is common in the West Indies and throughout Central America and northern South America. In Mexico the fruit is a great favorite with the natives, both in the woods and in the markets. The tree makes a handsome one for ornamental planting, being con- ical in outline, with thick, waxy, evergreen leaves (PI. LI, fig. 2). The flowers are inconspicuous, and are borne in a heavy rosette of SÜBTEOPIOAL FEÜIT GROWING. 449 leaves. In its native habitat the tree grows to be one of the tallest in the forest, but heavy-fruiting trees rarely attain to more than 30 feet in height. In the Bahamas and on the keys of Florida the fruit is "picked with a club," thrown into a basket or barrel, and dumped at the market. A fruit that can stand such handling and still be salable certainly deserves better treatment. It has been possible to ship fruit picked in this way to Washington and New York and find it in good condition upon arrival- The great obstacle to the introduction of the sapodilla is its growth on seedling trees. The resulting product is exceedingly variable, both in time of ripening and in quality of fruit. This defect is not unavoid- able, but is rather due to lack of attention and want of persistent effort. The tree may be budded, and it may also be transplanted with a fair degree of certainty. The ordinary shield bud, such as is employed in the budding of avocados, is fairly successful.

VARIETIES.

The variations in quality, size, and shape of the sapodilla areas numerous as the trees, all the fruit grown at the present time being from seedling trees. Cultivation and fertilization, however, improve this fruit as well as any other. Among the trees grown on the Florida keys are specimens that produce fruit as large as a medium-sized apple. The flavor is usually rather mild in aromatic principle, though variations in this respect occur. In sugar content the fruit ranks rather high. Some trees bear fruit that is nearly seedless, while others bear sapodillas having as many as ten or a dozen seeds. Selection and budding will make great improvements in this respect. In the markets the fruits are usually graded according to shape and size, viz, large, medium, and small; round, flat, and long. Some growers have trees which produce fruits of superior excellence, and these become known in local markets and are in demand accordingly.

MARKETING.

At the present time the sapodilla is shipped only in small quantities, the tomato crate, with carriers, being used. In this way the fruit arrives in Washington and New York in good condition for the retail market, and is quickly bought by those familiar with it. For the near-by markets the ordinary way, as has been said, is to knock or shake the fruit off the tree, then pick it up and carry it in boxes, bas- kets, or barrels to the place of sale. The usual selling prices range from 10 to 25 cents a dozen, while the very fine, large specimens, grown by a few people only, are carefully picked and taken to Key West or Miami, Fla., where they sell readily for $1 a dozen. 2 A1905 29 450 YEARBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

SUGAR APPLE. The Hugar apple (PI. LI, fig. 3) should be classed among the subtropical bush fruits. While a few specimens attain the size of a small tree, the plant begins to bear when only 2 years old and about 3 feet tall. The bush is very ornamental as well as useful. Ordinarily one has to acquire a taste for the fruit, the flavor being obscured by its large percentage of sugar, but after growing accustomed to it the flavor becomes apparent and is well liked. The plant is not a very profuse bearer and is grown entirely from seed, though buds take rather readily. The matured fruits become edible in a week or ten days, making it necessary to place them in the hands of the consumer as soon as possible. The maturing of the fruits is indicated by the segments opening and showing a cream-colored space between. The sugar apple should not be eaten until it has softened to about the consistency of a ripe peach. Then the fruit is broken into halves and eaten with a teaspoon.

CERIMAN. The ceriman (PL Lll) has been grown in many conservatories in the United States. At the Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, a single plant occupied many square feet of wall space, and at Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, a plant has climbed to the highest part of the conserva- tory; but in such locations it is by no means as fruitful as when growing on the ground under a pineapple shed (PL LII, fig. 3). The plant belongs to the peculiar famil}^ of aroids, the most familiar example of which in the temperate part of the United States is the Indian turnip, or jack-in-the-pulpit. The bloom in some respects resembles a gigantic calla (PL LII, fig. 1), and normally the plant is a climber, attaching itself by large roots either to walls in conservatories or to trees in its native home. For fruit production it should not be permitted to reach any support which will enable it to grow more than a foot or two from the ground. Under such conditions the plant grows slowly and makes a great number of leaves and very short internodes. The trunk becomes 4 or 5 inches in diameter and sends out an abundance of large flowers. The fruit (PL LII, fig. 2) ripens in fourteen to eighteen months from the time of blooming. It can be grown in all regions where no freezing occurs; light frosts do not prove injurious. The flavor of the ripe fruit is most delicious. It has been described as partaking of the qualities of the pineapple and banana. Its mild, subacid taste is penetrating, but not heavy, and the aroma is delightful. The ripening of the fruit is shown by the lower portion becoming yellow. After a few days the covering of the lower segments begins to peel and will fall off at the touch. After this it will require several days before the apex of the fruit has fully ripened. Yearbook U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, 1905. PLATE LI. ■IPJI fw ß^ Ho|ßP^ ^LJ ^p ^5Ä^

FIG. 1.—RUSTV SAPODILLA FRUITS AND DARK FIQ. 2.—INCONSPICUOUS SAPODILLA BLOOM GREEN FOLIAGE. IN A ROSETTE OF LEAVES.

FIQ. 3.—SUGAR-APPLE TWIG AND FRUIT. Yearbook U. S. Dept of Agriculture, 1905 PLATE LI I.

FIG. 1.—CERIMAN BLOOM OPENING LIKE A FIG. 2.—A RIPE CERIMAN FRUIT, 14 INCHES GIGANTIC CALLA. LONG.

FiQ. 3.—CERIMAN FRUITING IN HALF SHADE. SUBTROPICAL FEUIT GROWING. 451

PROPAGATION AND CULTIVATION.

The best way of propagating the ceriman is by cutting the trunk into segments, being careful to have at least one uninjured bud to each portion. When cut in the proper manner each segment will have at least one leaf, the blade of which may be cut off. When the stem is cut into segments these should be allowed to stand in the shade for a day or two before planting. This permits the cut surfaces to dry down and serves the purpose of callousing. After this the pieces may be planted in the place where they are to grow. If the soil be kept from drying out, there will be no great danger of the segments being destroyed. The most tardy ones may be six months in sprouting. The most suitable soil is either a very light loam or a sandy one which contains considerable humus, and it should never become flooded or water-logged. The best location for growing this crop is in half shade, such as is produced by a pineapple shed.^ (See PL LII, fig. 3.) The bright sun scalds the leaves in summer, and the light frosts in winter also cause injury to the leaves if the plant be grown in the open. Under large trees the plants thrive only moderately well, since the distribution of sunlight is somewhat uneven and during the dry season the soil under the trees becomes intensely dry. A good, heavy mulching should be provided, and for manurial purposes a good pineapple fertilizer^ will be found best. It requires two to three years from the time of setting out for the plants so propagated to come into bearing. Plants may be grown from seed, but they will require a year or two longer to come into bearing, after which they will produce continuously for years. The cultivation is of the simplest kind. There is no necessity for stirring the soil if the ground be kept mulched. Under such conditions very few weeds occur, and these may be destroyed at compara- tively little expense. GUAVA.

The guava {Psidium guajava) is most peculiar in that when ripe its odor is usually very offensive to the uninitiated, but after a considerable familiarity with it the odor is no longer disagreeable and most people like it. Not a few, especially thpse who are familiar with a variety of odors, consider it pleasant from the first. Commercially, the guava is the leader of the jelly fruits. The fact, however, that it decays soon after ripening makes it impossible to keep it on the market, as is done with ordinary fruits. Jelly factories have to be established near the place where the fruit is grown, « See Farmers' Bulletin No. 140, U. S. Department of Agriculture. 452 YEAEBOOK OF THE DEPABTMENT OF AGKICULTURE. but with good railway service guavas may be transported 300 miles without danger of loss. For immediate home use large quantities are sent annually by express to all portions of the United States south of the Ohio River and also to New York. The fact that the ripe fruit does not remain in good condition for more than three or four days makes it also imperative that it be sent only to customers who order it in advance. These people find it the cheapest jelly fruit in the market, in spite of the fact that the express charges are from f 1 to $1.50 a crate. Even at a cost of $2.50 to $3 a crate delivered, it is considered the cheapest jelly fruit obtainable. The cost of the jelly when made by the private consumer amounts to less than 10 cents a glass, including the cost of tumblers. On the market the same quantity costs 20 to 30 cents. For transportation to northern markets the fruit has to be picked when it is just turning yellow. The guavas are then wrapped singly and placed in '' carriers," six of which fill a tomato crate. For points as readily accessible as Washington, D. C, the fruit, without wrapping, may be put in carriers and shipped. Trial shipments have been made to the best fruit stores in the larger eastern cities, but they can not handle guavas profitably, since the fruit decays so soon. No extensive guava orchards have been planted, as the market has been somewhat uncertain. During the height of the season the jelly factories usually take all the fruit offered them at 75 cents to $1 a bushel. These prices are remunerative, since the fruit is merely shaken from the trees, picked up, and delivered. For shipping purposes the uniform charge for the fruit is $1 a crate. In the southern extremity of Florida, in addition to the regular crop, there are guavas ripening throughout the entire year. These find ready sale in the local markets at good prices.

JELLY AND OTHER CONSERVES.

Large quantities of guava jelly are annually imported from Porto Rico and Cuba in addition to that made in Florida. In color this jelly varies from light amber to dark wine. For commercial purposes the latter is preferred. A straw-colored or almost colorless jelly may be made from the white-ñeshed varieties. The red-fleshed varieties are preferred, however, and by varying the cooking the shade desired is easily obtained. The main crop ripens during July and August. At this time the factories buy the fruit, as previously stated, at 75 cents to $1 a bushel, depending upon the extent of competition and the size of the crop. The fruit is picked up every morning and taken to the factory, where it is weighed and later sorted to remove any bad fruit that may have SUJBTKOPICAL FEUIT GEO WING. 453

been delivered. It is then turned into a boiler for preliminary cooking, after which the juice is filtered through a heavy, coarse fabric, which prevents any of the pulp from passing through. The juice is then bottled, or put into jars, sterilized by means of heat, sealed, and kept in these vessels until the jelly is wanted on the market. The quantity desired is then taken from the containers, sugar is added, and the juice is boiled long enough to give the proper color, when it is placed in the jelly containers and sent to the market. The fancy product is put up in glass jars, sealed and labeled properly, while the cheaper grades are placed in paper boxes, in which form the jelly is sold as cheap as 20 cents a pound at retail. In addition to jelly, another product is made that resembles it in firm- ness, but which might be briefly described as jellied marmalade. This preparation is known by several names, as guava cheese, guava paste, etc. It is molded in various cubical or oblong shapes and wrapped in oiled paper. The formulas for making it are very numerous, but in general it is composed of the best of the guava pulp, containing sufficient juice to cause it to become firm like jelly when properly cooked with sufficient sugar. In addition to jelly and cheese, wine and vinegar are also made from the guava, both of which are said to be excellent. Canned guavas are rarely seen outside of the guava belt, but they make a fine appearance and are delicious. To prepare them for canning, the firm, ripe fruits are chosen, pared and quartered, and then treated like any other fruit. The more fastidious housekeepers choose the thick-meated guavas, and seed them in addition to paring. The fruit that has become too ripe to make good jelly or is not firni enough for canning may still be used for marmalade. For immediate table use sliced guavas with sugar and cream make an excellent dessert.

PROPAGATION.

In all the regions where guavas are grown they occur spontaneously. This is due to the fact that birds and poultry are fond of the ripe fruit, and so disseminate the seed rather widely. Most of the trees that are now fruiting are seedlings and of exceedingly variable quality. The seed germinates readily and the seedlings are very hardy. The guava may, however, be budded, grafted^ or "struck" from cuttings or from root cuttings. All of these processes are more or less difficult. The best time of year for budding, so far as known, is in the early spring, about February, when a fair percentage of shield buds will take. The skin of the nursery stock is apt to be rather thin and not tenacious; consequently the operation is somewhat tedious. Graft- ing may be accomplished by the ordinary whip graft during the semi- dormant period of winter. The graft should be made low on the stock, so that the scion can be covered with soil to prevent drying out while 454 YEAKBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. the union is being made. Mr. E. N. ßeasoner« finds that half-ripened wood may be used for '' striking," but the bed should be provided with bottom heat. Root cuttings are said to strike readily. Another method of propagating practiced to some extent is to cut some of the smaller roots that are about a half inch in diameter and pull the cut end so as to bring it above the ground, allowing it to remain in this position. In the course of a few weeks shoots will start from the end above the ground. These may then be transplanted in the usual way.

«Bailey's Cyclopedia of Horticulture, Vol. II, p. 699.