New Tropical Fruit Crops of 1887—A Blueprint for Today, and a Sweepstakes

Jxrome Jnemorial {Institute

Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 100:265-268. 1987.

NEW TROPICAL FRUIT CROPS OF 1887—A BLUEPRINT FOR TODAY, AND A SWEEPSTAKES

R. J. Knight, Jr. Exotic Nurseries, located at the present site of the Kapok U.S. Department of Agriculture Tree Restaurant in Clearwater. Mr. Hoyt, of course, Agricultural Research Service planted the old Bombax ceiba tree still growing there. More Miami FL 33158-1399 to the point, he was an organizing member of this Society, and worked to promote fruit culture. Additional index words. Plant introduction, pomology, his Reasoner's 1887-88 catalog was prepared by Pliny Ford tory of horticulture in Florida. Reasoner, a remarkable young man fated to die tragically in September, 1888, at the age of 25. He also prepared Abstract Reckoners' 1887 catalog offers a listing of plants U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Division of Pomology Bulletin that would seem up-to-date to one planting tropical fruit No. 1, which appeared in 1888 and duplicates much of the crops in Florida today. A variety of currently well known fruit catalog's information (6). His younger brother, Egbert N., plants are offeredat prices that would be attractive now: survived another 40 years, and the nursery yet survives in carambola ($2 each), pineapple, banana, papaya, purple Manatee County. During his short life, Pliny served the passion fruit, guava. A number of crops offered in 1887 are cause of Florida and tropical horticulture enormously. He not yet important here, and for ecological or economic reasons corresponded extensively with plant people around the are not likely to become so. Yet one might ask why crops of world, introducing hundreds of ornamental and fruit genuine potential, already in Florida 100 years ago, have plants, and making a 4-week plant exploration of Cuba been so long in development. Without oversimplification, the during mango season (8). Recognized for his ability, he most important reasons probably relate to competition from was horticultural commissioner in charge of the Sub-trop better known fruits (e.g. 69 cultivars of orange were offered), ical Exposition in Jacksonville in 1887-88. Also, he was one a lack of cultivars of superior quality of the less well known of the three Florida commissioners at the Cotton States fruits, and the need for superior techniques of pest and stress Centennial Exposition in Atlanta in 1887 (10). So the management that have only been developed recently. From catalog he published was not his only accomplishment for the record, however, we can conclude that work on tropical that year. It remains a valuable reference, honestly pre fruit introduction and distribution was already off to a good pared and scholarly yet well-laced with the poetry that ap start in Florida 100 years ago. parently was felt to be necessary in Victorian gardening literature. [This may have been added by people at the Thirty-six years ago, when my 89-year-old grandfater firm of J. Horace McFarland in Harrisburg, PA, who closed the house he had lived in for over 60 years, a fas printed the document.] A more careful perusal after the cinating piece of fall-out came my way. This was the first first glance at this catalog gives an accurate picture of what catalog and price list of the Royal Palm Nurseries, for the was already on the scene, and ready for the sweepstakes season of 1887-88, sent out by the Reasoner Brothers from race toward success, and what was still over the horizon Manatee, Florida (8). This document, issued for the same (Table 1). year the Florida State Horticultural Society was organized, Tropical fruits were sold as unnamed seedlings except gives a picture of what horticulture was like here at that for bananas, mangos, pineapples and guavas. Of avocados, time. We might be forgiven after a quick leaf-through for only West Indian seedlings appeared. The clones that were thinking that things really have not changed much. With named, budded and offered for sale by George Cellon in the 20:20 hindsight of 100 years we may smile at the idea Miami 12 years later, were of course not yet available. Fur of cultivating some of the crops our young, optimistic thermore, the Mexican and Guatemalan-race cultivars that grandparents and great-grandparents then expected to Reasoners and others sold in later years had not yet been grow. On the other hand, it is almost uncanny how many brought to Florida. The Guatemalan-West Indian hybrid of today's old standbys or bright new hopes were already cultivars that were to originate and become the backbone of the industry in Florida, and also become important in here. Few horticulturists livingin southern Florida in 1887 some other countries, were not yet in existence. Five had been here long enough to know what realistically could banana cultivars were offered in the Reasoner catalog, and be expected to succeed. The science of ecology had not yet one plantain. The 7 seed-propagated named mangos of appeared on the scene. Schimper's pioneering book, fered appear all to have been polyembryonic sorts brought "Plant-Geography upon a Physiological Basis" in its first, by the Reasoners or earlier plant collectors from the West German-language edition, was still 16 years down the road Indies. The 3 Indian cultivars described were not priced, (9). Nonetheless, a good bit of hard-won information had thus presumably were not yet available in sufficient quan already accumulated. One of my grandfather's closest tity to be offered at a set charge. 'Mulgoba', the first im neigbors was Robert D. Hoyt, proprietor of the American proved grafted Indian cultivar established in Florida, the

Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 100: 1987. 265 Table 1. Tropical and subtropical fruit and nut species listed for sale by Apart from tropical fruits Reasoners sold citrus fruits Royal Palm Nurseries, 1887-88.2 and a number of others they termed hardier semi-tropical fruits. The citrus picture given by this catalog shows an I. Tropical fruit plants.—Aegle marmelos, bael; Anacardium occidentale, industry in flux. The 69 cultivars of orange offered include cashew; Ananas comosus, pineapple, cultivars (cvs): Green-leaved Sugar- loaf, Red Spanish, Porto Rico; Antidesma bunius, bignay; Annona cherimola, 'Homosassa', 'Jaffa', 'Pineapple', 'Washington Navel', 'Par cherimoya; A. glabra, pond-apple; A. muricata, soursop; A. reticulata, cus son Brown' and 'Valencia Late', but not 'Hamlin' or sub tard-apple; A. squamosa, sugar-apple; Averrhoa carambola, carambola; A. sequent round orange introductions that since have as bilimbi, blimbing; Calocarpum sapota, mammee sapote; Carica papaya, sumed some degree of importance. Ten mandarins avail papaya; Carissa grandiflora, carissa; Caryocar nuciferum, souari-nut; Crysophyllum cainito, star-apple; Cocos nucifera, coconut; Chrysobalanus icaco, able include 'Cleopatra', 'Dancy', 'King' and 'Satsuma'. No cocoplum; Coccoloba uvifera, seagrape; C. diversifolia, pigeon-plum; tangelos, 'Temple', 'Murcot', or other mandarin hybrids Cyphomandra betacea, tree-tomato; Eugenia brasiliensis, grumicama; E. wilde- were offered, because these did not yet exist. novii; E. zeylanica; Feronia limonia, elephant-apple; Garcinia pictoria (sic, probably tinctoria mis-spelled); Glycosmis auriantiaca ( = G. citrifolia}), The most obvious difference between the 1887 citrus glycosmis; G. pentaphylla, Jamaica mandarin; Guilielma gasipaes, peach picture and that of today was grapefruit's status as a new palm; Mammea americana, mammee apple; Malpighia glabra, Barbados- fruit not widely grown but enthusiastically described. cherry; Melicoccus bijugatus, Spanish-lime; Monstera deliciosa, ceriman; Neither 'Duncan' nor any seedless or red-fleshed cultivars Mangifera indica, mango, cvs: Apple, Apricot, Common Yellow, Curacao, were yet listed, although what became known as 'Duncan' Guatemala, Manga, Purple Apple, plus 5 others not priced; Musa sp. and hybrid, banana and plantain, cvs: Apple ("Hart's Choice"), Cavendish, was growing on the old Odet Philippe holding at what is Golden, Orinoco, Red Jamaica, "True Plantain"; Manilkara zapota, now Safety Harbor, waiting to be propagated by A. L. Dun sapodilia; M. bahamensis, wild dilly; Passiflora edulis, purple passion fruit; can about 5 years later (2). Also, what was later named P. quadrangularis, giant granadilla; Pereskia aculeata, Barbados-gooseberry; 'Marsh' was being increased in Polk County (7). Lemons Persea americana, avocado; Phyllanthus acidus, Otaheite-gooseberry; P. emblic, emblic, Pouteria campechiana, eggfruit; Psidium guajava, guava, cvs: were important in 1887, with large stocks offered of 'Common', 'Saharanpur Large Round', "Var. from Calcutta"; P. guineense, 'Genoa', 'Villafranca', 'Suacco', 'Communis' and 'French's araca; P. cujavillus; Rodomyrtus tomentosus, downy rosemyrtle; Rollinia mu- Seedling". Named limes being sold included 'Key' cosa, biriba; Spondias amara (possibly a form of 5. mombin); S. mombin, ("Florida"), 'Tahiti', and 9 no longer known here. Of the hog-plum; Syzygiumjambos, rose-apple; Tamarindus indica, tamarind; Ter- minalia catappa, tropical almond; Theobronta grandiflora, cupuassu; hardier semi-tropical fruits other than citrus offered, some Triphasia trifoliata, limeberry; Vangueria edulis, Voa-vanga; Ximenia are now of interest as dual-purpose ornamental fruiting americana, Spanish-plum. plants, notably cattley guava, fig, loquat, and Surinam II. Semi-tropical fruit plants.—Arbutus unedo, strawberry-tree; Ceratonia cherry. Others that have been less succesful are carob, siliqua, carob; Citrus aurantifolia, lime, cvs: 'Key' ("Florida"), 9 others; C. Chinese jujube, Indian fig cactus and pomegranate. aurantium, sour and bittersweet oranges, 3 cvs; C. grandis, pummelo, 3 Another section of the catalog offers fruits for warm- cvs; C. latifolia, 'Tahiti' lime; C. limon, lemon, 5 cvs (large stock), plus others; C. medica, citron; C. myrtifolia, chinotto; C. paradisi, grapefruit, 3 temperate conditions and lists 6 Japan persimmons, in cvs; C. reticulata, mandarin, 9 cvs; C. sinensis, sweet orange, seedlings plus cluding 'Hachiya' and 'Hyakume', several Prunus species, 69 cvs; Eriobotrya japonica, loquat; Eugenia uniflora, Surinam-cherry; Ficus and 'Kieffer' and 'LeConte' pears. Grapes offered for trial carica, fig, cvs: 'Brown Turkey', 'Celeste', 'Lemon', plus others; Fortunella planting include several muscadines still grown plus com sp., kumquat; Opuntia ficus-indica, Indian fig cactus; Phoenix dactylifera, date (seedlings only); Psidium littorale, cattley guava: red and yellow plus mon labrusca cultivars such as 'Concord', and hybrid and 1 named cv, 'Adams' Purple'; Punica granatum, pomegranate, 7 fruit cvs vinifera types no longer attempted in Florida for many plus 4 ornamental cvs; Ziziphus jujuba, common jujube. years because, as is now known, they cannot survive infec tion with Pierce's disease. Four peaches, all recommended zTropical and semi-tropical designations are those applied by the nursery especially for Florida, were 'Peen-to', 'Honey', 'Bidwell's men and not necessarily how these crops would be classified today. Species names have been updated wherever possible. Early' and 'Bidwell's Late'. These were not the best peaches grown in North America at the time, but they were the seed parent of 'Haden' and an important stimulus to early ones then known to perform best in Florida. Despite the development of grafted mango orchards here, was intro poetry this was an honest, state-of-the-art catalog, not a duced 2 years later by the U.S. Department of Agriculture dream book. The high-quality low-chill peaches developed (12). The pineapple cultivars sold by Reasoners in 1887 by Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) sci are still recognized. 'Cayenne' was not offered, perhaps entists since World War II still carry important genes that because it was not widely grown in Florida (5). were in the old South China peaches of 1887. The same The experimental side of Florida pomology in 1887 is kind of breeding effort applied to grapes, has totally emphasized by the listing of some plants from the hot changed today's varietal picture for this crop. You can find tropics that have never become well established, including no blueberries in the pages of the 1887 catalog because the souari nut (Caryocar nuciferum) and cupuassu (Theob cultivated blueberries did not exist ten, in Florida or else- ronta grandiflora). Also, 2 Solanaceous plants from cool were in North America. As with peaches and grapes, IFAS tropical climates proved to be ill-adapted here. These are is continuing to make progress with highbush and rab- the pepino (Solanum muricatum) and the tree tomato biteye blueberry breeding begun about 35 years ago. (Cyphomandra betacea). Another important tropical fruit Additional evidence that Reasoner's first catalog was that failed for similar reasons is the cherimoya (Annona not based on fantasy and wishful thinking appears in infor cherimola), but this species contributed valuable genes when mation compiled by Egbert Reasoner and Robert D. Hoyt combined with the sugar apple (A. squamosa) to form the for presentation at the joint meeting of our group and the hybrid Atemoya, a valuable new crop today that was not American Pomological Society held at Ocala in 1889 (Table available in 1887. The purple passion fruit (Passiflora 2). This supplies information on what was grown and sold edulis) was offered, but not the yellow form. Among other in the public markets at that time (5). tropical fruits listed were several citrus relatives: bael fruit, We may look at what was already on the scene in 1887, elephant apple, 2 species of Glycosmis, and the limeberry. and what has become available since, and try to determine

266 Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 100: 1987. Table 2. Fruit species reported introduced and producing in Florida, 1889.z

Species Common name Condensed remarks

Ananas comosus Pineapple Most important tropical fruit grown in Florida. "Red Spanish is grown to a greater extent than other varieties chiefly through ignorance and ... difficulty in obtaining plants of better varieties. Sugar- loaf, Smooth Cayenne, Queen, Ripley Queen, Trinidad and Porto Rico are the choicest." Annona muricata Soursop Acid fruit esteemed for drinks, "an important adjunct to the sickroom." A. reticulata Custard apple Few trees fruiting in the State. A. squamosa Sugar apple More grown than all other Annonas, "as it seems to be most in demand in the markets of Key West." Calocarpum sapota Mammee sapote "Has fruited as far north as the Pinellas Peninsula." Fruit in demand at good prices, but not widely

grown. Carica papaya Papaya "Of value for home use, but not adapted for general cultivation." Crysophyllum cainito Star-apple Has fruited in limited quantity; excellent table fruit. Cocos nucifera Coconut Extensively cultivated in the Keys and nortward to Lake Worth and Charlotte Harbor. Mammea americana Mammee apple Cultivation north to Charlotte Harbor advocated, since large quantities were then being imported from Cuba. Mangifera indica Mango Fruit is "very extensively grown throughout southern Florida." Named are 6 cvs, including 2 from India, 'Bombay' and 'Large Malda'. Manilkara zapota Sapodilla One of most valuable tropical fruits, worthy of more extensive planting. Melicoccus bijugatus Spanish lime "Of value for home consumption only." Monstera deliciosa Ceriman Had fruited; wider cultivation urged. Passiflora edulis Granadilla Best of several spp. known under this name. "P. quadrangularis also is an excellent fruit." Pouteria campechiana Eggfruit Good table fruit grown to 28°N Lat. Persea americana Avocado Grown on the Keys and the mainland n. to Tampa Bay and the Indian River, and "has become quite popular in New York City, where it sells for high prices." Psidium guajava Guava Numerous varieties; the 'White Winter' reproduces itself from seed and is the best fruit for canning. Psidium littorale Red and yellow "Thousands of plants have been planted troughout the orange belt, and several factories are to be cattley guavas established to work up the product." Spondias mombin Hog plum Delicious, quite well known, being planted in many southern counties. Tamarindus indica Tamarind Well adapted to cultivation here, but grown only to a limited extent. Terminalia catappa Tropical almond "A great many are grown in Key West, where the fruit is used for home consumption, it has no par ticular commercial value." zSource: Reference 5. Latin names have been altered to fit current usage. why any one specific crop has fared as it did. Why did well grown and carefully handled before marketing. This, limes, avocados and mangos "take off1 as commercial en I believe, explains its success in the sweepstakes and the terprises shortly before or after World War II—in the first reason it is likely to remain popular for the forseeable fu half of this century—and why have other crops, such as ture. In contrast, the first carambolas to fruit in Florida lychee, carambola and passion fruit not yet attained what were seedlings of poor quality. One example that has been we may hope is their real potential here? Why did pineap in the USD A collection at Chapman Field since 1933 (M- ple, the most important tropical fruit in 1887, continue to 9304, P.I. 221126) is among the sourest-tasting clones grow in importance for exactly 20 years, then drop to dis available. Not until Dr. Herbert Wolfe brought seed of tinctly minor status? [By hindsight, we know the answer to improved stock from Hawaii to the University of Florida's this latter question fairly well; a combination of disease Homestead Station (now the Tropical Research and Edu here and competition from elsewhere did the pineapple in cation Center) in 1935, stock that produced the cultivar (4).] Much of the answer to the first question can be found named 'Golden Star' 30 years later, did the carambola pic through examining economic factors such as competition ture change markedly (1). But change it did, and the from other regions and crops, ease and cost of production change is still in progress. here, and changes in consumer demand through time. A Ecology can never be ignored, and as we continue try couple of important instruments of change have been the ing to understand and work with it, some of the crops that introduction of improved cultivars or of new germplasm were in the 1887 blueprint are still here, and we are still that could give rise to these improved plants—mango and trying to achieve economic success with them. Some of avocado in particular have benefitted from this effort— these fruits in their own way have just as much customer and the development of improved technology such as over appeal as the 'Tahiti' lime. Lychee, for one example, was head irrigation and improved fungicides that have made not sold by Reasoners in 1887, but it had been introduced it possible to produce fruit of high quality in an area where to Florida several years earlier (5). The clone that became weather and commonly prevailing disease organisms make known here as 'Brewster' was introduced in 1903 (11). This this otherwise difficult. Members of this Society have been fruit eventually did have a flurry of increased popularity, active in this prolonged labor of love, from early on. between the end of World War II and the disastrous winter With our gift of hindsight, we note that the 'Tahiti' of 1958 (3). Optimistic young people are still planting lime was already available in 1887. Nobody who knows lychees, and selling them when the fruit production is south Florida horticulture would claim that it is easy to adequate to permit this. A new cultivar (or a new series of produce marketable 'Taiti' lime fruit, in the quantities cultivars ripening successively over a long season) that needed, at the time of year when it is most needed. Nor is combines the fruit quality of 'Brewster', adaptation to un this the easiest fruit to handle after it is picked. However, congenial soils of 'Bengal', and dependable productivity of from most customers' viewpoint this cultivar comes close 'Mauritius' could be expected to spark a lychee boom. Pas to the ideal one could expect in a lime, when it has been sion fruit, for another example, has a large market poten-

Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 100: 1987. 267 tial if we could produce it here in adequate quantities. It 2. Hume, H. H. 1926. The cultivation of citrus fruits. Macmillan, New has problems, however, related to pollination, soil-borne York. 3. Knight, R. J. 1980. Origin and importance of tropical and subtropical diseases, and nematodes. Research attention can and will fruit crops, p. 86. in Nagy, S. and P. E. Shaw. Tropical and subtrop make a positive difference with this crop. ical fruits composition, properties and uses. It may be hard to determine what element of the blue 4. Knight, R. J., M. L. Lamberts, and J. S. Bunch. 1984. World and local print will be realized next, but watching and taking part in importance of some tropical fruit crops grown in Florida. Proc. Fla. the effort promises to continue to be exciting and reward State Hort. Soc. 97:351-354. 5. Manville, A. H., J. C. Neale, H. G. Hubbard, and G. L. Taber. 1889. ing. The Spaniards have an old proverb, a refran, that Report of sub-tropical and Florida fruit committees. Proc. Amer. goes like this: "Despues de Espana cielo, y entonces un Pomol. Soc. 22:64-70. agujercito para verlo" which can be loosely translated, 6. Reasoner, P. F. 1888. Report on the condition of tropical and semi- "After Spain Heaven, and even then a little hole through tropical fruits in the United States in 1887. U.S. Dept. Agr., Divn. Pomology, Bui. No. 1. which we can see Spain." Looking at Spain is not a vital 7. Reuther, W., H. J. Webber, and L. D. Batchelor, Eds. 1967. The concern of mine, but I can understand those for whom it citrus industry, Vol. I. Univ. Calif. Riverside. is. Thus, I can say this about Florida, and horticulture in 8. Royal Palm Nurseries. 1887. Annual catalog and price list. Manatee, Florida, in all sincerity: there is no place in all the world I FL. would rather be, right now, waiting to see what is going to 9. Schimper, A. F. W. 1903. Plant-geography upon a physiological basis. Clarendon Press. Oxford. happen next, than here! This is an exciting place to be, 10. Simpson, C. T. 1943. Horticulturists, p. 1593. in Bailey, L. H. Stand and it's an exciting time to be alive and working. If you ard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, Vol. II. have any dull, tiresome facts to the contrary, please don't 11. U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. 1907. Seeds and plants imported during confuse me with them. the period from December, 1903, to December, 1905. Bur. Plant Ind. Bui. 97. Govt. Printing Ofc. Washington. 12. Wolfe, H. S. 1962. The mango in Florida—1887 to 1962. Proc. Fla. Literature Cited State Hort. Soc. 75:387-391.

1. Campbell, C. W., R. J. Knight, and R. Olszack. 1985. Carambola production in Florida. Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 98:145-149.

Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 100:268-272. 1987.

COMMERCIAL FRUIT PRODUCTION IN DADE COUNTY 1900-1987

Wm. H, Krome P, 0, Box 596 There have been times in the past when I felt that Homestead, FL 33090 Jackson was right, but when I consider what has been ac complished in South Dade since it was settled in the early Seymour Goldweber part of this century I wish William Jackson could see it Agricultural Extension Agent, Retired now. P, 0. Box 570156 Although vegetables, especially tomatoes, were the first Miami, FL 33157 crops produced commercially, the settlers in the 1890's and early 1900's were well acquainted with a variety of tropical Abstract. Commercial production of citrus and tropical fruits in and subtropical fruits. They were common as yard trees, Dade County commenced in the Miami area in the early and in the first decade of the twentieth century commercial 1900's, moving to the southern part of the county as the orange and grapefruit plantings were made in the Miami northern part became urbanized. This process, with accom area. In 1901 George Cellon established a nursery and panying changes in crops and methods, is recounted. The chief avocado grove in what is now the heart of Miami. Cellon horticultural problems, especislly those peculiar to the area, was the first to propagate avocados by budding, and he with the solutions that have been found, are described. was also the originator of the Lula cultivar, possibly the first hybrid between two different races of avocado in In 1848 the U.S. government sent William Jackson, a Florida. The first large avocado grove was planted by John surveyor, to run a survey line in what is now south Dade S. Collins on, of all places, Miami Beach. County. Jackson's notes and report are filed in Tallahassee. The great back-to-back freezes of December, 1894 and My father obtained a copy of them before he made a simi February, 1895 decimated trees and crops of north lar survey to Cape Sable in 1903. Jackson wrote, "This area Florida. These two disasters soon resulted in the establish consists of low, rocky pineland transected by narrow mar ment of commercial citrus plantings of some size in Dade shy glades which are frequently under water. It is some County, which had escaped the worst of those two freezes. times called 'the Indian Hunting Grounds' because the In Prior to those events citrus and other fruits were planted dians would go there to hunt deer." He continued, "Be in scattered small groves all over eastern Dade County. cause of its rocky nature the land would be difficult to New plantings from that period on through the 1920's farm and the great storms which sweep across the tip of became established on Miami Beach in the vicinity of 41st the peninsula in the fall would make it impractical to grow Street and Pine Tree Drive, in northeast and northwest tree crops" Dade near settlements and near downtown Miami (the

268 Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 100: 1987.