MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 113 
New York. As an ornamental tree or shrub, it is occasion- 
ally grown over a much wider range. 
Belonging to the family of Anonaceae or custard-apples, 
the papaw has a good deal in common with those delicious 
fruits. Its creamy pulp is of exquisite texture in the mouth, 
while its distinctive flavor and its aroma, often too pungent, 
give it a decided individuality. The shiny black seeds 
occupy more space than is desirable, in most specimens. 
The poor shipping quality of the fruit doubtless accounts 
largely for the fact that it is so little known outside of the 
immediate localities where it grows wild. It is not consid- 
ered eatable until it is dead ripe and has begun to turn 
blackish in color; it sometimes hangs on the tree until 
Christmas, although it will have reached maturity in the 
latter half of September, when the flesh is usually yellow, 
occasionally white. Good individual fruits, according to 
Little, usually weigh about half a pound apiece, but some- — 
times they attain a pound in weight. 
Not only is it too soft to ship, under most circumstances, 
but it does not keep well after it is picked. Sometimes it 
can be held for a number of days, if picked a little firm, 
but ordinarily it must be eaten from the tree. 
The drawbacks of the fruit, then, are largely of a com- 
mercial character. They are drawbacks which can prob- 
ably be removed by intelligent breeding. With this idea 
a number of individuals have undertaken during the last 
few years to improve the papaw; but there is still plenty of 
room for work, and the American Genetic Association there- 
fore feels the desirability of calling attention to the papaw, 
and pointing out the attractiveness of the problem it offers. 
BEST SEEDLINGS WANTED 
Among the wild trees along the creeks and in the under- 
brush of the river bottoms, there must be many a seedlin 
which combines superior quality with a tougher skin an 
greater firmness than usual. Probably farmers have picked 
out some of these trees and transplanted them to the orchard. 
The American Genetic Association wants to locate these 
superior trees, in order that they may be made available for 
rapid propagation; and a member has given $100 as a 
stimulus to oe search for the superior specimens. 
_Two rewards are offered from this fund. Fifty dollars 
will be paid for the largest individual tree, and for the 
tree, regardless of size, which bears the best fruit. The offer 
will terminate on January 1, 1917, thus including the com-— 
