OCTOBER 1 TO DECEMBER 31, 1916. 7 



Collins called attention to the existence of several varieties in Guate- 

 mala as early as 1901 ; and it appears from Mr. Popenoe's investiga- 

 tions that this vegetable is not only a most important one to the 

 Guatemalans, but that it is represented by a large number of very 

 distinct soits. The success of our large plantings in Florida is 

 demonstrating the economic advantages of this remarkable vegetable, 

 which is capable of being kept perfectly in cold storage from Xovem- 

 ber to July. In Guatemala it is called "giiisquil,'' and two main 

 classes are distinguished — the peruleros or small, smooth sorts and 

 the ordinary, large, sutured varieties. Some of these varieties (No. 

 43398, for example) are free from sutures and consequently easier 

 to pare than the varieties with which we have so far experimented; 

 others have a distinctive flavor (Xos. 43393 to 43401 and 43422). 



The cherry has been looked upon by the Europeans living in the 

 Tropics as a fruit limited to the Temperate Zone. It is especially 

 interesting, therefore, to call attention to the cereza of Guatemala 

 (No. 43425) , which in its wild state is almost as large as an English 

 Morello, with a meaty texture and the flavor of an oxheart mixed 

 with a trace of bitterness. It is esteemed by the Guatemalans as a 

 fresh fruit and for preserving purposes and deserves to be known 

 throughout the Tropics. 



The success of anona culture in Florida through the production 

 of hj'brids by Simmonds, Wester, and others, the quickness with which 

 the trees recover when injured by frost, and the delicious character 

 of the fruits make the introduction of the sowipoya {Annona purpurea. 

 No. 43426) from Guatemala of peculiar interest. This tree, already 

 in cultivation in Guatemala, produces fruit the size of a pummelo, 

 with orange-colored flesh and an aroma resembling that of our native 

 papaw {A»hmnn triloha). It can hardly fail to contribute valuable 

 characters to the hybrid fruits which are evidently coming when the 

 plant breeders really get to work in a comprehensive way on the 

 genus Annona. 



Sicana odorifera (No. 43427) is a tropical cucurbit which deserves 

 the consideration of our plant breeders because of its remarkable 

 aroma and its striking color. Mr. Popenoe's introductions from 

 Guatemala include a black-fruited one and also a carmine one which 

 is as strikingly beautiful a fruit as the writer has ever seen. 



The tropical papaya has come to stay in Florida, and every year 

 more northern visitors learn to like it. The introduction of a very 

 beautiful variety (No. 43428), with a deep reddish salmon-colored 

 flesh of excellent texture, can not fail to interest Florida growers. 



A fruit tree such as the nance {Byrsortima erassifolki^ No. 43429), 

 which is deemed worthy of a place in the dooiyards of Guatemala, 

 certainly deserves distribution to other tropical mountain regions. 



The manzanilla, or tropical hawthorn (No. 43430) of Guatemala, 

 discovered at Mazatenango, like the Chinese haw brought to our 



