THE MONTHLY BULLETIN, 23 



llu' plaiils llirivod so ^vell tliorc that tliey were (listril)ut('d into soutlieni 

 Europe and latei- into California and other parts of the southern United 

 States. The oldest plants here have not been in production long enough 

 to demonstrate the eomniereial success of this fruit, but several facts 

 indicate strongly that it will soon become one of our important fruit 

 crops : first, the fact that the plant thrives Avell in this climate and in 

 most average soils, and produces abundantly after the age of about six 

 years; second, the fruit is relatively hard and can .stand shipment to a 

 consideral)le distance; third, the fruit is very valuable a-s a food when 

 made into a sauce or jam, being superior to guavas both in flavor and in 

 having much smaller and therefore less troublesome seeds. 



If the feijoa proves to be a complete success so far as the growing and 

 bearing of fruit is concerned — and it seems to be — it will not be difficult 

 to establisli it in our markets. We are already familiar with the guavas 

 and their values, and if fei.joas are placed beside them in the market and 

 sold as a new and superior type of guava they will very soon win as 

 much favor as they deserve, and so become established. It will be a 

 nuich simpler problem than introducing the avocado or mango to an 

 extensive market in this country. 



THE CHAYOTE, OR VEGETABLE PEAR. 



Although the chayote is more a vegetable than a fruit, yet it is of sueh 

 value that it deserves a very prominent place iu a discussion of this sort. 

 The fruit is about the size and, roughly, the shape of a large pear, and is 

 solid throughout, with a large fleshy seed in the big end. The flavor 

 somewhat resembles that of a turnip and is suggestive, also, of a summer 

 sc^uash, while the flesh is about as solid as that of a turnip. Boiled or 

 fried it makes a very delicious and nutritious vegetable dish. The 

 people of the American tropics relish the chayote very greatly and con- 

 sider it one of the very important crops. But its value to us lies not 

 only in its flavor and food value, but chiefly in the great productivity 

 of the plants, whereby it may become one of the most remunerative of 

 our vegetable crops, as well as one of the best. The plant is a climber, 

 resembling a muskmelon or squash vine in appearance of foliage. It is 

 easily grown by planting a whole chayote, big end down or else on its 

 flat side, so that the fruit is just barely covered with soil. A good 

 supply of water makes its growth very rapid and extensive. Clieap 

 trellises of some sort, such as are used for hop plants, are needed for the 

 vines to climb on. Started in early spring the plant grows very exten- 

 sively, and in the fall of the year produces from 100 to 200 or more 

 fruits. An acre of ground planted with chayotes ought to yield more 

 income than if planted with turnips, even if the former are sold at the 

 same price as the latter. 



This vegetable is so much liked by practically all who have tried it 

 that I venture to affirm that there would be little risk of loss if a man 

 were to grow several acres of this crop and ofl:'er them for sale in the 

 open markets, or by peddlers at a reasonal)ly low price. Properly adver- 

 tised, they would sell as a novelty at first and then as a staple vegetable 

 of considerable value. Without doul)t this is one of the most promising 

 of the subtropical vegetable crops for California, because it has been 

 deiuonstrated that the plant thrives and produces remarkably well here. 

 It remains now to establish it as a regular staple vegetable of commerce. 



