HORTICULTURE. 339 



more subject to decay than those from the upper red fields. With fruit placed 

 between th# decks the loss was much heavier than on the main deck, running up 

 to the proportion of 42.8 i)er cent in the case of unfumigated stock. 



Shipments of avocados were also made at the same time, the fruit having 

 been submitted to cold storage previous to shipment. The results indicate that 

 it is possible to ship this fruit to direct markets without greater loss than is 

 experienced in average fruit shipments. Directions are given with regard to 

 picking, grading, wrapping, packing, crating, and shipping avocados. The degree 

 of temperature which is best for the preservation of avocados in transit has not 

 been determined, although experiments made at the station show that pro- 

 longed storage in temperatures such as are used for peaches, grapes, plums, 

 etc., result in the blackening of the interior of the avocado. It is recommended 

 that the mercury should not fall below 40° F. Shipping on deck without refrig- 

 eration has not proved successful. 



Tabulated results are given of the trial shipments of papaias. The fruit of 

 the long type is considered better for shipping than the round, since this 

 shaped fruit can be packed more securely, thus preventing the motion of the 

 fruit within the crate. At the present stage of the investigation it is suggested 

 that fruit which is beginning to show indications of ripening be shipped to such 

 ports as San Francisco or others which are reached by direct journey. Fruit 

 which is gathered green does not acquire as fine a color as that which has 

 started to ripen on the tree, though it will become ripe and marketable if fully 

 grown. Brief suggestions are given for the preparation, refrigeration, style 

 of crates, and shipment of papaias. 



The au.thor discusses the source of supply and market possibilities of bananas, 

 and is of the opinion that all of the markets west of the Great Plains might 

 be supplied with bananas grown in Hawaii. Efforts are being made to intro- 

 duce the Hawaiian cooking bananas, which are said to take the place of fresh 

 vegetables and cooking fruits. 



No shipments have thus far been made with mangoes, although they have 

 been found to keep much longer than avocados under refrigeration without 

 deterioration in quality. It is believed that the mango industry wmII become 

 important in Hawaii when the demand for this fruit increases, provided some 

 inuiiediate and stringent action on the part of the Government is taken in the 

 destruction of the mango weevil {Cryptorhyiichus mangifera), which at tihe 

 present time threatens the industry. 



In conclusion, the author discusses the present system of marketing by com- 

 mission and consignment, which he considers entirely unsatisfactory. 



Seedless apples {Wis. Uort. Soc. Bui. 11, pp. 11, figs. .'/). — In this bulletin the 

 opniions of several well-known horticulturists are given with respect to the 

 relative value of the Spencer seedless apple. 



In general it appears that while the Spencer apple is usually seetlless, "an 

 occasional seed being found near the calyx, and sometimes just under the skin," 

 it is by no means coreless and is inclined to be wormy. Several reports from 

 nurserymen are given with reference to the cost of good trees of standard apples 

 in Wisconsin, from which it appears that 6 good standard trees can be bought 

 for .$2, the price of 1 Spencer seedless apple. The latter variety is considered 

 only a novelty and worth only a fraction of this price. 



Fig culture, E. Stearns (Estac. Agr. Expt. Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Bol. 

 8, pp. 33, pis. S). — This is a popular treatise on tig culture, including notes on 

 the history, climatic and soil conditions, cultural operations, harvesting, curing, 

 liacking, shipping, and marketing, together with an account of the culture of 

 Smyrna figs, the introduction of the Capri or wild fig, and the naturalization of 



17305— No. 4—07 4 



