750 THE FLORA OF NORFOLK ISLAND, 



wrote : — " Guavas are now ripe; they are so abundant on various 

 parts of the Island that the supply is more than sufficient for 

 man, pigs and birds, all of which consume great quantities of 

 them." 



At the present time guavas constitute one of the most 

 formidable weeds on the Island. There are small forests of them, 

 in many cases over-running good land, to the detriment of the 

 cultivator. It is the ordinary Yellow Guava which is in such 

 profusion, and it yields two crops a year. In addition the " Blue 

 Guava " (^Psidiwn Cattleyanum) is common. There are also a 

 few trees of Parker's Hybrid, which were introduced by Dr. 

 Metcalfe. 



Citrus fruits (Lemon). — Of this fruit there was ''a great 

 abundance" as early as 18th October, 1796, according to Lieut.- 

 Govr. King. It is now one of the principal weeds of the Island, 

 utilising good land, of course. Its spread is owing to the com- 

 bined action of birds and stock. In places its thorns present a 

 formidable barrier to a passage through the bush. Most of the 

 lemons are thick-skinned, and would be of ver\^ little value. But a 

 matter for consideration by the officer in charge of an experi- 

 mental farm would be to ascertain if these lemons, whose only 

 cost is that of gathering, could be used for the manufacture of 

 citric acid. 



The stock is obviously most vigorous, and one of the first 

 functions of a gardener in charge of an experimental farm would 

 be to show the Islanders how to bud and graft Lisbon and other 

 lemons on the common stock. 



I saw Lisbon lemons in very few properties. Col. Spalding 

 has two hundred which have only been planted two (2) years. 

 They are 8 ft. high, and have already cropped. 



That there is money for Norfolk Island in the lemon industry 

 I am quite sure. Lisbon lemons should be grown, and they 

 should be carefully graded and packed. 



Citrus fruits (Orange).— These useful trees grow wonderfully 

 well. Many of the trees are, in fact, growing wild. They are 

 almost entirely free from scale. But there is practically no 



