﻿Smithsonian 
  Report, 
  1943. 
  — 
  Cook 
  

  

  Plate 
  17 
  

  

  A 
  Sapodilla 
  Tree 
  in 
  Florida. 
  

  

  Native 
  in 
  Mexico 
  and 
  Central 
  America, 
  where 
  the 
  latex 
  is 
  the 
  principal 
  source 
  of 
  chewing 
  gum. 
  Planted 
  

   in 
  Florida 
  for 
  its 
  fruits, 
  juicy 
  and 
  delicious 
  like 
  high-grade 
  pears. 
  This 
  tree 
  grew 
  at 
  Fort 
  Myers 
  on 
  the 
  

   principal 
  street 
  but 
  was 
  replaced 
  by 
  a 
  building. 
  The 
  royal 
  palms, 
  possibly 
  40 
  years 
  old, 
  may 
  have 
  been 
  

   younger 
  than 
  the 
  sapodilla 
  tree. 
  

  

  