GUAVA CULTURE. 181 



But these three apparent varieties are in reality the 

 same ; take the seeds of one sort, plant them and the fruit 

 will not come true only to the kind planted; some will 

 have yellow flesh, some white, some pink, thus proving 

 that the varieties are identical. 



The guava scorns the longest drought, and responds 

 generously to good culture and plenty of food. It needs 

 no pruning except an occasional pinching off of the end 

 of a limb that has grown inordinately long without branch- 

 ing, and a cutting off or layering (for another plant) of 

 such limbs as lie on the ground. The guava is a thrifty 

 grower, not stopping to rest even during the cooler months, 

 and this is why its young growth is so liable to be killed 

 by frost. 



Recently there have been introduced into Florida two 

 varieties of guavas that are frost-proof, and hence are des- 

 tined to be extensively planted as soon as known. The 

 fruit is similar in shape to the common guava, though 

 much smaller, but the bush bears no resemblance at all to 

 its commoner brethren. 



The leaf of the latter is rather large, pea-green, lanceo- 

 late, and ribbed; the new growth being slightly tinged 

 with pink. The frost-proof guavas are more compact and 

 slower in growth : their leaves are small, thick, shiny, and 

 dark green, more like those of a camellia or daphne than 

 those of a guava. 



One of these is the "Cattley guava," so named after 

 Mr. Cattley, who was the first to introduce it into English 

 hot-houses, from its native land, Brazil. The fruit, claret- 

 colored, is not as large as an English walnut, but its lack of 

 size is made up in quality and quantity, its flavor being far 

 superior to that of the ordinary guava, and making a more 

 delicate jelly, while the bush is extremely prolific, an 

 eighteen months' old plant sometimes bearing nearly five 

 hundred guavas. 



