96 



Psidium rhifrfum. Another Brazilian specie* yielding palatable fruit. 



Psidium cord at inn. A species attaining the size of a tree. This is 

 the Spice (luava of the West Indies. 



Psidium cuneatum and Psidium graudifolinnt. aie lth robust Brazilian 

 species which bear fruit as large as Cherry Plums. 



Psidimn incanescette and Psidium lineati folium are shrubby species 

 from Brazil, which attain a height of eight or ten feet. The fruit of both 

 is of good quality, and about the size of a large Cherry. 



Psidium malifoUum is a species from Uruguay with fruit about an 

 inch in diameter. 



Psidium />ol//c<>r/M. A small shrubby species from Brazil to Guiana 

 and Trinidad. Produces in great abundance, and almost continuously, 

 highly flavoured yellow berries the size of a large Cherry. 



P&iainm rnfum. A shrubby hardy species from the mountain regions 

 of Brazil, which attains a height of about ten feet. Fruit the size of a 

 large Cherry, and very palatable. 



CULTIVATION. 



The Guava will thrive in any ordinary good land, but the best soil is 

 an open sandy loam, containing a fair proportion of vegetable matter. 

 In preparing the ground, let it be well stirred to the depth of at least 

 fifteen inches unless naturally very light and open, when a simple 

 ploughing or digging will suffice. Drainage must also be provided when 

 necessary, as water stagnating at their toots is very injurious to the plants. 

 The trees may be planted from eighteen to twenty feet apart. During 

 the first two or three years they require some attention in pruning, so as 

 to obtain strong growth in certain directions. After that the trees will 

 require but little pruning, all that is necessary being to regulate the 

 growth when too thick and to stop or remove rank or misplaced shoots. 



The ground should be kept as free from weeds as possible, and covered 

 with a mulching before the hot weather sets in. As the trees are strong 

 feeders, care must be taken not to let the soil get impoverished, and a 

 dressing of manure occasionally will be of great assistance. Shelter from 

 strong winds will be of great service to the Guava, as with all other 

 evergreens, and if it does not exist naturally should be provided for by 

 the planting of breakwinds. 



PROPAGATION. 



Propagation is readily effected by seeds, cuttings, and layers. Seeds 

 grow freely, and the plants usually come true, but about three years will 

 elapse before they are ready for planting out. They may be sown at any 

 time of the year, but autumn or spring is the best. Cover the seed half- 

 an-inch deep. Cuttings of the current seaspn's growth, when the wood 

 is fairly ripe, will strike freely in sand or light soil in a frame or under 

 a hand-glass. Plants can be obtained readily from layers put down early 

 in the autumn or spring. 



