GRANADILLAS FERTILISATION. 229 



A free use of the syringe is sometimes necessary in summer to prevent or dislodge red 

 spider and thrips, but during the flowering and the setting of the fruits syringing must 

 be discontinued, for it is then important to have the flowers dry. Ventilate the house 

 rather freely, especially in the early part of the day, and look over the plants about 

 noon for fertilising the blossoms by plucking one of the anthers with ripe pollen and 

 applying it to the face of the stigmas. This answers for P. edulis and P. incarnata. 

 P. quadrangularis, however, has succulent floral appendages, and it is advisable to 

 cut off the whole of the calyx, corolla, and corona with sharp-pointed scissors, leaving 

 only the five stamens and the three stigmas, taking care not to injure the flower-stem. 

 Then cut a stamen bearing an anther with ripe pollen, without shaking the pollen out, 

 and touch each stigma with the anther, covering all the stigmas with the fertilising 

 dust. 



Avoid over-cropping; one fruit of P. quadrangularis to 18 inches square of trellis is 

 ample. Other kinds may be cropped more freely, remembering, however, that fruits 

 are small and insipid through overcropping, also crowding the foliage, combined with 

 improper nourishment. 



The fruit ripens about August sooner if growth is started early and successionally 

 until October. It imparts a pleasing variety to desserts, and to some palates the flavour 

 is agreeable and the juice refreshing. Ripe fruits keep a fortnight in a dry room. 

 Fruits of P. edulis are sometimes made into conserves, and excellent jelly has been made 

 from them. 



