36 The Guava ; Us Cultivation and Mayias^emcnt. 



nexed engraving, {Jig. 7,) represents a plant well grown, 



about three feet high, and four years old. 



This Guava is a native of 

 China, where it forms a fine 

 evergreen shrub, or low tree, 

 producing an abundance of 

 fruit about the size of small 

 plums, of a deep rich purple 

 color, having the flavor of the 

 pine apple and strawberry 

 combined. When fully ripe, 

 they form one of the most 

 delicious additions to the des- 

 sert; and, made into a jelly, it 

 is well known they surpass, 

 in delicacy of flavor, every 

 other fruit used for this pur- 

 pose. A dozen of the Guavas 

 will make about half a pint 

 of the delicious jelly, and the 

 value of a few plants bearing 

 Fig. 7. The Guava. from four to six dozen fruit 



each, maybe readily estimated. Fig. 8 represents the size and 



shape of a well-grown Guava taken from one of our plants. 

 Under judicious treatment, and 



with the aid of a hothouse, the fruit 



may be had nearly all winter. Like 



the fig, the plants bear two crops; 



one in the autumn, and one about 



Christmas. We have, at the present 



time, (Dec. 20th,) plants loaded 



with fruit nearly or quite ripe, and 



have already gathered a number. 



In the cool temperature of the green- 

 house, the fruit does not ripen off, 



and acquire that great richness 



which it will in the hothouse; but 



the autumn crop is equally abundant and excellent. 



Raising Young Plants. 

 Plants may be raised from seeds, or cuttings : by the former 

 method they are slower in coming on, though they eventually 



Fruit of the Guava, 



