15 



LITTLE-KNOWN FRUIT VARIETIES. 391 



tenderness of flesh and absence of the objectionable fiber and strong 

 turpentine flavor common to most of the seedlings grown in this 

 country. 



The tree is a strong, symmetrical grower, and appears to be abun- 

 dantly productive. It is considered worthy of experimental planting 

 in eastern Florida, south of latitude 27 C , and on the Keys, as well as 

 in the frostless belts of southern California and in the new tropical 

 island possessions. 



ADVANCE LOQUAT. 



[PLATE LIT.] 



The loquat (Eriobotrya japonica, formerly known as Photinia 

 japonica) is a Japanese evergreen tree that promises to attain commer- 

 cial importance in the milder portions of the United States. It was 

 introduced into England in 1787, and soon thereafter became a popular 

 garden fruit in the Mediterranean region. The exact date of its intro- 

 duction into the United States is not recorded, but it has long been 

 grown in the Gulf States, frequently under the erroneous names 

 "Japan Plum" and "Japan Medlar" More recently it was intro- 

 duced into California. The species is sufficiently hardy to endure ordi- 

 nary winters on the Atlantic slope as far north as Washington, though 

 it succumbs to the lower temperatures that usually occur at intervals 

 of a few years, except in specially favored localities. The fact that it 

 blossoms late in autumn and does not ripen its fruit until about April or 

 May will probably prevent it from attaining economic importance 

 north of the Gulf States. In the form of seedling trees it has been 

 grown in considerable areas near the larger towns in Florida and near 

 New Orleans, La., for many years, the delicate texture of the ripe 

 fruit having restricted it almost entirely to near-by markets until 

 recently. AVith the improved methods of transportation now in use, 

 however, there appears to be no reason why the fruit should not be 

 safely transported across the continent and placed before the consumer 

 in good condition. 



^The seedlings of the loquat show wide variation in size, form, and 

 flavor of fruit, as well as in the relative proportion of seed to flesh, 

 and rapid improvement by selection has long been recognized as possi- 

 ble. Until recently, however, there appears to have been but little 

 systematic work along this line. In fact, there appears to have been 

 little effort to perpetuate choice seedlings by grafting in this country 

 until about 1888, when a variety known as "Giant" was introduced 

 from Japan by H. H. Berger & Co., of San Francisco, Cal., in the form 

 of grafted trees. The species belongs to the Rose family, and unites 

 more or less freely with pear, quince, and hawthorn stocks, though in 

 this country loquat seedlings are most commonly used to bud and graft 



