3076 



SAPOTE 



SARACA 



acute pubescent segments, and a four- or five-petaled 

 greenish corolla, valvate in the bud, with small oblong- 

 elliptic acute concave petals; the stamens are as 

 numerous as the petals and alternating with them, 

 with short filaments and small oblong anthers; the 

 ovary is superior, five-celled, globose, bearing at its 

 apex a three- to five-lobed sessile stigma. 



The fruit, when of a choice variety, is as large as a 

 good-sized orange, and somewhat resembles a quince in 

 general appearance. The tender yellow or yellowish 

 green skin, scarcely as thick as that of an apple, sur- 

 rounds the soft cream-colored pulp, of melting and 

 delicate texture and pleasant but peculiar flavor, sweet 

 and lacking any trace of acidity, with sometimes a touch 

 of bitterness. The seeds, normally five in number, an 

 inch long and half as wide, are oblong to elliptical in form, 

 light yellow in color, reticulated on the surface; their 

 number is frequently decreased by abortion to two or 

 three. In the tropics the fruit ripens in July and August, 

 in California usually not before October; it is picked 

 when fully mature but while still hard, and must be 

 laid away for a few days before it is mellow and ready for 

 eating. Because of its thin skin and the delicate texture 

 of the flesh it does not ship so readily as some other 

 fruits, yet if taken while still hard, and carefully packed, 

 it can be sent considerable distances. It is commonly 

 used while fresh, and an over-indulgence in it is thought 

 by the Mexicans to induce sleep, but it is doubtful 

 whether there are grounds for this belief. The white 

 sapote is popular among the Mexicans, especially in 

 the region around Guadalajara, and is regularly found 

 in the markets. 



The hardiness of the tree is attested by its behavior in 

 southern Europe; it has fruited at La Mqrtpla, and is 

 cultivated at other points on the Riviera; it is also said 

 to have fruited in the island of Jersey. In Mexico it 

 flourishes up to altitudes of 7,000 feet, according to 

 Von Mueller. 



Although introduced to California from Mexico 

 about 1810, it has not yet become extensively cultivated 

 in that state, and large specimens are rather rare. One 

 of the oldest trees, thought to have been planted about 

 a century ago, is growing on De la Guerra Street in 

 Santa Barbara. Although uncared for amidst the most 

 unfavorable surroundings it bears regularly; its fruits, 

 however, are small and practically worthless. A number 

 of trees of considerably lesser age-^-most of them 

 planted about 189& are in bearing in various parts 

 of southern California, and while some produce small, 

 inferior fruits others produce large ones of delicious 

 flavor. After it comes into bearing the tree commonly 

 produces regularly and abundantly. It has shown itself 

 to be remarkably drought-resistant, though it naturally 

 succeeds much better when irrigated in the dry season. 

 It seems to prefer a well-drained sandy loam, but 

 thrives on heavy clay if the drainage is good, and in 

 south Florida has done well on shallow sandy soil 

 underlaid with soft limestone. In this latter state it 

 has not been cultivated many years, but has come into 

 bearing in the vicinity of Miami and seems to be at 

 home. It has also fruited in Cuba. 



Seeds should be planted as soon as possible after 

 their removal from the fruit, in flats of light, porous 

 soil, or singly in 3- or 4-inch pots, covering them to the 

 depth of 1 inch. If the weather is warm, or artificial 

 heat is provided, germination will take place within 

 three or four weeks. The young plants should be grown 

 in pots until 2 to 3 feet high, when they may be set out 

 in the open ground. While young, the white sapote 

 should be watered liberally to encourage growth, 

 though it can get along with little water if necessary. 

 The terminal bud should be pinched out to force the 

 tree to branch when about 3 feet high; otherwise it is 

 likely to make a growth of 10 to 12 feet before branch- 

 ing, being liable to be broken off by a severe wind. 



Seedlings do not come into bearing until seven or 



eight years old, and are undependable at best, many 

 producing fruit of inferior quality. For this reason 

 trees propagated by some vegetative means should be 

 planted. Shield-budding is successfully practised, the 

 method being essentially the same as with the avocado. 

 Stock plants should be selected from young, vigorously 

 growing seedlings, with stems about % inch in diameter 

 at the base. Budwood is taken from the ends of the 

 branches, using fairly well-matured wood which has 

 assumed the ashen-gray color. The buds are cut about 

 1^2 inches long, leaving any wood that may adhere to 

 them, and are inserted in T-incisions, after which they 

 are bound firmly in place with waxed tape. At the 

 end of two to four w r eeks, depending upon the climate, 

 they may be unwrapped, and then re-wrapped loosely, 

 leaving the bud exposed so that it may start into growth, 

 at the same tune lopping back the stock to a point 3 or 

 4 inches above the bud. In the tropics budding can 

 probably be done at almost any season; in California 

 spring and summer, when the stock plants are in most 

 active growth, are the best times. 



Three named varieties have been established in 

 California Harvey, Parroquia, and Gillespie. Of 

 these Harvey is the largest and probably the best; the 

 tree is very prolific, and individual fruits sometimes 

 measure 3% inches in diameter. -p. \y. PQPENOE. 



SAPROPHYTE (Greek, rotten, and plant, i.e., living 

 on dead organic matter). A dependent, or hetero- 

 trophic, plant (whether bacterium, fungus, or higher 

 plant) subsisting upon the humus of the soil, or dead or 

 decaying organic materials. A holosaprophyte is a 

 plant which lives exclusively on dead organic food. One 

 which is only partially dependent on dead organic food 

 and also feeds independently, as an autophyte, is 

 appropriately called a partial saprophyte. The cus- 

 tomary classification which includes under the term 

 "saprophyte" all bacteria that do not subsist on living 

 plants or animals no longer corresponds with facts. 

 The integrity of the classification has been destroyed 

 by the discovery of certain bacteria in the soil, as the 

 nitrifying bacteria, which are able, even without sun- 

 light, to appropriate the carbon dioxid of the atmo- 

 sphere. Saprophytes intergrade with parasites on the 

 one hand so closely and with autophytes on the other 

 that the distinction of them is often difficult. For 

 example, it is supposed that the chestnut blight 

 (Endothia parasitica) was originally saprophytic, but 

 has recently assumed a virulent parasitic development. 

 Among the fungi we class as saprophytes all plants 

 which live upon a dead or decaying organic substratum. 

 Such are the baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisise), 

 the mushroom (Agaricus campestris), and the stinkhorn 

 (Phallus impudicus). Most mushrooms and toadstools 

 are saprophytes. Some of the flowering plants possessing 

 ectotrophic mycorrhiza (Indian pipe, Monotropa uni- 

 flord) and endotrophic mycorrhiza (Neottia Nidus-avis t 

 Corallorhiza innata, Epipogum aphyllum, snow-plant, 

 Sarcodes sanguinea and Thismia Aseroe) are also classed 

 as saprophytes. A few algae are saprophytic. A cave- 

 growing form of Glceothece rupestris, known as var.. 

 cavernarum, utilizes organic food and is colorless. 



JOHN W. HARSHBERGEE. 



SARACA (from Sarac, the name of the genus in. 

 India). Leguminosx. Unarmed trees (or tall climbing 

 shrubs?), grown in the warmhouse. 



Leaves abruptly pinnate, the Ifts. leathery, often 

 few-paired; stipules small, caducous: fls. yellow, rose, or 

 scarlet, racemose, the racemes in short very branched 

 panicles which are often lateral; calyx-tube elongated, 

 segms. 4, petal-like, ovate, strongly imbricated; petals 

 none; stamens 3-9, free; ovary stipitate, ovules many: 

 legume oblong or elongated, flat-compressed or turgid, 

 leathery to somewhat woody, 2-valved. About 6 

 species, Trop. Asia. 



