FRUITS AND NUTS 123 



eaten fresh or in jams or jellies. The busli thrives best in 

 a moderately dry climate. It is propagated either by seed or 

 cuttings and the usual planting distance is 15 by 15 feet. Out- 

 side of South America the feijoa is cultivated in France, Italy, 

 and various other subtropical regions. It was introduced into 

 the United States in 1900 and a considerable industry in pro- 

 ducing feijoa has been developed in California, where the fruit 

 may be found upon the market in season. 



POMEGRANATE 



The pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a bush or small tree 

 native to the Mediterranean region and south Asia and is now 

 cultivated everywhere in the Tropics and subtropics, including 

 the Southern States and California. The pomegranate is 

 grown both for ornamental purposes and for its fruit. The 

 bush reaches a height of 6 to 20 feet. The calyx of the flowers 

 is red and thick, the petals are of an unusually brilliant scarlet 

 color, and the leaves are glossy. The fruit when ripe is red, 

 orange, or yellow in color, about 2 to 4 inches in diameter, with 

 a tough rind and with crimson acid pulp in which the numer- 

 ous seed are embedded. In localities north of the Equator 

 the pomegranate usually fruits from September to December. 

 It is propagated by cuttings. The pulp of the fruit is eaten 

 raw or is used in cooling drinks or sometimes condensed into 

 sirups. Superior varieties may be perpetuated by budding or 

 grafting. Certain varieties of the pomegranate have only a 

 few seed and a much larger percentage of pulp than the com- 

 mon varieties. The pulp of the fruit contains about 6 per 

 cent, of sugar. The rind has a high percentage of tannin and 

 has occasionally been used as a source of tannin. The pome- 

 granate is commonly allowed to grow in dooryards without 

 much attention but where it is cultivated commercially the 

 usual planting distance is 8 by 8 feet. 



