130 TROPICAL AGRICULTURE 



ing. Seedling loquats are of poor quality. Cuttings are 

 rather slow in development and uncertain. The preferred 

 method of propagation is by budding and the quince, or seed- 

 ling loquat, is most used for stock upon which to insert the 

 bud. In California, the trees are planted about 12 by 24 feet 

 apart. Budded trees begin bearing at the age of 4 or 5 years 

 and reach full bearing at 10 years of age, when the yield is 

 about 200 pounds of fruit per tree. The fruit matures in 

 the spring. Loquats are consumed chiefly as fresh fruit but 

 are also used in making jelly, jam, and preserves. The fruit 

 is well adapted for this purpose, and the flavor is delicate 

 and extremely agreeable. There are perhaps 100 or more well 

 known varieties of loquat but the varieties most prized in 

 California are Early Red, Thales, Champaign, Advance, and 

 Victor. The loquat thrives within about the same temperature 

 limits as are required by lemons. The fresh fruit contains 4 

 per cent, of sugar. 



MALAY APPLE, SURINAM CHERRY, ROSE APPLE 



These three tropical fruits are closely related botanically, 

 and it seems desirable, therefore, to refer to them briefly in 

 conjunction with one another. 



The Malay apple (Eugenia malaccensis) is a handsome tree 

 native to Malaya and attains a height of 20 to 50 feet. The 

 tree bears dense racemes of red flowers in graceful pompons 

 and later a profusion of bright red fruit with a white pithy 

 pulp. In Hawaii, the fruit is called Mountain apple. Each 

 fruit has one large seed. The tree is propagated by seed but 

 as a matter of fact has not been widely cultivated. In some 

 parts of Hawaii it is a common forest tree occurring in large 

 areas. The fruit of the Malay apple is only sparingly seen on 

 the market. The skin is unusually thin and delicate and is 

 therefore easily injured in shipment. It can be shipped only 

 short distances, perhaps within the limit of 24 hours. The 



