IN THE EVERGLADES 109 



All parts of the paw paw tree, except the perfectly ripe fruits, 

 contain a milk white latex, which exudes from the slightest 

 wound, flowing rapidly at first and then slackening, probably 

 because it coagulates in the latex tubes. The latex soon clots 

 and dries on the plant and so tends to seal up any wound. It 

 has a corrosive action upon the skin, and if the raw latex from 

 green fruits, etc., is swallowed, it may tend to cause intestinal 

 inflammation. The raw latex has an extremely potent digestive 

 action upon proteids. Thus if a slice of tough meat, as a beef 

 steak, which in the tropics may be cooked and eaten an hour 

 or two after being killed, is well rubbed with the juice of the 

 paw paw leaves or the green fruits, or even the pulp of the ripe 

 fruit, and cooked, it becomes tender and is readily masticated. 

 The ripe fruit, which does not contain the visible milky latex, acts 

 in the same way on proteids. 



When perfectly ripe the fruit of the paw paw is quite soft, 

 but has lost all acridity and the milky juice has disappeared. There 

 is no doubt whatever that this dessert fruit eaten after a good 

 dinner greatly aids the digestive process. It also, like the fig, 

 acts as a gentle laxative. 



The paw paw requires a well drained soil and is readily killed 

 by stagnant water about the roots. Thus it grows commonly 

 in South Florida wild, in high hammocks and shell mounds. If 

 grown on rather poor sandy soil, it should be enriched with 

 plenty of humus. If only a few plants are grown, as for home 

 consumption, the following method has been tried in a light vol- 

 canic soil in the West Indies, securing excellent results : Dig 

 holes about ten feet apart, in well drained soil, two or three feet 

 deep and three or four feet square, fill them with a compost of 

 soil, farmyard manure, rotting weeds, or humus of any kind, 

 adding unleached wood ashes. Plant several paw paws in each 

 of these holes and cover with any good mulch. Of course the 

 young plants will need water. As soon as the first blossoms ap- 

 pear, cut out the staminate ones so as to leave only fruiting trees. 

 For this purpose several plants should always be planted in a hill. 

 A few paw paws may be planted near by on poor ground and 



