226 



ORCHARD CROPS 



much like an ordinary plum tree. It bears white, fragrant 

 flowers and a yellow-skinned fruit. The pulp is crimson or 

 yellow, with a pleasant acid taste. When raw there is a faint 

 suspicion of onion flavor to the fruit. It is much prized for 

 desserts, cooking, and preserving, and also for making jellies 

 and marmalades. The guava tree is propagated by seeds, layers, 

 and cuttings. It 'grows in Florida, California, Mexico, West 

 Indies, South America, and other tropical lands. 



The mango is distinctly a tropical fruit, which grows' in Florida, 

 Central America, South America, the East Indies, and in the 

 Philippines. It is sometimes called the apple of the south. The 



Boat load of bananas, Central America. 



mango tree is large and spreading, with long, lacelike leaves. Its 

 flowers grow in clusters at the end of the branches, and its fruit 

 is about the size of a cucumber or goose egg and varies in color 

 from green to yellow. The usual methods of propagating the 

 mango are by budding, grafting, and by growing from seeds. 



The banana plant looks very much like a mammoth cornstalk, 

 about a foot through and from ten to forty feet high. At the top 

 of the stalk is a crown of pinnately veined leaves which spread 

 out and bend over like an open umbrella. These bladelike 

 leaves are not infrequently from six to ten feet long. The fruit 



