INTKOD'JCED PLANTS AND AXI.MALS. Z6Z 



shaped, and are lilltMl witli sweet i)iil|> in wliicli ;ii-c cnihcddcil ilic Ijcaii-like seeds. 



The ])apaya is an interesting example of a di(rci()us ])lanl, as it lias the male 

 and the female llowers on separate plants. The edible fruit is produced by the 

 female tree, as a rule. It is therefore desirable, in order to insure the best crop 

 of fruit, to plant a number of trees of both sexes in close pi-oximi1y. 



There are a nuiii1)er of varieties under cultivation, all of wliidi ai-e known 

 locally as papaya. While it is iisuall\ a small, shorl-lixcd tree with a single, 

 stout, unbranched trunk, crowned with a eluster of leaves, there ai-e many old 

 specimens thirty feet or more in height that so difil'ei' in apjx'ai'anee that only 

 the characteristic leaves prevent them from being mistaken for some rare species 

 of curious tropical plant. 



It is extensively grown in the ti'')])ies. and may now be found wluTever climate 

 and conditions are favorable. The milky juice of the plant has a property 

 similar to, though different from that of pepsin. If tough meat is wra]iped in 

 the fresh leaves for a short time it will become tender. The seeds also ])ossess 

 valuable properties as a vermifuge. 



GUAVA. 



Several species of guava thrive here. They grow from seed so readily 

 and spread so rapidly that the lemon-guava,^ " at least, is no longer cullivaled. 

 In many sections this species forms dense thickets. As it fruits al)un(lantly at 

 nearly all seasons at different elevations it furnishes a refreshing fruit that 

 may be enjoyed on mountain rambles. 



Of the 130 species kno^vn several are well established in Hawaii, but aside 

 from the common lemon-guava and the .smaller red strawl^erry-guava.''^ the 

 other species are rarely met with. The fruit is supposed to ])e more agreeably 

 acid and hence more palatable if gathered in the early moi-ning. The lemon- 

 guava, besides being a rich, aromatic fruit, makes fine jam, guava win]), and 

 jelly, the latter being one of the finest-flavored jellies known. In spile of this 

 fact comparatively little of it is manufactured, and thousands of tons of the 

 fruit waste every year. This acid vegetable material, however, w hen added to tlie 

 lava soils of Hawaii is a decided benefit to the land. Since llie hushes gi-ow on 

 all kinds of soil under widely varying conditions the wedge-work' done by llieii- 

 roots has proven a decided help in opening u}) the moi-e resistant soils. 



Lemons, Oranges and Limes. 



The orange^" is one of the oldest of cultivnted fruits; although its nativity 

 is not known, it probably originated in the Indo-Chinese region. It is udw 

 widely distributed and just whether it was intrt)duced into thesi> islands 1)_\- 

 the natives themselves or by the earliest explorers will ])robably not be detinitely 

 known. Vancouver is generally accredited with its introduction, as in 17IV2 

 he came from Tahiti, where it had loTig grown, havinu- i-eceived a large store of 

 supplies from the natives there. Arriving on Hawaii he left with the native 



^'' Psidium Guayava. ^'* Pxiiliinii <'(ittl<\i/iniiiiii. ^^ Citniii A u rant i inn. 



