THE PAPAYA AND ITS RELATIVES 231 



perfectly. It has been observed in the tropics that papayas 

 ripened in cool weather are insipid or squash-like in flavor. 

 The best situations in southern California are the protected foot- 

 hill regions, where the heat during the summer months is more 

 intense than on the seacoast. An old tree at Hollywood, near 

 Los Angeles, bore fruit several years, but finally succumbed 

 to the cold rains of winter which cause the plants to rot off at 

 the base, especially if the drainage is in the least defective. 



Higgins and Holt, whose bulletin "The Papaya in Hawaii" 1 

 is the most valuable contribution yet made to the literature of 

 papaya-growing, have the following to say concerning climate 

 and soil : 



"In regard to rainfall and moisture requirements, the plant is able 

 to adapt itself to a wide range of conditions, and when established 

 suffers much less from a shortage of water than the orange or the 

 avocado, but makes beneficial use of a large amount if supplied. Yet, 

 withal, it is one of the most insistent plants in the matter of drainage. 

 In waterlogged soils the papaya makes a spindling growth and drops its 

 lower leaves prematurely, while the remaining f oliage becomes yellow, 

 the whole plant indicating an unhealthy condition. 



"There are few, if any, soils in which the papaya will not grow if 

 aeration and drainage are adequately supplied. Most of the plantings 

 at this station are upon soils regarded as unsuitable for other fruit 

 trees and upon which the avocado is a failure. . . . They are very 

 porous, permitting perfect drainage and aeration. Rich soils give cor- 

 respondingly better and more permanent results if they permit of the 

 free passage of water and entrance of air." 



For a permanent orchard, the plants should be set not less 

 than 10 feet apart. The papaya is short-lived, and will not 

 usually remain in profitable bearing more than three to five 

 years. That it is extremely simple of culture is proved by the 

 ease with which it becomes naturalized in tropical regions, 

 and by the thriftiness of the wild plants which spring up every- 

 where along the roadsides. 



1 No. 32 of the Hawaii Exp. Sta. 



