THE LOQUAT AND ITS RELATIVES 251 



the tropics wherever there are elevations of a few thousand 

 feet. 



To reach its greatest perfection, the loquat requires particular 

 climatic conditions. Quite satisfactory results are obtained 

 with it, however, in situations where the plant cannot realize 

 its best possibilities. The tree is simple of culture, and has 

 become widely distributed throughout the tropics and sub- 

 tropics. 



Not until rather recently has it been planted in regions where 

 systematic attention is given to the improvement of fruits; 

 hence its development to meet the ideals of European and 

 American pomologists, while accomplished in part, is still far 

 from complete. The progress made during the last twenty 

 years is highly encouraging, and several varieties now available 

 are sufficiently good to merit extensive cultivation. 



Because of its ornamental appearance alone, the loquat is 

 often planted in parks and gardens. It is a small tree, rarely 

 more than 30 feet high and commonly not exceeding 20 or 25 

 feet. It has a short trunk, usually branching two or three feet 

 from the ground to form a crown round or oval in form, and 

 normally compact and dense. The leaves, which are somewhat 

 crowded towards the ends of the stout woolly branchlets, are 

 elliptic-lanceolate to obovate-lanceolate in outline, 6 to 10 

 inches long, remotely toothed, deep green in color, and woolly 

 below. The fragrant white flowers are ^ inch broad and are 

 borne in terminal woolly panicles 4 to 8 inches long. The calyx 

 is composed of five small, imbricate, acute teeth; the corolla 

 has five oblong-ovate clawed petals, white in color and delicate 

 in texture. The stamens are twenty, the pistils five, joined 

 toward the base. The fruits, which are borne in loose clusters, 

 are commonly round, oval, or pyriform, 1 to 3 inches in length, 

 pale yellow to orange in color, and somewhat downy on the 

 surface. The skin is about as thick as that of a peach, but 

 slightly tougher; the flesh firm and meaty in some varieties, 



