348 MANUAL OF TROPICAL AND SUBTROPICAL FRUITS 



flesh soft and mealy in texture, resembling in appearance the 

 yolk of a hard-boiled egg. The flavor is rich and so sweet 

 as almost to be cloying, and is somewhat musky in char- 

 acter. The seeds, usually two or three in number (although 

 the ovary is five-celled), are oval, about an inch long, hard, 

 dark brown, and shining, except on the pale brown ventral 

 surface. 



So far as is known, the canistel is not cultivated commercially 

 in any country, but it is grown as a garden tree in Cuba and 

 southern Florida. The Cuban name canistel is presumably 

 from the Maya kaniste; in Florida the names ti-es and egg- 

 fruit are generally used. Botanically the species is often listed 

 as Lucuma rivicola var. angustifolia, Miq. 



The fruit, which in Florida matures from December to March, 

 is eaten fresh. It is taken from the tree when mature and laid 

 in the house to complete its ripening. Within three or four 

 days it is soft and ready for eating. 



The tree is fully as hardy as the sapodilla, and of similar 

 cultural requirements. It grows in south Florida on the Keys 

 and as far north as Palm Beach on the east coast and Punta 

 Gorda on the west coast. P. W. Reasoner wrote in 1887 : 

 "Previous to the ' freeze' a specimen had been growing in 

 Tampa for many years, which, after many discouragements by 

 frost, finally produced fruit a few years ago." So far as known, 

 the tree has never grown to fruiting size in California. In regard 

 to soil it does not seem to be particular; it grows well on the 

 heavy clay lands of Cuba and upon some of the poorest and most 

 shallow soils of southern Florida. It shares with the sapodilla 

 the ability to grow in apparently very unfavorable situations 

 on the Florida Keys. 



Propagation is usually by seed, but budding will doubtless 

 prove successful. The husks should be removed from the 

 seeds before they are planted. Though not a rapid grower, 

 the tree comes into bearing when three to five years old. 



