MISCELLANEOUS FRUITS 443 



decidedly drought-resistant. It is most successful in a sub- 

 tropical climate, and on a soil rich in humus. 



It is considered one of the best hedge plants in South Africa, 

 since its long sharp thorns make it impenetrable. To form a 

 hedge the bushes should be set 3 to 5 feet apart, and should be 

 trimmed on both sides once a year. For the production of 

 fruit, they should not be set closer than 12 to 15 feet, and both 

 staminate and pistillate plants must be present. One of the 

 former (male) is considered to be sufficient for twenty to thirty 

 of the latter (female). If sufficient seedling plants are grown 

 so that there are sure to be some of both sexes, satisfactory 

 results will be obtained; otherwise, it is best to propagate 

 staminate and pistillate plants by layering or some other 

 vegetative means, and to plant no more staminates than will 

 be required to furnish pollen. 



In the Mediterranean region and in the United States, the 

 plants flower in April and May and ripen their fruit from 

 August to October. Seeds may be sown in pans or flats of 

 light sandy loam. Plants propagated in this manner will 

 begin to bear when four or five years old. Propagation by 

 layering is practiced in Queensland, and the species will prob- 

 ably lend itself to shield-budding, since P. J. Wester has shown 

 that another member of the same genus can be propagated 

 readily in this way. The ripe fruit is sometimes attacked by 

 the Mediterranean fruit-fly (Ceratitis capitata Wied.). 



THE KETEMBILLA 

 (Dovyalis hebecarpa, Warb.) 



The ketembilla is a better fruit than its congener the um- 

 kokolo, but the plant is somewhat more limited in its distri- 

 bution. From its native home in Ceylon it has been brought 

 to the Western Hemisphere, where it may now be found in a 

 few gardens in Florida, Cuba, and California; elsewhere it is 



