188 TROPICAL FRUITS 



of smooth, round, green fruit, of the size of a small apple. This 

 when ripe acquires a yellowish green tint, the sweetish acid juicy 

 pulp suggesting the flavour of the " Velvet Tamarind " (Dialnun}^ 

 The tree thrives and fruits at Peradeniya, and would appear to 

 give promise of improvement by cultivation and selection. The 

 coolies here display a keen partiality for the fruit when 

 approaching ripeness. The large, shining, light-green leaves are 

 said to be used in medicine in Madagascar. Suited to the moist 

 low-country up to 2,000 ft. Propagated by seed or cuttings (See- 

 illustration). 



Vitis vinifera (Ampelidae). Grapes, or Grape-vine. The 

 Grape-vine is extensively cultivated in Southern Europe (its native 

 home), Australia, South Africa, and Southern United States ; also 

 in England and elsewhere in glass-houses (vineries), the finest 

 dessert grapes being produced under the latter conditions. Tn the 

 dry provinces of India, grapes of very fair quality are grown, both 

 from exotic and indigenous sorts, while in the dry northern part 

 of Ceylon certain varieties of grape have long been cultivated with 

 some degree of success. Here the want of a winter's rest, which is 

 so essential to the plant, is partially supplied by periodically baring 

 the roots and exposing them to the sun. This operation is resort- 

 ed to once a year, about the time of the principal pruning, in July. 

 A practical experiment which was made a few years ago at Colombo, 

 under the supervision of an expert viticulturist, proved conclu- 

 sively the unsuitability of the uniformly steamy and hot climate 

 here to the grape vine. Exhaustive efforts have also been made 

 by MR. W. NOCK at Hakgala Gardens, Ceylon (elevation about 

 5,000 ft.) in growing vines in a glass-house, which, however, ended 

 in failure as regards the production of fruit. The essential con- 

 ditions for the grape-vine are : a dry warm temperature when the 

 fruit is setting and ripening, and a cold period for resting or 

 44 wintering." A wet climate is unsuitable, but moisture at the 

 roots is essential, and this is best supplied by irrigation, which may 

 be continued until the branches are commencing to ripen, when it 

 should cease. In vineyards, the vines are usually planted in rows 

 and grown on the bush system, being pruned back each year to a 

 height of about four feet. In glass-houses and in the tropics they 

 are, however, best grown as climbers, being provided with supports 

 by means of horizontal wires or trellises, pillars, etc. In Jaffna,, 

 the vines are usually trained over a pandal or trellis. 



