Fruit Growing in the Gulf States. 225 



It is stated that the fruit ships well, and is every year 

 imported from the West Indies — which island is not 

 mentioned — to New York, where they retail at from 20 to 

 40 cents each, and where the sales average from 300 to 500 

 fruits per week during the season, June to November. 



We here know the Avocado pear as a tender fruit — 

 spoiling if picked full, in a very short while. I have 

 seen them in the London shops, each carefully laid in a 

 separate compartment of a box — and understood they 

 came from the Azores. If they command such a large 

 price in New York, and the means of carrying them 

 safely thither can be compassed, it would surely be 

 worth the while of our farmers here to raise this fruit. 



It is to be regretted that our climate is too warm for 

 the tree tomato of Jamaica (Solatium betaceum) — the 

 plants of which raised by Mr. JENMAN all died in two 

 years, as from its description it would be a welcome 

 addition to the fruit of British Guiana. 



The Hogplum (Spondias lutea) , from which a jelly, 

 pleasing in appearance as well as in taste, is made — the 

 Tamarind and the Almond (Terminalia catappa) are also 

 favourably mentioned in the report. The last named 

 has been described by CHARLES KiNGSLEY, whosaysit is 

 not an almond at all, but named as so many West Indian 

 plants have been, after some known plant, to which it 

 bore a likeness, and introduced from the East Indies 

 through Arabia and tropical Africa, having begun its 

 westward journey probably in the pocket of some 

 follower of Vasco De Gama. 



A long list is given of tropical fruits recently intro- 

 duced into Florida, probably not yet fruiting, and but 

 little known. 



FF 



