THE CUBA REVIEW 



31 



AGRICULTURAL NOTES 



THIRST OF TREES 



In California it was found that S.3 per 

 cent moisture in a loam soil was sufficient 

 to keep apple trees in excellent condition, 

 while in a clay soil holding 12.3 per cent 

 moisture the condition of the trees was 

 poor. The difference seems to be due 

 largely to the difference in amount of 

 w ater vapor or hygrosccfpic moisture held 

 by the two soils. Trees will stand less 

 moisture than grasses, grain and root 

 crops.- — California Fruit Groxver. 



SAFE PACKING OF FRUIT 



The papaw should be picked as soon as 

 the faintest signs of yellow appear, and as 

 in the case of the avocado, just before 

 the time of despatch. About one inch 

 or one and a half inches of the stalk 

 should be left on the fruit, which must 

 be handled with great care. The wrap- 

 ping should be done with rather heavy 

 paper, preferably glazed, in order to pre- 

 vent the free passage of moisture to the 

 sound fruits from any of those which may 

 have begun to decay or get soft. While 

 the fruit is in transit, ventilation alone is 

 insufficient to keep it in condition ; it must 

 travel at a reduced temperature. 



As regards pineapples, those cut with 

 long stalks arrive at their destination in 

 much better condition than those which 

 have been cut oft' short. The crates for 

 packing should not be too large, and, are 

 made preferably with rounded corners in 



order to prevent damage by the splitting 

 off of starves. The packing mnierial may 

 be grass or any other suitable vegetable 

 material, so long as it is quite dry. As 

 in the case of the papaw, the wrapping 

 should be of Iteavy paper and preferably 

 glazed; it should be lar^e er..Ligh to cover 

 the whole fru/ with, the exception of the 

 crown. Finalij, fruits should be packed 

 solid in order to prevent damage from 

 being shaken against one another. — The 

 Florida Agriculturist. 



BEST MARKET AVOCADOS 



Among the points which should be con- 

 sidered in selecting varieties for planting 

 on a commercial scale, a matter of impor- 

 tance is that those which yield ripe fruit 

 at the time corresponding to mid-winter 

 will obtain the best prices, on account of 

 the greater demand for avocados in North 

 America at that time of the year. The best 

 size of fruit for practical purposes ap- 

 pears to be that giving a weight of about 

 1 pound. The quality of the product is 

 naturally the most important matter in 

 making the choice ; the variety should also 

 be prolific, and should possess fruit with 

 good keeping properties, having a smooth, 

 thick, leathery skin, and a small seed 

 which completely fills the space in the 

 centre of the fruit. 



It is of interest that the fruits of most 

 of the Mexican varieties are of small size, 

 with a dark purple color, but of good qual- 

 ity; they are considered by some to exhibit 



American Colonists" Home in Ciiba. 



