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THE Guava (Psidium). 
One of the hardiest of all tropical fruits, its cultivation can, 
in favourably situated places, be extended to semi-tropical regions; 
and in Western Australia it flourishes alongside the orange, the 
apple, and the pear. In the cooler regions the Guava is easily kept 
within bounds, whereas in the tropies birds and cattle freely dis- 
tribute it over wide areas; while its easy suckering habits under 
the tropies cause it to spread wherever it grows. The tree is an 
evergreen, varying in size from that of a shrub three or four feet 
high to a tree of 12 to 15 feet. It grows readily from seed, cutting, 
or sucker. In size, the fruit varies from that of the tomato to that 
of a duck’s egg, while species are even larger. The internal struc- 
ture of the fruit is somewhat like that of the tomato. The flavour 
is peculiar and pronounced; it is not always liked at first, but 
cooked or stewed with sugar or into a jelly, it is greatly relished 
by everyone. The crop ripens late in winter, although some 
varieties bear fruit pretty well all the year round. The plant dis- 
likes stagnant water, but grows readily on sand and clay alike, 
although a light loam suits it best. 
Brazit Guava (P. Araca).—A shrub four to six feet high, grow- 
ing in the West Indies, Guiana, Peru, and Brazil, where it is fonnd 
in dry, high-lying places. Leaves oblong, obtuse, soft to the touch 
above, somewhat hairy below; veins reticulate, somewhat raised; 
peduneles axillary, one to three-flowered. Fruit ovoid, greenish 
yellow, flesh white, of excellent taste. 
STRAWBERRY Guava (P. Clattleyanum) or PuRPLE Guava.— 
A native of Brazil and Uruguay. One of the hardiest of the guavas, 
thriving over a very wide range of latitudes. A shrub or small tree 
of five to fifteen feet high. Branchlets smooth; leaves smaller than 
those of the former round species, obovate, thick, and glossy; pe- 
duneles solitary, axillary, opposite, one-flowered ; fruit almost spheri- 
cal, tapering at the eye, small, rarely exceeding 114 inches in diam- 
eter, fine deep claret colour, with numerous brown dots on a slightly 
roughened surface. Pulp fleshy, soft, and juicy, purplish red next 
the skin, but white at the centre, with a strawberry-like flavour, and 
free from the strong odour of P. Guayava. 
Another species, the “Mexican Guava,’ sometimes called “Yel- 
low Cattley Guava,” is also cultivated, and has proved very hardy. 
In flavour it is somewhat tart, and possesses little of the peculiar 
guava smell, 
THE Lemon Guava (P. Guayava) syn. P. pomiferum-—A shrub 
or small tree, eight to sixteen feet high; leaves, four to five inches 
long by two inches wide, oval to oblong; lanceolate, smooth above, 
pubescent below, peduncles three to many-flowered; fruit, two to 
