126 TROPICAL AGRICULTURE 



but does not seem to be of much promise. North of the Equa- 

 tor the roselle is planted in February or March with a spacing 

 4 by 4 feet or 6 by 6 feet. The fruit is ready for harvest 

 in November and December. In Hawaii it has been found that 

 March is decidedly the best month for planting roselle. If 

 planted later it ripens its fruit as early as if it had been planted 

 in March but the fruit is inferior in quality and the yield is 

 considerably reduced. 



In 1914, about 220 acres of roselle were planted on the Island 

 of Maui between the young trees of a ceara rubber plan- 

 tation. The planting distance adopted was 5 by 5 feet. The 

 district in which the roselle was planted was one of high rain- 

 fall, averaging about 150 inches per year. The plants yielded 

 at the rate of 10 pounds of fruit per plant or approximately 

 17,000 pounds of fresh fruit per acre. This is far above the 

 average yield, which may be taken as being about 5,000 pounds 

 per acre. The roselle fruit will not stand shipment in a fresh 

 condition. It must, therefore, be dried on the plantation. 

 Moreover, if the atmosphere is humid it is necessary to provide 

 artificial heat for drying. If large drying rooms are con- 

 structed in which a temperature of 120° to 140° F. can be main- 

 tained, the fruit requires from 24 to 48 hours for desiccation. 

 In drying roselle it has been found that 10 pounds of green 

 fruit make 1 pound of dried material. 



The only portion of the fruit used for edible purposes is 

 the calyx. The seed pod is removed either after picking or 

 is separated from the calyx at the time of picking. The har- 

 vesting of the crop is the most expensive operation in con- 

 nection with the growing of roselle. 



A firm has been organized in Chicago to handle the roselle 

 crop on a large scale. This firm has encouraged the produc- 

 tion of roselle in Queensland, Hawaii, Mexico, and elsewhere, 

 and has purchased all the product in a dried form. In 1914, 

 the product amounted to about 500,000 pounds of the dried 

 fruit. This material makes a most excellent and delicious 



