﻿JULY 1 TO OCTOBER 31, 1919. 9 



L7874 to 47876. 



From Bogota, Colombia. Presented by Mr. W. O. Wolcott. Received July 

 9, 1919. 



47874. Annona muricata L. Annonaceae. Soursop. 

 " The soursop, known in Spanish-speaking countries as guanabana, 



sometimes shortened to guanaba, is unexcelled for sherbets and refresh- 

 ing drinks. Like other anonas, however, it does not always fruit 

 abundantly when grown from seed, and it will be necessary to establish 

 named varieties, propagated vegetatively, before soursop culture can be- 

 come the basis of an industry. 



" The fruit is oblong, sometimes 4 or 5 pounds in weight, dark green, 

 and prickly on the surface. The flesh is white and cottony or tough in 

 texture, so that it is not good to eat out of hand. But it has a rich, 

 aromatic, and perfectly delicious flavor, and when mixed with milk it 



i makes one of the best drinks of the Tropics — the champola of Havana 



restaurants and cafes. 

 " The tree is tropical in its requirements and can be grown in the 

 United States only in the southern part of Florida, approximately the 

 area between Palm Beach and Punta Gorda on the north to Key West 

 on the south. It is small, rarely attaining more than 20 feet in height, 

 and has thick glossy leaves and large greenish flowers. It may be men- 

 tioned that the pollination of the anonas has never been studied suffi- 

 ciently, and it is probable that their productiveness may be increased by 

 attention to this subject. Mr. P. J. Wester and others have shown that 

 most species are dependent upon cross-pollination, and if the insects 

 which normally effect this are not present something will have to be done 

 to insure its being accomplished." (Wilson Popenoe.) 



47875. Annona squamosa L. Annonacese. Sugar-apple. 

 " The sugar-apple, usually known in Spanish-speaking countries as 



anona or anon. This is one of the best of the anonas for strictly tropical 

 regions, and it can even be grown where there are light frosts. It is too 

 tender, however, for cultivation in California. In Florida it succeeds as 

 far north as Cape Canaveral, though it is not commonly grown north of 

 • Palm Beach. It is more productive than several of the other anonas, 

 especially when grown in a rather dry climate. 



" The sugar-apple is a small tree, sometimes not attaining more than 

 12 or 15 feet in height, and rarely more than 20 feet. Its fruits are the 

 size of apples and suggest pine cones in general appearance, whence the 

 name ' pinha ' which is used in Brazil. When fully ripe the fruit is soft 

 and the carpels separate readily, exposing the snow-white, delicately 

 flavored pulp. Like the cherimoya, the sugar-apple is eaten out of hand ; 

 it resembles the cherimoya in flavor, but has less acidity and is not, 

 therefore, quite so delicious. 



" The plant is widely distributed throughout the Tropics. It has 

 become naturalized in parts of India and is highly esteemed in that 

 country as a fruit. The Anglo-Indians call it ' custard-apple,' but this 

 name is applied to all anonas without discrimination and leads to confu- 

 sion. The Hindus have named it ' sharifa,' meaning noble, and ' sitaphal,' 

 the fruit of Sita, one of their gods. 



" In short, the sugar-apple is one of the important fruits of the Tropics. 

 It is particularly adapted to dry regions, but does not withstand more 



