THE GUAVA, BREAD FRriT, ETC. 



375 



BASTARD GUAVA (Eugenia pseiido-Psidium), cayexxe cherry (Eugenia 

 cotinifoUa), cattley's guava (Psidium Cattleganum), the red 

 GUAVA, (Psidium pomiferum), the white guava, (Psidium pyri- 

 ferum) — 



Are all fruits of considerable merit, and are held in lugh esteem in 

 their native country. As these trees do not attain a very large size 

 before they produce their fruit, perhaps from ten to fifteen feet, they are 

 better calculated for house culture than those T^hich require more room. 

 The fruit of the ^hite or vrild guava is of a roundish, oblong form, and 

 rather larger than a hen's egg. Its flavour is sweet, aromatic, and 

 pleasant. The red guava somewhat resembles a pomegranate in size and 

 colour ; it is not of so pleasant a flavour as the last. The fruit of 

 Cattley's guava is nearly spherical, and larger than any of the above ; its 

 colour is a fine claret ; it is juicy and pleasant, and of the consistency 

 of a strawberry. 



The latter sort has been fiTiited often in this country without any par- 

 ticular trouble, in a common plant stove, and there is no doubt but the 

 rest might be cultivated so as to produce abundance of fruit. 



The Psidium Cattleyanum is fruited at Snelston Hall, by Mr. Smith, 

 most successfully, by confining its roots in pots or tubs when they have 

 attained their full size. This brings on a disposition to flower and produce 

 fruit, which is ripened into full maturity by removing the trees from the 

 greenhouse or conservatory, into the stove or forcing-house, in autumn, 

 when the temperature is not less than sixty degrees. The guava flourishes 

 best in a strong, rich, loamy soil, abundantly supplied with water, both 

 at its roots and over the branches. It becomes under this treatment a 

 very desirable addition to the dessert during winter ; and trees of only 

 four feet in height have been loaded with not less than ten dozen of fruit, 

 in their difl'erent stages of growth. 



the breai> fruit (Atrocarpus incisa), the jack fruit (Afrocarpus 

 integrifoUa). 



Neither of these has produced fruit in Europe, nor are they by any 

 means common, even in collections strictly botanical. Their culture 

 seems by no means so well understood, as even to admit of their being 

 found often amongst the plants of commerce. These remarks are more 

 directly apphed to the former, which is a native of the South Sea Islands, 



