51 



Edible Products. 



Costa Rica.— The avocados of Costa Rica show a greater diversity of colour 

 than those of any other country visited by the writer, ranging as they do from 

 almost white to black through various shades of green, red, and purple. There is 

 also a great variety of shapes. Still, with the exception of the *' yas," they form a 

 very connected series and are easily distinguished from those of other countries. As 

 a group they may be characterised as follows :— Fruit spherical, pyriform, or gourd- 

 shaped ; colour green, red, purple, or nearly black ; skin rather thick, soft, distinct 

 from the flesh. Seed spherical or with only the outer seed coat produced into a point ; 

 seed coats closely united to each other and to the cotyledons over almost the entire 

 surface. In the market at San Jose, Costa Rica, one specimen was found that coidd 

 not be distinguished from the common Porto Rican type except that the skin was 

 somewhat thicker than any observed in Porto Rico. A few samples of a form not 

 elsewnere seen were also found in the same market. These were slender necked, 

 with the seed cavity extending into the neck, the seed was oblong, the skin very 

 thin and not distinct from the flesh, which was slightly darker than the skin. These 

 specimens had a very fine flavour and would be desirable for local consumption ; the 

 thin skin, however, would probably prevent their being successfully shipped. Of the 

 ordinary type none was seen that had marked desirable qualities. 



Cuba.— The avocados of Cuba are closely related to those of Porto Rico, the 

 principal differences bein? the thicker skin of the Cuban fruit, and the fact that in 

 the Cuban forms the skin is quite distinct from the flesh, which is not darker near 

 the skin. The thicker skin may explain why Cuban fruit reaches New York in better- 

 condition than that of Porto Rico. Fruit pyriform or nearly spherical ; surface 

 smooth and shining ; skin thick, soft, and yielding, tearing iustead of breaking, 

 distinct from the flesh ; flesh free from fibres, firm, not darker near the skin. Seed 

 nearly spherical or pointed ; seed coats entirely distinct from each other and from 

 the cotyledons. Flavour poor. Specimens on which this description was based were 

 found in the Washington market and Avere said to have come from Cuba via New 

 York. The flavour was very insipid, which may have resulted from the fruits 

 having been picked when immature, or to overripeness. 



Hawaii. — A series of specimens shipped from Honolulu to New York shows 

 a soft-skinned fruit, in general like the avocados of Costa Rica, but much larger. 

 Form oval, oblong, or pyriform ; colour green or purple; nearly smooth, shining; 

 skin soft, of varying thickness; flesh distinctly differentiated from the skin; seed 

 longer than broad, variously shaped ; the two seed coats usually united and 

 adhering to the cotyledons, except at the base and apex. A peculiarity not observed 

 elsewhere is that of maturing several fruits in a cluster. In most countries all the 

 fruits of a cluster, except one, drop when very small. — U. S. A. Department of 

 Agriculture, Bureau oj Plant Industry. 



(To be concluded.) 



FRUIT CULTURE AT NUWARA ELIYA, CEYLON. 

 Going round the fruit orchard at Lake View, Nuwara Eliya, belonging to 

 Mr. John Cotton, a luxuriantly grown grape vine was seen, about to bear for the 

 first time, showing splendid clusters of grapes which have set. The vine is 

 under the eaves of a cattle-shed covered with zinc. The eaves have been 

 extended out with a two feet length of glass, and under it the vine (of the 

 Champion Muscat variety) is doing famously. Mr. Cotton regrets that the vine 

 was unfortunately put under eaves not more than 5 feet from the ground. 

 The raising of the entire length of the shed would be unsightly from the 

 Badulla road, from which passers can look straight on to the shed. Mr, Cotton, 



