GUAVAS AND BANANAS. 



135 



protected, it is apt to be killed back by frosts, but even when 

 this mishap does occur the roots are not injured. Very often 

 the main branches are also unhurt, and the plant at once puts 

 forth an amazing amount of energetic growth, and in a few 

 months replaces all it has lost. 



It is a common saying among growers that "if only one crop 

 in three years is secured, it pays well to raise guavas ; " but 

 there is no reason why a crop should not be secured every year, 

 the guava being naturally a constant and heavy bearer. 



In setting out guavas, it is best to place them in rows, 

 twelve feet apart each way ; this gives them plenty of room, and 

 yet is close enough to render it easy to protect them from frost, 

 by driving down stakes here and there along the rows, as close 

 as possible to the main body of the plants, on each side, and 

 then nailing t© these long, slender slats, in such a manner that 

 the outlying branches will be pressed inwards in a compact 

 mass. The stakes should be high enough to permit a covering 

 of moss or pine boughs to be laid across the top, from side to 

 side, supported by cross-slats here and there. This top cover is 

 very important, as it is the heavy dew that falls on frosty nights 

 that makes all the trouble. To prevent this cold dew from 

 touching his tender plants is the one object of the Florida 

 grower's winter protection. 



Another method of cheating "Jack Frost" of his prey, is 

 to have ready piles of wood, the bulk of it trash, that will make 

 plenty of smoke to the north and west, since the hurtful winds 

 always come from these directions. Then, when a frosty night is 

 expected, the fires should be kindled and kept " smudged," so 

 that they will burn slowly, yet sufficiently, until dawn. After 

 the sun rises it is very rare indeed that any danger from frost 

 remains. 



If neither of these precautions can ^be taken, the next best 

 way is to throw earth around their trunk, as high as possible, 

 and let it remain thus until the end of January, and in unusually 

 severe winters, even later ; then, if the upper branches are 

 "nipped," enough is savedffor another vigorous starting point. 

 But the guava, as w^e shall ^see, is well worth a great deal 



