494 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Jan. i, 1894. 
THE ANONAS. 
The Artouas are deciduous, of compact habit of 
growth, from ten to twenty-five feet high, and ex- 
perience shows that the Cherimolia is the hardiest 
as well as the finest flavored variety grown. It is 
a native of Peru, whence it has been introduced into 
Mexico and many other warm countries. The flavor 
of the Cherimolia has been compared to a blending 
of pineapple, banana, strawberries and cream, and 
various other " good things ; " yet others are not so 
enthusiastic in its praise. Another South American 
Species, Anona squamosa (Sweet Sop, or Sugar Sop), 
has been successfully fruited iu San Bernardino 
county, California ; in its native habitat it com' 
menoes to bear fruit In the second or third year of 
its growth. It is indigenous to Tropical Ameiica, 
and was carried to Asia soon after the discovery of 
America, and is now cultivated in nearly'all tropical 
countries ; this is one of the species which readily 
sprout from the roots when cut down by fnost. In 
some of the West Indies this fruit, in its season, 
forms almost the sole sustenance of the poorer 
class of inhabitants. While not equal to Auona 
Cherimolia, it is considered one of the finest of fruits ; 
it is too soft for transportation when in its best 
condition for eating; tne unripe fruit is sometimes 
cooked with ginger, to counteract its astringent 
qualities. 
Anona reticulata, " Bullock's Heart," so called from 
the form of the fruit (this common name is, how- 
ever, misleading, as it would apply to several spe- 
cies), is indigenous to Brazil and has been in 
cultivation about 200 years. It is considered as next 
best to Anona squamosa in quality and is the true 
"Custard Apple." 
Anona (jlahra, the "Wild Custard Apple " of South 
Florida, is said to be indigenous to Florida and 
the West Indies, has fragrant fruit of the size of 
a pippin apple and ripens in August. It is also 
called Pond Apple, and by the Spanish-speaking 
people Mamon. 
Anona pi/riformis and Anona glabra are said to have 
fruited in San Bernardino county, California, but 
I have not been able to find any description of A. 
pyriformis. 
Anona muncata, " Sour Sop," is a native of the 
West Indies, where it is a favorite. It is a large, 
green fruit containing a soft, white, juicy pulp, 
from which a cooling drink is made ; it is one of 
the moat beautiful of the genus but is not so hardy 
as the other species. I have received seeds of this 
species from the Botanic Gardens of Trinidad, West 
Indies, but they sprouted and grew in transit, and 
this, with other accidents which befell them after 
their arrival, destroyed the whole consignment. 
Anona longifolia, the long-leaved Anona, is a native 
of Guiana, South America, the pulp of the fruit 
is flesh colored. 
Anona palustris, " Alligator Apple," or " Cork 
Wood," from South America, has smooth, leathery 
leaves, large heart-shaped, sweet scented fruit. In 
Brazil the wood of this tree is used as a substitute 
for cork. 
Anona pakidosa is found in swamps in the West 
Indies. 
The Seriba, a species of Anona found in Brazil, 
is a quick growing tree, with large f'uit, the flavor 
of which resembles that of the Cherimolia. 
Anona montana. Among other species of Anonas, 
for which I am indebted to the director of the 
Botanic Gardens of Jamaica, I received specimens 
of the foliage of Anona montana, which grows wild 
in the Island of Jamaica. 
There are several species mentioned in various 
publications, some of which are doubtless local va- 
rieties, or synonyms of well known species. Among 
them Sire, d. africma, 4. cenerea (West Indies), A. ' 
■mexicana, A. trilohata and A. tenegaleiinit. The last 
mentioned has blai»h-green leaves and small fruiti 
with dark-red pulp, the flavor reeembling tb« A. 
Cherimolia. — Ameiican Agriculturist. 
PROSPECTS IN CALIFORNIA. 
In your impression of last week a correspondent 
desires some information as to the probpect of employ- 
ment in Denver. I cannot furnish this, but I enclose 
a letter from a friend — one of two young men who 
left Ediuburg a few years ago in seaich of a bonie 
in California. Their experiences may be iutc'resticf:' 
to some of your readers. ' W. S. 
Orange County, Cahfornia, U> S. 
Now about CaUforuia as a field for a young man 
to invest iiaOO or i'JOO iu a fruit rauchc, I would 
advise no person to buy land for fruit-raising at 
present prices (from KX) dols. to 300 dols. unimpro- 
ved), as our orange gi'owers have had a severe lesson 
this j'eai". For the best orange growers have in past 
years been getting fancy prices, say from 3 50 dols 
to 4 U} dols. and eveu 6 dols. iu many cases for a 
box of oranges containing 128. Now this year growers 
have had to come down from their " high nail " 
and be thankful to take what they could get. The 
reason for oranges being so low is that there has 
not been sufiicient demand at the prices asked for 
the supply. Next year the supply will be double 
what It is this year, and will go on increasing for 
many years to come. The question that confronts 
we gi'owers is, " How and where are we to market 
our crops in future ? " People here who should knovt 
what they are talking about say there is no fear of 
over-production. I am not quite bo sanguine as they 
are, and would therefore advise great caution in 
buying fruit land at present, at last until we know 
bow we are going to market our crops in future. 
My partner and 1 have 20 acres, 10 of which are 
in oranges, walnuts, lemons, and prunes. The other 
10 acres we utilise in growing potatoes, cabbage, 
and Indian corn. These 10 acres should really be 
planted with some kind of fruit trees, but we will 
not plant out any more trees until we know how 
things are going. "S\'e. of course, are two bachelors, 
and do everything ourselves. We have a cow, a pig, 
about 120 hens, 2 horses, A-c, We do our own 
cooking, washing, milking, churning, baking, &c. 
The eggs and butter which we sell pays for 
our monthly grocery bill; this is the best way to 
make a small ranche pay for the first three or four 
years until the trees begin to bear a sufficient crop 
of fruit to pay expenses. You will see from what 
I have said that a young man coming out here 
must make up his mind to rough it, as there are 
no home comforts to be had on a bachelor's ranche 
here, and he viill have to do things that he never 
would have dreamed of doing in the old country. 
£300 would buy ten acres of unimproved land at 
present prices, that is 150 dollars per acre. To 
improve that land by planting trees and putting up 
a small shanty and a barn for hay, implements, ix ; 
also, to buy two horses and a few hens, and furn- 
ishing the shanty, would take between £150 and 
£200 more — in all, say, £.500. A young man could 
live and feed his horses, &c., for £40 a year, and 
with care in looking after his hens he could live, 
I believe, for £30. The climate here is the most 
glorious a man could possibly wish. It is almost 
eternal summer. There is a rainy season, but we 
don't see much of it. It is supposed to begin about 
November and last until March, during which time 
we get a heavy shower of rain now and again until 
we have had about from 7 to 12 inches. Then we 
see no more rain until next winter. I have never 
seen the thermometer at freezing point yet, and in 
summer it seldom goes over 95 degs., which is nothing 
as compared with 75 degs. at home. The air here 
is quite dry. I have ence seen the thermometer 
at 120 degs., and next day at 112 degs., but that 
was very exceptional, being almost unknown in this 
part of California.— /Scoijwan. 
