OTHER SPECIES OF CUSTARD APPLES, AS FRUIT TREES. 
137 
yellow, and contains a soft, excellent-tasted pulp, Don's Syst. It was introduced in 
1833, and may be cultivated in every respect in the same manner as the Sour-Sop. 
Cinereous Custard Apple (Anona cinerea of De Cand.) — This species bears an 
excellent fruit, and is much cultivated in the West Indies, where it forms a thick 
spreading bush, twenty feet in height. Leaves oblong-elliptical, somewhat lanceolate, 
dotted, pubescent on the under surface. Flowers solitary. Petals six ; outer ones 
linear-oblong, narrow, triquetrous at the top, somewhat concave at the base, nearly 
closed ; inner petals very minute. Fruit fleshy, ovate-globose, covered with a thin 
scaly coat. It was introduced in 1823, and may be treated exactly like the 
Sour-Sop. 
Marsh Custard Apple {Anona paludosa of Aublet). — A native of Guiana, 
growing in marshy places, and forming a low shrub about four feet in height, bearing 
abundance of small orange-like fruit. The leaves are oblong, acute, tomentose on 
both surfaces, and rufescent beneath. The flowers are solitary, and produced on short 
peduncles. Petals six, acute, yellowish-green, silky on the outside ; inner petals 
small. Fruit with a very grateful flavour, and might no doubt be greatly improved 
by cultivation. It was introduced in 1803, and may be treated like the Sour-Sop. 
Smooth Custard Apple {Anona glabra, of Linnseus). A greenhouse species, 
native of Carolina, and cultivated in some parts of South America and the West 
Indies. It forms a shrub twelve or sixteen feet in height. The leaves are ovate- 
lanceolate and smooth. The peduncles are seated opposite to the leaves, and are 
two-flowered. The calyx is coriaceous, tritid, large, somewhat campanulate, and 
brown on the outside. Petals six; outer ones ovate, obtuse, inner ones smaller, 
lanceolate. Fruit conical, blunt, smooth, of a yellowish green colour, with a pulp 
about the consistence of a ripe pear, sweet and luscious to the taste, but rather too 
deficient of acid. In cultivation it may be treated in the same way as recommended 
for the Cherimoyer ; there is little doubt, however, but this species would do well 
against a conservative wall, and might perhaps in such a situation ripen its fruit, 
especially in some of the w^armer counties. 
Wood Custard Apple {Anona sylvatica of St. Hil.). A native of Brazil, where 
in the natural woods it grows to the height of eighteen or twenty feet. The timber is 
in much request for various domestic purposes, being light, and very close-grained. 
The leaves are large, elliptical, short pointed, pubescent, and full of pellucid dots. 
Peduncles solitary. Fruit about the size of an orange, and said to have a very good 
flavour. It has not yet been introduced to this country, but will most likely require 
similar treatment to the Cherimoyer. 
The whole of the above species of Custard-apple, with the exception of A. glabra, 
are hardy stove plants, and perhaps even the latter would not ripen its fruit properly 
without stove heat. They all delight in a soil light, sandy, and only moderately 
rich ; good drainage is indispensable ; strong heat is not necessary for their welfare ; 
pruning is not required ; they bear full exposure to the light ; liberal watering during 
their time of growth and fruiting, and but a small portion during the winter. The 
VOL. XV. NO. CLXXIV. 
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