10 
of papaya trees more than 5 or 6 feet high. These have been success- 
fully moved on several occasions during the last 12 years by taking 
up as much as possible of the root system intact and cutting off the 
leaf blades, except those at the top not fully developed, a part of each 
petiole or footstalk being left attached to the trunk. 
IRRIGATION. 
While the papaya will produce good fruit with a quite limited 
supply of water, it responds freely to liberal irrigation on well- 
drained soils, and under such conditions yields larger fruits and 
heavier crops. It is impossible to state any rule which can govern 
the amount of irrigation under the widely different conditions exist- 
ing, but in general it may be said that less water than is required for 
the orange will suffice. When the young plants are set out they re- 
quire watering every day or two for a few weeks, because the surface 
soil in which are the roots dries out very rapidly. In the few small 
plantations in the dry districts near Honolulu water is applied to 
established trees in ditches or depressions between the rows. 
FERTILIZERS. 
No exact data are available to show the actual fertilizer require- 
ments of the plants. This station has used successfully on young 
trees the following fertilizer forftiula: 
Pounds. 
Superphosphate (acid phosphate) 800 
High grade sulphate of potash 315 
Nitrate of soda 250 
Sulphate of ammonia 190 
Flack sand (volcanic ash) 445 
Total 2, 000 
This has been applied at the rate of 1 pound per tree at planting 
time, thoroughly mixed with the soil in the hole prepared for the 
tree, and as a surface dressing six months later. 
PRUNING AND CHANGE OF SEX. 
There is little necessity for pruning papaya trees. Some plants 
show a tendency to send out side shoots, and it is advisable to remove 
these or the nourishment will be diverted from the fruit crop on the 
main trunk. When the latter has borne for two or three years it 
may be cut down, and some of the side shoots may be allowed to 
form a new top, which will continue the bearing life of the tree and 
produce easily accessible fruits. 
Changing the sex of a male tree has at times been brought about 
by severe pruning. Removing the terminal bud or even cutting off 
the whole top below the leaves has been known to bring about this 
