FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 
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ing habit. Strong suckers in rich, moist 
soil will bear fruit in from 12 to 18 
months after planting. It will survive 6 
or 8 degrees of frost even though it may 
be frozen to the ground. There are three 
or four varieties that do well in Florida 
and among these are the Cavendish, 
Hart’s Choice and Orinoco. 
Catesbaea Spinosa is a hedge plant bear¬ 
ing yellow fruits that are edible. 
Carica Papaya is an odd appearing tree 
with a hollow trunk and great, ornament¬ 
al, cut leaves. The fruit, weighing often 
more than 10 pounds, grows directly out 
from the trunk and those who have culti¬ 
vated a taste for it consider it one of the 
special gifts of the gods to man. It is one 
of the salad fruits that is eaten with 
condiments. The leaves, when bruised 
and wrapped about tough meat, render it 
tender in a few hours. 
It is another of the early fruiting trees 
that newcomers get results from in from 
12 to 18 months. The Agricultural Sta¬ 
tion in Miami has succeeded in grafting 
this plant and finer varieties may soon 
be obtained than have so far been possible 
from seeds. It is necessary to have sev¬ 
eral plants in order to be sure that both 
sexes are present or there may be a fruit¬ 
less maturity. 
Carissa arduina or Amatungula is a 
choice, evergreen shrub with spines that 
makes a desirable hedge with its thick, 
glossy leaves like the Camellia. The dark 
red fruit has a diameter of an inch and 
a half and its flavor is like that of the 
raspberry. The jam made from this 
fruit is as desirable in every way as 
that made from the raspberry. 
Carissa grandiflora or Natal Plum has 
a fruit as large as a cherry and is con¬ 
sidered very good. “Acuminata” is still 
another variety of this fruit. 
The Casamiroa or White Sapota is an 
evergreen tree that comes from Mexico, 
whose fruit is hig-hly prized in that coun¬ 
try. There are trees in California that 
have borne crops yearly with no attention 
or fertilizer for 80 years. It has a pretty 
leaf formed somewhat like the Virginia 
Creeper of the North. 
Cecropia palmata and peltata are 
known as Trumpet Tree and Shakewood. 
They have an exceedingly odd-looking 
fruit, shaped like the fingers of the hand. 
This tree would be highly desirable for 
its ornamental appearance even if it bore 
no fruit. 
Coccoloba uvifera or Seagrape is a na¬ 
tive small tree growing in the southern 
part of Florida. It has large, almost 
round leaves with a red petiole and the 
fruit makes a pleasing jelly. The appear¬ 
ance of this tree is highly ornamental dur¬ 
ing its different stages of growth. In 
April, when the old leaves are shed and 
the new appear, they are a sort of claret 
color and so glossy that they look as if 
they had been varnished. Gradually these 
leaves turn a rich, bright shade of green 
and at maturity they are a very dark 
green. This shrub or small tree may be 
pruned to make a thick clump, or it may 
be trained over a veranda, like a vine. 
Coccoloba laurifolia is commonly called 
Pigeon Plum. 
Cupania sapida or Akee Tree bears red 
fruits that are edible after being cooked. 
The flowers of this tree are exceedingly 
fragrant. The variety “elegantissima” 
has been offered by northern florists as a 
