FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 
Opuntia or Prickly Pear is a Cactus. 
There are several varieties of Cactus 
that bear delicious fruit. Burbank has 
two edible varieties that are very fine. 
The Indian Fig Cactus has a large, yel¬ 
low fruit on an almost spineless plant. 
Opuntia tuna has a dark-red fruit that 
furnishes a rich red coloring for ices, 
jellies and drinks. 
Phyllanthus distichus or Otaheite 
Gooseberry is a most ornamental small 
tree bearing bunches of greenish white 
berries that are palatable when cooked. 
Phyllanthus Emblica or Myrobalan is an 
exceedingly handsome srrfall tree with 
line, almost fern-like foliage and an acid 
fruit. 
Persea gratissima, called Alligator 
Pear, Avocado, Aquacate, and Midship¬ 
man’s Butter is a native of the Western 
Hemisphere and as a salad fruit stands 
at the head of that class. 
It is an evergreen tree of very quick 
growth. Three year old trees are often 
20 feet high if they are well fed, this be¬ 
ing one of the trees that needs more fer¬ 
tilizer than most trees. It will bear in 
from 3 to 5 years and it is best to buy 
stock that is known to have these qualities 
—large fruit with a small seed, and 
enough hardiness to stand a temperature 
of 32 for a short time. Such a tree may 
cost from $3 to $8, but it will be worth 
it when it comes into fruit. These may 
be picked while they are green and taken 
in the house when they will turn purple 
in a few days, and when the skin is easily 
dented with the finger-nail it is ready 
for salad. Cut in halves and eaten with 
lime juice, salt and pepper or salad dress¬ 
165 
ing. it is highly relished by those who 
have cultivated a taste for it. 
Peaches, Pears and Plums do well all 
over Florida, if certain conditions are 
provided for them and only the varieties 
are attempted that are recommended by 
the nurserymen who have experimented 
with them. For success with Peaches 
they should be grafted on the native Plum 
which insures freedom from root-knot. 
They need well-drained land and the graft 
must be set at least 6 inches below the 
surface of the soil. One has half a doz¬ 
en varieties to choose from and these 
have Chinese parents for the most part. 
Pears grow well on any citrus land, but 
one should confine their choice to those 
with Chinese parentage. 
Plums are grown successfully if a few 
native trees are set with the nursery va¬ 
rieties. These are needed for proper pol- 
linization. Four varieties grow well in 
the southern part of the State and there 
are half a dozen varieties to chose from 
for the middle and northern parts. 
Psidium or the Guava is one o,f the 
quick fruiting trees that are most desir¬ 
able where the temperatures do not get 
too low. They will stand rather low tem¬ 
peratures and if they freeze they readily 
sprout from the roots and bear again in a 
year. One may get a great number of 
varieties of this fine fruit. Some will be 
very acid and more desirable for jellies 
than for eating from the hand. Guava 
butter, vinegar, wine, preserves, marma¬ 
lades and jellies and various sweetmeats 
are made from the fruit of this tree. Two 
varieties of Cattley Guavas make hand¬ 
some evergreen trees with fine fruit for 
cooking. All orchards in south Florida 
