1913. 
THE RURA1> NEW-YOK KER 
491 
THE PAPAYA. 
One of the tropical fruits that is sure to come 
into use in the hospitals and by the advice of 
physicians for those with weak stomachs and also 
by all who like fruit wherever it can be had, is 
the papaya or “Melon pawpaw,” as it is often 
called, which is the fruit of Carica papaya. It is 
strictly tropical and can only be grown where there is 
no frost, which limits it to extreme southern Florida 
within the United States. It is native there and in 
the West Indies, where it is very abundant in the 
wild state and is cultivated to a slight extent and 
eaten with relish as a common article of diet. The 
wild varieties are quite small, rarely exceeding the 
size of small oranges, and have a curious and rather 
“pumpkiny” taste, but selection and cultivation have 
made a wonderful improvement in both the size and 
flavor. I have been seeing and eating this fruit for 
over 25 years, as it has been grown in Southern 
Florida and have liked it quite well, but not until 
this year did I really appreciate its true worth. 
The habits of the papaya are quite peculiar in 
several respects. The male and female flowers 
are on separate tree-like stalks or trunks which are 
four to six inches thick and about eight to 15 feet 
high and very rarely have any branches. 
The fruit is attached to the stalk in 
such a way as to look like cantaloupes 
on a pole, as the picture shows. They 
vary in size from about two inches in 
diameter to almost a foot and in shape 
from round to oblong and are rarely 
pear-shaped. The surface is smooth 
and green in color until ripe when it 
changes to a clear yellow. The gen¬ 
eral appearance of the fruit is that of 
old muskmelons, although the sutures 
and ribs are very indistinct. The flesh 
is thick, yellow and soft when fully 
ripe. It is eaten with or without salt 
or sugar, as we eat cantaloupes. It may 
be cooked, either ripe or unripe and 
makes a delicious sauce. The seeds are 
numerous, black, nearly round, the size 
of large shot and stick to the flesh in 
the cavity similar to those of the canta¬ 
loupe. The flavor is somewhat peculiar 
but varies from the wild and rather 
squashy taste of the wild varieties to 
that which is sweet, rich and very 
agreeable. The leaves are from one to 
three feet across and have stems two 
or more feet long. 
Aside from the value of the papaya 
as a food it is one of the most useful 
aids in digestion that is known. There 
is a considerable amount of pepsin in 
its composition and in a most agreeable 
form. The weakest stomach can digest 
the raw or cooked fruit and it is de¬ 
cidedly nourishing. Physicians who 
know its qualities are loud in its praise 
and recommend it to their dyspeptic 
patients if the fruit is obtainable. As 
yet there is so little of the choice kinds 
grown for sale that few can get it to 
eat in this country, even where it will 
flourish. The fact that the plants are 
dioecious, that is about half of them 
bearing male flowers and the other or 
female half bearing all the fruit, it is necessary to 
destroy all but a few of the males after they show 
their sex by blooming, and depend on the rest for 
the fruit. And, besides, there is a constant tendency 
in the seedlings to revert to the wild and almost 
worthless type and such must be destroyed after they 
have been brought to bearing age, which is over six 
months from the seed or nearly half their life time. 
But within the last few months it has been learned 
that it is entirely practicable to graft the seedlings 
with sprouts from the choice trees. This makes it 
possible to perpetuate those bearing only the best 
fruit and to also control the sex in a cultural way. 
Size, shape and quality may be had at the command 
of the grower, which is most fortunate and really 
solves the main problem of the commercial culture 
of the papaya. There is no doubt of its final ac¬ 
ceptance by the public, but of course only in a limited 
way, for the fact that it can only be grown in tropical 
regions will restrict its production. The long ship¬ 
ment to northern markets and the rather delicate 
and perishable character of the fruit must work 
against its popularity, but as a specialty for fancy 
liuit lovers and invalids it is quite sure to be very 
acceptable. It is the latest of the tropical fruits to 
hl brought under profitable culture, and the credit 
is almost entirely due to the thoughtful and skillful 
he did not get to plant them until April 15. He did 
not have the time to manure the ground. The po¬ 
tatoes were planted without the freshly plowed earth 
being harrowed. There was no time for spraying 
the vines and the crop received two workings. The 
gross earnings of B.’s one acre were: Potatoes, 93 
bushels; 50 bushels of these went on the market at 
90 cents per bushel. 
9.3 bushels, at 90 cents .per bushel..$83.70 
Expense for seed, cutlivating, etc. 15.60 
Net profit .$68.10 
After the potatoes came off this acre it was 
allow to grow up in crab-grass, but it was not cut. 
In which class are you—the B. or C.? w. r. 
Kentucky. 
“ GOING TO A FARM.” 
In selecting a farm'first determine what line of farm¬ 
ing you desire to follow. If dairy appeals to you, 
choose a well-watered farm with a certain propor¬ 
tion of land suitable for corn in a rotation; also land 
that will grow Alfalfa without petting. If one-half 
your farm is adapted naturally to corn and Alfalfa 
you are on safe ground from a dairy standpoint. The 
remainder of farm can be utilized for pasture, or im¬ 
proved by drainage. For fruit growing 
a farm with elevation above surround¬ 
ing country is better on account of frost 
drainage. A limestone soil in this 
county is preferred; where Alfalfa 
grows naturally is pdbof of right soil 
conditions. In fact each farm has its 
own problems to be worked out. The 
average relative cost of production must 
determine which crop to grow. As 
compared to the costs of your competit¬ 
ors, if you find your cost is lower than 
theirs, it is safe to enlarge on the crop. 
The neighbors, schools and churches 
all need to be considered in selecting a 
farm, and finally it is hard to advise, for 
what would suit one would not another. 
GRANT G. HITCHINGS. 
Onondaga Co., N. Y. 
CHILDREN’S POTATO CROPS. 
On page 344 is an article entitled “The 
World’s Potato Record,” and I thought 
if that was considered a record perhaps 
some of your readers might be inter¬ 
ested in a record that some of our boys 
and girls made last year, so I enclose 
a report that was published in a local 
paper at the time. This contest was 
started by myself, but a committee, com¬ 
posed of a member of the Y. M. C. 
A., the Chamber of Commerce, the 
County Superintendent of Schools, the 
Grange and the Agricultural College 
were asked to and did help with the 
contest. Two hundred and twenty-seven 
boys and girls entered, and in spite of 
bad weather, blight and other discour¬ 
agements, 85 came clear through and 
made their showing at the fair held for 
that purpose. The plot of ground was 
one square rod and no potatoes were 
counted that were dug outside of the 
161-2 foot limit. The judging was on a 
basis of 60 points for quantity, 25 for quality and 15 
for essay. The best yield was 587 pounds, second 535 
pounds, and then there were several in the four-hun¬ 
dred-pound class. This year the contest is State wide 
and includes besides potatoes, wheat, oats, corn, and 
peas, besides stock judging and school garden contests. 
Washington. c. e. flint. 
R. N.-Y.—The first prize was won by Arthur K. 
Collins. On his rod of ground Arthur raised 587 
pounds, or at the rate of 1,565 bushels per acre. His 
prize was a scholarship at the Agricultural College 
and a $15 account in a bank. Charles Banner won 
second prize, $50 worth of land and $10 in cash. He 
raised 535 pounds, or at the rate of 1,440 bushels 
per acre. One of the girls. Jeannette Gilmore, raised 
342 pounds or 920 bushels per acre. 
"Why not get out of the hired-man class and into 
the division that docs the hiring?” 
That is what the Kansas Agricultural College 
asks. The question is directed at hired men. There 
are many of these laid off in Winter, and some of 
them flock to town and spend enough in pool rooms 
and motion shows to pay for a 10 -weeks’ course 
at the agricultural college. The cost will be a 
little over $ 50 . Now the question is, could even' 
hired man get this money out of the course, or ii 
education only for the naturally quick or persistent? 
efforts of the efficient superintendent, Mr. Simmons, 
of the tropical experiment station at Miami, Florida. 
In the face of discouragements he worked out the 
details of the propagation by grafting until now 
it is very easy of accomplishment. A very choice 
variety has been given the name Simmons and is 
the first one to have that distinction. 
H. E. VAN DEMAN. 
TWO KENTUCKY ACRES. 
To get the greatest amount of profit out of an acre 
and yet not rob the soil of its fertility is the object 
of every thoughtful tiller of land. By intensive cul¬ 
tivation, how much can be produced, in one Summer 
upon a given amount of land? With this question 
to solve, my friend C. prepared one-half acre last 
Spring for potatoes. It was light clay and fairly 
fertile. He spread five wagon-loads of stable ma¬ 
nure upon it and plowed it eight inches deep in Febru¬ 
ary. He planted the plot in Early Ohio, March 25. 
The weather was warm and it continued so and 
this, with the warmth of the manure in the ground 
brought them up very quickly. They were planted 
two pieces in the hill and 18 inches apart in rows. 
The rows were 2y 2 feet apart. They were cultivated 
PAPAYAS BEARING FRUIT. Fig. 156. 
four times with one-horse cultivator. First plowing 
was done when the tops began to break ground. They 
were marketed the last of June and measured 129 
bushels, selling for an average of $1.35 per bushel. 
The ground was harrowed down and ridges turned 
and it was set out in sweet potatoes. After the slips 
had thoroughly established themselves, he planted 
every' third ridge in muskmelons. In September the 
sweet potato vines were pruned closely and the re¬ 
maining ridges planted in cucumbers (Early Spine) 
and two other kinds that he calls “Solid Green” and 
“Sure Picklers.” Here are the gross earnings of* 
this plot of ground : 
Potatoes, 129 bushels. $169.00 
Sweet potatoes, 93 bushels. 55.80 
Muskmelons . 20.30 
Cucumbers . 69.80 
Total . $314.90 
Expense for seed, manuring, plowing, ’ harrowing, 
cultivating and marketing, spraying, about $100. The 
land was given another covering of manure and then 
sowed down to rye. 
This I consider a most promising indication of what 
land will produce when we mix brain and muscle 
properly. B. just across, on a neighboring farm, 
planted about an acre to potatoes. His seed was what 
lie called White Elephant, and had been planted on 
the same farm for years. Owing to the Spring rush. 
