FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
117 
fertilization as well as any tree that we 
have planted. Hard wood ashes have 
proven with us the best fertilizer for the 
young buds and this applied only in lim¬ 
ited quantities. 
THE MANGO AND AVOCADO. 
These are the coming fruits for sec¬ 
tions where they can be safely grown. 
We do not advise planting these fruits in 
portions of the State, where frosts are 
liable to come; but in all portions where 
the weather conditions are right, a com¬ 
mercial orchard of these fruits will pro¬ 
duce more cash to the acre, than any 
known fruit. It is not to be expected that 
in years to come, Mangoes and Avo- 
cadoes will bring the fabulous prices that 
are maintained now, but the fact is there 
are such limited areas of Florida, where 
these fruits can be safely grown, that 
the demand will always be greater than 
the supply and 1 consequently high prices 
will be the rule. 
THE TROPICAL PAW-PAW. 
(Carle a Papaya.) 
This at present is one of the least 
known fruits that is grown in this south¬ 
ern section and when its value as a fruit 
is understood, will make an unlimited de¬ 
mand for it, both as a table fruit and for 
medicinal purposes. 
The paw-paw is really a melon that 
grows on a tree,' with the fruit attached 
to the body. One of the greatest difficul¬ 
ties in growing the paw-paw is that there 
is no way of distinguishing the male 
from the female tree, until it begins to 
bloom. Apparently there are many more 
male than female seeds in the fruit. I 
have been growing the paw-paw for the 
past several years and have had one or 
two male trees bear small fruits of good 
flavor. The trees fruit in about eighteen 
months after planting and continue to 
bear for several years, ripening one fruit 
at a time. 
, The paw-paw will grow on any soil 
that is well drained. Last year the writer 
lost two large trees by an overflow of salt 
water. Other trees standing by were not 
damaged, but have been fruiting through¬ 
out the entire season. 
This fruit has only to be known in the 
northern states, when the demand for it 
will be greater than the supply. 
THE SAPADILLO. 
t (A Sap at a.) 
The Sapadillo is another of the tropi¬ 
cal fruits which in years to come will be¬ 
come popular in the markets of the 
North. So far there has been no attempt 
to improve the varieties and all trees ‘are 
grown from the seed. It adapts itself to 
any kind of soil and is a free bearer. The 
skin is of russet color, some kinds having 
a tinge of re 1 on one cheek. This is 
another fruk for which one must edu¬ 
cate the taste before it becomes really en¬ 
joyable, but when once the taste is ac¬ 
quired there Is a continual desire for 
more sapadillos. It is a good shipper, 
standing long journeys well. 
THE BANANA. 
{Musa.) 
In this Southern portion of the State, 
the banana is being grown to a consider¬ 
able extent commercially. For many years 
the people living on the Florida Keys 
have been growing this fruit quite largely 
for market purposes, their only market 
