368 
GUATEMALA. 
takes root and bears the next season. I am not sure of 
the species of spondias, but it is much smaller than the 
S- dulcis of the Pacific Islands, and more like the hog- 
plum of Jamaica. Peaches grow in the highlands, hut 
of the poorest quality, and the trees are in blossom and 
fruit at the same time. Figs grow very well; yet the 
Guatemaltecans import canned figs from New Orleans. 
The star-apple ( Chrysophyllum cainito ), so popular in the 
West Indies, the mangosteen ( Oarcinia mangostana ), the 
most delicious fruit of the East Indies, the loquat ( Erio - 
botrya japoniea ), the durian (. Durio zibethinus ), that foul¬ 
smelling but pleasant-tasting fruit, the bhel (JEgle 
marmelos ), the Marquesan plum ( Spondias dulcis ), and a 
host of others might grow here, but do not. 
Guavas or goyavas grow wild, but are of very poor 
quality; I have not found the very fine strawberry gua¬ 
vas, but have planted seeds of the black guava, the best 
of its kind. Cherimoyers (. Anona cherimolia ) are very 
common in the uplands, extending even into the region 
of occasional frosts. A red-pulped variety is much prized. 
The sour-sop ( Anona muricata) is cultivated all along the 
coast, and is seldom absent from a Carib village. Grapes 
grow finely on the Pacific slope, and would probably do 
equally well on the north. That most pleasing fruit of 
the passion-flower (. Passifiora sp .), the granadilla, or water- 
lemon, may be found, in the season, for sale in every plaza 
in the highlands. The more common kind is of the size 
of a large hen’s egg, and the tough shell contains an aro¬ 
matic jelly of which one can eat almost without limit; 
this fruit is sold at ten for acuartil (3 cents). The larger 
species has a fine purple blossom as large as a saucer, 
wdiile the fruit is more than a foot long. These vines 
