1735 
the finest of all tropical fruits and told of var- 
ieties as large as a peach. An effort has been made 
to obtain some of these varieties, but as yet we have 
been unable to locate any of them. Our correspondent, 
Dr. J. Slmao da Costa, replying to an inquiry regard- 
ing the pupunha, March 6, 1922, says: 
"This palm grows in clusters and Is among the 
most elegant and useful trees of the Amazonian flora. 
In the gardens of the Museum (at Para) there are a few 
distinct varieties, and the most valuable of all the 
pupunha trees I remember seeing were located in the 
village of Mosqueiro, near the capital. 
"Some native Brazilians are passionately fond of 
pupunha fruit, but not one of them would think of plac- 
ing it among the most delicious of tropical fruits. 
The pupunha takes its place at the table of the middle 
classes and poorer people, and children of all classes 
and ages eat the fruit eagerly while it Is in season. 
But if this fruit were to be had throughout the year, 
the average Brazilian would not prefer it to any other 
vegetable . " 
Prom this we deduce that the pupunha is not bet- 
ter than the pejibaye,- if, indeed, it is as good - for 
Costa Ricans of all classes, from poor and humble to 
the most opulent and aristocratic are exceedingly fond 
of the pejibaye and consider It one of the best foods 
produced in the country. It is not fair, perhaps, to 
compare the pejibaye with other tropical fruits, since 
it is not a dessert fruit like the mango and pineapple, 
but a stable foodstuff, more properly likened to po- 
tatos or beans. It may be compared very appropriately 
to the avocado, in so far as food value is concerned. 
Grapes for Tropical Regions. 
The development of grape varieties suitable for 
cultivation in tropical regions has received consid- 
erable attention in recent years, and this office has 
introduced several tropical species for the use of 
breeders. In the course of our exchanges with tropical 
botanical gardens and other institutions, we have sup- 
plied several of them with standard varieties of North 
American grapes. 
In this connection the following paragraph, taken 
from a letter from Willis T. Pope, horticulturist at 
the Hawaiian Experiment Station (dated March 18,1922) 
is of interest: 
