1397 
the tree, as it is yet very early in the season. While 
three-fifths of all the trees are bearing, many of 
them are carrying only 3 to 10 fruits each. The best 
production observed was that of a tree about 18 feet 
high and 10 feet in spread, which was carrying 85 
fruits, nearly all of them fine large specimens. It 
may be noted that there is less variation in size and 
form among the fruits of one tree than is common in the 
cherimoya. In this respect the papauce resembles the 
sugar-apple. In form the fruits are conical, oval, or 
round. The largest specimens I have seen weighed a 
pound and a half. The average size is between eight 
ounces and a pound. The surface is rough, the carpel- 
lary areas being indicated by deeply incised lines, and 
each area giving rise, toward its lower end, to a short 
point or prominence . The roughness of the surface varies 
considerably among the fruits from different trees, as 
also the color. About half the fruits examined in 
Tapachula were pale green in color, and half more or 
less magenta-pink . All of them are heavily overspread 
with a whitish bloom which makes them very attractive 
In appearance, and which has doubtless given rise to' 
the name anona blanca (white anona) , used in Guatemala. 
In the pale green varieties the flesh is white, in the 
pink ones it is tinged with rose-pink. It is generally 
considered here that tbe white-fleshed fruits arebest, 
as they are sweeter. This would conform with the 
Mexican taste. I have met one American who told me he 
greatly preferred the pink ones, because they were more 
acid. The skin or outer covering is nearly a quarter 
of an inch thick, soft and coarsely granular in texture. 
The flesh is custard-like inconsistency, and in flavor 
about midway between a good cherimoya and a good sugar- 
apple. As nearly as I can recollect, It is almost 
identical with .the flavor of some crosses between these 
two species , which I sampled at Miami , Florida, several 
years ago. I am speaking now of the white-fleshed 
Varieties; some of the pink ones are considerably more 
acid in flavor than either the cherimoya or the sugar- 
apple. The seeds are about as numerous as those of 
the cherimoya, but larger. I have usually found about 
25 or 30 in each fruit. The Tapachulans do not pick 
the fruits until they burst open on the tree. We ob- 
served the same custom in Brazil in connection with 
the cultivation of the sugar-apple. I doubt if the 
papauce is sufficiently hardy for cultivation in south- 
ern California, unless it be planted in the most pro- 
tected situations . It seems to be a fruit of the tropical 
