The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1901-09-03
USEFUL
PAPAyA
Tree of the Tropics
Of Great
Value.

n NE OF the most useful and yet least
appreciated plants in the world, T.
~ the common Papaya (Caryca Papa
ia). over this, to us so well known tree.
the botanists have quarreled extensively
some saying 1t is an old plant, a survival
from prehistoric ages, so to speak; Will,
some maintain that it is an entirely new
plant trying to establish itself. Again
some say that ii belongs to the Euphor-
biaceoe; others maintain, IL is of "a class
entirely to itself. Practically the only use
OF IL now made, is of it's fruit, which in
app"ora"c" "n1 flavor somewhat resem-
hl, seas ,nurTnlelon. One German chemi-
cal u H, Merch a. Co., in Darmstadt,
c--t,uCts the white fluid, which exudes
.r-nl tnr green fruit under the name
OF Fapain. This ruid has a great di-
gestive value. OF far more local interest
however, are the various benefits which
the small tropical farmer can derive from
this plant.
1t has been said that the juice con-
tained In the green fruit has a digestive
power. This seems to be true however
not of the fruit alone. but also of the
other parts OF the tree. The story, that
IL you hang the venerable tough hen up
In a Papaia tree. 1t will turn into u
tender spring chicken. is a story which
has provoked much dersion. 1t Is true
nevertheless; the natives OTTER wrap
squids. which certainly, are the acme of
toughness. In the leaves of this tree. and
thereby reduce them to quite n palatable
tenderness.
The greatest value of the papaya how
ever Is as n fodder for pigs. After ex-
tensive experiments 1t has become evil
dent that as fattener the ripe fruit
is hard to excel. AS n matter of fact.
We have seen hogs, which were fed ex-
c!usively ON papayas, fatten so rapidly.
that their rations had to be considerably
reduced. On an average 1t will take
about twenty trees per head. The papaya
fruits all the year round, and, as 1t dur
ing certain months bears quite consid-
erably less than usual, twenty trees may
be considered as a safe estimate.
The great difficulty with planting pa
paya trees lies in the fact, that there are
male and female as well as hermaphro-
dite trees. If the trees thus are planted
one for every fifteen feet, the planter Is
certain to get at least half the portion
OF his trees males, and consequently I'M
productive plants. One male will be
found sufficient for forty females. The
biseNual trees are scarcer than either OF
the monosexual kind. Another drawback
in planting comes from the fact, that
the papaya will not grow true from seed.
II you plant seed from one OF the larger.
oblong, purple variety, you may get trees
with small round fruits, and vice versa.
Likewise II seed from a biseXual tree is
planted, the result will in very many
cases be either male alone or female
alone. 1t has therefore been found n
good plan. to plant the seed In boxes;
after the plants have reached hight
of about six inches, they can be trans
nlnntpl will no Nynll IN n ba
ground. where they to he placed, in
IA diameter of about three to four feet,
II three or four trees are planted in each
place, the planter win be able to select
the female trees, just leaving enough
males to effect the polarization.
This plan may cost some more labor,
but it will be found to be more prof
liable in the end, than planting single
tree for each space, and supporting a
large surplus Of unproductive males.
Where papaya growing is done on
larger scale, for instance for feeding Il
piggery, it win be found, that tapping
Of the trees will make them branch out
to an enormous extent, each fresh branch
bearing as plentifully as the original top
of the tree. The writer remembers, to
have seen tree. treated in this way,
having twenty seven .bearing branches.
OF course this unnatural growth ser
iously effects the longevity of the tree,
II being probable that II will only live
six or seven years but the enormous
multiple of fruits amply pays for the
, labor of replanting.
| Not only is the papaya valuable as a
/ foodstun for pigs; 1t is likewise "a very
valuable fodder for chickens. and ducks.
This. added to the palatability of the
/ fruit as well fresh as baked or green
/ Cooked green 1t tastes very much like
summer squash), makes it source of
/ income which ought not to be over
looked by the homesteader and rancher.