The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-08-31
The USEFUL
PAPAYA
Tree Of the Tropics
Of Great
Value.

II NE Oh the most uSeful, and yet least
appreciated plants in the world, is
~ the common Papaya (Caryca Papa
ia). Over this, to US SO we'll known tree,
the botanists have quarrelled extensively,
some saying it is an old plant a survival
from prehistoric ages. SO to speak; while
some maintain that it is an entirely new
plant, trying to establish itself. Again
some say that 1t belongs to the Euphor-
biaceoe; others maintain. it Is of class
entirely to itself Practically the only use
Of it now made, is Of it's fruit, which IN
appearance and flavor somewhat resem-
bles the muskmelon. One German chemi-
cal firm, Merch & Co., il Darmstadt,
extracts the white fluid, which exudes
of Papain This fluid has a great di-
gestiye 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-
tanned in the green fruit has a digestive
power. This seems to be true however
not of the fruit aione, but also of the
other parts of the tree. The story, that
if you hang the venerable tough hen up
in Papaia tree, it will turn into a
tender spring chicken, is a story which
has provoked much derision. 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 a palatable
tenderness.
The greatest value of the papaya how
ever is as a fodder for pigs. After ex-
| tensive experiments it has become evil
dent that as a fattener the ripe fruit
| is hard to excel. AS a matter of fact,
we have seen hogs, which were fed ex-
clusively on papayas, fatten so rapidly,
| that their rations had to be considerably
reduced. On an average it will take
about twenty trees per head. The papaya
| fruits all the year round, and, as it dur
| ing certain months bears quite conSid-
| erably less than usual, twenty trees may
| be considered 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 un
productive plants. One male will be
found sufficient for forty females. The
! biseXual trees are Scarcer than either o.
| the monoseXual kind. Another drawback
in planting comes from the fact, thai
the papaya will not grow true from seed
| If you plant seed from one of the larger
obIong, purple variety, you may get tree:
with small round fruits, and vice versa
| Likewise if seed from d bisexua1 tree is
planted, the result will in very many
cases be either male alone or female
| aIn II hos for. hoe. q
good plan, to plant the seed in boxes
after the plants have reached a hight
of about six inches, they can be trans
planted 1t will be well to hoe up the
ground, where they are to be placed, il
a diameter of about three to four feet
if three or four trees are planted in eacf
place, the planter will 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
table in the end, than planting single
| tree for each space, and supporting 8
large surplus of unproductive males.
Where papaya growing is done. on g
larger scale, for instance for feeding q
piggery. it will be found, that tapping
of the trees will make them branch out
| to an enormous extent, each fresh branch
bearing plentifully as the original tor
or the tree. Inc writer remembers, &c
have seen a tree, treated in this way
| having twenty-seven bearing branches.
| OF course this unnatural growth SER
iously effects the longevity of the tree
| it being probable that it 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
foodstuff for pigs; it 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 it tastes very much like
summer squash), makes it source OF
income which ought not to be over
looked by the homesteader and rancher