The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1902-08-29


is Of several shapes, the predominant
ing one, being like that of a
goose egg ana about the same size.
The skin when ripe is either u rose
red or yellow. The flesh clings to
the fat seed, strung there hy fiber,
something like the cling stone peach,
only more So. The flavor is one dis
tiuCtly lis own.
This fruit sells in the home market
at 20 10 - cents a dozen. TO give an
idea Of the yieli: l.. W. Pierce, who
lives at Lemon City, gathered and sold
from one tree Q, 565 manages, which he
sold in Miami at - cents a dozen,
making Si2 - as the net returns from
one ttee: he ha. - in bearing.
Tax Collector 7. J. Hardee from his
place at Cocoanuf Grove sold 1900,
this year at y cents hundred on
thu tree
The Avocado pear - also rapid
grower, Il prolific, fruiter, and a pretty
and graceful tree, having a cOnical
top with brilliant green foliage. The
fruit varies-in size, many reaching the
weight of two pounds, and in some
Instances considerably more. 1t has
been described rs "a ball of vegetable
butter, enclosed in thin she'll"
This butter is exceedingly rich and
nutritious, and satisfies the appetite
rs would heavier and more substantial
food. 1t is usually eaten like canta-
loupe, sCoOped from the shell with a
spoon, after having been treated TO a
little salt, pepper and lime juice.
There is nothing more delicious.
These pears bring from 10 20 p cents
each. and hundreds have been taken
from a single Oell.grown tree. These
trees, like the mango, sappadillO and
guava, require very little attention
and fertilizing. They simply grow
anyhow and anywhere-in Dade
county.
The guava is of inestimable value,
ana no where will they grow so lux
uriantly or fruit so prOfusely as here.
The guava is good any way you take
it-iust from the bush, raw or cooked,
with or without sugar and cream,
canned, in jelly, marmalade, jam,
wine, vinegar or cheese. This fruit
has peculiar flavor, which makes it
objectionable to some people. but
there are few but quickly overcome
this dislike. Guava Jelly is in great
demand all over the world. There
are several small factories in the
county, and Captain Simmons, who
operates one at CsCOanut Grove, has
been gradually building up a fine
European trade for his jelliys and
wines.
The tree bears within eighteen
nuuthS after planting, and soon at
taius size enough 60 yield three to
five bushels Of fruit, worth 80 cents
to 81 per bushel.
The sappadillo is a fruit which gives
promise Of an ever increasing de-
manG. Unlike many Of the others,
the taste does not have to be acquired {;
most people like it at first. 1t is
shaped and cOlored like a russell APP
pie, but takes like a-sappadillo. The
tree is "a shapely one, and makes a
very pretty and ornamental shade
tree. The fruit ships well and may
be had at nearly all seasons of the
year-the tree being something of an
everbearing as well as an evergreen.
The tropical paw-paw, the fruit that
cured Joseph Jefferson of dyspepsia
and made Of him such a firm friend
Of Florida, is wonderfully prolific
The plant viii grow large enough to
produce and ripen fruit in less than a
year.
The Lime Crop.
No fruit produced i'm this section OF
the United States finds a better mar
ket than the lime. 1t grows to per-
lection here and this years crop is
the largest we have yet had. In fact
this is the first year that the lime has
=. cl,inDpants from