The Hawaiian gazette., 1904-06-03
PAPAYA CULTIVATION !


needing to have the seed planted AL
most anywhere for producing n tree
that will bear the luscious fruit in few
months. But when one essays to
propagate the papaya tree without pre-
vious knowledge, 1t is only to encounter
difficulty and disappointment. Apart
from various exacting requirements in
tending and pruning. the tree is pos
sessed of vagaries in reproduction from
the seed which must be learned before
success in it's cultivation can be OBJ
tanned. The following information Is
furnished with a view to aiding the
Hawaiian horticulturist in mastering
papaya cultivation. 1t is compiled from
1.-The Story of the Papaw" Gas the name
of the plant in one of its popular forms
is there given), paper by F. b. Kill
mer, reproduced from the American
Journal of Pharmacy in the August
1908. number of the Bulletin of the De-
partment of Agriculture, Jamaica. Par
ticular attention is called to the facts
relating to sex in the plant, for 1T Is
the popularity in this respect which
has caused the chief trouble here.
OF the several edible species men
toned in the article here drawn from,
the Garcia Papaya has the main at
tention. 1t is the species cultivated in
Hawaii.
There are varying descriptions of the
character Of the plant, as 1t is modified
by locality and cultivation. Among the
notable varieties of the Garcia Papaya
are the green and so-called violet"
The violet is the one most highly es-
termed for cultivation, but does not
attain great height. The fruit is large.
often weighing as much as twenty
pounds, and when ripe is very sweet.
While young the trees are kept shady
and pruned to prevent their growing
tall. To encourage fruit, portions OF
the flowers are picked off; the smaller
fruits are removed when green, so that
the remainder will grow larger and
stronger The green Garcia grows to
greater height than the purple; its
fruits are smaller and possess a less
agreeable flavor.
The three forms of flower present in
the papaya are, according to the native
description. classified as varieties. The
ing flowers, and produce the largest
fruit and the greatest numbers. These
flowers are single, with a yellow Cor
purple) corolla with five sessile petals,
in considerable numbers at the
apex of the stalk, which rapidly pushes
upward and puts out new leaf stems.
The fruit development is so rapid that
buds, flowers, green and ripe fruit are
often seen at the same time. The male
flowers are borne on hanging stems,
ranging from six inches to one foot or
more in length, and may be white,
bright yellow, sometimes tinged with
purple, often developing considerable
fragrance. Though not large, the fruit
of the hanging papaya is very sweet.
"It is quite common" Mr.. Kilmer
says, "for numerous papaya plants to
spring up from seeds scattered by the
birds over a portion of land which, ac-
cording to tropical custom, has been
cleared by burning away the trees and
underground. There are no forests Of
papayas, because the plants need sun
and room. They are seldom seen
among dense growths. They do not
propagate in clusters. For the most
part they are the product of cultiva-
ton, and near every hut are carefully
guarded groups from two to six in num-
ber."
1t must not be inferred from the
foregoing remarks about the papaya
as a forest growth that the plant is
not capable of cultivation on a large
scale. There is a magnificent orchard
of papayas owned by Henry NJ. Wells
in the Kaimuki tract, Honolulu, which
is said to occupy six acres. At present
every tree seems to be thriving and
loaded with fine-looking, large fruit.
Withal the trees. planted about ten
feet apart, are of uniform height, and
the orchard is one of the prettiest hor-
ticultural sights in these islands.
Among the most battling factors in
papaya cultivation would appear to be
the uncertainty of results from the
seeds.
Speaking of strange variations in
tropical plant life, Mr.. Kilmer says:
1.-The papaya is likewise very prone to
variation. Seeds selected with extreme
care from fiourishing trees, the fruit of
which would weigh fifteen pounds, upon
being planted would in part follow the
parent stock; other portions would
revert " tile VIII anu yitlu
fruit the size of hens egg"
Hon. William Fawcett, b. &c., F. l..
s.. Director of the Jamaica Public Gar
dens and Plantations, is quoted by Mr..
Kilmer as follows regarding cultiva-
ton:
1.-THE best method of planting pa
payas Is to raise the young plants in
beds, and as soon as they are three
inches high transplant them into bam-
boo joints, IN which they can be kept
until they are nine inches high, when
they can be transplanted to the open
ground, In dry districts they will re-
quire abundant watering, irrigation
twice or thrice n week being absolutely
necessary. In wet places they can be
grown with little or no water, Papayas
require good rich, deep soil, ana good
CIVILIZATIONS even then many Of the
plants just as they should commence
To bear, suddenly fail the plants cease
10 grow, the young leaves turn yellow