Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-08-11

tanical magazine publ1Shed IN new
York, contains an article by Professor
Vaughan MacCaughey Of the College
Of Hawaii, concerning the custard-
/ apples, or Annonas, in the Hawaiian
| Islands.
l He states that the Annonas or Gus
| tard-appIes comprise one OF the bes:
known and most highly priced groups
Of tropical fruits. Their rich. sweet,
creamy flesh, abundantly juicy and
with delicious aroma, 10 widely known
throughout the tropics and subtropics
Of the world, both as fresh fruit, and
in the form Of sherbets, ices and pre-
serves. Some Of the most delicious
fruits that are known to mankind be-
long to this interesting group.
The genus contains about sixty
species, chiefly trees and shruLs," says
the article. "'The majority. Of these
are indigenous to tropical America,
but q few are native to Africa II is
very interesting to note that although
nearly all Of the living species are in
digenous to the New World, nine fossil
Annonas have been discovered in the
Tertiary deposits of Europe. A num-
| Der Of species are now in cultivation
In warm countries throughout the
world. None of the Annonas occur
naturally In the Hawaiian flora, but
several, OF the widely cultivated spe
cies Just referred to were introduced
In very early times, and have now be-
come thoroughly established in Ha-
waiian gardens. and naturalized in
some Of the country districts.
The Hawaiian Islands lie just with
in the tropics, and are notably. cooler
than most tropical countries. Hence
those Annonas that require q truly
tropical environment do not attain per
lection IN the Hawaiian Archipelago
Those species thrive best that require
subtropical rather than tropical. con-
ditions. The Cherimoya Is the hardest
Of the cultivated species, and requires
q comparatively cool climate for Opt
mum development. The sour-sop, on
the other hand, is very tender, and re.
quires the warmth of tropical low.
lands The other species OF horticul.
.tural Importance are intermediate be-
tween these extremes. ' T..
"The carpets are numerous, distinct
or united; the oyaries usually covered
with minute hairs. and containing q
single erect basal ovule. The fruit Is
syncarpium, formed by the growing
| together Of the carpets and receptacle
into q more or less globular fleshy
fruit, the surface Il which is smooth.
scaly or intricate. The seeds are num-
erous, with brown, leathery-crusta-
ceous tesla, enclosed in an. aril, and
containing q large wrinkled endosperm
with small, basal embryo.
From q cultural standpoint the
Commercial Annonas are alike in pre-.
ferring heavy loan soil; In being
intolerant Of stagnant water at the
roots; IN producing an abundance OF
seeds that germinase very readily; In
showing considerable seed variation,
tanned by shield-budding or cleft
grating with known varieties; and In
coming into bearing at q very early
age, often In the third year.
The Ammonia seen most commonly
In the Honolulu market Is the sour
sop, A. rnnricata L. This species Is
cultivated throughout the tropics, anil
has q variety Of names: guanabana,
lcorossol.s Ceracao lie rainha, grayiola,
suirsaak zuursaak, laguana, and
prickled apple. The tree ID small,
evergreen, and begins 70 bear at, a
very early age. Il ID. one Of the ten
derest Of the Annonas, and thrives In
the Hawaiian Islal5e only on the low
lands. Il 10 abundant on all the is
lands around the aative settlements,
and In the gardens Of white residents.
There are many trees IN Honolulu, and
the fruit seems 20 be growing steadily
n popular flavor.
The young growth Ii scurfy-pubes-
cent. The leaves are dark-green, obo-
yate-oblong to ovate or elliptic, acute
or abruptly acun.inate, leathery, glossy
above, rusty beneath, ct length becom-
ing glabrous; when crushed they are
lmaiodorous. The flowers are large,
greenish-yellow;; one to three, but
usually solitary, nodding, and with D
distinct odor. The exterior petals are
thick and fleshy, ovate-acute. yalvate
or edge-to-edge; the interior petals
are somewhat smaller and thinner.
concays, rounded, intricate or over.
tapping, and yeilowish. or sometimes
EOu0lb0, In cOi0f. tss~ - .as r s. 49,
The sour-sop fruit natures at all
seasons. but ID most abundant in the
summer months Ii Is large, oblong
| or heart-shRped, sometimes blunt ana
conicai: in weight it varies from ono
to fifteen pounds. The larger fruits
are usually quite superior in texture
and flavor to the small ones; the
Oriental gardeners habitually pick the
fruit before it has properly matured.
The skin or .rind is glossy, dark green,
and studded with numerous recurved
fleshy spines, which correspond to the
carpets. The flesh or pulp Is soft,
white, and cotton-like in texture; it
contains, q large amount Of Juice,
which is pleasantly subacid, with a
slight mangolike or turpentiney flavor.
The flesh separates readily into {
number Of fibrous sections, the car
pels; each contains single shining
black seed, about q haif-inch long. The
copfous Juice Of the sour-sop makes 1t
| . fayorite fruit for the preparation of
sherbets, punches, jeilies, etc. Al
though not AZ sweet as some OF the
other Annonas, the soursop possesses
. rich sugar content, and is by no
means as tart a. its name suggests. A
closely related species, which does
1 hrsk S,AA,,,. -, T. A..