Page transcription
Subtropical Fruits
A Department of Tropical and Subtropical Horticulture
BY F. W. POPENOE
Notes on the propagation and culture of plants and trees coming within the scope of this department will be welcomed, and inquiries are invited.
THE PASSION FRUIT
Regarding the Passion plant (Passiflora edulis) a fine fruit which thrives justly in California, but which has not yet come into general use, I have the following from H. H. and Newport, instructor in tropical agriculture in the government of Queensland, Australia.
"I am not aware of any method of
The Khadrawi Date
In fruit at the ranch of Fred N. Johnson, India, in the Coachella Valley, "Where from the Persian Gulf.
Mr. Meek, who has for years been recognized as one of the largest date growers in the West. This new vegetable did not get into the market, but it is now being sold in the United States. It is a very popular fruit and consumed in much the same way as the common date. It is cut off one end and removed the contents with a small spoon. The pulp is used in cakes, ice cream, drinks and sweetmeats. It is also appreciated in addition to fruit salads.
The seed is generally consumed with the fruit, but it is also used in the Granadilla (P. Quadrangularis) and may be even left in the cake. For fruit juice, the seeds are removed by straining when the fruit is used for ice cream, sweetmeats, etc. The outer covering of the fruit I have seen candied, but is tough and very rarely used.
"The fruit packs and travels better if cured by boiling. It should not be gathered until ripeness is indicated by the purple color.
"Where the fruit is known there is a ready market which varies according to the supply from 10 to 15 per cent per case."
NEW DATE BULLETIN.
The October issue of The Bulletin, the monthly publication of the State Commission of Horticulture, will contain a new and interesting article on the Khadrawi date. To those of our readers who are interested in the culture of this fruit we suggest that they send for a copy of this issue be sent them. It is free. Apply to E. O. Esler, Secretary of the Commission, Sacramento.
DATE GROWING.
Now that the fruiting season is at hand, and the palms which are old enough to bear fruit are already bearing bunches, the growing of dates in our desert country has become an increasingly important industry. Illustration of the Khadrawi fruits from the Johnson ranch, Coachella Valley.
ANOTHER OUTLET FOR BEANS.
A factory for canning green Lima beans was recently established a few miles from Los Angeles in San Diego.
SHIPMENT HURRIED THROUGH.
The glamour of romance surrounds the shipment of 3000 young palms from the Coachella Valley today after a 12,000-mile journey from Turkish Arabia, where the Sultan of Oman were dispatched to rescue two Alta-boys, Paul F. Popeno and his brother, Fred O. Popeno, who were bringing the date trees by camel caravan to Burch on the Persian Gulf, near the famous Arabian tales of Sinbad the Sailor.
In seventeen Southern California cities, the palm trees were offered for immediate planting. At the Southern Pacific office, F. O. Popeno, agent and manager of the Palm India Company, who imported the date palms, expressed satisfaction at the success of the trip.
The palms will be set out around Arabia, a new town, which is to be built on the site of Durbrov siding, near Riverside. The owner of the Mission Inn at Riverside, has been engaged to lay out the streets and plant palms for all the buildings. Every store and house in Arabia will be planted with date palms, according to plan, although Americans, many of them Angelenos, will people the town.
In July, 1912, F. O. Popeno of Alhambra, California, aged 25, and F. W., aged 24, to the Persian Gulf, to bring back choice offsets. They made a caravan trip into the interior of the country, where the Fard date is grown. The Sultan of Oman loaned his best riding camel to him and gave the boys an escort. Paul se-cretly wrapped them in wet palm fiber and carried them on his back to the coast a few weeks later.
It was a tedious and dangerous trip, the weather changed. The wind whirled clouds of sand upon them, and they were frequently to be buried alive. Trails were oblit-erated by mud slides and sand dunes on their way. The Arab escort dis-played the stolism of their race. No Persian would ever have com-plaint. Much of the traveling was done by starlight, as the sun was beginning but—Los Angeles Tribune.
