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QUEENSLAND. 


DEPARTMENT    OF    AGRICULTURE    AND    STOCK. 


The 


Custard 
Apple  - 


in 


QUEENSLAND. 

With  Motes  on  its  History  and  Cultivation. 

.  By  •  .     : 


WILLIAM  JLESLIE 

Assistant  fnstractor^TnJ^uit  Culture 


Issued  by  the  Authority  of  the  Hon.  W.  N.  GILLIES, 
Minister  for  Agriculture  and  Stock.  " 


1922. 


Brisbane : 
By  Authority :    ANTHONY   JAMES    GUMMING,  Government  Printer. 


QUEENSLAND 


DEPARTMENT    OF    AGRICULTURE    AND    STOCK 


The 


Custard  Apple 


m 


QUEENSLAND. 


With  Notes  on  its  History  and  Cultivation. 


WILLIAM     LESLIE 

Assistant  Instructor  in  Fruit  Culture. 


922. 


BRISBANE. 
Anthony  James  Gumming,  Government  Printer. 


CONTENTS 


I.  INTRODUCTION — By  Albert  H.  Benson,  Director  of  Fruit  Culture 
II.  NOTES — By  James  Collins,  Fruit-grower  and  Plant-breeder,  Kedland  Bay  .  .          7 

III.  NOTES — By  William  Soutter  (previously  Manager,  Queensland  Acclimatisa- 

tion Society),  Coolibar,  Sunnybank          ..  ..  ..  ..  ..          8 

IV.  PROPAGATION  AND  GRAFTING  . .         . .         . .          . .          . .         . .         . .       13 

V.  CULTIVATION,  PRUNING,  DISEASES,  ETC.    . .          . .          . .         . .          . .         . .       16 

VI.  SPECIES    AND    VARIETIES,    INCLUDING    TABULATED     DESCRIPTIVE    LIST    OF 

THIRTY-TWO   FRUITS  ..          ..          ..          ..          ..          ..          ..       25 

Frontispiece — Tree    of    Pink's    Mammoth,    grown    by    James    Collins, 

Eedland  Bay          4 

Plate — Original  tree  of  Pink's  Mammoth,  grown  by  G.  D.   Katterns, 

Bowen  Bridge        .  .          .  .          .  .          .  .          . .          .  .          .  .  9 

Plate — Tree  and  fruit  of  Anona  muricata  L. — Soursop.    .  .          .  .          .  .        26 

Plates— Illustrating  varieties  of  fruits  described   .  .       15,  19,  21,  24,  27,  30, 

32,  34 


A  El 


The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland 


I.   Introduction. 

In  order  that  the  history  of  the  cultivation'  of  the  Oustard  Apple-' 
in  Queensland  may  be  placed  on  record,  it  has  been  deemed  advisable  to 
collect  all  available  information  relating  to  the  matter  and  to  publish 
the  results  in  pamphlet  form. 

The  work  has  been  carried  out  by  Mr.  Wm.  Leslie,  Assistant 
Instructor  in  Fruit  Culture,  who  has  gone  fully  into  the  matter  and  has- 
received  very  valuable  assistance  in  his  investigations  from  many  growers. 
The  thanks  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture  and  Stock  are  due  to 
all  those  who  have  assisted  Mr.  Leslie  in  his  endeavour  to  obtain  reliable- 
records,  and  particularly  to  the  late  Mr.  Leslie  Gordon  Corrie,  who 
was  one  of  the  first  to  recognise  the  value  of  this  fruit  and  the  suitability 
of  (Queensland  for  its  production.  Mr.  Corrie  not  only  recognised  the 
value  of  the  fruit,  and  recommended  its  cultivation  commercially,  but 
he  made  extensive  plantings  at  his  orchards  at  Redland  Bay  and  Garden 
Island,  where  he  tested  many  types  and  propagated  those  showing 
especial  merit,  Mr.  James  Collins,  of  Redland  Bay,  Mr.  James  Pink,  of 
Wellington  Point,  Mr.  William  Soutter,  of  Sunnybank,  Mr.  Katterns,  of 
Bowen  Bridge,  and  others  have  also  kindly  supplied  much  valuable 
information  which  is  incorporated  in  this  pamphlet. 

This  pamphlet  is  primarily  a  compilation  of  records  of  the 
introduction  and  cultivation  of  the  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland,  together 
with  a  description  of  some  of  the  best  types  grown  in  this  State;  but, 
at  the  same  time,  it  contains  useful  information  respecting  the  soils  and 
districts  most  suitable  for  the  growth  of  this  fruit,  as  well  as  advice 
regarding  propagation,  planting,  pruning,  cultivation,  and  manuring, 
that  will  be  of  assistance  to  growers,  and  particularly  to  those  who 
purpose  going  in  for  the  culture  of  this  fruit. 

There  is  no  question  regarding  the  suitability  of  Queensland  for  the 
production  of  high-class  Custard  Apples,  or  of  finding  a  market  for  the 
fruit  when  grown,  as,  on  account  of  its  fine  flavour,  it  meets  with  a 
good  local  demand,  which  is  steadily  improving.  As  the  fruit  becomes 
better  known  the  demand  for  it  is  extending,  and  given  better  marketing: 
facilities,  the  market  for  it  in  the  Southern  States  is  certain  to  improve. 


The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland. 


With  regard  to  varieties,  there  are  several  of  proved  merit  and 
others  are  being  tested.  Of  the  former,  that  known  as  Pink's  Mammoth 
is  generally  conceded  to  produce  our  finest  fruit,  as  it  is  of  large  size, 
fine  flavour,  and  contains  comparatively  few  seeds.  This  variety  is 
propagated  mainly  by  grafting,  and  grafted  trees  are  now  producing 
fruit  equal  to  that  grown  on  the  original  tree  still  standing  in  the 
garden  of  Mr.  Katterns  at  Bowen  Bridge,  and  from  which  I  obtained 
fruit,  through  the  courtesy  of  Mr.  James  Pink,  in  1897,  when  I  was 
impressed  with  its  size  and  quality,  as  it  was  certainly  the  best  Custard 
Apple  I  had  seen,  ajid,  although  it  is  possible  an  equally  good,  or  even 
bettejr /kind,,  .wtli/bf^ produced,  it  still  maintains  its  high  reputation  of 
,  rierljaps.,.the  b.est'Custard  Apple  yet  introduced. 
-...'  :..:.•  .-.-  ALBERT  H.  BENSON, 

Director  of  Fruit  Culture. 


The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland. 


II.  A  few  Notes  on  the  Custard  Apple. 

BY  JAMES  COLLINS. 

Redland  Bay  has  been  called  by  many,  and  rightly  so,  the  home  of 
the  Custard  Apple — no  other  fruit-growing  district  in  the  State  having 
up  to  the  present  produced  such  quantities  of  Custard  Apples  as  are 
sent  every  year  to  the  Brisbane  and  Sydney  markets.  It  may,  perhaps, 
be  safely  said  that  Redland  Bay  produces  more  of  this  fruit  than  all 
other  parts  of  the  State  put  together. 

It  was  in  this  district  that  the  writer  first  saw  fruiting  trees  of  the 
Custard  Apple,  and  had  the  pleasure  of  sampling  their  fruit.  The 
trees  were  then  growing  in  the  garden  now  attached  to  the  hotel  at 
Redland  Bay,  which  was  at  that  time  owned  by  Mr.  William  Dart, 
of  sugar  fame.  Young  trees  from  the  seed  of  the  above  trees  were 
planted  by  the  writer,  in  a  newly  started  orchard  at  Redland  Bay,  owned 
by  the  late  D.  J.  Collins;  this  was  about  thirty-six  years  ago.  Out  of 
about  twenty  trees  planted  then,  three  trees  turned  out  to  be  good 
croppers  of  fair  quality  fruit ;  the  rest  of  the  trees  were  duffers 
(unfruitful).  Two,  out  of  the  above  three  trees,  are  still  in  a  healthy 
and  vigorous  condition.  Some  seven  years  later,  the  fruit  from  the 
above  trees  was  sent  to  the  Brisbane  market  for  sale,  and  it  soon  became 
evident  from  the  demand,  and  the  prices  obtained,  that  Custard  Apple 
growing  would  be  a  profitable  undertaking.  Among  others  who  went 
in  early  for  growing  the  Custard  Apple  in  the  district  were  Messrs.  J. 
Moore,  A.  Strachan,  the  late  H.  Day,  and  the  writer. 

It  soon  became  evident  that  seedling  Custard  Apples  were  not 
to  be  relied  on,  and,  although  the  fruiting  varieties  then  grown  were 
not  nearly  so  good  as  those  now  grown,  grafting  from  the  better  varieties 
became  the  rule. 

To  Mr.  John  Williams,  of  Sunnybank,  belongs  the  credit  of  grafting 
the  first  Custard  Apple  trees  in  Queensland;  in  fact,  the  trees  that 
were  first  grafted  by  that  gentleman  were  perhaps  the  first  that  had 
ever  been  done  in  any  part  of  the  world. 

To  the  late  Mr.  L.  G.  Corrie  belongs  the  credit  of  introducing  to  this 
district   the  two  best  varieties  of   Custard  Apples  now  grown,   viz.- 
the  Island  variety  and  the  Giant  or  Mammoth,  now  known  as  Pink's 
Mammoth. 

The  Island  variety  is  a  strong  grower,  an  early,  regular,  and 
persistent  cropper  of  good  quality  fruit  of  medium  size,  weighing  about 
8  oz.,  although  some  fruits  will  turn  the  scales  at  from  1  to  2  Ib. 
The  fruit  is  uneven  in  shape,  some  are  conical  with  a  rough  surface, 
while  other  fruits  from  the  same  tree  are  almost  round  in  shape  with  a 
perfectly  smooth  skin.  It  is  altogether  a  most  desirable  variety  to  plant. 


8  The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland. 


The  Mammoth  comes  from  a  seedling  tree  growing  at  Bowen  Hillsr 
Brisbane.  It  is  a  very  vigorous  grower,  and,  as  a  rule,  does  not  commence 
to  fruit  until  it  has  made  a  large  tree,  and  is  six  or  seven  years  old. 
Unlike  the  Island  variety,  it  is  not  a  regular  cropper,  the  fruit  is  larger 
and  some  very  large  fruits  weigh  as  much  as  5  or  6  Ib.  It  is  very  uneven- 
in  shape  and  appearance,  but  is  of  excellent  quality  and  very  free  from 
seeds.  To  secure  the  best  results  from  this  variety,  judicious  pruning- 
is  needed,  and  it  should  not  be  forced  into  early  growth  during  the 
spring — the  later  the  trees  are  in  starting  their  new  growth,  the  more 
likely  are  they  to  have  a  good  crop  of  fruit  during  the  summer. 

Much  has  been  done  by  the  writer  in  selecting  likely  looking- 
seedlings,  to  produce  something  better  than  what  is  now  grown  (for  the 
perfect  Custard  Apple  is  not  yet),  but  he  has  not  met  with  success  yet. 
Perhaps  no  other  fruit  trees  grown  from  seed  produce  so  many  worthless 
trees  as  does  the  Custard  Apple ;  hence,  a  word  of  caution  to  intending- 
planters — don 't  plant  seedlings. 

III.  Anonas  as  relating  to  Queensland. 

BY  WILLIAM  SOUTTER. 

Away  back  in  1874  appears  the  first  public  allusion  to  these  plants. 
Mr.  Walter  Hill,  the  then  Director  of  the  Botanic  Gardens  in  Brisbane, 
issued  the  first  catalogue  of  plants  growing  in  the  Brisbane  Botanic 
Gardens,  prior  and  up  to  1874.  At  page  90,  a  list  of  the  Anonas  is  given, 
as  follows: — A.  cherimolia  (Cherimoya),  A.  muricata  (Sour  Sop),  A^ 
palustris  (alligator  apple),  A.  reticulata  (netted  Custard  Apple),  A. 
squamosa  (Sweet  Sop).  It  is  reasonable  to  assume  that  all  the  Anonas. 
then  growing  were  seedlings  raised  from  imported  seed  of  the  species- 
mentioned.  Some  time  away  in  the  sixties  the  late  Mr.  L.  A.  Bernays, 
C.M.G.,  evidently  imported  seed  of  anonas;  as  a  very  old  tree  of  A^ 
reticulata  was  growing  in  what  was  known  as  the  Economic  Ground  at 
Bowen  Park  in  1885.  The  late  Alexander  McPherson  was  the  first 
overseer  of  the  Acclimatisation  Society,  under  the  supervision  of  Mr. 
Bernays.  Mr.  McPherson  told  me  that  this  plant  was  a  seedling  raised 
by  Mr.  Bernays.  Mr.  McPherson  prepared  the  place  for  the  young  tree, 
and  planted  it  along  with  several  other  seedlings  of  various  trees  that 
were  planted  at  the  same  time,  one  being  The  Rose  Apple  (Eugenia 
jambos),  and  another  The  Brazilian  Cherry  (Eugenia  uniflora).  The 
Anona  and  Eugenias  were  destroyed  when  the  land  on  which  they  were 
growing  was  resumed  by  the  National  Association  for  show  purposes. 
From  1874  till  1884-5,  nothing  is  heard  of  the  Anonas  that  calls  for 
notice,  but  about  this  latter  date  Mr.  Wm.  Pagan,  then  Engineer  for 
Railways,  who  had  recently  arrived  in  Queensland  from  South  America, 
in  conversation  with  Mr.  James  Pink,  who  about  that  time  was  overseer 
of  the  Acclimatisation  Gardens,  told  Mr.  Pink  that  a  Custard  Apple  grew 
in  South  America  that  bore  fruit  as  large  as  a  child's  head,  and  of 
excellent  flavour.  Mr.  Pink  immediately  wrote  to  Mr.  Jenman.  then 


The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland. 


ORIGINAL  TREE  OF  PINK'S  MAMMOTH,  GROWN  BY  G.  D.  KATTERNS,  BOWEN  BRIDGE. 


10  The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland. 

Director  of  the  Botanic  Gardens,  Georgetown,  British  Guiana,  and  in  due 
course  four  seeds  arrived.  These  were  planted,  but  only  three  germi- 
nated. One  plant  was  placed  in  the  old  Economic  Ground  at  Bowen 
Park,  another  was  planted  by  Mr.  Katterns  in  his  garden  in  Sneyd  street, 
Bowen  Hills,  the  plant  being  given  to  him  by  Mr.  Pink,  and  the  third 
plant  was  placed  in  the  Botanic  Gardens  on  the  flat  just  a  little  distance 
below  where  the  existing  bandstand  is  erected.  The  plant  at  Bowen  Park 
never  made  much  headway,  and  it  finally  perished.  The  plant  in  the 
Botanic  Gardens  grew,  but  never,  so  far  as  I  know,  bore  fruit.  It  was 
destroyed  in  the  1893  flood  along  with  many  other  plants  that  were 
submerged.  Mr.  Katterns'  tree,  therefore,  became  the  sole  survivor,  and 
in  this  year  of  grace  1922  is  still  growing  vigorously. 

About  the  middle  of  the  eighties  the  late  Mr.  Leslie  Gordon  Corrie 
was  actively  on  the  lookout  for  all  sorts  of  novelties  in  the  way  of  fruit 
trees.  On  one  of  his  visits  to  me  I  showed  him  a  fruit  gathered  from  Mr. 
Katterns'  tree.  He  got  quite  enthusiastic  over  it,  and  I  forthwith  took 
him  to  see  the  tree  growing,  and  told  him  how  it  originated  and  how  a 
few  of  us  enthusiasts  were  keeping  it  under  observation.  On  arrival  at 
Mr.  Katterns'  that  gentleman  told  Mr.  Corrie  the  story  of  its  origin,  and 
in  a  letter  to  me  from  Mr.  Corrie,  dated  8th  January,  1917,  he  repeats 
the  whole  of  the  interview  that  took  place  with  Mr.  Katterns  011  his  first 
introduction  to  the  tree,  and  invites  my  criticism  as  to  its  accuracy— 

[Extract  from  letter.] 

"18  Parbury  House,  Eagle  street,  Brisbane,  8th  January,  1917. 
"Dear  Mr.  Soutter, — A  good  many  years  ago — somewhere  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  twenty  years,  it  may  be  more — when  I  was  keenly  on 
the  hunt  for  Custard  Apples,  you  showed  me  some  fruit  at  Bowen  Park 
one  day,  and  said  it  came  from  a  tree  growing  quite  close,  and  you  took 
me  right  away  to  see  it  at  the  back  of  Mr.  Katterns'  cottage  off  O'Connell 
terrace.  That  was  my  first  sight  of  the  tree.  When  I  was  admiring  its 
stem  and  growth  Mr.  Katterns  said  it  never  gave  trouble,  but  grew  well 
from  the  day  he  planted  it,  when  it  was  less  than  the  thickness  of  his  little 
finger.  He  gave  me  some  fruit,  and  promised  me  cuttings  later  on,  which 
he  duly  gave  me,  and  from  these  my  trees  were  worked.  This  is  how  I 
got  this  variety.  Mr.  Katterns  also  related,  as  you  will  no  doubt 
remember,  how^  he  got  the  tree.  He  said  some  work  was  going  on  near 
the  road  on  the  society's  boundary,  and  Mr.  Pink,  who  was  then  with  the 
society,  came  over  to  the  fence  with  the  tree  in  his  hand,  and  gave  it  him, 
saying  it  was  a  good  Custard  Apple. 

"I  raised  the  point,  and  somewhat  of  a  discussion  ensued,  as  to 
whether  it  might  not  have  been  a  worked  tree,  but  Katterns  said  this 
was  not  so,  that  it  was  just  a  straight  stem  like  a  whip,  showing  no  sign  of 
ever  having  been  worked,  or  cut,  or  pruned,  and  that  he  took  and  planted 
it  where  it  was  now  growing,  and  no  one  had  ever  interfered  with  it. 
You  also  contended  it  was  quite  unlikely  to  have  been  worked;  and, 
indeed,  I  am  myself  certain  it  was  a  seedling. 


The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland.  11 


•'The  foregoing  is  my  clear  remembrance  of  the  matter.  I  was 
uncommonly  interested,  because  of  the  unusual  interest  of  this  variety 
•and  its  good  growth.  Doubtless  you  will  remember  the  circumstances  as 
I  do.  If  I  am  wrong  in  any  particular  according  to  your  remembrance, 
will  you  please  advise  me?  "  (Signed)  LESLIE  GORDON  CORRIE." 

The  foregoing  extract  from  Mr.  Corrie 's  letter  is  substantially 
•correct.  In  1889,  at  a  meeting  of  the  Fruitgrowers'  Association,  held 
In  Brisbane,  the  merits  of  this  seedling  Custard  Apple  were  discussed, 
and  it  was  resolved  that  it  be  named  Pink's  Mammoth,  after  the  raiser, 
Mr.  James  Pink. 

It  was  not  till  1887  that  Mr.  John  Williams  worked  the  first  plants 
for  Mr.  Corrie  on  Garden  Island  (Tindappa).  The  first  plants  worked  in 
Queensland  were  for  Mr.  Moore  at  Redland  Bay,  cleft  grafting  being 
adopted;  Mr.  John  Williams  operated.  In  1889,  Mr.  Williams  worked 
several  hundreds  of  plants  at  South  Park,  Redland  Bay,  for  Mr.  Corrie, 
but  quite  a  number  of  the  buds  or  grafts  did  not  take,  owing  to  exposure 
to  high  winds.  This  accounts  for  the  fruit  variations  found  in  this 
grove,  as  quite  a  number  of  the  trees  are  the  seedling  stocks,  chiefly 
seedlings  of  the  original  tree. 

The  following  are  a  few  notable  Anona  trees  in  Queensland  that  I 
have  known,  which  must  have  been  planted  in  very  early  times,  but  their 
early  history  lies  beyond  my  advent  to  the  State.  A  very  notable  tree  of 
either  A.  squamosa  or  A.  sericca  was  growing  at  Bowen,  the  one  time 
residence  of  the  late  Eugen  Fitzalan,  one  of  Bowen 's  earliest  settlers.  He 
informed  me  that  he  got  the  plant  from  Mr.  Hill,  of  the  Botanic  Gardens, 
about  the  latter  end  of  the  sixties.  Mr.  Fitzalan  was  an  enthusiastic 
botanist,  naturalist,  and  gardener.  This  Anona,  in  1887,  was  about  30  ft. 
high,  with  a  stem  measurement  at  2  ft.  above  the  ground  of  4  ft.  10  in.  in 
girth.  It  bore  enormous  crops  annually,  and  practically  carried  fruit  for 
nine  months  in  the  year. 

Another  notable  Anona  grew  at  Mon  Repos,  the  then  residence  of 
Augustus  P.  Barton,  near  Bundaberg.  This  was  seemingly  A.  reticulata 
(the  netted  Custard  Apple).  The  writer  saw  it  in  the  middle  eighties. 
The  fruits  were  large,  of  fine  form,  and  fair  flavour.  The  flesh  was  a  very 
pale  pink.  The  seeds  were  numerous,  but  all  attempts  to  germinate  them 
were  futile.  Mr.  F.  L.  Nott,  Windermere,  and  Mr.  Farquhar,  of  The 
Hummock,  tried  their  best  and  failed.  I  tried  about  a  couple  of  hundred 
with  similar  result.  Mr.  J.  E.  Noakes,  of  Mary  borough,  succeeded  in 
raising  one  plant  out  of  several  hundreds  of  seed,  and  about  twenty 
years  ago  it  was  growing  in  his  garden.  Mr.  Barton  told  me  that  he 
brought  the  original  plant  from  Java. 

A  somewhat  notable  plant  of  Anona  grew  for  many  years  behind  the 
original  cottage  that  stood  in  the  Brisbane  Botanic  Gardens.  I  have  not 
seen  it  for  ten  or  more  years.  It  had  the  peculiarity  of  producing  a 
fascicular  branch  which  resembled  a  bunch  of  mistletoe.  This  tree  and 


12  The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland. 


its  peculiarity  was  first  pointed  out  to  me  by  Mr.  Walter  Hill.  Her 
however,  never  ventured  to  define  its  species  to  me.  I  am,  howeverr 
inclined  to  the  opinion  that  the  plant  was  a  seed  variation  of  A.  reticulatar 
as  the  structure  of  the  foliage  inclined  to  that  species. 

At  various  times  during  my  term  of  connection  with  the  Acclimatisa- 
tion Society  importations  of  seed  of  Anona  were  made,  the  following 
having  all  been  imported : — Anona  sylvatica,  a  native  of  Brazil,  known 
there  as  Araticu  do  mato.     Several  plants  were  raised,  but  I  have  no- 
record  of  any  having  reached  the  fruiting  stage.     Another  importation 
was  seen  of  A.  laurifolia,  which  turned  out  to  be  Eiipomatia  laurina,  a 
closely  related  species  of  the  same  genus.    A.  sericea  and  A.  furfuracea 
were  also  introduced ;  and,  although  plants  were  raised  and  distributed  of 
these  Anonas,  no  records  are  available  as  to  their  growth.     The  late  Mr, 
L.  G.  Corrie  had  plants  of  these  placed  on  Garden  Island,  in  Moreton* 
Bay,  they  being  planted  by  n\yself,  I  think,  in  1892.     Another  Anona 
introduced  was  A.  montana.     This  was  sent  from  the  gardens  at  Hack- 
galla,  Ceylon,  by  Mr.  Nock,  the  director.    Out  of  the  few  seed  sent  about 
a  dozen  plants  were  raised.    Mr.  Corrie  received  three ;  two  were  planted 
on   Garden   Island;   and   another  at   South   Park,   Eedland.      One   was- 
planted  at  Bowen  Park,  which  fruited  about  the  middle  nineties,  but  was- 
regarded  as  possessing  no  merits  to  warrant  its  preservation.     Like  A. 
palustris,  A.  montana  proved  to  be  a  very  soft-wooded  species  that  could' 
not    prosper    and   withstand    the    low    temperatures   of   our    Southern 
Queensland  winters.    These  foregoing  remarks,  I  venture  to  think,  cover 
the  history  of  Anonas  as  regards  their  association   with   Queensland. 
Although  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  thousands  of  seedlings  have  been 
distributed  to  many  parts  of  the  State,  especially  along  the  coastal  landsr 
quite  a  number  were  also  sent  to  Thursday  Island  and  New  Guinea.    The 
late  Hon.  John  Douglas,  who  was  keenly  interested  in  all  plants  of 
economic  value,  had  several  lots  of  Anonas  sent  him  by  the  writer,  as  also- 
had  the  Rev.  Bishop  Verges,  who  controlled  the  Mission  of  the  Sacred 
Heart  (R.C.)  in  the  Papuan  Gulf  and  New  Guinea.     To  follow  up  the- 
subsequent  history  of  all  these  plants  is  beyond  the  scope  of  my  efforts, 
but,  no  doubt,  there  are  many  Anonas  growing  in  Queensland  between 
Point  Danger  in  the  South  and  Cape  Somerset  in  the  North,  and  even  in 
New  Guinea,  as  the  result  of  the  distributions  alluded  to.    Under  normal 
and  natural  conditions  all  the  species  of  Anonas  might  reasonably  be 
expected  to  reproduce  themselves  from  seed,  true  to  type;  but  under 
agglomerative  conditions,  with  diversified  environment  of  climate,  soil, 
and   situation,    and   a   distinctly    different    class   of   pollen-distributing 
insects,  we  may  safely  come  to  the  conclusion  that  partial  cross-pollenation 
must  ensue,  and  seed  variations  will  be  manifest.    We  have  not  far  to  look 
for  a  marked  example  in  the  mango,  as  from  Ma-ngifera  indica,  M.  fwtida, 
and  M .  sylvatica,  introduced  about  sixty-five  years  ago,  we  possess  to-day 
thousands  of  seed  variations,  which  are  annually  being  added  to. 

.  1018.  WILLIAM  SOUTTER, 


The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland.  13 

IV.  Propagation  and  Grafting. 

Custard  Apples  were  at  first  propagated  by  seeds.  After  the 
-discovery  of  the  Mammoth  variety  grafting  was  commonly  resorted  to,  to 
ensure  the  holding  of  its  superb  qualities.  The  Custard  Apple  is 
notoriously  given  to  variation  when  raised  from  seed,  which  character 
probably  arises  from  the  habit  of  the  male  and  female  organs  on  one 
tree  developing  at  different  periods,  and  so  causing  the  flowers  of  one 
tree  to  be  pollinated  from  those  of  another  tree.  This  is  probably  one 
•cause  of  isolated  trees  flowering  freely,  but  producing  no  fruit. 

A  Custard  Apple  orchard  should  always  be  formed  of  worked  trees. 
If  the  grower  does  his  own  grafting,  a  few  seedling  trees  may  be  grown 
from  which  seeds  for  stocks  may  be  obtained,  but  the  grower's  rule 
should  be  to  plant  only  worked  tre^s  of  certain  varieties. 

At  first  it  may  be  necessary  to  buy  trees  from  a  nurseryman,  but 
it  is  desirable  to  have  a  small  nursery  on  the  plantation,  so  that  young 
trees  may  be  available  at  any  time  for  extending  the  plantation  or 
supplying  extras. 

Though  budding  is  practised  in  the  propagation  of  the  Custard 
Apple  in  California,  Florida,  and  the  Philippines,  the  system  generally 
.adopted  in  Queensland  is  grafting.  In  Madeira  and  the  Canary  Islands 
desirable  varieties  are  also  propagated  by  grafting,  and  Dr.  Trabut  in 
the  ' '  Bulletin  Agricole  de  1  'Algerie  et  de  la  Tunisie, ' '  in  the  course  of  a 
discussion  on  Custard  Apple  propagation,  says  that  grafting  has  been 
.found  much  more  successful  than  budding. 

The  stocks  used  should  be  two  years  old  seedlings  of  the  Cherimoya 
type,  such  as  the  Island  (Plate  1),  or  the  Alligator  Apple  (A.  glabra} , 
In  Florida  and  the  Philippines  the  Sweet  Sop  or  Sugar  Apple  is  used 
.as  a  stock,  but  a  prominent  Brisbane  nurseryman  says  it  is  unsatisfactory. 
A.  montana  (Plate  13),  and  what  Redland  Bay  growers  call  the  Mount 
-Cotton  variety  are  also  said  to  be  good  stocks.  Probably  the  reason  why 
tropical  species  like  Anona  sqnamosa  and  A.  muricata  are  unsuitable 
as  stocks  in  Southern  Queensland  is  that  they  are  out  of  their  usual 
•climate ;  they  require  more  heat  and  moisture. 

Provided  good  stocks  are  available  of  about  the  thickness  of  a 
common  pencil  or  up  to  half  an  inch,  the  grafting  may  be  proceeded  with. 
The  materials  requisite  for  the  work  are  a  good  sharp  knife  and  tying 
or  bandaging  material;  a  strong  budding  knife  will  be  found  the  best 
tool.  Nurserymen  generally  use  raffia  for  tying,  but  budding  or  grafting 
tape  is  more  serviceable,  quicker,  and  affords  less  chance  of  admitting 
.dirt  into  the  wound. 

The  best  form  of  grafting  on  nursery  seedlings  is  the  tongue  or 
splice  graft,  Well-matured  wood  of  the  previous  season's  growth  should 
be  obtained  for  scions,  which  should  hold  at  least  three  good  buds  or= 
the  section  to  be  used.  Reference  to  figure  will  show  how  the  cuts 
should  be  made,  the  stock  being  cut  as  at  A  and  the  scion  as  at  B.  The 


14 


The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland. 


tongue  of  the  scion  should  be  fitted  into  the  tongue  of  the  stock  so  that 
the  inner  bark  of  both  stock  and  scion  meets  as  nearly  as  possible  all 
round.  It  is  just  under  the  bark  that  the  union  of  the  two  parts  takes. 
place.  The  parts  should  then  be  firmly  bound  together  with  the  tape  or 


other  tying  material.  In  event  of  the  union  being  made  within  6  in.  of 
the  soil,  this  may  be  heaped  up  round  the  graft  to  keep  the  parts  cool 
and  moist.  But  it  may  sometimes  be  found  advisable  to  put  on  a  graft 
higher  up  or  on  an  old  stock.  If  the  stock  is  old,  or  of  a,  greater  diameter 
than  half  an  inch  at  the  point  of  insertion,  other  kinds  of  grafts  may  be 
found  more  suitable.  The  stock  if  thick  may  be  cut  across  with  a  saw. 
It  may  then  be  cleft  with  a  strong  knife  and  mallet  and  one  or  two  scions- 
may  be  cut  with  wedge-shaped  points  and  one  put  in  at  each  side  of  the 
cleft  so  that  the  bark  area,  of  both  scions  meets  with  the  bark  area  of 
the  stock  at  each  side  of  the  cleft,  see  Fig.  C.  The  union  should  then 
be  entirely  covered  with  the  waxed  tape  and  the  whole  made  airtight. 
To  further  maintain  coolness  and  moisture  round  the  parts,  a  piece  of 
bagging  may  be  lightly  tied  over  the  whole. 

Grafting  should  be  done  when  the  sap  is  moving  freely,  and  this 
period  generally  occurs  in  the  case  of  the  Custard  Apple  between  the 
middle  of  September  and  the  middle  of  October. 

"All  tools  used  in  grafting  should  be  kept  in  good  order,  knives 
especially  so,  as  it  is  difficult  to  cut  a  good-fitting  graft  with  a  blunt 
knife,  and  not  only  that,  but  the  cleaner  and  neater  the  cut  the  more 
certain  and  perfect  the  union.  All  tools  used  for  grafting  should  be 
kept  perfectly  clean,  and  should  be  sterilised  frequently  by  immersion 
in  a  5  per  cent,  solution  of  formalin. 

"Graf ting- wax,  which  may  be  used  for  all  grafts  above  ground,  is- 


The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland. 


15 


PLATE  ]. — ANCNA   CHERIMOLIA.     ISLAND   VARIETY. 


PLATE  2. — ISLAND  x  STRACHAN'S  No.  1. 


16  The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland. 

made  in  several  ways.  One  recipe  consists  of  melting  together,  over  a 
slow  fire,  equal  parts  of  beeswax,  resin,  and  tallow  till  dissolved  and 
thoroughly  mixed,  when  it  is  ready  to  apply,  and  another  good  wax 
is  made  as  follows.  Take  of— 

Beeswax    .  .          .  .          .  .          .  .          .  .     1  Ib. 

Tallow J  lb. 

Resin        1  lb. 

Turpentine          .  .          .  .          .  .          .  .      2  oz. 

"Melt  the  resin  and  tallow  over  a  slow  fire;  then  add  the  wax,  and 
when  melted  mix  well  together.  Then  add  the  turpentine  and  stir  well, 
when  it  is  ready  for  use. 

"  Graf  ting-  wax  may  be  applied  hot  with  a  brush  to  the  graft  when 
tied  in  position,  care  being  taken  to  cover  the  wound  carefully  so  as  to 
exclude  the  air.  A  simple  and  convenient  way  of  using  the  wax  in 
the  case  of  nursery  stocks  is  to  dip  a  sheet  of  thin  calico  into  the 
boiling  wax  and,  when  cold,  tear  the  waxed  calico  into  narrow  strips 
of  suitable  length.  The  graft  being  placed  in  position,  the  waxed  tie  is 
wound  round  it  so  as  to  completely  cover  the  union;  the  heat  of  the 
hand  being  sufficient  to  soften  the  wax,  so  that  it  sticks  well  and  is 
airtight, 

"The  principle  of  every  method  of  grafting,  whereby  the  scion  or 
graft  is  made  to  unite  with  the  stock,  is  the  bringing  together  of  the 
cambium  layer  of  each,  as  this  cambium  layer  is  the  growing  or  wood- 
producing  portion  of  the  stock  and  scion;  and  when  the  two  layers  are 
brought  together  and  kept  together  without  air,  they  each  throw  out  new 
cells  which  join  together  and  form  one  layer  of  wood. "  (A.  H.  BENSON.) 


V.  Cultivation. 

CLIMATE. 

The  Custard  Apple  (A.  cherimolia)  is  native  of  the  mountains  of 
tropical  America  up  to  4,000  ft.,  where  the  climate  at  that  altitude 
would  be  subtropical,  very  much  the  same  as  that  of  the  Redlands  area 
of  Southern  Queensland.  This  is  probably  the  reason  why  the  Island 
and  Mammoth  varieties  have  done  so  well  in  this  district  (see  Mr. 
Collins 's  notes,  page  7). 

Rainfall  records  from  the  native  habitats  of  these  species  are  not 
available,  but  it  is  evident  that  a  rainfall  of  40  to  50  in.  per  annum,  the 
mean  of  the  Redlands  area  of  Queensland,  is  suitable.  Years  in  which 
the  mean  has  been  exceeded  or  wherein  the  fall  has  been  greatest  about 
the  time  of  fruit-setting,  have  proved  the  most  prolific  in  the  Redlands, 
and  when  drought  conditions  have  accompanied  this  period,  or  have 
prevailed  throughout  the  season,  a  resultant  diminution  of  crops  has 
been  noted.  Irrigation  at  the  flowering  and  fruit-setting  period  would 
be  beneficial  in  a  drv  season. 


The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland.  17 


SOIL. 

The  Custard  Apple  tree  appears  to  thrive  in  a  variety  of  soils,  but 
does  best  in  deep  friable  loam  and  in  rich  chocolate  soils  like  that  found 
at  Redland  Bay.  On  the  scrub  and  forest  lands  in  south-eastern  Queens- 
land, on  the  higher  lands  of  the  North  Coast  area,  within  the  tropics 
(the  elevation  should  increase  in  accordance  with  proximity  to  the 
equator),  provided  the  rainfall  was  suitable  this  tree  would  thrive. 
Purely  tropical  conditions,  however,  do  not  appear  to  be  conducive  to 
the  production  of  first-class  fruit  of  the  Island  and  Mammoth  types, 
though  the  Sour  Sop  and  Sugar  Apple  thrive  best  under  such  conditions. 
After  felling  the  scrub  and  burning  off,  bananas  may  be  planted  at  15  ft. 
by  15  ft.  in  September  or  October,  and  the  Custard  trees  may  be  planted 
at  the  same  time  in  alternate  rows  midway  between  alternate  pairs  of 
bananas,  so  as  to  have  the  trees  30  ft.  apart  in  the  banana  row,  but  being 
planted  diagonally  they  would  be  about  33  ft.  in  the  other  direction. 
After  about  three  years,  the  two  banana  stools  on  each  side  of  the  trees 
should  be  cut  out  to  give  the  trees  sufficient  space,  and  at  the  end  of 
about  another  three  years,  the  whole  of  the  bananas  should  be  rooted 
out,  chopped  in  pieces  to  dry,  and  then  ploughed  into  the  soil,  so  that 
the  trees  would  then  be  in  full  occupation  of  the  area.  In  forest  lands, 
after  clearing  and  stumping,  the  soil  should  be  worked  to  a  depth  of 
about  18  in.  and  all  roots  extracted.  Two  ploughs  should  be  used,  first 
an  ordinary  one  to  open  up  a  furrow  about  9  in.  deep,  wherein  a 
sprinkling  of  bone  meal  or  screenings  should  be  put,  then  a  subsoil 
plough  should  follow^  and  stir  in  the  bones  at  the  bottom  of  each  furrow, 
the  whole  area  being  thus  worked  over  and  manured  to  a  good  depth. 
After  harrowing  and  getting  the  soil  thoroughly  pulverised  the  trees 
may  be  planted.  The  ground  should  be  staked  out  diagonally  in  lines  so 
that  the  trees  will  be  30  ft.  apart  in  the  case  of  the  Mammoth  and  25  ft. 
apart  in  the  case  of  the  Island  and  Kedron  varieties,  which  are  not  quite 
such  luxuriant  growers.  Small  crops  may  be  grown  between  the  trees 
up  to  within  4  ft.  of  their  stems  for  the  first  year,  and  3  ft.  further  for 
each  subsequent  year,  so  that  at  about  the  fifth  year  the  Custard  Apple 
trees  shall  have  the  whole  area  to  themselves.  One  row  of  bananas  might 
be  grown  between  the  trees  for  the  first  four  or  five  years  if  the  soil  is 
suitable,  but  in  all  cases  of  intercropping  of  this  kind  on  forest  soils 
liberal  manuring  must  be  resorted  to,  so  that  the  soil  will  not  be 
impoverished  by  any  temporary  crop  at  the  expense  of  the  permanent 
trees. 

PLANTING. 

The  planting  should  be  done  in  August  or  September.  Care  should 
be  taken  not  to  plant  trees  too  deep.  A  tendency  has  been  noted  amongst 
planters  to  make  an  error  here,  in  the  desire  to  have  the  trees  well 
anchored  in  the  soil  or  to  have  the  graft  covered.  The  graft  should  not 
be  covered,  and  the  tree  should  not  be  planted  an  inch  deeper  than  it  was 
when  growing  in  the  nursery.  A  number  of  instances  of  young  trees 
having  died  suddenly  can  be  traced  to  trees  having  been  too  deeply 


18  The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland. 

planted.  The  bark  is  softened,  any  bruises  that  the  stem  may  have 
received  in  transplanting  give  rise  to  rot,  and  sometimes  the  rot  starts  at 
the  graft  where  that  is  under  the  surface  of  the  soil,  whereas  bruises  heal 
more  readily  if  above  ground  and  exposed  to  light  and  air,  the  bark 
remains  hard  and  healthy,  and  there  is  generally  no  tendency  to  rot  from 
the  graft.  A  hole  should  be  dug  of  a  size  suitable  to  the  roots  of  the 
young  tree.  The  soil  should  be  well  pulverised,  and  the  roots  should  be 
gradually  and  firmly  covered  by  it.  In  dry  weather,  before  completely 
filling  the  hole,  a  bucket  of  water  should  be  poured  round  the  tree,  and 
after  it  has  soaked  down  to  the  roots  the  remainder  of  the  soil  may  be 
levelled  over. 

A  stout  stake  should  be  driven  in  alongside  the  newly-planted  tree,, 
to  which  it  should  then  be  tied. 

LATER  CULTIVATION 

will  consist  in  keeping  down  weeds,  and  after  the  first  six  years  the  soil 
should  receive  a  dressing  of  manure.  This  should  be  ploughed  in  during 
the  winter  months  at  the  end  of  the  seventh  year  after  planting.  The 
plough  should  not  go  nearer  the  tree  than  about  the  spread  of  the 
branches.  After  about  another  three  years'  interval  another  similar 
dressing  should  be  given.  If  the  soil  is  poor,  manure  may  be  required 
every  year  in  order  to  yield  satisfactory  crops.  If  the  soil  is  rich,  or 
manured  with  meatworks  or  other  nitrogenous  fertilisers  previous  to 
planting,  there  is  a  likelihood  of  the  trees  throwing  too  many  strong- 
sappy  growths,  and  they  are  not  likely  to  fruit  so  well.  Xo  manure- 
should  be  given  except  the  original  deep  ploughing-in  of  bones  in  sub- 
soiling  until  the  trees  throw  their  first  crop  of  fruit.  Manuring  will 
depend  largely  on  the  nature  of  the  soil.  To  keep  down  wreeds  and 
maintain  the  soil  moisture,  the  scarifier  with  side  sweeps  may  be  run  over 
the  soil  to  stir  it  to  a  depth  of  2  in.  or  3  in. 

PRUNING. 

Pruning  demands  careful  attention.  For  the  first  four  or  five  years 
the  grower  should  aim  at  getting  a  tree  of  a  good  shape  and  having  the- 
branches  well  distributed.  The  Mammoth  is  naturally  a  straggly  treer 
and  pruning  will  be  required  to  correct  this  habit  of  growth.  As  regards 
the  general  appearance  of  a  well-pruned  tree,  reference  should  be  made 
to  frontispiece,  showing  a  model-shaped  tree  as  grown  by  James  Collins  at 
Redland  Bay.  In  the  first  two  or  three  years,  in  the  month  of  September, 
or  when  the  leaves  show  signs  of  dropping,  all  long  sappy  growths 
should  be  trimmed,  except  where  they  should  be  cut  right  out — i.e., 
where  they  are  in  the  wrong  position — running  through  centre  of 
tree.  They  should  never  be  cut  hard  back,  but  about  half  the  shoot 
should  remain  and  the  lateral-growing  branches  should  be  encouraged. 
In  some  instances — i.e.,  with  shoots  about  3  ft.  long — 1  ft.  should  be 
cut  off  the  point,  cutting  back  to  near  a  bud  which  is  likely  to  produce 
a  branch  in  a  desirable  position.  An  open  centre  should  be  aimed  at 
in  a  tree  at  this  age.  Later,  as  the  tree  gets  older,  a  canopy  of  branches. 


The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland. 


19 


PLATE  4. — STEACHAN'S  No.   1, 


PLATE  5. — STRACHAN 's  No.  2. 


20  The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland. 

should  be  allowed  to  grow  over  the  hollow  centre.  No  crossing  or  rubbing 
of  branches  should  be  permitted,  and  they  should  be  thinned  so  as  to 
admit  a  maximum  of  light  and  air  to  as  many  leaves  and  branches  as 
possible.  This  principle  in  pruning  holds  good  with  nearly  all  trees. 
With  regard  to  pruning  the  Mammoth,  the  statement  of  James  Collins 
should  be  noted — viz.,  that  they  should  not  be  early  pruned,  as  this 
would  cause  them  to  shoot  too  early.  If  the  trees  are  pruned  early, 
and  especially  if  they  are  cut  too  hard  back,  many  long  sappy  growths 
may  be  produced,  and  there  will  be  little  or  no  good  fruiting  wood.  Fruit 
is  often  borne  on  the  small  or  medium-sized  lateral  branches  when  well 
ripened.  Trees  should  be  furnished  with  branches  to  within  about  2  ft. 
from  the  ground,  or  at  such  distance  as,  even  when  holding  fruit,  they 
will  not  touch  the  soil.  Branches  or  leaves  touching  the  soil  form  a 
means  of  access  to  the  trees  for  insects  which  live  for  a  certain  period  in 
the  soil. 

PICKING  AND  PACKING. 

The  fruit  should  be  gathered  just  after  it  is  full  grown,  as  shown  by 
the  lighter  colour  of  skin  between  the  protuberances.  It  should  be 
handled  with  care — the  more  carefully  the  fruit  is  handled  the  better 
appearance  it  will  have  when  opened  up  in  the  market,  and  the  higher 
will  be  its  value.  Some  practice  will  be  required  by  a  novice  before  he 
becomes  sure  as  to  when  the  fruit  is  ready  for  picking.  If  allowed  to 
ripen  on  the  tree  the  fruit  will  not  be  fit  for  packing  for  market.  After 
picking,  the  fruit  should  be  carefully  graded  and  firmly  packed  in  trays 
or  cases. 

During  the  first  six  years  the  returns  from  small  crops  should  pay 
working  expenses.  In  the  sixth  year  and  onwards  the  Custard  Apple 
trees  should  yield  an  increasing  return,  so  that  in  ten  or  twelve  years  the 
initial  cost  may  be  entirely  paid  off. 

SPRAYING,  ETC. 

The  Custard  Apple  tree  has  had  a  reputation  for  immunity  from 
pests  and  diseases,  but  within  recent  years  a  few  have  been  noticed,  and 
it  is  likely  that  by  bringing  them  under  notice  now  their  spread  may  be 
hindered  if  growers  adopt  measures  of  control.  In  this  connection  the 
following  practical  suggestions  may  be  found  helpful. 

The  laws  of  plant  sanitation  should  be  carried  out  as  rigidly  with 
Custard  Apples  as  with  other  orchard  fruits : — 

1.  Implements  and  materials  used  in  grafting  should  be  perfectly 
clean  and  sterilised,  and  no  dirt  or  foreign  matter  should  be  admitted  to 
graft  wounds; 

2.  Care  should  be  taken,  especially  when  planting  young  trees,  that 
the  bark  near  the  ground  line  is  not  bruised  or  broken ; 

3.  All  prunings  or  dead  wood  should  be  carried  off  the  ground  and 
burnt ; 

4.  No  ragged  wounds  should  be  left  in  pruning ; 


The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland. 


21 


PLATE  3. — ANCONA   SQUAMOSA — SWEET   SOP. 


11 


PLATE  11. — PRICKLY,  OR  MOUNT  COTTON  VARIETY. 


22  The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland. 


5.  All  wounds,  especially  the  larger  ones  made  in  pruning,  should 
be  brushed  over  with  Stockholm  tar  • 

6.  No  fruit  should  be  allowed  to  lie  on  the  ground; 

7.  Grub-infested  fruit  should  be  collected  and  destroyed  by  boiling 
or  burning. 

Fruit-fly  seldom  attacks  Custard  Apples,  but  grub-infested  fruits 
have  been  found — i.e.,  those  which  have  been  bruised  or  had  fallen  and 
burst.  The  larva?  of  the  maize  moth  have  also  been  found  in  the  fruit. 
They  generally  enter  where  the  skin  is  soft — i.e.,  where  two  fruits  touch 
or  where  a  fruit  touches  a  branch. 

Towards  the  end  of  September  in  each  year  trees  of  the  Island  and 
Mammoth  varieties  lose  their  leaves  in  a  varying  degree,  and  they  may 
be  almost  leafless  for  several  weeks.  This  period  is  the  time  for  pruning 
and  spraying.  If  the  trees  are  infested  with  scale  and  smut,  they  should, 
after  pruning,  be  thoroughly  sprayed  with  lime  and  sulphur  or  kerosene 
emulsion.  If  a  few  old  leaves  remain  after  pruning,  and  they  are 
infested,  it  is  better  to  pull  them  off  and  destroy  them  with  other  infested 
material.  Insecticides  applied  at  this  period  check  the  growth  and 
development  of  pests  more  successfully  than  at  any  other  time,  and  the 
spraying  solutions  will  reach  all  parts  more  thoroughly. 

In  seasons  when  the  fruit  becomes  infested  with  mealy  bug  it 
amy  be  found  helpful  to  give  the  trees  another  spraying  when  the 
first  crop  of  fruit  is  about  half-grown.  Kerosene  or  kerosene-carbolic 
emulsions  are  generally  preferred  for  combating  mealy  bug.  The  natural 
enemies  of  this  pest  generally  reduce  its  numbers  considerably,  but  in 
some  seasons  it  becomes  quite  abundant  and  renders  much  of  the  fruit 
unsightly;  additional  work  is  also  laid  on  the  grower,  who  has  to  brush  or 
wash  the  fruit  before  packing  it.  A  third  spraying,  aiming  chiefly  at  the 
fruit,  might  be  necessary  when  the  fruit  is  nearly  full  grown.  The  first 
spraying  with  a  strong  solution  or  emulsion  when  the  trees  have  just 
been  pruned  and  are  leafless  will  be  found  useful  for  this  as  for  many 
other  pests. 

Kerosene  Emulsion. 
Kerosene,  2  gallons; 
Soap  (whale-oil  or  soft  soap),  ^lb. ; 
Water,  1  gallon. 

Boil  the  water  and  in  it  dissolve  the  soap,  then  add  the  kerosene. 
Whilst  still  hot  churn  thoroughly  with  a  pump  till  a  thick  emulsion  is 
obtained  and  no  free  oil.  For  spraying  use  one  part  of  this  emulsion  to 
twelve  parts  of  water. 

Carbolic  Acid  Emulsion. 
Crude  carbolic  acid,  1  gallon; 
Whale-oil  soap,  8  Ib. ; 
Water,  8  gallons. 

Dissolve  the  soap  by  boiling  in  the  water,  then  add  the  carbolic  acid. 
For  spraying  acid  20  gallons  of  water  to  every  gallon  of  the  emulsion. 


The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland.  23 


FIELD  NOTES  AND  RECOMMENDATIONS,  &c. 

CUSTARD  APPLE  DISEASES. 
Director  of  Fruit  Culture. 

Sir, — I  have  previously  reported  on  the  occurrence  of  diseases  on 
Custard  Apple  trees,  and,  in  view  of  the  increasing  area  now  being 
devoted  to  this  excellent  fruit,  I  wish  to  record  some  recent  observations. 

Certain  young  custard  trees  on  the  property  of  L.  G.  Corrie  at 
Garden  Island  were  found  in  a  dying  state,  and  specimens  of  them  were 
obtained  for  head  office  investigation,  so  as  to  determine  the  cause  of  the 
disease. 

My  inspection  of  affected  trees  in  various  places  leads  me  to  believe 
there  are  two  distinct  causes  for  the  sickness  or  death  of  these  trees 
and  each  is  characterised  by  a  series  of  symptoms. 

Collar  Rot  of  Custards. 

I  give  it  this  name  to  distinguish  it  from  the  collar  rot  of  oranges 
and  lemons. 

The  symptoms  of  this  disease  appear  as  follows:— 

1.  The  leaves  near  the  base  of  the  branches  turn  yellow  abnormally, 
whilst  the  remainder  of  the  trees  looks  vigorous  and  healthy. 

2.  Within  about  three  days  after  this  is  first  noticed  all  the  leaves 
on  the  tree  suddenly  dry  up  and  generally  drop  off. 

3.  The  leafless  branches  dry  up  from  the  tip  downwards. 

Unless  the  tree  is  treated  at  the  very  first  appearance  of  yellowing, 
death  will  ensue  within  a  few  days. 

Die -back  of  Custards. 

1.  The  leaves  generally  of  the  weaker  or  smaller  shoots  turn  brown 
at  the  edges. 

2.  The  shoots  become  stunted  in  their  growth  and  die  back  from 
the  tips. 

3.  The    foregoing    symptoms    appear    sometimes    on    only    a    few 
branches,  and  the  tree  may  live  a  long  time  in  a  weak  state. 

In  view  of  the  fatal  character  of  the  collar  rot,  preventive  measures 
have  been  recommended  in  accordance  with  certain  conditions  which 
have  been  noted  as  likely  to  introduce  or  encourage  the  disease. 

(a]  It  has  been  observed  that  the  disease  causes  the  rotting  of  the 
bark  of  the  stock  and  stops  when  it  reaches  the  scion,  and  it  is  possible 
that  certain  species  of  Anona  are  more  liable  to  the  disease  than  others, 
and  should  therefore  be  avoided  as  stocks. 

(6)  It  seems  likely  that  the  disease  may  gain  an  entrance  at  the 
graft  wound,  germinating  in  the  exposed  cambium  and  growing  down- 
wards into  the  roots  and  around  the  stem.  It  is  therefore  important  to 


The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland. 


PLATE  7. — KEDROX. 


i,  it  i. 


PLATE  8. — BUNKER'S  No.  1, 


The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland.  25 


have  clean  or  sterilised  grafting  tools  and  the  graft  should  be  well 
covered  to  exclude  air  or  foreign  matter.  Wax  containing  an  antiseptic 
might  be  used. 

(c)  I  find  that  diseased  trees  have  generally  been  planted  too  deep. 
Instead  of  staking  the  trees  after  planting  they  are  planted  deep  enough 
to  enable  the  tree  to  stand  in  the  wind  without  staking.    The  burying  of 
the  stem  in  this  way  will  tend  towards  softening  the  bark  (the  piling  of 
earth  or  rubbish  round  the  neck  of  a  tree  will  have  a  similar  tendency) 
and  will  almost  certainly  encourage  this  disease,  and  planters  should  be 
careful  not  to  plant  deeper  than  the  tree  was  when  it  was  in  the  nursery, 
and  stakes  should  be  used  for  support  of  the  young  tree. 

(d)  At  planting  time  also  the  bark  of  the  tree  may  be  bruised  by 
careless  handling  and  the  disease  may  begin  at  such  a  bruise. 

If  the  disease  is  noticed  in  time  the  following  measures  are 
commendable  :—  - 

(1)  The  excision  of  all  diseased  bark,  and  if  even  a  small  area 
of  healthy  bark  remains  to  connect  root  and  branch  the 
tree  may  often  be  saved. 

(2)  Painting  the  wound  immediately  after  with  an  antiseptic 
or  fungicide  —  Stockholm  tar  or  Bordeaux  mixture. 

The  die-back  seems  mostly  to  affect  the  feeding  roots  and  the 
following  measures  may  be  tried  :— 

1.  Trim  off  or  shorten  all  weak  or  decaying  branches. 

2.  All  prunings  and  dead  wood  lying  about  the  orchard  should 

be  burned. 

3.  Apply  a  stimulant,  in  the  form  of  a  top-dressing  of  good 

stable   manure,   and  if  the   weather  is   dry  soak   the  soil 
with  water  or  weak  liquid  manure. 

WM.  LESLIE,  Inspector  P.D.A. 
15th  April,  1918. 

VI.  Notes  on  Species  and  Varieties. 

Seeds*  of  Custard  Apples  have  been  imported  into  Queensland  from 
time  to  time,  some  through  the  Botanic  Gardens,  Brisbane,  and  others 
through  the  Queensland  Acclimatisation  Society,  and  both  trees  and 
seeds  have  been  distributed  by  each  of  these  centres  to  growers  through- 
out the  State.  This  stands  proved  by  the  existence  of  trees  of  a  number 
of  species  of  Anona  which  have  been  discovered  in  the  course  of  recent 
investigation. 

of  the  oldest  trees  in  the  State  used  to  grow  in  the  grounds 


*It  is  also  likely  that  plants  of  several  species  of  Anona  would  be  obtained  in 
wardian  cases  from  the  Eoyal  Gardens,  Kew—  especially  in  the  period  when  Walter 
Hill  was  Director  of  the  Brisbane  Botanic  Gardens,  1868  to  1880. 


26 


The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland. 


TREE  AND  FRUIT  OF  ANON  A  MURICATA  L. — SOURSOP.     Grown  in  the  Mossman  District, 

Queensland. 


The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland. 


27 


PLATE  9. — NEAR  PINK'S  MAMMOTH. 


12 


PLATE  12.— PINK'S  MAMMOTH    (OUTRIDGE.) 


28  The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland. 


of  the  Redland  Bay  Hotel.  The  remains  of  one,  consisting  of  a  few 
fresh  branches,  are  still  to  be  seen  there.  Mr.  James  Collins  states  that 
they  produced  good  fruit  and  that  he  obtained  seeds  from  the  better 
one  and  he  has  now  growing  in  his  orchard  the  progeny  of  that  old  tree. 
Plate  22  shows  a  fruit  from  one  of  these  trees.  A  fruit  from  another 
old  tree  growing  in  the  orchard  of  Mr.  William  Moore,  of  Redland  Bay, 
was  obtained  and  is  described  on  the  list  (No.  17).  This  tree  had  borne 
some  fair-sized  fruits,  but  the  flavour  was  poor.  The  age  of  the  above- 
mentioned  old  trees  is  estimated  at  over  fifty  years.  The  following  notes 
re  old  trees  and  introductions  were  given  by  Mr.  J.  F.  Bailey,  Director  of 
Brisbane  Botanic  Gardens,  in  1910. 

"Anona  tnuricata  and  A.  cherimolia. — Growing  in  Captain 
Wickham's  garden  in  1856  and  at  Brisbane  Botanic  Gardens  in  1861. 
The  lastmentioned  fruited  at  the  Gardens  for  the  first  time  in  1867. 

"..-1.  reticulata. — Growing  at  Bowen  Park  in  1866.  Thirty-four 
Custard  Apples  were  distributed  from  the  Brisbane  Botanic  Gardens  in 
1862,  but  the  species  are  not  recorded.  Five  hundred  and  fifty-seven 
bushels  of  Custard  Apples  were  produced  from  13  acres  in  1908. 

"  Anona-  squamosa. — Plants  were  sent  to  M.  C.  O'Connell,  Port 
Curtis,  and  to  a  gardener  in  Brisbane  in  1854  from  the  Sydney  Botanic 
Gardens.  Growing  in  Captain  Wickham's  garden  at  Xewstead  in  1856 
and  in  the  Brisbane  Botanic  Gardens  in  1861." 

There  is  a  record  in  the  report  of  the  Acclimatisation  Society  for 
1885  of  Anona  pahistris  (Syn.  A.  ylabra  L.)  the  alligator  apple,  having 
fruited  in  the  society 's  gardens  in  that  year.  The  Custard  Apple  appears 
to  have  been  little  noticed  in  Queensland  until  the  late  Mr.  L.  G.  Corrie 
brought  into  prominence  a  very  fine  variety  (Pink's  Mammoth)  found 
in  a  private  garden  near  Brisbane.  The  years  1879  to  1885  hold  the 
most  important  period  in  the  history  of  the  Custard  Apple  in  Queens- 
land. About  the  former  date,  Mr.  James  Pink,  who  was  then  manager 
for  the  Acclimatisation  Society,  heard  "Custard  Apples  as  big  as  loaves" 
spoken  of  by  Mr.  W.  Pagan  as  having  been  seen  in  South  America. 

Mr.  Pink  sent  to  the  Director  of  the  Botanic  Gardens  (G.  S.  Jenman, 
F.L.S.),  British  Guiana,  for  seeds.  He  ultimately  obtained  a  few,  from 
which  he  raised  four  plants.  One  of  these  plants  was  given  to  Mr.  G.  D. 
Katterns,  of  Bowen  Hills,  and  the  others  were  lost.  Mr.  Katterns  took 
care  of  the  tree  and  it  grew  well.  Its  first  fruit  was  sent  to  Mr.  Pink, 
who  was  then  at  the  Botanic  Gardens,  and  he  obtained  scions  and  sent 
some  to  Mr.  James  Collins,  of  Redland  Bay. 

Meanwhile  the  late  Mr.  Leslie  G.  Corrie  had  been  taking  much 
interest  in  the  introduction  of  Custard  Apples  as  well  as  other  desirable 
fruits.  He  had  been  making  inquiries  throughout  the  State  for  first-class 
varieties,  and  in  the  course  of  these  inquiries  he  discovered  Katterns' 
Custard  Apple.  Having  tasted  it,  he  at  once  realised  the  superb  qualities 
of  the  fruit,  and  obtained  scions,  which  he  had  grafted  on  to  trees 


The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland.  29 

growing  on  his  Redland  Bay  properties.  He  distributed  a  number  of 
scions  through  the  Acclimatisation  Society,  of  which  he  was  President, 
to  Mr.  James  Collins  and  others  in  the  State,  and  in  this  way  he  obtained 
for  the  giant  fruit  a  wide  reputation.  After  this  the  variety  was  freely 
grafted  by  fruit-growers  and  nurserymen  and  the  demand  for  plants 
of  it  has  always  exceeded  the  supply. 

The  production  of  Custard  Apples  in  Queensland  has  risen  during 
the  past  twenty  years  from  a  few  hundred  cases  to  about  20,000  cases 
(19,787  cases  to  15th  July,  crop  incomplete)  in  1918,  and  the  value  of 
the  produce  to  between  £5,000  and  £7,000.  f 

The  name  "Custard  Apple"  is  used  in  a  generic  sense  in  the 
above  statement.  It  may  include  various  fruits  with  names  such  as 
Cherimolia,  Cherimoya,  Bullock's  Heart,  Sweet  Sop,  Sour  Sop,  Sugar 
Apple,  Pomme  Canelle,  as  well  as  many  of  Spanish  or  American  origin. 
The  botanical  name  of  the  Custard  Apple  is  commonly  spelt  Anona  by 
British  botanists,  but  the  American  botanists  now  spell  it  Amiona,  as 
shown  in  the  following  extract*  :— 

"It  is  doubtful  whether  there  is  any  other  genus  which  contains  so 
many  species  having  edible  fruits  as  the  genus  Annona.  Already  Linne 
seems  to  have  anticipated  this  when  he  created  the  genus,  for  the  name 
Annona  signifies  '  provisions ';  it  is  not,  as  generally  believed,  derived 
from  the  pre-Linna?an  name  'Anona/  which,  after  Linne,  superseded 
Annona,  in  our  days  being  again  set  aside  for  its  older  rival." 

"Custard  Apple"  seems  a  better  generic  common  name  for 
anonaceous  fruit  than  any  other.  It  is  English,  whereas  "  Gherimoya " 
is  of  Mexican  or  South  American  origin.  "Custard  Apple"  aptly 
describes  the  consistency  of  nearly  all  the  fruits  of  the  genus — i.e.,  like 
a  custard.  In  California,  Florida,  and  the  Philippines  the  name 
"Custard  Apple"  is  applied  exclusively  to  the  fruit  of  Anona  rcticulata, 
but  this  fruit  has  long  been  known  in  the  West  Indies  as  the  "Bullock's 
Heart,"  also  at  the  Royal  Gardens,  Kew,  and  this  name  indicates  well 
the  appearance  of  the  fruit,  which  is  of  the  size  and  shape  of  a  bullock's 
heart — smooth  skin  with  reddish  reticulate  veins  or  markings. 

The  first  record  of  the  fruit  in  the  world  is  that  of  the  Dutch 
naturalist,  Piso,  who  in  1648  described  and  figured  species  of  Anona 
which  he  had  found  in  Brazil  in  1637.  Since  then  there  have  been  many 
additions  to  the  number  of  species,  until  now  there  are  about  sixty. 
Only  prominent  ones  which  have  been  introduced  or  have  fruited  in 
Queensland  will  be  dealt  with  here.  The  order  Anonacece  is  represented 
in  the  Queensland  flora  by  sixteen  species,  but  none  are  of  the  genus 
Anona. 

A.  cherimolia  (Mill) — The  Cherimoya. — This  is  the  most  famous  of 
the  Custard  Apples,  and  is  the  species  most  cultivated  for  the  excellence 
of  its  fruit,  especially  in  California  and  other  parts  of  America,  also  in 

*P.  J.  Wester  in  Phil.  Agri.  Eeview,  Vol.  VI.,  No.  7  (July,  1913),  page  313. 
tArea  under  Custard  Apples  in  1918=159  acres. 


30 


The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland. 


14 


PLATE  14. — PINK'S  MAMMOTH.      (STRACHAN.) 


PLATE  15. — COLLINS 's  VARIETY. 


The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland. 


Madeira  and  the  Canary  Islands.  It  is  a  native  of  the  highlands  of 
tropical  America,  from  Mexico  to  Peru,  being  found  at  an  elevation  of 
4,000  ft.  It  has  been  noted  that  it  does  not  thrive  in  the  tropics  at  a  low 
elevation.  It  forms  about  80  per  cent,  of  all  Anonas  cultivated  in 
Queensland.  It  is  liable  to  much  variation  in  size  and  form  of  fruit. 
The  following  varieties  are  recognised  in  Queensland,  and  there  are  a 
number  of  others  more  or  less  nearly  allied  to  these  which  are  at  present 
unclassified. 

The  Island  variety  (Plate  1). — This  variety  was  so  named  by  the 
late  Mr.  L.  G.  Corrie  because  he  first  took  notice  of  it  on  Garden  Island, 
where  he  grew  Custard  Apples  and  other  fruits.  This  fruit  is  small — 
average  8  to  10  oz. — but  generally  uniform  in  size  and  shape.  It  has  a 
rich  sub-acid  flavour.  The  following  are  sub-varieties : — 

Collins 's  Island  (Plate  22). — This  is  the  variety  which  Mr.  Collins 
describes  (page  7)  as  being  obtained  from  the  grounds  of  the  Redland 
Bay  Hotel.  It  is  larger  than  the  typical  Island  and  has  about  the  same 
fine  flavour. 

Moore's  Island  (Plate  2  and  No.  16). — This  has  generally  a  smoother 
skin  and  more  distinct  reticulation.  In  Plate  2  a  resemblance  to 
A.  reticulata  (the  Bullock's  Heart)  is  noted,  and  it  may  possibly  be  a 
natural  hybrid  between  that  species  and  A.  cherimolia.  (See  also 
No.  25.) 

Strachan's  Island  (Plate  5). — This  is  about  the  best  variety  of  the 
true  Cherimoya  type.  It  is  larger  than  the  type,  has  a  very  thin  skin, 
and  exquisite  flavour.  It  was  first  borne  by  a  tree  belonging  to  Mr. 
Andrew  Strachan,  at  Redland  Bay.  Mr.  Strachan  says  of  it :  "  The  tree 
has  been  a  good  cropper  every  year  for  the  past  twenty-five  years,  and 
is  the  parent  tree  of  Moore 's. ' ' 

Strachan's  No.  1  (Plate  4).— This  variety  is  distinct  in  shape,  being 
like  a  pouch.  The  skin  is  fairly  smooth  and  thin.  The  flavour  is  sweet 
and  the  flesh  generally  of  good  texture.  The  tree  is  said  to  be  a  good 
regular  bearer.  On  plates  18  and  24  are  fruits  akin  to  this. 

Bunker's  Golden  (Plate  32). — This  is  a  fine  cherimoya.  It  is  fairly 
regular  in  size  and  shape  and  generally  having  large  protuberances. 
As  it  becomes  full  grown  the  skin,  especially  around  the  protuberances,, 
turns  to  a  yellow  colour,  giving  the  fruit  an  attractive  appearance.  It 
was  raised  in  the  orchard  of  Mr.  Edward  Bunker,  at  Redland  Bay,  where 
it  was  probably  planted  by  the  late  Mr.  L.  G.  Corrie.  The  flavour  is  not 
so  good  as  the  type. 

Pink's  Mammoth  (Plates  9,  12,  and  14). — The  species  to  which  this 
variety  belongs  has  not  yet  been  determined,  but  it  appears  near  A. 
cherimolia  (Mill.)  whilst  showing  some  characteristics  of  A.  diversifolia, 
Safford  (1912).  The  seeds  yielding  this  variety  were  introduced  by 
Mr.  James  Pink,  and  the  name  Mammoth  was  used  because  of  the  great 
size  of  the  fruit.  The  average  weight  of  the  four  fruits  figured  is  just 
over  3  lb.,  and  the  fruit  figured  on  plate  12  weighed  5  Ib.  11  oz.  The  tree, 


32 


The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland. 


PLATE  ]8. — SMGCTH  VARIETY.     (X 


PLATE  22. — ISLAND.     (COLLINS.) 


The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland.  33 


as  well  as  all  its  parts,  are  quite  diverse  in  form.  The  branches  are 
straggly  and  are  of  all  sorts  and  sizes,  so  are  the  leaves,  fruits,  and  seeds. 
It  has  been  recorded  that  there  appeared  on  one  small  branch  (1)  a  fruit 
almost  indistinguishable  from  a  sinotth  heart-shaped  cherimoya  and  (2) 
a  large,  uncouth,  irregularly  shaped  fruit  with  prominent  protuberances. 
The  flesh  is  firm  and  the  flavour  is  rich  and  aromatic,  with  a  little  acidity, 
which  appears  to  increase  its  palatability.  The  seeds  are  generally  few  in 
proportion  to  the  size  of  the  fruit.  This  is  the  most  popular  variety  in 
Queensland  and  is  the  one  which  the  late  Mr.  L.  G.  Corrie  did  so  much 
to  make  known. 

Bunker's  No.  1  is  a  nearly  allied  variety  appearing  on  Plate  8. 
Fruits  described  under  Nos.  15  and  27  are  from  seedlings  akin  to  the 
Mammoth.  They  were  raised  by  Mr.  James  Collins,  being  results  of 
some  of  his  plant-breeding  work.  All  three  are  likely  hybrids  between 
the  Mammoth  and  A.  cherimolia  (the  Island  type).  They  are  more 
regular  in  form  and  size  than  the  Mammoth,  and  the  flavour  is  generally 
good.  The  fruit  on  Plate  9  is  also  in  this  class. 

Kedron  (Plate  7). — Was  much  in  favour  with  Mr.  Corrie,  who  at 
first  called  it  Day's  because  Mr.  Day,  of  Kedron,  was  the  first  to  show  it  to 
him.  Whilst  discussing  names  it  was  thought  that  Mr.  Corrie 's  name 
should  be  associated  with  some  good  variety,  and  the  name  Corrie 's  Late 
was  provisionally  applied  to  this  one,  but  Mr.  Corrie  modestly  refused 
to  have  his  name  used,  and  at  his  suggestion  it  was  named  Kedron.  At 
Redland  Bay  it  is  sometimes  called  Bullock's  Heart,  but  as  this  is  the 
common  name  applied  throughout  the  world  to  A.  reticulata  it  seems 
better  to  call  it  Kedron.  There  are  indications,  however,  that  it  might 
be  a  cross  between  that  species  (reticulata)  and  some  other,  possibly  A. 
diversifolia.  It  has  a  particularly  coarse  exterior,  but  is  more  regular 
in  form  and  size  than  the  Mammoth,  which  it  resembles  in  flavour  and 
other  qualities.  Its  reputed  habit  of  fruiting  late  should  commend  it  to 
growers  so  as  to  prolong  the  growing  period. 

A.  gla~bra,  L.  (syn.  A.  palustris  L,  and  A.  lanrifolia,  Dunal.),  the 
Alligator  Apple  or  Mamon.  This  was  one  of  the  earliest  of  the  genus 
to  be  described  (see  No.  17  on  tabulated  list),  but  has  never  come  into 
favour  as  a  fruit.  It  grows  best  near  swamps  and  the  fruit  is  readily 
easten  by  alligators.  It  is  not  palatable  and  is  said  to  have  certain 
narcotic  properties.  In  a  letter  from  Mr.  Pink  certain  fruits  are 
mentioned  as  being  sparely  eaten  in  British  Guiana,  which  statement 
probably  refers  to  fruits  of  this  species.  It  has  been  recommended  as  a 
stock  for  grafting  or  budding.  It  has  a  wider  natural  distribution  than 
any  other  species  of  the  genus  as  it  extends  throughout  the  American 
tropics  to  Southern  Florida  and  is  also  found  in  tropical  Africa, 

A.  montana  Macfad.  (No.  13.  See  also  in  Mr.  Soutter's  notes, 
page  12). — This  species  was  introduced  from  Ceylon.  The  trees  that 
have  been  seen  in  Queensland  are  small  and  show  signs  of  weak  growth. 
Possibly  they  prefer  a  warmer  climate  than  Southern  Queensland.  The 

c 


34 


The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland. 


PLATE  24. — SMOOTH  VARIETY.     (COLLINS.) 


PLATE  32. — BUNKER'S  GOLDFX. 


The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland.  35 


fruit  described  was  from  a  tree  growing  at  Mount  Cotton.  The  flavour  is 
poor — watery  sweet,  and  the  seeds  are  numerous.  It  is  not  a  desirable 
kind  to  grow. 

A.  muricata,  L.  (page  26). —  The  Sour  Sop  is  one  of  the  oldest 
known  kinds  of  Anona.  It  is  indigenous  to  the  West  Indies  and  other 
parts  of  the  tropics.  It  does  not  thrive  in  Southern  Queensland,  but  is 
to  be  found  growing  well  in  the  North.  The  tree  figured  is  from  Mossman 
district.  The  fruit  is  large,  sometimes  attaining  a  weight  of  6  or  8  Ib. 
It  is  of  an  irregular  pyriform  shape,  and  is  covered  with  soft  prickles 
or  spines.  It  has  a  pleasant  sub-acid  flavour,  but  the  pulp  is  inclined 
to  be  fibry.  Fruit  No.  11  may  be  from  a  cross  between  the  Sour  Sop 
and  the  Cherimoya. 

A.  reticulata — Bullock's  Heart. — Another  species  requiring  tropical 
conditions,  and  not  common  in  Southern  Queensland,  but  found  growing 
well  in  the  North.  The  name  Bullock's  Heart  aptly  describes  the 
appearance  of  the  fruit,  which  is  heart-shaped,  smooth,  and  has  reddish 
reticulation  or  veining  over  the  skin.  The  flesh  is  yellowish-white  and  of 
a  good  flavour.  Plate  2  shows  indications  of  reticulata  characteristics. 

A.  squamosa  L.  (Plate  3.  Sweet  Sop  or  Sugar  Apple). — This,  like 
the  Sour  Sop,  is  a  native  of  the  West  Indies,  and  requires  tropical  con- 
ditions for  perfect  growth.  The  tree  has  a  regular  system  of  branches — 
not  so  diffuse  as  the  Cherimoya  and  the  Mammoth.  The  fruit  is  heart- 
shaped  or  globular,  with  very  prominent  tubercules,  and  the  average 
weight  is  about  8  oz.  The  flavour  is  good,  flesh  firm,  but  seeds  are 
numerous. 

Up  to  the  time  of  going  to  press  flowers  were  not  available,  hence 
the  other  fruits  described,  which  are  not  otherwise  known,  have  not  been 
determined  as  to  species.  No.  6  is  a  distinct  fruit  of  a  regularly  flat 
shape.  No.  21  is  the  first  fruit  from  a  young  Anona  growing  in  Mr. 
Pink's  garden  at  Badgen,  Wellington  Point.  He  obtained  the  seed  via 
the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture  from  Paraguay.  The  skin 
was  somewhat  thick  and  hard  and  the  flesh  gritty.  The  flavour  was 
fairly  good.  No.  23  is  a  fruit  of  a  very  distinct  kind  from  the  orchard 
of  Mr.  James  Collins.  It  is  of  a  dark  choice! ate  colour,  and  the  skin  is 
hard  and  much  inclined  to  split  or  crack.  The  flavour  is  fair.  The  fruit 
No.  20  had  the  thickest  and  hardest  skin  of  any  of  the  whole  collection. 
Judging  from  this  and  other  characters  it  might  be  placed  under  A. 
scleroderma,  and  the  fruit  described  as  No.  19  might  come  under  A. 
lutescens,  being  a  bright  lemon  colour,  and  otheriwse  resembling  that 
species. 

It  is  probable  that,  in  view  of  the  tendency  of  Anonas  to  cross- 
fertilisation,  a  number  of  the  fruits  described  are  from  natural  hybrids. 
Until  the  determination  of  species  is  complete  little  comment  can  be 
made  on  these.  The  fruit  figured  on  Plate  11  shows  signs  of  being  a 
cross  between  A.  clierimolia  and  A.  muricata.  This  fruit  is  commonly 
called  the  Prickly  or  the  Mount  Cotton.  It  is  quite  distinct  in  its  having 


36  The  Custard  Apple  in  Queensland. 


long  prickly  or  pointed  protuberances.  It  has  a  fairly  good  flavour  and 
is  reputed  to  be  an  early  cropper.  The  tree  is  a  regular  bearer  of 
medium-sized  fruit  and  it  is  said  to  form  a  good  stock.  No.  10  is  a 
distinct  variety,  possibly  between  A.  glabra  and  A.  sqnam-osa,  and  that 
on  Plate  2  already  described  as  Moore's  Island  is  probably  A.  cherimolia- 
A.  reticulata.  In  this  connection  the  following  extract  has  some  special 
interest1: — "In  1908,  at  the  subtropical  laboratory,  Miami,  Fla.,  U.S.A., 
the  writer  successfully  hybridised  the  Cherimoya  and  the  Sugar  Apple,2 
the  Sugar  Apple  and  the  Custard  Apple,3  the  Cherimoya  and  the 
Mamon,4  and  the  Mamon  and  the  Sugar  Apple.  Several  hundred 
seedlings  resulted  from  this  work,  the  hybrids  between  the  Cherimoya 
and  the  Sugar  Apple  showing  remarkable  vigour  and  thrif tiness. ' ' 

Seeds  of  a  cross  between  A.  cherimolia  and  A.  reticulata  were 
obtained  from  New  South  Wales  by  the  Director  of  Fruit  Culture  in 
May,  1918,  and  were  handed  to  the  Acclimatisation  Society  per  the  late 
Mr.  Leslie  G.  Corrie.  They  were  sown  in  the  society's  grounds  at 
Lawnton. 


1  P.  J.  Wester — Philippine  Agricultural  Review.  Vol.  VI.,  No.  7. 
-  Anona  squamosa  L. 

3  A.  reticulata  L. 

4  A.  glabra  L. 


Custard  Apple  in  Queensland. 


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