========================================== Rare Fruit News Online - All Year for 1999 ========================================== Rare Fruit News Online consists primarily of messages from subscribers. Sometimes there are questions to be answered by those with knowledge and experience (and, we are fortunate to have them among us.) Others consist of feedback to letters posted in an earlier issue. Sometimes there are references thought to be of interest, such as books, periodicals, or - more likely - web pages and their URL addresses. It works, because of the teamwork among you, and I'm pleased to be part of it. If you ever want to write about changing your email address or unsubscribing or almost anything, please include your WHOLE name (especially the LAST name) as my address book is set up that way. To see back issues of the newsletter, visit the online group, "OldRFN" OldRFN is at http://www.visto.com/j.html?g=16812838.WDY3NjdX Please keep me advised of trouble with the OldRFN webpage. ------------------Index: What's in this issue?------------------- --Leo's Notes #1,2, and 3 --New Subscribers From: Steve Fleischaker Subject: New Subscriber (Renew) St. Petersburg, FL From: Christina Stufflefield Subject: New Subscriber TN Needs Help Growing Citrus Indoors From: Kirt Nieft Subject: New Subscriber, Hawaii, Looking For Cash Crops In Rare Fruit --Readers Write From: Bruce Livingston Subject: Website improvements (Impressive! Leo) From: Leo To: santol Subject: Re: Website improvements From: Bruce Livingston Subject: Re: Website improvements AND Nurseries In Florida From: Leo To: Bruce Livingstone Subject: Re: Website improvements AND Nurseries In Florida From: "Helga and Bert Dunn" Subject: Will Papaya Fruit In Pot?? From: Eunice Messner To: Bert Dunn Subject: Re: Will Papaya Fruit In Pot?? From: Eunice Messner To: tgreaves@primeco.com Subject: Gwen avocado source From: Eunice Messner To: Permacltur@aol.com Subject: Paw paws (Asimina)& mycorrhizae From: "Les Warren" Subject: Source for Marula From: "zambesi" Subject: Re: Tropical Fruit Nursery - Source of Marula! From: "Holzinger, Bob" Subject: Newsletter Format and Seeds From: "Monroe, William" Subject: Newsletter Format, and Visit http://www.brevardrarefruit.org From: Geoffrey Dunn To: "Raymond N. Gerlach" Subject: Buddhas' Hand Citron From: moshe nadler Subject: Re: ANA (Anna) Apple From: Leo To: moshe nadler Subject: Re: ANA (Anna) Apple From: Kevin Hickey Subject: Some Australian Fruit and Nut Trees From: Eunice Messner To: Sven Merten Subject: Receipt of tissue culture procedures Subject: RE: Did I Lose Your Email? If So, Please Send It Again From: Dick Smith: RASmith49@aol.com From: Eunice Messner To: RASmith49@aol.com Subject: Subject: Ice cream banana - Continued From: Eunice Messner Subject: Tropical landscape in a temperate zone From: Les Warren Subject: Source for Marula From: Alan Smith Subject: Re: Tropical Fruit Nursery - Have Web Page? From: Eunice Messner To: Dan Subject: Paw paws (Asimina) & mycorrhizae From: Eunice Messner To: tgreaves@primeco.com Subject: Gwen avocado source From: Ben Poirier Subject: Germinating Illama Seeds - My Way From: Ben Poirier Subject: Germinating Illama Seeds - My Way - Continuing From: Eunice Messner Subject: Tropical Fruit University in Costa Rica From: "Helga and Bert Dunn" Subject: Gold In Them Thar RNFOs From: Eunice Messner To: Tina: Subject: Indoor citrus care Subject: Re: Cornucopia II Order Form From: Gail Newcomb From: "Holzinger, Bob" Subject: Cold Snap and Minimum Damage, Fortunately From: Geoffrey Dunn To: web@brevardrarefruit.org Subject: Membership for Brevard(Rarefruit) From: "Richard K. Gross" Subject: Grafting Clamps - Information Sought From: Leo Manuel Subject: Readers We Have Lost - Unless You Can Help From: scoutdog@pacbell.net Subject: Re: Have You Used Gibberillic Acid For Seeds? From: Sven Merten Subject: Where should I buy land to grow rare fruit? From: Sven Subject: Rare Fruit Reference book recommendations? From: Leo Manuel To: Sven Subject: Re: Rare Fruit Reference book recommendations? Subject: Raccoon In My Fruit Garden Date: Leo From: Leo Subject: Chemical Stimulants in Propagating Seeds (Including GA) From: Leo Subject: Triple Crown Blackberry - New - Information Sought --Readers Write About Newsletter Format From: "Matt Heffron" Subject: Newsletter Format: To Doc or Not to Doc From: Jody Haynes Subject: Newsletter Format: Use *.txt From: Bill Thomas: Thomasx4@aol.com Subject: Newsletter Format: Use *.txt From: Geoffrey Dunn Subject: Newsletter Format: Use *.txt From: Geoffrey Dunn Subject: Newsletter Format: Use *.txt - Continued From: RRRummler@aol.com Subject: Newsletter Format: Use *.txt From: Darryl Subject: Newsletter Format: Use *.txt From: "Staples, Ian" Subject: Newsletter Format: Use *.txt From: "Allen, Robert" Subject: Newsletter Format: Maybe attach both *.txt and *.doc versions --Web Pages To Consider From: Darryl Subject: Sugar Palm: Basis of Integrated Farming Systems in Cambodia www.fao.org/waicent/faoinfo/agricult/aga/agap/frg/conf96.htm/khieu.htm --NAFEX List Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1998 20:10:11 -0700 Subject: Commercial Sources--Ginkgo nuts From: mblossom@juno.com (Mark B Blossom) >>>Subject: Newly Released! Cornucopia II Order Form<<< ------------------------------------------------------------------- --Zingiber List (Bananas, Gingers) None --From NEWCROPS List None -----------------Leo's Notes--------------------- Leo's Note #1 As I indicated in a confusing message to you, something happened to some of my email messages. I wrote you a few days ago to say that this loss had occured, and to give you a chance to scan the headers that I had on hand for the newsletter, so you could re-submit any that were missing. The offer still holds. If your letter didn't get in, please send it again. --Leo's Note #2: Can anyone help me locate a variety of Star Fruit named "Sri Ket?" I heard that it's significantly more tasty than most others. Of course, that's a matter - of taste. --Leo's Note #3: Order your copy of Cornucopia II. A copy of an order form is at the bottom of this email. Tell Stephen to save one for me! -----------------New Subscribers--------------------- From: Steve Fleischaker Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1998 10:22:43 EST Subject: New Subscriber (Renew) St. Petersburg, FL My name is Steve Fleischaker living near St. Petersburg, Florida. I grow Carambola, Lychee, Citrus, and my passion, Loquat. Steve Fleischaker Central Fl ----------------------------- From: Christina Stufflefield Date: Sat, 26 Dec 1998 21:04:57 EST Subject: New Subscriber TN Needs Help Growing Citrus Indoors Hello! And what a great web page you have. My name is Christina Stubblefield and I live in Clarksville, TN (1 hr North of Nashville). About 2 years ago I inherited a citrus tree from a friend who moved out of the country. The first year I had it it bloomed nicely in December, indoors. Since then, nothing. In fact, it's looking quite horrid lately. How do I care for it? Inside, outside? Fertilizers? I'm at a loss. I would love to be part of your group. I'm eager to expand my garden and gardening knowledge. Thanks for any input/advice you can give. Sincerely, Christina -------------------------------- Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1998 13:38:26 -1000 From: Kirt Nieft Subject: New Subscriber, Hawaii, Looking For Cash Crops In Rare Fruit Please sign me up for your tropical fruit mailing list. My name is Kirt Nieft. I live on the big island of Hawaii, in Opihikao (Puna) at 400 ft elevation. It never get below 60F or above 90F with about 100 inches of rainfall/year. We have six acres which is planted in our home orchard of great variety. We are researching what to plant as a cash orchard in the coming years (sheep weeders are established) and have a special place in our hearts for mangosteen and durian since we lived in Thailand for four years (and Peru for two and New Zealand for one). Plese send us your sample issues and backissues. Cheers, Kirt ------------------Readers Write-------------------- From: Bruce Livingston Subject: Website improvements Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1998 11:03:30 -0500 Hello Leo, I'd like to announce that I have totally revamped and improved my "Santol's Tropical Fruit Homepage." I would be very grateful if you will take the time to look at it, and make an announcement about it to your subscribers. The URL is: http://www.gate.net/~santol/index.html Thank you, Leo. See you soon, Bruce Livingston (a.k.a. Santol) -------------------------- Date: Sat, 12 Dec 1998 21:21:58 +0000 From: Leo To: Bruce Subject: Re: Website improvements Bruce, I've more than impressed by your comprehensive web page - I'm bowled over! And envious of your talent in designing and executing it. What did you use to create it? However, it took me longer than it will anyone else to figure out that clicking on the rotating "New" was not the way to access the information described there. Do you know of nurseries that ship into California? I couldn't be more enthusiastic in recommending your page for RFNOers and will be back to soak up more information often. I'm glad you let us know. Sincerely, Leo -------------------------------- From: Bruce Livingston Subject: Re: Website improvements Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1998 13:07:01 -0500 Hello Leo, Well, I certainly thank you a million times over for your quick response and for your kind words. Maybe I'll link those "new" buttons to the proper page and make it easier. I hadn't thought of that. I did everything with Microsoft Front Page 98. Last trip to Thailand I picked it up for ten bucks. Perhaps it's counterfeit because it costs quite a bit here, but I bought it at a legitimate retail outlet, in proper packaging, so who knows? It took some playing around to figure out how to program a webpage with it, but with a little practicing it works beautifully. My original page was designed with Microsoft Publisher 97. Don't bother with that one . . . it caused all kinds of bizarre graphic screw-ups all over the web page. So, if you're going to use anything, I suggest Microsoft Front Page 98. You don't have to know anything at all about HTML to work with it. Once you get used to it, it's quite easy. The best nursery here is Hopkins Rare Fruit Nursery (954) 434-5558. Tell Bill Hopkins I told you to call. I know he ships to the Bahamas, so I would assume he can ship to California. Second best is called Garden of Delights, run by Murray Corman. His nursery is designed especially for mail order. On the links section of my web page all the information is there. So, next Saturday I'm off to Thailand for 3 weeks. We'll see what I can find this trip. Again, thanks a million, Leo. I very sincerely appreciate your E-mail and your help spreading the word about my website. Bruce Livingston ------------------------------- Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1998 01:35:29 +0000 From: Leo To: Bruce Livingstone Subject: Re: Website improvements Hi, Bruce Thanks for your nursery information. Have you brought any seedless guavas from Thailand? Do any of them taste sufficiently similar to seeded ones, to warrant seeking them out? I'd settle for really small seed cavity in a sweet-when-ripe one, either white flesh or not. Good luck on your trip. That's one I'd like to make sometime. Sincerely, Leo ------------------------------- From: "Helga and Bert Dunn" Subject: Will Papaya Fruit In Pot?? Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1998 16:38:42 -0500 Hello Leo We have a Papaya seedling is about 36" tall (and is in pot), and producing beautiful star-shaped flowers Has anyone fruited a papaya in a pot? Must be brought inside in fall due to our frigid winters Any tips will be appreciated Bert Dunn Zone 4b Ontario Canada ------------------------------- Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1998 18:22:36 -0800 (PST) From: Eunice Messner To: Bert Dunn Subject: Re: Will Papaya Fruit In Pot?? Dear Bert: Yes, papayas do very well in a pot. What ever size pot your plant is in now - just keep moving up to a larger pot as it grows. Even here in our subtropical area our papaya specialist grows some in 15 gal containers where he does not have excellent drainage. Papayas do not like the cold winter winds and rain. Their roots rot easily in the winter so try to hold them in a semi-dormant state, just enough water to sustain them. Heat, humidity and light exposure would dictate indoor winter care, which is something I am very unfamiliar with. Oh, one more thing. If your flower is close to the trunk, it is female and may produce a seedless fruit or may need pollen from a male tree whose flowers are borne on long, pendant stalks. If you have a Hawaiian papaya, chances are it will have a perfect female flower with both ovary and stamens. In that case, only one plant is needed to set fruit and the fruit will have seeds. Aloha! Eunice Messner ------------------------------------ Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1998 11:25:15 -0800 (PST) From: Eunice Messner To: tgreaves@primeco.com Subject: Gwen avocado source Dear Thomas Greaves, Look on the California Rare Fruit Growers home page (where you found Leo's fruit group). The section CRFG Member Nurseries and Fruit Sources lists which of the nurseries will mail order. Most of the info there is still valid, but an update with 32 nurseries should be appearing soon. Eunice Messner ----------------------------------- Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1998 10:55:19 -0800 (PST) From: Eunice Messner To: Permacltur@aol.com Subject: Paw paws (Asimina)& mycorrhizae Don Chapman of Bio-Organics, e-mail address: rob@bio-organics.com sells mycorrhizae that has a blend of 5 different kinds that should work on your paw paws. I put mycorrhizae on the roots of all the vegetables I plant (except cabbage family) and when planting new fruit trees. Bananas, avocado, citrus, mangos, neem and grapes respond exceptionally well to these fungi. They thrive best in soil containing organic matter as I'm sure you already know. Eunice Messner --------------------------------- Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1998 15:28:49 -0700 From: "Les Warren" Subject: Source for Marula Dear Leo and Eunice -- Thanks so much for the information on the African marula, Sclerocarya birrea subsp. caffra (Fruit Gardener v.29, no.5, p.18, 1997). I contacted Alan Smith of Tropical Fruit Nursery in Florida (e-mail: zambesi@gte.net) who provided me with seeds and seedlings at very reasonable prices (via US mail to California). He was also very helpful regarding propagation, culture, and so forth. The marula is currently under intense scrutiny as a commercial crop in Israel, where it appears to grow well in their desert areas. This rather large tree is, sadly, dioecious, so one must wait until the plants flower to determine which is which sex. I think I'll plant a number of seedlings in close proximity and (hopefully) keep one male and the best female. Thanks again, Les Warren of Camarillo ------------------------------- From: "zambesi" Subject: Re: Tropical Fruit Nursery - Source of Marula! Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1998 10:08:39 -0800 Season's Greetings Leo, I believe I wrote to you 2 years ago. SASE Alan Smith 7341 121st Terrace Nth., Largo FL.33773, I have a few Maruls seeds @ $2.50ea and a few small Marula seedlings @ $15.00 ea,plus P&P. Regards Alan. -----Original Message----- >Alan, does Tropical Fruit Nursery have a web page? I heard from Les >Warren here in California that he ordered Marula seeds/seedlings from >you, and I'd like to learn more about what you have available. > >Thanks! >Leo ------------------------------- From: "Holzinger, Bob" Subject: Newsletter Format and Seeds Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1998 07:18:30 -0800 Hi Leo, I had no problem with the last newsletter, once I realized it came as a Word document. I tried opening it the usual way and it wouldn't open, then I finally looked at the icon and it was simple after that. I got some A. diversifolia seeds from Mario last night, so now the question is when to plant them. Patrick likes to wait until the days start getting longer, i.e. the end of this month. He also plants by the lunar cycle in the Old Farmers Almanac. Since what I have read seems to indicate that the seeds are okay for several months stored dry, I will wait to plant the bulk of the seeds later in the spring. I want to do an experiment and try different concentrations of gibberellic acid to see what is the minimum concentration needed. I got so many seeds that I can do this and give some seeds to other people. Then again, since not everyone has gibberellic acid, maybe I should just sprout the seeds and give out the seedlings. Whatever, it's great to have the seeds! Talk to you later, Bob ------------------------------- From: "Monroe, William" Subject: Newsletter Format, and, See http://www.brevardrarefruit.org Date: 15 Dec 1998 Leo, I prefer it in a .doc format rather than an html format. In addition, please tell the folks on your list about our web site. http://www.brevardrarefruit.org Lots of cool fruit pictures! Regards, Bill Monroe President Brevard Rare Fruit Council ------------------------------- Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1998 18:04:55 -0800 From: Geoffrey Dunn To: "Raymond N. Gerlach" Subject: Buddhas' Hand Citron Dear Ray, How is winter treating you and Your Buddha's Hand? I do hope the Fruit did not fall off in the move indoors. I finally got my trees (4 off) They are about 3' high with no branching. Do I let them branch naturally, or do I have to pinch back? Here I rely on your 2 years previous experience! They are grafted rather strangely, first the rootstock, then what seems to be rough lemon, then the Buddha's Hand. So, at long last the Quest comes to fruition. Regards Geoff ------------------------------- Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1998 00:34:45 -0800 (PST) From: moshe nadler Subject: Re: ANA (Anna) Apple ---Leo Manuel wrote: Thanks, Moshe! Did you enjoy your trip to China? It's surprising to read 'black leaf' as the name of a cultivar. It sounds more like a disease, doesn't it? Were there other cultivars of apple developed at the same time? I talked to a man maybe 20 years ago who said he had about a dozen apples from the same crosses that produced Ana (which is spelled Anna in the US). One of them was Maayan, which I also have. Do you know where I can find out more about the crosses he made? When do you begin your Ph.D. program? I'm so glad you are back in contact. Sincerely, Leo Hi leo! I enjoyed my trip to China very much. The cultivar 'black leaf' called also 'haak-yip'. Fay-zee-siu for example means - the emperor concubine's smile. 'No-mai-chee' means glutinous rice cake, etc. I hope to start my ph.D. Reaserch on january. As for the apple cultivars - I know that in Florida Ana is grown and also the cultivar - 'Ein Shemer' both have relatively low chilling requirements. Aba Stein did some more crossings with those two cultivars (Ein Shemer and Ana) and from those he got 1400 seeds, from them 960 types, most of them were not good enough and only 16 were left and grafted, from them 4 were interesting - 'Noam', 'Amir', 'Or', and ' Amihai'. Aba Stein developed also pears and plums. Sincerely, Moshe ------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 27 Dec 1998 21:21:41 -0800 To: moshe nadler Subject: Re: ANA (Anna) Apple Moshe, I'd like to know more about the plants developed by Aba Stein. Does he have email? Or is there a website with Israeli fruit emphasis? You know that in the U.S. ANA is called ANNA, for some reason. Ein Shemer is not a high quality dessert apple, to my taste. I'd like to learn more about those others: 'Noam', 'Amir', 'Or', and ' Amihai'. Thanks! Leo ---------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1998 10:33:03 +1100 From: Kevin Hickey Subject: Some Australian Fruit and Nut Trees Thanks for your letter Leo. You are correct that my Brazilian Cherry, and Pitanga are one and the same. Red Sapote is also known as Mamey Sapote (Pouteria sapota); Plum Pine (Podocarpus elatus) is an Australian native (I believe) which produces a rounded seed sitting on an edible plum-like fruit. I have also heard it called 'Illawarra Plum' (native to the Illawarra region ???) Peanut tree (Sterculia quadrifida) is a rainforest tree producing orangey to red pods which split to reveal large seeds. They are satiny, blueish/blackish in colour and edible, raw or roasted (they taste like peanuts, hence the common name). I believe this tree is also an Australian native but I'm not sure, perhaps someone can enlighten me. The climate zone here is ALMOST frost free, and the fact that I am on the coast means that frost is even less of a problem. Kevin Hickey 40 plus, and still growing. ------------------------------- Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1998 09:37:04 -0800 (PST) From: Eunice Messner To: Sven Merten Subject: Receipt of tissue culture procedures Dear Sven, Thank you so much for giving me all the technical info on mango tissue culture. The Twyford tissue culture labs in Calif. gave me a lead to Dr. Litz at the Univ. of Florida Tropical Research and Educ. Center at Homestead Florida. He is overseas until January, but I talked with his assistant and they will get back to me. In the meantime all the research you gave me copied from Hort Science on 'In Vitro Somatic Embryogenesis of Mango' Dr. Litz co-author) will give me a clue into the difficulties of reproducing mango by tissue culture. One lab I talked with said "start-up fees on this difficult-to-tissue-culture fruit would be in the 10's of thousands of dollars. I think I will call CSU, Riverside to see if Dr. Murashige is still there. I perused his library in the early 80's and found pineapple guava was the only fruit being tissue cultured at that time. He was a pioneer in the field. I don't have any background for all of this technical stuff - just an interest in propagation. At one time we were able to get wholesale shipments of tropical fruit from Florida. Due to the difficulties encountered with pest control regulations, Florida will no longer ship to California. This will have severe repercussion on our nursery offerings here. So now is an opportune time to offer wholesale mangos. Numerous nurseries want to buy this new seedling I am seeking to tissue culture. I call the mango 'Carnival' because of its many colors. It has every sought after attribute; size, color, taste, no fiber and early ripening. The only flaw is the tree appears to have a virus and although grafts take they die in a short time, so tissue culture is the best means of mass production. Again, thank you for being so helpful. I really appreciate your generosity of information Hope you find the new acreage you are looking for. Eunice Messner ------------------------------- Subject: RE: Did I Lose Your Email? If So, Please Send It Again From: Dick Smith: RASmith49@aol.com Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1998 18:36:37 EST Hi, The only thing I sent was a copy to you of this E-mail to Eunice Messner. Thanks for your information on Cornucopia II. It sounds like a MUST HAVE. Dick Smith Subj: Re: Ice Cream banana Date: 12/17/98 To: eunicemessner@yahoo.com Eunice, Thanks very much for your good information. You have convinced me that I should get rid of my Ice Cream banana. You are right,it often has a hard center and it puts out so many pups that I can't keep to a reasonable number of stems and now I have been having this falling over problem. I got the Ice Cream at a plant sale some time ago and didn't really know much about it. I also have what is supposedly a dwarf Cavendish. It has put up a number of pups also, but so far no fruit. Is there any way to tell if this is really a Dwarf Cavendish? Can you tell me anything about this variety since I noted you are growing it too? Thanks, Dick Smith -------------------------------- Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1998 07:40:20 -0800 (PST) From: Eunice Messner To: RASmith49@aol.com Subject: Ice cream banana - Continued Dear Dick Smith: Dwarf Cavendish is my most productive variety. I get at least four very large stalks of bananas each year. It is also the most dwarf. I do, selectively, remove some pups, but the entire clump is about 7'. The trunk and leaves often have splotches of red on them.It is a sweet banana, or I should say, was, as it has changed in the past year to having some acidity, which I like.Also the fruit has gotten a little larger. Unexplainable, as I'm doing nothing different. When I plant a banana, I put some Sul-Po-Mag in the bottom of the hole, add a layer of soil and plant. Occasionally I give it some chicken compost (E-Z Green) but most of its nutrients come from the stumps I cut up after they have fruited. A serrated knife or coarse saw will cut them up easily (3-4" pieces). I only remove the top 2/3rd's of the stump to let the nutrients drain back into the soil and then remove the rest after it rots. This mulch doesn't look too attractive, but in this case, I give productivity priority. I try to stay away from the tall varieties. I did make an exception with the Apple banana, only because the late John Townsend (who introduced the Golden Aromatic from China), said it was his favorite. So, I wanted to give it a try. The first fruiting stalk blew off in a wind - its got one more chance and then OUT. If you like a little acidity in your bananas, then give Enano gigante a try. It is a commercial variety. Very nice. Happy growing! Eunice Messner --------------------------------- Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1998 18:27:43 -0800 (PST) To: Tess: TGray15648@aol.com From: Eunice Messner Subject: Tropical landscape in a temperate zone Tess... I hope you don't mind my sharing with the 3000+ members of the Calif. Rare Fruit Growers, how you created a tropical effect with 200 banana plants in a temperate zone. I write a column for the "Fruit Gardener" magazine called "Ask the Experts" and quoted your e-mail entry. And, even though I didn't respond to your questions of what to try next, I did comment that you deserve a standing ovation for your effort. So, take a bow! Aloha, Eunice Messner ----------------------------------- Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1998 15:28:49 -0700 From: Les Warren Subject: Source for Marula Dear Leo and Eunice -- Thanks so much for the information on the African marula, Sclerocarya birrea subsp. caffra (Fruit Gardener v.29, no.5, p.18, 1997). I contacted Alan Smith of Tropical Fruit Nursery in Florida (e-mail: zambesi@gte.net) who provided me with seeds and seedlings at very reasonable prices (via US mail to California). He was also very helpful regarding propagation, culture, and so forth. The marula is currently under intense scrutiny as a commercial crop in Israel, where it appears to grow well in their desert areas. This rather large tree is, sadly, dioecious, so one must wait until the plants flower to determine which is which sex. I think I'll plant a number of seedlings in close proximity and (hopefully) keep one male and the best female. Thanks again, Les Warren of Camarillo ------------------------------- From: Alan Smith Subject: Re: Tropical Fruit Nursery - Have Web Page? Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1998 10:08:39 -0800 Season's Greetings Leo, I believe I wrote to you 2 years ago.SASE Alan Smith 7341 121st Terrace Nth., Largo FL.33773,I have a few Maruls seeds @ $2.50 ea and a few small Marula seedlings @ $15.00 ea,plus P&P. Regards Alan You said: Alan, does Tropical Fruit Nursery have a web page? I heard from Les Warren here in California that he ordered Marula seeds/seedlings from you, and I'd like to learn more about what you have available. Thanks! Leo ------------------------------- Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1998 10:55:19 -0800 (PST) From: Eunice Messner To: Dan Subject: Paw paws (Asimina) & mycorrhizae Dan, Don Chapman of Bio-Organics, e-mail address: rob@bio-organics.com sells mycorrhizae that has a blend of 5 different kinds that should work on your paw paws. I put mycorrhizae on the roots of all the vegetables I plant (except cabbage family) and when planting new fruit trees. Bananas, avocado, citrus, mangos, neem and grapes respond exceptionally well to these fungi. They thrive best in soil containing organic matter as I'm sure you already know. Eunice Messner ------------------------------- Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1998 11:25:15 -0800 (PST) From: Eunice Messner To: tgreaves@primeco.com Subject: Gwen avocado source Dear Thomas Greaves: Look on the California Rare Fruit Growers home page http://www.crfg.org (where you found Leo's fruit group). The section CRFG Member Nurseries and Fruit Sources lists which of the nurseries will mail order. Most of the info there is still valid, but an update with 32 nurseries should be appearing soon. Eunice Messner ------------------------------- From: Ben Poirier Subject: Germinating Illama Seeds - My Way Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1998 09:34:02 -0800 Hi Leo, I was finally able to retrieve my email messages !! I don't know what format I had before for email - I think it was the one that came with the win 95 . Any ideas what that might have been ? It had many features i liked - like showing when it was sending or downloading messages. This is supposed to have all kinds of good features, I guess I'll have to play with it for a while. As to the Illama seeds, I used my standard practice : If seeds look dried, they are soaked in warm water for a couple hours, then are placed in a baggie with damp peat moss and placed in a paperbag in the oven. The oven pilot lite keeps it nice and warm. Baggies are checked every couple days for sprouting seeds which are then potted up. This saves a lot of pot space for seeds which may not sprout. I did not use Gibberilic acid on them. Let me know what luck you have with the seeds. Where did they come from - probably CRFG seed bank - do you know how old they are ? This also may be a factor. Had great success with Roselle this year! I'll be sending some seeds to the seed bank later. Ben Poirier --------------------------------------- From: Ben Poirier Subject: Germinating Illama Seeds - My Way - Continuing Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1998 17:45:39 -0800 Hi Leo I think seeds sprout more readily using my method - it is one I figured out with years of trying different things. The major benefit if uniform , very warm temperatures that you wouldn't get unless you planted the seeds over bottom heat in an enclosed area (I also have a setup like this, but room is limited for pots). The other advantage is you are not taking up space for seeds that take a long time (one Annona sp took one year) or that just don't sprout. Many seeds I receive from overseas take a while to get here and there is no telling how fresh they are and consequently don't ever germinate. Just guessing back I think I got somewhere around 50 percent germination - just a guess it was a few years ago. I also think the seeds were fairly fresh, probably under a month old.I usually plant two to three germinated seeds in a pot and replant when they are more established. The only time I used Gibberilic acid was when John Riley had that Solanaceae group going and I tried the stuff on some of the seeds he recommended it for because they were difficult to germinate. That was so long ago, I really don't remember if it worked. I know for a fact that I didn't run a control to see how well it worked - just an all or none thing. As to the strength, I followed his recommendations. Perhaps the people handling the stuff for CRFG have this info. Since he was the one who started this Gibberilic acid stuff (as I recall - at least he was the one promoting it) they may have kept his recommendations. Perhaps they can be found in the old back issues of the Solanaceae newsletters. Keep me informed Ben --------------------------------- Date: Sat, 26 Dec 1998 15:43:58 -0800 (PST) From: Eunice Messner Subject: Tropical Fruit University in Costa Rica Dear Readers: Several years ago I toured the Tropical Fruit University in Costa Rica. I did not have a computer at the time but the librarian there assured me anyone could access their files. Anyone more adept at searching than I am? It should be a wonderful source of information regarding tropical fruit. Eunice Messner ------------------------------ From: "Helga and Bert Dunn" To: "Leo Manuel" Subject: Gold In Them Thar RNFOs Hello leo: We print all rfno newsletters. Past month I have been rereading the newsletters since first one of Jan 01.98. So much "new info" I missed reading first or second time. I recommend all subscribers reread these newsletters. Thanks for your work Leo, it assists all of us. A Cold Canadian Bert Zone 4b Ontario Canada ------------------------------------ Date: Sun, 27 Dec 1998 18:11:08 -0800 (PST) From: Eunice Messner To: Tina: Subject: Indoor citrus care Tina.. For indoor container gardening of citrus, the book "Citrus" by Lance Walheim would be most helpful. There is more info there than I am able to include via e-mail. Publisher: Ironwood Press, 2968 W. Ina Rd. #285, Tucson, AZ 85741. The California Rare Fruit Growers' have two contributing editors. I suggest you write to the one who lives in a temperate zone, which is: William Ross, RFD #1 Box 150-C, Danby, VT 05739 I just haven't had any experience with container growing in temperate zones, but I know it can be rewarding. Happy growing! Eunice Messner ------------------------------------- Subject: Re: Cornucopia II Order Form Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1998 09:58:06 +1300 From: Gail Newcomb Leo I would love to have Stephen's book. Can I pay by Visa? I am not sure how else to get US money unless my daughter can treat me to it. I do enjoy the newsletters and hope the weather we saw on TV hasn't affected you too much. Down under we have been having some really humid weather like I used to have to endure in the USA - and while pregant. This time it's easier but still too hot to do much work outdoors in the sun. Big hole in the Ozone layer over us so we are very wary these days. I am now Technical Editor for NZTCA so having fun researching crops and find bits and pieces in your column very helpful - especially the subtropicals I am trying. Wish I'd realised Cherimoya germinated so easily as have had to pot on already. Pomegranates and Loquats up too. Thrilled with the sight of my Californisn Green Mango that I germinated from seed from the supermarket and now another variety is trying to pop up too. We have decided to remove the remainder of our Kiwifruit - it is VERY hard to destroy and could be one of our worst weeds in this area as it gets out of control so quickly. We will keep one row for our personal use - Hayward and 1 Bruno. The crop we harvested last year went mostly to feed ducks, chooks and wandering turkeys so I think I have better things to do with my time rather than all that pruning etc. But what to plant next!!!!! Regards Gail Newcomb Secretary and Newsletter Editor Bay of Plenty Branch, New Zealand Tree Crops Assn. Inc. http://www.nzero.co.nz/treecrop/ -------------------------------- From: "Holzinger, Bob" Subject: Cold Snap and Minimum Damage, Fortunately Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1998 15:19:37 -0800 Leo, Just a note about the recent cold front. It was 33 four mornings in a row, but the only thing I could find was some burnt banana leaves and some unhappy papaya plants. I guess I dodged that bullet! Bob ---------- Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1998 14:30:36 -0800 From: Geoffrey Dunn To: web@brevardrarefruit.org Subject: Membership for Brevard(Rarefruit) Greetings from South Africa. My name is Geoff Dunn, and I received an invite to visit your page via Leo Manuel of Rare Fruit News Online. I am a keen grower of rare fruits, and now, having seen a picture of a Red Carambola (Starfruit), on your webpage, I have resolved to get one growing somehow. I am not sure of how to go about achieving membership for Brevard, or if is even possible for someone outside of the USA to do so, but asking can do no harm. Some of the rare fruits I am growing are: Carambola (yellow from seed) Banana (goldfinger) Buddha's Hand Citron (Obtained some days ago, after a 2 year quest) Passion Fruit Guava Marula (from seed) None have yet fruited, but I am getting there! Hope to Hear from You soon. Regards Geoff Dunn P.S. I loved the Images (Are they scanned or from a Digital Camera?) ------------------------------------ From: "Richard K. Gross" Subject: Grafting Clamps - Information Sought Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1998 21:00:15 -0700 Hi, Leo. I have no lost email but if I may impose upon the opportunity, I am still interested in specific information about the "grafting clamps" one of your correspondents reported using with almost perfect success several months ago. I have searched every craft, hardware, hobby, home depot and woodshop type store and dozens of catalogues and can find no contraption vaguely matching the description of the "clamp." Clothespins don't quite cut it. If that gentleman is on board, I would like to talk to him . Best regards, Dick Gross. ------------------------------------ Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1998 07:29:05 -0800 From: Leo Manuel Subject: Readers We Have Lost (Probably Changed Addresses) Mail bounces, when addressed to these: David Rack rack12@germany-c.it.earthlink.net Veronica&George Stork vstork@earthlink.net Terry Nelson maxtaxi1@worldnet.att.net Bill DeFelice billd@cyberia.com Ed Gribble edgrib@ix.netcom.com Fayaz Mawani fayaz@unixg.ubc.ca Abilio Garcia nop25644@mail.telepac.pt Jeff Carmello Beetrooter@aol.com ---------------------------------- From: Sven Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1998 07:11:26 -0800 Subject: Re: Have You Used Gibberillic Acid For Seeds? Hi Leo, I have not tried GA treatment yet. If you need some I have plenty. My friend bought 32 grams ($55) to use on his grapes. He recently moved and gave me what he had left. On page 12 of the Sep/Oct 1998 Fruit Gardener is an article on the Ilama. It says "Most accounts state that the seeds must be stored in a cool, dry place for a year, then put in full sun for a week before planting. Other reports claim that they need to be scarified by physical means or treated with 350 ppm of gibberellic acid." The one seed I have has not sprouted in the three months that it has been planted. It was scarified and planted immediately. Do you have a lot of seeds, because you could try several techniques and see which works best. I know some seeds need exposure to light before germination, but I've never heard of it in such a large seed. Usually it is small seeds, like lettuce, which need to ensure that they are close to the surface before sprouting. I've got some Manilkara kaukii (I'm not sure exactly what this is) seeds which I've had trouble sprouting, so I think I will try to treating these with GA and see what happens. The only recommendation I can make is to use distilled water to dissolve the gibberellic acid. Tap water has lots of minerals that can form insoluble compounds with many chemicals. Thank you for the guavas, they are very good. You are right they do have large seed cavities. But this is the tastiest part of the fruit, so in a way it is good. I know some of mine have much smaller seeds. I'll bring you some fruit next year, or if you want a seedling I can bring you some. I can't wait to have a fruiting macadamia so that I can make those chocolate covered clusters. They were excellent. Everybody liked them. Have you ever tried them with dark chocolate? I finished cleaning up the side yard yesterday. It looks much better. I also planted 50 seedlings, including some of the sweet tamarind. Be careful of the cold with these. I've had some regular tamarind seedlings that died during the winter. I don't think it was a frost, I think they just don't like the cold weather. Even the larger trees go partially deciduous which I'm sure they don't do in the tropics. Well, good luck with the trees. Thanks again for the fruit and I'll talk to you soon. Cheers, Sven Leo Manuel wrote: Hi, Sven John Riley once recommended 2000 ppm concentration of GA for treating seeds that are difficult to break dormancy. I'm going to try to get ILLAMA seeds to sprout and have heard they are difficult. Bob Holzinger had one seed and treated it with 350 ppm and it sprouted. If you know anything about it, I'd appreciate your information, or if you know where I could look, that would help. Thanks again for your vital part in getting the 'Gitit' pitanga to me. And, thanks for the Tamarind seedling. Sincerely, Leo --------------------------------- From: Sven Merten Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1998 08:13:43 -0800 Subject: Where should I buy land to grow rare fruit? Leo, We are looking for a few acres to grow our rare fruit on in a relatively frost free area. I was wondering if you or anyone on the list can recommend good areas to buy land. I live in Fountain Valley (near Huntington Beach) so I think we will have a fairly long drive wherever we end up buying land. North county San Diego looks like the best area. It was suggested that I look anywhere that Haas avocados are grown. Does anyone know where this is? Also to stay near the coast. Does anyone know what the different water districts in that area charge for water? Another possibility is the San Dimas area, but I don't know this area very well and I'd prefer not to have to drive through LA. Thanks in advance for any information. Sven ---------------------------------- From: Sven Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1998 08:13:37 -0800 Subject: Rare Fruit Reference book recommendations? Hi Leo, Could you or anyone on the list recommend some good books on rare fruit. I am looking for books with descriptions as well as growing information. Thank you. Sven -------------------------------- Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1998 12:17:06 -0800 From: Leo Manuel To: Sven Subject: Re: Rare Fruit Reference book recommendations? Hi, Sven Here are a few of the ones I own, with a comment about each of a few of them: Fruits of Warm Climates Julia F. Morton My favorite, also most expensive Cornucopia II Stephen Facciola You probably know about this one. Passion Flowers and Passion Fruit John Vanderplank Very thorough Methods in Fruit Breeding James N Moore, et al I've never opened it, don't remember where I got it, and can't make any recommendations about it. Uncommon Fruits & Vegetables Elizabeth Schneider Includes recipes A Commonsense Guide Growing Unusual Fruit Alan E. Simmons Superficial view of several Plant Propagation, Hudson T. Hartmann et al Propagation in general Principles and Practice When you come down, I'll show them to you. The Julia Morton is the single one you want, I believe, but let's see what the other readers say. Yours, Leo ------------------------------- From: Leo Subject: Raccoon In My Fruit Garden Date: December 30, 1998 This morning at day break, I took my dog out and he took off after something in the far corner of my back yard. I went down and saw a very large raccoon on top of the chain link fence, swatting back at the dog, but not seeming to be very concerned. I didn't want the dog to be jumped on from above, so I poked him with a large bamboo pole. He jumped across into a bamboo patch that was adjacent to the fence, but stayed right there, still not willing to run away. I poked him again, and to my surprise, another large one jumped down from the overhanging bamboo and somehow raked by back on his way past, leaving three superficial scratches. At the same time that it jumped, I saw several adolescent ones scampering off, so there had been a family of them. I haven't seen them in the yard before, but neighbors have seen them in their yards. What damage are they likely to inflect, if any, on fruit trees, and on which ones are they likely to be especially destructive? A friend has Japanese persimmons that attract them. If I had known there was a family of them together, I would have been far more cautious. I had another set of scratches several years ago, when a parent rushed past me, to distract me, so the young could excape. Again, it was to get my dog's attention away from the younger ones. Another day, perhaps, I'll tell you about foxes climbing in my peach, apricot, and loquat trees, and how one ran with a peach to a chain-link fence and climbed up and over it, with the grace of a cat! ------------------------- Subject: Chemical Stimulants in Propagating Seeds From: Leo Plant Propagation, Principles and Practices, 3d Ed., Hartmann & Kester Techniques of Propagation by Seeds, Chemical Stimulants Gibberellins This group of plant hormones has significant activity in seed physiology. Gibberellic acid (GA3) will promote germination in some kinds of dormant seeds, increase the germination rate, stimulate seedling growth, and overcome dwarfing of dormant epicotyls. The latter effect may be transitory and produce abnormal seedling growth. The response to this treatment may vary, depending upon the kind of seed. Seeds are treated with GA by soaking 24 hrs. in water solution at cocentrations from 100 to 10,000 ppm. Removal of restrictive seed coverings may be necessary to allow penetration. Large-scale use should be preceded by preliminary trials. Gibberellic acid is produced commercially by fungus cultures and is available as the potassium salt. Cytokinins These natural growth hormones appear to be active in stimulating germination of some kinds of seed. A commercial preparation, kinetin (6-furfurylamino purine) is available. Dissolve first in a small amount of HCI, then dilute with water. Other available synthetic cytokinins are BA (6-benzylamino purine) and PBA (6-benzylamino)-9-(2-tetrahydropyranyl)-9H-purine): these are more active for higher plants than is kinetin. These materials may stimulate germination and overcome high temperature dormancy of certain seeds, such as lettuce. Seeds are generally soaked in 100 ppm kinetin solutions for three minutes. Large-scale treatments should be preceded by trials at varying concentrations. Cytokinins are sometimes effective in promoting germination when in combination with gibberellic acid and with ethyleneproducing compounds. Ethylene Ethylene occurs naturally in plants and is known to have growth-regulating properties. Ethylene applied to seeds has stimulated germination of some seeds experimentally. With the availability of ethylene-generating chemicals, such as ethephon, the practical commercial use of ethylene to stimulate seed germination is possible. Potassium nitrate Many freshly harvested dormant seeds germinate better after soaking in a potassium nitrate solution. The technique is used largely in seed-testing laboratories. Seeds are placed in germination trays or Petri dishes and the substratum moistened with 0.2 percent potassium nitrate. For Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) or Canada bluegrass (P. compressa) a 0.1 percent solution should be used. If they are rewatered, tap or distilled water is used rather than additional nitrate solution. Thiourea This chemical Ρ CS(NH2)2 Ρ has been used to stimulate germination of some dormant seeds, particularly those that do not germinate in darkness or at high temperatures, or that require a moist-chilling treatment. Water solutions at 0.5 to 3 percent are used. Since thiourea is somewhat inhibitory to growth, it is desirable to soak the seeds no longer than 24 hours and then rinse in water. Sodium hypochlorite This material is used to stimulate germination of rice seed, apparently overcoming a water-soluble inhibitor in the hull. A proportion of 1 gal. of commercial concentrate to 100 gal. of water is used. ----------------------------------- Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1998 06:48:52 -0800 From: Leo Manuel Subject: Triple Crown Blackberry - New - Information Sought Jim Neitzel asked that I look for information on a new blackberry cultivar, 'Triumph.' Supposedly it's name suggests three outstanding characteristics of the variety. Do you know who is likely to sell this one, and do you know anything about it? Leo ----------------Readers Write About Newsletter Format-------------- From: "Matt Heffron" Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1998 10:22:06 -0800 Subject: Newsletter Format: To Doc or Not to Doc Leo, I *CAN* read the attached .DOC file, however, the embeded http: links don't work because I now must read the document with Word, instead of with the email program. Have you considered HTML formatting instead? That way the links would work. Although you'd have to do a bit more work formatting... :-( Matt Heffron --------------------------------- Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1998 22:26:57 -0500 From: Jody Haynes Subject: Newsletter Format: Try *.txt Leo, try the *.txt suffix. This will suggest to our PCs that it is a general text file without any proprietary format commands. Any text editor can read these. Jody Haynes Palm & Cycad Societies of FL, Virtual Palm Encyclopedia, Virtual Cycad Encyclopedia (http://www.plantapalm.com) ------------------------------------ From: Bill Thomas: Thomasx4@aol.com Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1998 10:13:30 EST Subject: Newsletter Format: Use *.txt If you make it a .txt file most people will be able to access it. That will usually make it an ASCII format which is what I think your email are in anyway. Bill Thomas ------------------------------- Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1998 05:32:54 -0800 From: Geoffrey Dunn Subject: Newsletter Format: Use *.txt Dear Leo, Maybe the extension(*.txt) will be more suitable as it can be opened in notepad which is bundled with "windows". Personally, I quite liked RFNO as a *.doc. This makes printing it a lot easier. May I also take this opportunity for thanking you for RFNO, I appreciate the time that you invest in this publication. Regards from Sunny South Africa Geoff Dunn Yep, and happy holidays to you and yours as well ------------------------------- Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1998 16:53:28 -0800 From: Geoffrey Dunn Subject: Newsletter Format: Use *.txt - Continued Leo Manuel wrote: Geoff, can you simply rename the file as *.doc and make it into a Word file? There's this huge chasm between the two camps of Macintosh and Windows users.... Leo, I think I missed the question. Previously RFNO simply opened in my browser (Netscape Mail in NN 3.01) The Latest RFNO came as a "Word" attachment(*.doc). To open this, one needs the MS Word application. Not everyone has MS Word, but everyone who uses Windows should Have Notepad which is bundled with the Windows operating system. What I'm trying to say, is that with a *.txt extension, the attachment should be openable by any Windows user. I do say this under correction, maybe one of your more PC literate subscribers will have a more elgant solution. Regards Geoff ------------------------------- From: RRRummler@aol.com Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1998 06:39:37 EST Subject: Newsletter Format: Use *.txt Dear Leo, I'm rather uninformed about computerese, but I think that a ".txt" extension is fairly universally acceptable. Rosemary Rummler ------------------------------- Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1998 00:13:09 -0800 From: Darryl Subject: Newsletter Format: Use *.txt Hello Leo: Maybe ".txt" will work for everyone. I personally prefer the newsletter "inline" with the email. Just my $.02 Thanks Darryl ------------------------------- From: "Staples, Ian" Subject: Newsletter Format: Use *.txt Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1998 18:01:04 +1000 G'day Leo, There is no point in sending your newsletter as a Word .DOC file when it is still basically a text file. In fact, there could be disadvantages in that Word files are usually quite a bit larger than the equivalent plain text files. Anyone using Word (like I do) has no problems importing a text file into it for printing or "prettying up" (if that's your inclination and you have the time :-) so I don't see the point of changing what you have been doing all along. [If you were producing a formatted, highlighted, multi-font version of the newsletter, there would be some value in distributing it in a way that preserved the detail; but you don't, so there isn't.] Cheers, Ian S. P.S. Incidentally, various incarnations of WordPerfect also use .DOC as a standard file extension. (As I found to my chagrin when attempting to exchange files with a colleague in another organisation some time ago!) ------------------------------ From: "Allen, Robert" Subject: Newsletter Format Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1998 09:23:11 -0800 Leo, I had no problem with the attachment in format *.doc, receiving it on a PC. My suggestion is that you attach both *.txt and *.doc versions and let each recipient choose which one to open. Hope your Holly Daze are Happy too! Don't forget to try the persimmon sorbet. Bob --------------Web Pages To Consider---------------- Date: Fri, 01 Jan 1999 03:06:12 -0800 From: Darryl Subject: Sugar Palm: Basis of Integrated Farming Systems in Cambodia Dear Leo: I hope all is going well with you. I stumbled across this article, and thought you might find it interesting. http://www.fao.org/waicent/faoinfo/agricult/aga/agap/frg/conf96.htm/khieu.htm Take Care, Darryl Clark --- Here's an extract of a very small part: ------------------------------------------------------------------- The Sugar Palm Tree As Basis of Integrated Farming Systems in Cambodia ------------------------------------------------------------------- Abstract The sugar palm tree (Borassus flabellifer) plays an important role in the small integrated farming systems in Cambodia. The sugar palm is considered to be a multi-purpose tree and provides different products such as juice, sugar, leaves, timber, fruits, underground seedlings and roots. The juice from the sugar palm is rich in highly digestible carbohydrate (sugars) which is an alternative energy source for animal feeding in the rural areas. The impact of the sugar palm on the farming system is increased when the excreta from the animals is recycled through biodigesters to provide gas for household cooking and effluent to fertilize the pond which can produce fish or water plants, the former for the household and the latter for the livestock. KEY WORDS: Borassus flabellifer, palm juice, palm sugar, fuel, environment, biodigester, sustainable production ---------------"NAFEX List" ---------------- Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1998 20:10:11 -0700 Subject: Commercial Sources--Ginkgo nuts From: mblossom@juno.com (Mark B Blossom) Dear Nafexers, We have over 100 pounds of new crop Ginkgo Biloba seed for sale. The seed was hand gathered, cleaned and graded. Seed from the same source, prepared in this way, has in previous years yielded essentially 100% germination in our nursery. This seed is of suitable quality for use as food, (see below). We are offering the seed for sale in one pound packages for $12.00, postpaid. Larger quantities at $6.00 per pound plus postage. There are about 300 seed per pound. We also have Ginkgo trees for sale, in containers and bareroot. Prices are from $3.00 to $20.00, depending on size and quantity. Please inquire. Blossom Nursery Mark and Kathleen Blossom 216 CR 326 Eureka Springs AR 72632 USA 501-253-7895 ---------------------------------------------------- Subject: Newly Released! Cornucopia II Order Form Cornucopia II - A Source Book of Edible Plants - Order Form By Stephen Facciola $40 plus shipping and handling Date___________________________________________.....No. of Copies_______ Name___________________________________________.....Subtotal....$_______ Address________________________________________....*Shipping....$_______ ____________________________Zip___________.*(Outside US $7, Inside US $5) Phone ( ) _____________________________..Sales Tax CA Residents $ 3.10 Make checks or money orders out to Kampong Publications....Total $_______ Canadian and overseas customers remit in U.S. Dollars. Send your order and remittance to: Kampong Publications 1870 Sunrise Drive Vista, CA 92084 Phone (760) 726-0990 Stephen's Comment: Sorry, we are not set up to accept credit card orders. We will accept checks made out in U.S. dollars or International Money Orders. Regards, Steve Facciola >>>>>>>>End: Rare Fruit News Online - January 1, 1999<<<<<<<<< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< Rare Fruit News Online January 15, 1999, aka RFN9901B.txt Rare Fruit News Online is primarily a collection of letters from you, the readers. I edit all submissions, sometimes in a very minor way. It helps if your email has a relevant SUBJECT. Also, if you want to make sure your letters are read, try to have the subject as descriptive as possible. You took the time to write the letter, so compose it so that it gets read. If you want your letter to be published, please use your *real* name someplace in the letter. It takes time to look up your name, so please sign your email. Also, when you direct a letter to a reader, please include that person's name someplace in the correspondence. That helps the rest of us know to whom you are writing. I also like to see appropriate capital letters in writing, although it's not a major concern. It's a far greater 'offense' to write in all caps, but all small letters seem to be lacking something. Maybe it's just eye appeal? I try to edit mail to 'remedy' most deviations, but it takes more time.... I really appreciate it when you send me a CC or BCC when writing to other readers of RFNO. Much of the best information that has been past along has been due to the thoughtfulness of such correspondents. If you find errors of spelling, grammar, or facts, please let me know. These newsletters go out later to new subscribers and you will be doing both me and them a favor. And, here's another chance to order your copy of Cornucopia II (at the bottom of this newsletter), and I'm relieved to know that I finally got my own order in. Thanks again! Leo ------------------Index: What will you find in this issue?-------------- --Leo's Note Subject: Mangoes In Bloom And Mangoes Almost Ripe --New Subscribers From: David Ulmer Subject: New Subscriber, CA, Date: Fri, 1 Jan 1999 14:26:18 -0500 Subject: New Subscriber, Reno, Nevada From: Kirt Nieft Subject: New Subscriber, HI, Wants Durian and Mangosteen Information From: Glenda & Tom Ponder Subject: New Subscribers, La Mirada, CA, Interested In All Fruit From: coolbus@webtv.net (woodrow cooke) Subject: New Subscriber, WV; Grows Rare Fruit Indoors & In Greenhouse From: Brian Parent Subject: New Subscriber, AZ, Interested in Citrus and Tropicals From: Neal Young Subject: New Subscriber, FL, Wants Viable Durian Seeds --Readers Write From: gmeka@tns.org Subject: Re: Need: Source for seeds of Durio zibethinus ( Durian ) From: Bob Batson Subject: Re: Need: Source for seeds of Durio zibethinus ( Durian ) From: Dan Hemenway Subject: Re: Need: Source for seeds of Durio zibethinus ( Durian ) From: "Doron Kletter" Subject: Re: Ilama from seed From: Samar Gupta Subject: seedless guavas from Thailand From: Marsha Jackson Subject: Where To Find Information On Rare Vegetables? From: Nan Sterman To: eunicemessner@yahoo.com Subject: Mycorrhizae on everything???? From: Nan Sterman To: Sven Merten Subject: Where should I buy land to grow rare fruit? From: Joel Moskowitz Subject: Re: Re: If you want your letter to be published From: Eunice Messner To: nsterman@mindsovermatter.com Subject: Mycoorhizae on everything??? From: Bert Dunn To: Bert Dunn Subject: Re: Where To Find The Fruit Gardener Magazine? From: "Richard K. Gross" Subject: Arizona CRFG - Jan '99 Newsletter From: "Holzinger, Bob" Subject: Anyone get M. Americana Seeds To Sprout? Or Grow This Tree? From: moshe nadler Subject: I Recommend This Web Site (Israeli Fruit Researcher) Subject: Cacti as Crops (Recommended by Moshe) http://www.bgu.ac.il/life/mizrahi/article1.html From: "Ronald Lyn" Subject: Lychee Stress From: Eunice Messner To: Martin Berghuis Subject: Feinte cohol banana (see photo at http://www.plantapalm.com/_private/veinte_cohol.htm From: Eunice Messner To: Nan Sterman Subject: Correction to 1/3/99 e-mail re mycorrhizae Subject: Mangoes in California From: Eunice Messner To: Sven Merten From: Randall Wilks Subject: How To Grow Rare Fruit In Colder Climates From: Leo Manuel Subject: Re: How To Grow Rare Fruit In Colder Climates --Zingiber List (Includes Bananas) From: Jody Haynes Subject: Photo of Veinte cohol Banana Subject: Re: Photo of Veinte cohol From: HESTERC@mail01.adm.duke.edu To: Jody From: Keith Benson DVM Subject: Want To Clone Your Bananas? --New Crops List From: "Carol A. Miles" Subject: Re: What Alternative Crops For My Exotic Palm Greenhouse? --NAFEX List From: Travis Callahan Subject: Chill Hours - What Exactly Is It? --Web Pages To Consider Need Rare Seeds? See: http://b-and-t-world-seeds.com/homepage.htm --Cornucopia II Order Form -----------------------Leo's Note----------------------- Subject: Mangoes In Bloom And Mangoes Almost Ripe I haven't grown mangoes in a climate as ideal as where I now live, so I don't know what's 'normal' but this is the first year I've had mangoes hanging at the same time that other trees are breaking into bloom. Valencia Pride and Keitt mango each had only a few fruit, quite large, and still hanging, although they could be picked anytime. But Kent, Winters (#20222), Glenn, and a few others are in bloom. Also guavas and cherimoyas are ripening nicely. Leo ---------------------New Subscribers--------------------- From: David Ulmer Date: Fri, 1 Jan 1999 11:12:51 EST Subject: New Subscriber, CA, Dear Leo, I'm finally getting around to writing you. Bob Chambers has told me of your newsletter on several occasions. I am David Ulmer, in Sebastopol, CA My fruit interest is with Plum, Persimmons, Figs, Mayhaws and the usual temperate sorts. I've recently moved to a new home and have Mexican avocados and loquats in pots along with a few seedlings grown from CRFG sources. We have had a "test winter" so far. Three straight mornings of 20 degrees and numerous mornings in the mid twenties. Not very conducive to growing the sub-tropicals. David ------------------------------- Date: Fri, 1 Jan 1999 14:26:18 -0500 From: "Robert L. Thomasson" <102073.3346@compuserve.com> Subject: New Subscriber, Reno, Nevada Hello Leo, I enjoyed your web page, and I'm very interested in what variety of Mangoes you are growing. The ones I was familiar with in the Philippines were a banana yellow, with an excellent flavor. The ones I've seen here in the supermarkets have a reddish, almost a papaya like color, but that may be due to storage or ripening after being picked. I haven't yet found out the botanical variety name of the Philippine mangoes, but I'm working on it. I have an uphill battle if I want to grow mangoes here in Reno, but it would be a lot of fun trying. I can probably get by with a makeshift greenhouse for several years, before they get big enough to require a larger one. Can you also send me some more information on your newsletter? Thanks, and Happy New Year Bob Thomasson ------------------------------- You Said: >>Robert, there are nurseries in California that sell mango trees. If you ever drive over near the Southern California coast, you will find several nurseries handling them. Let me know if you want more information. << Leo, Mangoes are occasionally in the supermarkets here, but they don't compare to the ones in the Philippines. It could be due to storage, or as I believe, they are a much different variety. But maybe the trees you mention in California nurseries are good ones! Do you happen to know the nursery names or towns the California nurseries are in? It wouldn't take much of an excuse for a weekend trip. I'll find out the botanical names of the Philippine mango varieties. Thanks, Bob ------------------------------- Date: Fri, 1 Jan 1999 15:14:27 -1000 From: Kirt Nieft Subject: New Subscriber, HI, Wants Durian and Mangosteen Information Leo, I am Kirt Nieft, living 6 miles southeast of Pahoa in the Puna district of Opihikao on the big island of Hawaii. With rare fruit, I have had more experience eating than growing. ;) We lived for a time overseas (Peru, Thailand, New Zealnd) and have finally settled in Hawaii after southern CA didn't do it for us. Actually growing is new to me and I talk to everyone I can find. I'm trying to find out if anyone has success with durian (varieties?) and mangosteen in Hawaii. They both seem ultra-tropical to me and I'm wary of planting five acres up and watching them fail. Cheers, Kirt ------------------------------- Date: Thu, 07 Jan 1999 21:33:13 -0800 From: Glenda & Tom Ponder Subject: New Subscribers, La Mirada, CA, Interested In All Fruit We are Tom & Glenda Ponder, living in La Mirada CA. We are interested in pretty much all fruiting plants: deciduous, tropical, sub-tropical, etc. Glenda and Tom ------------------------------- From: coolbus@webtv.net (woodrow cooke) Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1999 07:14:05 -0500 (EST) Subject: New Subscriber, WV; Grows Rare Fruit Indoors & In Greenhouse Dear Leo, I am Woodie Cooke and I live near Charleston, WV. I lived in Belize Central America for several years and commercially grew cacao (reclaimed about 1000 acres from the bush that had been abondoned and was only 12 yrs old). I fell in love with rare fruits while there. I have been growing several varieties of bananas, citrus, coffee, pineapples etc. in my home and small homemade greenhouse. I have found that because of short daylight in the winter in West Virginia, my plants do much better if supplemented with a few extra hours of agricultural lighting, even a mercury vapor like yard light will help tremendously. Please include me in your mail list, I hope I have included all the info you need. Thanks, Woodie Cooke In West Va. Mountains. ---------------------------------- From: Brian Parent Subject: New Subscriber, AZ, Interested in Citrus and Tropicals Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1999 19:26:12 -0700 Hi I am Brian Parent, living in Phoenix, Az, 85032 I like to grow citrus and am interested in learning about tropicals. Thanks Brian ------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 14 Jan 1999 15:39:41 -0600 From: Neal Young Subject: New Subscriber, FL, Wants Viable Durian Seeds Dear Sir, My name is Neal Young and I'm an under grad student at the University of West Florida. I'm trying to locate some seeds of Durio zibethinus (Durian) for a research program which I'm trying to get started. I realize the difficulty in transporting the seeds, but the school will pay all expenses if a seed source is found. I presently am at school in Pensacola, Florida, but my home and plants are all in Key Largo, Florida. Thank you for your help, and I would be interested in receiving your publication. Neal Young -------------------Readers Write----------------------------- From: gmeka@tns.org Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 15:35:57 -0500 Subject: Re: Need: Source for seeds of Durio zibethinus ( Durian ) Neal, You will find sources for durian seeds on this website www.gain.com or www.fintrac.com ------------ Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 11:15:04 -0600 (CST) From: Bob Batson Subject: Re: Need: Source for seeds of Durio zibethinus ( Durian ) I've located a source for Durian (Durio zibethinus) at B&T World Seeds. B & T World Seeds Route des Marchandes, Paguignan, 34210 Olonzac, France fax ++ 33 04 68 91 30 39 phone ++ 33 04 68 91 29 63 eMail: B_and_T_World_Seeds@compuserve.com Technical: R@thesys.demon.co.uk http://b-and-t-world-seeds.com/homepage.htm Bob Batson ------------ From: Dan Hemenway Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 15:38:51 EST Subject: Re: Need: Source for seeds of Durio zibethinus ( Durian ) Neal, I'd check to see if it is listed in the ICRAF seed source book. Dan Hemenway ------------------------------- From: "Doron Kletter" Subject: Re: Ilama from seed Date: Fri, 1 Jan 1999 08:18:10 -0800 Hi Leo, I also got one Ilama seed (from the same source I believe). I gave it no special treatment other than soaking in water for two days and planting over bottom heat . It has sprouted fine and is now about 12" tall with few sets of leaves. I used no gibberellic acid. Doron ------------------------------- Date: Fri, 01 Jan 1999 23:33:02 +0530 From: Samar Gupta Subject: seedless guavas from Thailand Dear Leo, I've grown the seedless guavas from Thailand and the disadvantage is that they are not cosmetically as beautiful as the common guava cultivars. They tend to be misshapen and rather ugly, and while I know that should not matter, they do look less appetizing. The guavas sold in Thailand retail markets and by the handcart vendors selling cut-fruit are huge, perfectly round and blemishless. Seems they take a lot of trouble wrapping each fruit while it is on the tree so that the colour, gloss and surface are bright and smooth. The taste of some seeded cultivars is sweeter though. In Thailand they eat guavas very raw and crunchy. It has a harder texture than even apples. Here in India only the fully ripe, almost melting and overripe fruits are popular. Its almost like eating a different fruit altogether. They find the smell of ripe guavas offensive. They also cut up their guavas differently. They cut only halfway to the core and leave the seeded centre to be discarded. Again, here in India, we eat the full fruit. Regards, Samar Gupta Bombay ---------- You said: Have you brought any seedless guavas from Thailand? Do any of them taste sufficiently similar to seeded ones, to warrant seeking them out? I'd settle for really small seed cavity in a sweet-when-ripe one, either white flesh or not. Leo ------------------------------- From: Marsha Jackson Date: Sun, 3 Jan 1999 08:38:41 EST Subject: Where To Find Information On Rare Vegetables? Hi, Leo. My husband and I have been enjoying your newsletter for over a year. We mainly live in Maryland but also have a place in the mountains of Puerto Rico. So here's a question - can you direct us to any resources similar to this that deal with rare (especially tropical) vegetables? Thanks, Marsha Jackson ------------------------------- Date: Sat, 2 Jan 1999 22:58:28 -0800 From: NanStermanTo:eunicemessner@yahoo.com Subject: Mycorrhizae on everything???? Hello Eunice! In response to your posting on Leo Manuel's Rare Fruit Grower's newsletter, I am wondering why you use mycorrhizae on everything.... I am familiar with mycorrhizae and what they do, but I never heard of anyone using them on any plants other than California natives. What kinds of mycorrhizae do you use and how do you know they make a difference? How long have you been using them? What differences do you see? Nan San Diego Sunset zone 24, USDA hardiness zone 10b or 11 ------------------------------- Date: Sat, 2 Jan 1999 22:55:57 -0800 From: Nan Sterman To: Sven Merten Subject: Where should I buy land to grow rare fruit? Sven -- Saw your quesiton on Leo's Rare Fruit News Online. I suggest you contact Roger Meyer who also lives in fountain Valley and farms in Valley Center which is North San Diego County, but inland. I doubt very much you could find much affordable land that is coastal, but you might try the Vista area, which is only slightly inland, but is supposed to be frost free. Roger has grown kiwi, jujube, etc for many years in this area and he could probably give you quite an education on where to look for land. Roger can be reached at 714.839.0796 and I've lost his email though I bet Leo has it. Good luck Nan ------------------------------- From: Joel Moskowitz Date: Sun, 3 Jan 1999 21:33:53 EST Subject: Re: .Re: If you want your letter to be published Wonder if anyone can direct me to obtaining a Stevia plant/bush/tree in the San Diego area preferably. Also has anyone any idea of what the actual 'sweetener' is chemically and has it been studied as to safety. Thanks Joel Moskowitz ------------------------------- Date: Sun, 3 Jan 1999 19:36:48 -0800 (PST) From: Eunice To: nsterman@mindsovermatter.com Subject: Mycoorhizae on everything??? Nan... I have been using mycorrhizae only a year, but I have grown organically for 20 years so probably I already have mycorrhizae (MYC) present. But there are many kinds of MYC and my commercial source has a total of seven in his preparation. Hopefully, I'm introducing new ones more to one plants liking. Tilling the soil during daylight destroys most soil organisms--and I love to till the soil so I may never be a no-till gardener. I have sandy soil with rootknot nematodes. Multitudes of th MYC hyphae attached to the roots have been known to actually evelop and 'eat' the nematodes and are antagonistic to other pathogens. Mycorrhizae areate and aggregate soils and thereby allow more oxygen to reach the root zone. I use the endo type of MYC. Forest trees use ectomycorrhizae, i.e. firs, pines, etc. I expect to use less fertilizer and water as the mycorrhizae establish themselves. They can reach out 100 times further than the roots can access and bring to the plant phosphorous (which is very difficult to extract from the soil), nitrogen, potassium, calcium, sulphur, copper and zinc. If one's soil has been subject to erosion, pesticides, fumigation or chemical fertilizatiion, then inoculation with mycorrhizae and an application of organic material is especially advisable. I have attended conferences and heard several of the world's leading authorities on mycorrhizae and their tests are believable. It will take time to see a difference in the garden, but this has been my most successful year in propagating mangos from seed - using mycorrhizae for the first time. Maybe it is something like taking vitamins - just to be sure we keep healthy. Eunice Messner ------------------------------ From: Bert Dunn To:Bert Dunn Subject: Re: Where To Find The Fruit Gardener Magazine? Dear The "Fruit Gardener" magazine is available only to members of CRFG. You may apply for membership on the webpage: http://www.crfg.org Choose: "Join CRFG (membership application)" One could spend an entire day just brousing all the information included in this award winning web site. I think any questions you have regrding the magazine and its contents will be answered there. If not, write again. We are really having a strange winter. It is 80degrees and trees are blooming that usually bloom in March or April. Colder weather is sure to come and I hope some rain. Don't know how the trees will respond after that. But I don't think I'd prefer Canada. At least you get a winters rest, whereas I garden all year long. Eunice Messner, Anaheim Hills, California ------------------------------- From: "Richard K. Gross" To: "Leo Manuel" Subject: Arizona CRFG - Jan '99 Newsletter CALIFORNIA RARE FRUIT GROWERS, INC. THE ARIZONA BRANCH Meeting the second Thursday of every month except December. JANUARY MEETING: WHEN: THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 1999 TIME: 7:00 PM WHERE: Cooperative Extension Palo Verde Room 4341 E. Broadway Dr. Phoenix, AZ 85040 Write for more information to: Richard K. Gross -------------------------------------- Date: Thu Jan 7 17:17:47 1999 From: "Holzinger, Bob" Subject: Anyone Get Seeds To Sprout Or Grow This Tree: M. Americana ? Hi Leo, You can ask on the next newsletter if anyone else who got M. americana seeds from the seed bank had luck sprouting them or if anyone has experience growing this fruit tree. Maybe someone in Florida has some info to provide, who knows? Take care, Bob --------------------------- Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1999 23:30:58 -0800 (PST) From: moshe nadler Subject: I Recommend This Web Site (Israeli Fruit Researcher) Hi Leo! You asked me for some interesting information from israel. try this site: http://www.bgu.ac.il/life/mizrahi/article1.html This is the site of Prof. Mizrahi, an interesting person. For years he has been trying to introduce new fruits to Israel. He has had a lot of experience with rare fruits from America and Africa. hope you will enjoy it. moshe ------- Recommended by Moshe Subject: Cacti as Crops http://www.bgu.ac.il/life/mizrahi/article1.html Below is a very brief outline of this interesting web page, together with the literature referenced: I. Introduction II. Biological Characteristics of Cacti ΚΚΚΚΚΚA. Shoots, Crassulacean Acid Metabolism ΚΚΚΚΚΚB. Roots, Salinity Tolerance III. Cacti as Animal Feed IV. Cacti as Vegetables V. Cacti as Fruit Crops ΚΚΚΚΚΚA. Cactus Pears ΚΚΚΚΚΚB. Columnar Cacti ΚΚΚΚΚΚC. Climbing Cacti VI. Cacti as Industrial Crops ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚA. Cochineal ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚB. Processed Foods ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚC. Mucilage and Medicinal Products VII. Future Prospects ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚA. Low-Input Systems ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚB. High-Input Systems ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚLiterature Cited LITERATURE CITED Arad (Malis), S., and E. Cohen. 1991. Outdoor cultivation of micro algae in a closed System for production of valuable biochemicals, p. 301-316. In: D. Kamely, A. M. Chakrabarty, and S. E. Kornguth (eds.) Biotechnology: bridging research and applications. Kluwer Academic, Dordrecht, The Netherlands. Arcadio, L. B. 1986. Cultivo de la pitaya. Federacion do Cafeteros, Bogota, Colombia. Backeberg, C. 1984. Die Cactaceae. Gustav Fisher, Stuttgart, Germany. Barbeau, G. 1990. La pitaya rouge, un nouveau fruit exotique. Fruits 45:141-147. Barbera, G., and P. Inglese. 1993. La coltura del ficodindia. Edagricole, Bologna,Italy. Barbera, G., F. Carimi, and P. Inglese. 1991. The reflowering of prickly pear Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Miller: influence of removal time and cladode load on yield and fruit ripening, Adv. Hort. Sci. 5:77-80. Barbera, G., P. Inglese, and E. Pimienta-Barrios (eds.). 1995. Agroecology, cultivation and uses of cactus pear. Food and Agriculture Organization of The United Nations, Rome, Italy. Berry, W. L., and P. S. Nobel. 1985. Influence of soil and mineral stresses on cacti. J. Plant Nutr. 8:697-696. Borrego-Escalante, F. 1992. Growing prickly pear for cochineal (grana) dye production. p. 45-48. In: Proc. Third Annual Texas Prickly Pear Council Meeting. Texas A & I Univ., Kingsville. Brutsch, M. 0., and M. B. Scott. 1991. Extending the fruiting season of spineless prickly pear Opuntia ficus-indica. J. South. Afr. Soc. Hort. Sci. 1:73-76. Brutsch, M. 0., and H. G. Zimmermann. 1993. The prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica [Cactaceae]) in South Africa: Utilization of the naturalized weed, and of the cultivated plants. Econ. Bot. 47:154-162. Cacioppo, 0. G. 1990. Pitaya: una de las mejores frutas productivas per Colombia. Informative Agro Economico de Colombia. February, p. 15-19. Cantwell, M. 1991. Quality and postharvest physiology of "nopalitos" and "tunas." p. 50-67. Proceedings of the Second Annual Texas Prickly Pear Council Meeting. Texas A & I Univ., Kingsville, Texas. Cantwell, M., A. Rodriguez-Felix, and F. Robles-Contreras. 1992. Postharvest physiology of prickly pear cactus stem. Sci. Hort. 50:1-9. Crosswhite, F. S. 1980. The annual saguaro harvest and crop cycle of the Papago with reference to ecology and symbolism, Desert Plants 2:2-61 Felger, R. S., and M. B. Moser. 1974. Columnar cacti in Seri Indian culture. Kiva 39: 25 7-2 75. Felger, R. S., and M. B. Moser. 1976. Seri Indian food plants: desert subsistence without agriculture, J. Ecol. Food. Nutr. 5:13-27. Fernandez, M. L., A. Trejo, and D. J. McNamara. 1990. Pectin isolated from prickly pear (Opuntia sp.) modifies low density lipoprotein metabolism in cholesterolfed guinea pigs. J. Nutr. 120:1283-1290. Fernandez, M. L., E. C. K. Lin, A. Trejo, and D. J. McNamara. 1992. Prickly pear (Opuntia spp.) pectin reverses low density lipoprotein receptor suppression induced by a hypercholesterolemic diet in guinea pigs. J. Nutr. 122:2330-2339. Flores, V. C. 1991. The present and potential market conditions of both cactus leaves and cactus pear in Mexico, and the exportation possibilities to the United States and other countries. p. 94-101. In: Proc. Second Annual Texas Prickly Pear Council Meeting. Texas A & I Univ., Kingsville. Flores, V. C. 1992. Growing, commercializing, and marketing cactus leaves in Mexico. p. 56-65. In: Proc. Third Annual Texas Prickly Pear Council Meeting. Texas A & I Univ., Kingsville. Frati, A. C. 1992. Medicinal implications of prickly pear cactus. p. 29-30. Proceedings of the Third Annual Texas Prickly Pear Council Meeting. Texas A & I Univ.,Kingsville. Frati, A. C., J. A. Fernandez-Harp, H. De La Riva, R. Ariza-Andraca, and M. Del Carmen-Torres. 1983. Effect of nopal (Opuntia spp.) on serum lipids, glycemia and body weight. Arch. Invest. Mad. Mexico 14:117-1125. Frati, A. C., B. E. Gordillo, P. A. Altamirano, and C. R. Ariza. 1988. Hypoglycemic effect of Opuntia streptacantha Lemaire in non-insulin-dependent diabetes. Diabetes Care 11:63-66. Frati, A. C., M. D. Valle-Martinez, C. R. Ariza, S. Islas, and A. Chavez-Negrete. 1989. Hypoglycemic effect of different doses of nopal (Opuntia streptacantha Lemaire) in patients with type II diabetes mellitus. Arch. Invest. Mad. Mexico 20:197-201. Frati, A. C., B. E. Gordillo, P. A. Altamirano, C. R. Ariza, R. Cortes-Franco, and A. Chavez-Negret. 1990. Acute hypoglycemic effect of Opuntia streptacantha Lemaire in non-insulin-dependent diabetes. Diabetes Care 13:455-456. Fucikovsky, L. A. 1992. Review of the diseases of nopalitos and tunas and their control. p. 42-44. In: Proc. Third Annual Texas Prickly Pear Council Meeting. Texas A & I Univ., Kingsville. Fucikovsky, L. A. 1993. Some bacterial, insect and bird problems of cactus in Mexico. p. 41-43. In: Proc. Fourth Annual Texas Prickly Pear Council Meeting. Texas A & I Univ., Kingsville. Fuentes-Rodriguez, J. 1991. A survey of the feeding practices, costs and production of dairy and beef cattle in Northern Mexico. p. 118-123. In: Proe. Second Annual Texas Prickly Pear Council Meeting. Texas A & I Univ., Kingsville. Fuentes-Rodriguez, J. 1992 Feeding prickly pear to dairy cattle in Northern Mexico. p. 31-34. In: Proc. Third Annual Texas Prickly Pear Council Meeting. Texas A & I Univ., Kingsville. Gibson, A. C., and P. S. Nobel. 1986. The cactus primer. Harvard Univ. Press, Cambridge, MA. Gil, G. F., and A. R. Espinosa. 1980. Fruit development in the prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica Mill.) with preanthesis application of gibberellin and auxin. Ciencia Investigacion Agraria 7:141-147. Gil, G. F., M. Morales, and A. Momberg. 1977. Fruit set and development in the prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica Mill.) in relation to pollination and gibberellic and chlorethylphosphonic acids. Ciencia Investigacion Agraria 4:163-169. Haggerton, R. 1992. Cookin with cactus: a collection of favorite recipes from the Texas Prickly Pear Council, Kingsville. Hamilton, J. R. 1992. Planting and cultivating native cactus for cattle feed and wildlife utilization in South Texas. p. 35-41. In: Proc. Third Annual Texas Prickly Pear Council Meeting. Texas A & I Univ., Kingsville. Huang, B., and P. S. Nobel. 1994. Root hydraulic conductance and its components, with emphasis on desert succulents. Agron. J. 86:767-774. Ibanez-Camacho, R., and R. Roman-Ramos. 1979. Hypoglycemic effect of Opuntia cactus. Arch. Invest. Med. Mexico 10:223-230. Inglese, P., G. Barbera, and T. La Mantia. 1993. Research strategies and improvement of cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) fruit quality and production. p. 2440. In: Proc. Fourth Annual Texas Prickly Pear Council Meeting. Texas A & I Univ., Kingsville, Loik, M. E., and P. S. Nobel. 1993. Freezing tolerance and water relations of Opuntia fragilis from Canada and the United States. Ecology 74:1722-1732. Maltsberger, W. A. 1991. Feeding and supplementing prickly pear cactus to beef cattle. p. 104-117. In: Proc. Second Annual Texas Prickly Pear Council Meeting. Texas A & I Univ., Kingsville. Mann, J. 1992. Murder, magic, and medicine. Oxford Univ. Press, Oxford, UK. Mass, E. V. 1986. Salt tolerance of plants. Appl. Agr. Res. 1:12-26. Master, R. W. P. 1959. Organic acid and carbohydrate metabolism in Nopalea cochenillifera. Experientia 15:30-31. Meckes-Lozoya, M., and R. Roman-Ramos. 1986. Opuntia streptacantha: a coadjutor in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Am. J. Chinese Med. 14:116-118. Mick, R. J. 1991. Growing variety 1308 for year around production. p. 32-35. In: Proc. Second Annual Texas Prickly Pear Council Meeting. Texas A & I Univ., Kingsville. Mick, R. J. 1992. Growing and marketing the nopalito variety 1308 in Texas. p. 7- 9. In: Proe. Third Annual Texas Prickly Pear Council Meeting. Texas A & I Univ., Kingsville. Morton, J. F. 1987. Cactaceae, strawberry pear. p. 347-348. In: J. F. Morton (ed.), Fruits of warm climates. Morton, Miami, FL. Nerd A., and Y. Mizrahi. 1992. Effect of fertilization on prickly pear production in Israel. p. 1-6. In: Proc. Third Annual Texas Prickly Pear Council Meeting. Texas A & I ljniv., Kingsville. Nerd, A., and Y. Mizrahi. 1993. Cultural practices for cactus pear in Israel for yeararound production. p. 77-80. In: Proc. Fourth Annual Texas Prickly Pear Council Meeting. Texas A & I Univ., Kingsville. Nerd, A., and Y. Mizrahi. 1994. Effect of fertilization and organ removal on rebudding in Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Miller. Sci. Hort. 59:115-122. Nerd, A., and Y. Mizrahi. 1996. Reproductive biology of cactus fruit crops. Hort. Rev. 18:321-346. Nerd, A., A. Karadi, and Y. Mizrahi. 1989. Irrigation, fertilization and polyethylene covers influence bud development in prickly pear. HortScience 24:773-775. Nerd, A., J. A. Aronson, and Y. Mizrahi. 1990. Introduction and domestication of rare and wild fruit and nut trees for desert areas. p. 353-363. In: J. Janick, and J. E. Simon (eds.), Advances in new crops. Timber, Portland, OR. Nerd, A., A. Karadi, and Y. Mizrahi. 1991a. Salt tolerance of prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica). Plant and Soil 137:201-207. Nerd, A., A. Karadi, and Y. Mizrahi. 1991b. Out-of-season prickly pear: fruit characteristics and effect of fertilization and short drought periods on productivity. HortScience 26:527-529. Nerd, A., R. Mesika, and Y. Mizrahi. 1993a. Effect of N fertilization on autumn flowering and N metabolism in prickly pear. J. Hort. Sci. 68:337-342. Nerd, A., E. Raveh, and Y. Mizrahi. 1993b. Adaptation of five columnar cactus species to various conditions in the Negev Desert of Israel. Econ. Bot. 47:304-311. Nobel, P. S. 1988. Environmental biology of agaves and cacti. Cambridge Univ. Press, New York. Nobel, P. S. 1991. Achievable productivities of certain CAM plants: basis for high values compared with C and C. plants. New Phytol. 119:183-205. Nobel, P. S. 1994. Remarkable agaves and cacti. Oxford univ. Press. New York. Nobel, P. S. 1996. Responses of some North American CAM plants to freezing temperatures and doubled CO concentration: implications of global change for extending cultivation. J. Arid Environ., Nobel, R S., and M. Cui. 1992. Hydraulic conductances of the soil. the root-soil air gap, and the root: changes for desert succulents in drying soil. J. Expt. Bot. 43:319-326. Nobel, P. S., and M. E. Loik. 1990. Thermal analysis, cell viability, and CO uptake of a widely distributed North American cactus, Opuntia humifusa, at subzero temperatures. Plant Physiol. Biochem. 28:429-436. Nobel, P. S., U. Luttge, S. Heuer, and E. Ball. 1984. Influence of applied NaCl on Crassulacean acid metabolism and ionic levels in a cactus, Cereus validus. Plant Physiol. 75:799-803. Nobel, P. S., N. Wang, R. A. Balsamo, M. E. Loik, and M. A. Hawke. 1995. Low temperature tolerance and acclimation of Opuntia spp. after injecting glucose or methylglucose. Int. J. Plant Sci. 156:496-504. North, G. B., and P. S. Nobel. 1992. Drought-induced changes in hydraulic conductivity and structure in roots of Ferocactus acanthodes and Opuntia ficus-indica. New Phytol. 120:9-19. Perez-Reyes, C., and E. Pimienta-Barrios. 1995. Viabilidad de semillas y poliembrionia en morfoespecies cultivadas y silvestres de Opuntia. Agrociencia, Pimienta-Barrios, E. 1990. El nopal tunero. Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco. Pimienta-Barrios, E. 1991. An overview of prickly pear production in the central part of Mexico. p. 1-15. In: Proc. Second Annual Texas Prickly Pear Council Meeting. Texas A & I Univ., Kingsville. Pimienta-Barrios, E. 1993. Vegetable cactus (Opuntia). p. 177-192. In: J. T. Williams (ed.), Pulses and vegetables. Chapman & Hall, London. Pimienta-Barrios, E. 1994. Prickly pear (Opuntia spp.): a valuable fruit crop for semi-arid lands of Mexico. J. Arid Environ. 28:1-11. Pimienta-Barrios, E., and E. M. Engelman. 1985. Desarrollo de la pulpa y proporcion en volumen, do los componentes del loculo maduro an tuna (Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Miller). Agrociencia 62:51-56. Pimienta-Barrios, E., and R S. Nobel. 1994. Pitaya (Stenocereus spp., Cactaceae): An ancient and modern fruit crop of Mexico. Econ. Bot. 48:76-83. Pimienta-Barrios, E., G. Barbera, and P. Inglese. 1993. Cactus pear (Opuntia spp., Cactaceae) International Network: an effort for productivity and environmental conservation for arid and semi-arid lands. Cactus Succulent J. 65:225-229. Raveh, E., J. Weiss, A. Nerd, and Y. Mizrahi. 1993. Pitayas (genus Hylocereus): A new fruit crop for the Negev Desert of Israel. p. 491-495. In: J. Janick and J. E. Simon (eds.), New crops. Wiley, New York. Rengel, Z. 1992. The role of calcium in salt toxicity. Plant Cell Environ. 15:625-632. Rodriguez-Felix, A., and M. Cantwell. 1988. Developmental changes in composition and quality of prickly pear cactus cladodes (nopalitos). Plant Food Human Nutr. 38:83-93. Russell, C. E., and P. Felker. 1987a. The prickly pears (Opuntia spp., Cactaceae): a source of human and animal food in semiarid regions. Econ. Bot. 41:433-445. Russell, C. E., and P. Felker. 1987b. Comparative cold hardiness of Opuntia spp. and cvs. grown or fruit, vegetable and fodder production. J. Hort. Sci. 62:545-550. Scheinvar, L. 1985. Flora ilustrada Catarinese Cactaceae. Itajai. Santa Catarina, Brasil. Silverman, F. P., D . R. Young, and P. S. Nobel. 1988. Effect of applied NaCl on Opuntia humifusa. Physiol. Plant. 42:343-348. Vietmeyer, N. 1990. The new crops era. p. xviii-xxii. In: J. Janick and J. E. Simon (eds.), Advances in new crops. Timber, Portland, OR. Wang, N., and P. S. Nobel. 1995. Phloem exudate collected via scale insect stylets for the CAM species Opuntia ficus-indica under current and doubled CO concentrations. Ann. Bot. 75:525-532. Weiss, J., A. Nerd, and Y. Mizrahi. 1993a. Development of the cactus apple (Cereus peruvianus) as a new crop to the Negev Desert of Israel. p. 486-491. In: J. Janick and J. E. Simon (eds.), New crops. Wiley, New York. Weiss, J., A. Nerd, and Y. Mizrahi. 1993b. Vegetative parthenocarpy in the cactus pear Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. Ann. Bot. 72:521-526. Weiss, J., A. Nerd, and Y. Mizrahi. 1994a. Flowering and pollination requirements in Cereus peruvianus cultivated in Israel. Israel J. Plant Sci. 42:149-158. Weiss, J., A. Nerd, and Y. Mizrahi. 1994b. Flowering behaviour and pollination requirements in climbing cacti with fruit crop potential. HortScience 29:1487-1492. Weiss, J., L. Scheinvar, and Y. Mizrahi. 1995. Selenicereus megalanthus (the yellow pitaya): a climbing cactus from Colombia. Cactus Succulent J. 67:280-283. Wessels, A. B. 1988. Spineless prickly pear. First Perskor, Johannesburg, South Africa. ----------------------- From: "Ronald Lyn" Subject: lychee stress Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1999 06:28:30 -0500 Hi Leo. Happy New year. I was wondering about the stressing of lychees to improve flowering. Now I think I understand the concept, but was wondering about places like us in Jamaica that sometimes have rain at inopportune times when the plants should be dormant. The question is, if consistent watering is done throughout the year ( weather having some rain or not) will the trees react the same way when water is withheld in the dormant period? Oh and if you could tell me at what time of the year do longans usually flower? Thanks. Ronald --------------------------- Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1999 16:47:21 -0800 (PST) From: Eunice Messner To: Martin Berghuis Subject: Feinte cohol banana (see photo at http://www.plantapalm.com/_private/veinte_cohol.htm What a strange name. Do you know what it means? Beautiful picture. I would like to send it to a friend but I don't know if there is something special I have to do to include the picture. I'm enjoying Lakatan bananas right now and have three huge bunches on my Dwf. Cavendish. Hope your plants recover from the freeze - very discouraging. We have had a lot of loss from wind and now it is too warm for this time of the year. My mangos are blooming and the peach buds are starting to color up. Which means I have to get out there and spray for peach leaf curl and spread chicken compost - then cover that with a mulch . Also the time of the year I fertilize citrus. The work is piling up. A lot of carrying up and down on my forty five degree slope. But all that fresh organically grown fruit enjoyed in abundance each day is surely worth it. The upper part of my slope is landscaped with South African aloes which are in bloom right now. The hummingbirds love it. Thanks for sharing... Eunice Messner ---------------------------------- Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1999 19:59:53 -0800 (PST) From: Eunice Messner To: Nan Sterman Subject: Correction to 1/3/99 e-mail re mycorrhizae Nan... In my e-mail to you I erred in saying "tilling the soil during daylight destroys most soil organisms." I should have said "tilling the soil destroys most fungal matter and makes the soil more bacteria oriented." And in the word evelop I left out the n. It should be envelop & 'eat'. Tilling the soil during daylight hours (even for 1 minute) stimulates weed growth. Our Permaculture member could tell us more about that. Anyway, I am sending you some materials from the 9/97 Sustainable Tree Conference I attended and bio's on two of the world's noted authorities. I would highly recommend writing for a copy of an interview with Dr. Elaine Ingham in the 1/97 ACRES USA magazine. Address: ACRES USA, P.O.Box 8800, Metairie, LA 70011 Dr. Ingham has recently established a soil microrganism analysis company. Soil Foodweb, Inc. 980 NW Circle Blvd, Corvallis, OR 97330. All of this is not new. It just got shelved when chemicals were exploited. Hope you find this a most enlightening subject to pursue. Eunice Messner ------------------------------- Subject: Mangoes in California Date: Sat, 9 Jan 1999 14:17:23 -0800 (PST) From: Eunice Messner To: Sven Merten Sven... The mango you won at the CRFG meeting was a "Thomson". Very productive and good near the coast as well. It must be thinned to get nice sized fruit. I have three trees of "Thomson". Mother tree is 15 years old; seedling 10 years old; inarched grafted one 6 years old and loaded with flower buds. Thomson is one of the few mangos that come true from seed (polyembronic). Florida has a better climaate for mangos then we do and has done a lot of research and importation of new varieties over the years. We could get the wholesalers to ship them here cheaply. But, the trouble of phytotoxic inspection for importation into California has made it not worth their trouble. Some mangos are being grown here, but growers do not have the large variety of mature trees to use for scion wood. My new mango "Carnival" would sell out as fast as it could be grown. That is another reason I am looking for the quantity available by tissue culture If this heat wave in January doesn't cook all my young seedlings I have in a shade house set up for cold weather, then I will have at least 100 "Thomson" seedlings for sale at our annual "Green Scene' and maybe some "Pinas" which are also polyembryonic. Hope you received the instructions I sent for an easy propagating box by mail. Re your search for acreage: San Dimas is off the #57 freeway. An even better subtropical location is La Habra Heights, but it could be expensive. Nice place to live though. Call CRFG members David Maislen or Gigi and Andrea Foster, they live there. It was a community zoned for five acre lots but many have been subdivided. Eunice -------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1999 20:10:51 -0800 From: Randall Wilks Subject: How To Protect Rare Fruit In Colder Climates Hi! My name is Randall Wilks, and I live in Hollister, California. (about 45 miles south of San Jose. We have a micro climate here that is cooled in the summer by breezes off Monterey Bay, but do sometimes reach 100 degrees in summer. Winter temperatures are likewise moderated, most years never making the freezing mark. I have about 18 fruit trees on 1/2 acre, including fig, apples, various stone fruit including pluots, and citrus (lemon, Naval Orange, Pumelo, Mandarin). Although the freeze ruined the lemon crop, old growth was not too badly damaged. The Pumelo, on the other hand got severe leaf damage, but about half the fruit was protected as they were carried well inside the tree. The orange and Mandarin had new growth damaged, but almost no fruit loss. These trees are about 6 years old and never before sustained damage. I will be better prepared in the future. I am sinking 18" sections of 2" PVC pipe at 4 corners around each tree. In cold weather, I will quickly erect a 2x2 framework which will support plastic covers. I have heard with great interest about a Black Sapote, which I find is closer related to the Persimmon. I am hoping this might be adaptable to my climate especially with the precautions I am to use with the citrus. What can you tell me of this tree? I will also be planting a frost tolerant Avocado (Mexicola or Stewart), and would like to graft other varieties to lower branches where they would get some frost protection and provide a longer harvest. Any advice on this would be appreciated. Best Regards, Randall Wilks ------------- Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1999 20:10:51 -0800 From: Leo To: Randall Wilks Subject: Re: How To Protect Rare Fruit In Colder Climates Hi, Randall I used to live in an area subject to cold into the 20's sometimes, and I would prepare something, using galvanized woven stucco wire (I've forgotten the width it comes, but almost any woven wire, maybe 5-6' wide, would do.) I'd prepare it to become the circumference of the enclosure, by cutting it to whatever length, attaching heavy plastic sheeting that's 2-3 feet wider than the wire width to the wire by stapling it to wood lath that's nailed to each end of the wire. Then I would put 'large' bottles (colored are better) of water close to the trunk of the trees, and encircle each tree with the temporary greenhouse. Before trying to encircle each tree, you need to decide how to connect the ends of the enclosure together. And the extra width of plastic is at the top. During the evening, the plastic is pulled up and over the top of the tree, but it gets too hot to leave it up in the sunlight. The bottles of water have stored heat during the day, and help to protect the plants. If you have something like burlap, tablecloths, old drapes, etc., they will do a better job of keeping the heat in at night, over the top of each enclosure. Then, in warmer weather, they can be dismantled and stored until the next year. It worked pretty well. Another trick is to plant sensitive trees on the south or west wall of your home, or of some other structure. Sometimes the roof overhang will help to protect trees planted close. That pretty much exhausts my store of knowledge. You might inquire at the Ag office of a nursery for avocado information. The black sapote is sufficiently related to the Japanese persimmon that you can graft black sapote (sometimes called black persimmon) onto the Japanese persimmon. I've done it, but don't know how long it will persist. It's been about 9 months, now. Horticordially, Leo -----zingiber@onelist.com; contact zingiber-owner@onelist.com------- Date: Fri, 08 Jan 1999 17:28:32 -0500 From: Jody Haynes Subject: Photo of Veinte cohol Banana I put a photo of a fruit bunch of Veinte cohol on the web at http://www.plantapalm.com/_private/veinte_cohol.htm. I don't know much about it yet, but I will try to find out some more information from my supervisor next week. It is a very nice-looking plant with nice-looking (and tasting) fruit. Jody Haynes, Webmaster Palm & Cycad Societies of Florida, Virtual Palm Encyclopedia, Virtual Cycad Encyclopedia (http://www.plantapalm.com) ----------- Date: Sat, 09 Jan 1999 12:35 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: Photo of Veinte cohol From: HESTERC@mail01.adm.duke.edu To: Jody Jody, I just viewed the picture and it is great. Thanks. It looks just like the one I saw at Fruit and Spice Park, except none of those were in bloom. Based on the picture, I take it that this plant indeed remains fairly short, or dwarf, for a banana. Is that true in general? What would you say is the mature heighth? Has anyone tasted the fruit? Thanks, Clarence Hester -------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1999 20:43:28 -0800 From: Keith Benson DVM Subject: Want Me To Clone Your Bananas? Listers, I have had some very good success with micropropagating banana and wanted to make the following offer to folks on the list. I would like to expand my collection of Musa (I could not take my plants with me when I moved out to CA - so I am starting over - Things could get interesting!) To that end I would like to know if anyone on the list is interested in trading corms for plantlets. Sort of a no risk TC service. The game plan would be that if folks are interested, you would send in a corm(s) and I would return a set number of plantlets in return when the corm has multiplied (usually severl months). I can also provide the recipient with sterile propagating shoot clusters for their own multiplication work. I am constructing a webpage (http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/2011/MicropropBAN.html) with instructions on banana tissue culture for those who will want to try their hand at micropropagation Eventually I hope to have a number of varieties to trade with folks. For now it would be a corm for plantlets deal. If anyone is interested in having their plants "cloned" please drop me an email for details. Thanks, Keith Benson DVM ------Discussion list for New Crops ---------- Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1999 18:44:02 -0800 From: "Carol A. Miles" Subject: Re: What Alternative Crops In Exotic Palm Greenhouse? If you would like to learn more about greenhouse vegetable production, I suggest you contact Rick Snyder at Mississippi State University. Rick is a specialist dealing with greenhouse tomato production and could also provide you with information about production of other vegetables in the greenhouse. Rick also has a web site which is an excellent resourse, http://www2.msstate.edu/~ricks/. Joshua Golovaty wrote: Hi 1. My friend asks me for help to find information about alternative crop for his greenhouses which was used until now for growing exotic palms. It is total 1.5 hectare high structure greenhouses with floor, so only soiless culture are possible. I thought about rare fruits in 45 Litres container, but it is only a primary guess. He is looking for crop to export to Europe (he is from Israel) so it must have some organised market for this crop. Any idea? I'll be very happy for any advice where to look for information to make good agronomic and commercial decision. 2. I want to start new mailing list for professional greenhouse growers to discuss problems related to greenhouse new technologies, management and crop production. If you interested the address to subscribe is: http://pages.hotbot.com/edu/horticulture/hortmailist.html Thanks in advance for any help Joshua Golovaty, Agronomist M.Sc Agr. golovaty@my-dejanews.com http://netopia.geocities.com/golovaty -----------------NAFEX List ------------------- Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1999 06:23:42 -0800 From: Travis Callahan Subject: Chill Hours - What Exactly Is It? Hello friends, Someone give me a good definition of chill hours. I have always understood that chill hours were those hours of winter that were between 32 degrees and 45 degrees temperature. Thanks Travis Callahan >>>>>>>>End: Rare Fruit News Online - January 15, 1999<<<<<<<<< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< Rare Fruit News Online - February 1, 1999 - AKA RFN9902A.txt Rare Fruit News Online is primarily a collection of letters from you, the readers. I edit all submissions, sometimes in a very minor way. It helps if your mail has a relevant SUBJECT. Also, If you want to ma sure your letters are read by everyone, try to have the subject as descriptive as possible. You took the time to write the letter, so compose it so that it gets read. If you want your letter to be published, please use your *real* name someplace in the letter. It takes time to look up your name, so please sign your email. Also, when you direct a letter to a reader, please include that person's name someplace in the correspondence. That helps the rest of us know whom you are writing. I also like to see appropriate capital letters in writing, although it's not a major concern. It's a far greater 'offense' to write in all caps, but all small letters seem to be lacking something. Maybe it's just eye appeal? I try to edit mail to 'remedy' most deviations, but it takes more time.... I really appreciate it when you send me a CC or BCC when writing to other readers of RFNO. Much of the best information that has been past along has been due to the thoughtfulness of such correspondents. If you find errors of spelling, grammar, or facts, please let me know. These newsletters go out later to new subscribers and you will be doing both me and them a favor. Change of policy for publishing CC/BCC - Proposal: I need to cut back on the amount of time spent on editing this newsletter, and I believe that the following is reasonable, but I will 'listen' to your feedback. Therefore, beginning with this issue, I will only promise to publish letters from readers that are answering letters that have appeared in this newsletter, with one exception: If readerQ of RFNO has a question to ask of another readerA of RFNO, and readerQ sends to me a CC or BCC of the ORIGINAL letter to readerA, then I'll publish both of the letters. ReaderQ with a question and ReaderA with a response (provided ReaderA has also sent me a CC or BCC.) Let me explain. If ReaderA sends to me a CC/BCC from some person, reader or not, who hasn't sent me a CC/BCC of the ORIGINAL letter, then, the letter requires an enormous amount of time trying to figure out the thread of the correspondence. And even if the letter from ReaderA includes a copy of the original letter with " > " on every line, or, worse, with html language, it is quite hard to impossible to edit sufficiently to get the ideas accurately presented. I just can't take the time to do it. If ReaderA decides that an answer given to ReaderQ is in error, needing modification, I need the whole new response, again, with no " > " lines, rather than a note from ReaderA telling me which erroneous lines should be replaced with what lines. At best, I spend quite a bit of time editing the letters, so I need your help in making it easier for me. I want to keep this newsletter approximately as it has been. You write to me and I collect, edit, and publish the results. Eventually, perhaps I will go to some other format. If you run across webpages of interest, I encourage you to let all of us know. I hope this meets with your approval. Sincerely, Leo ----Categories of information found in this issue; Letters follow---- --Leo's Notes #1, 2 #1 Annona Diversifolia Seeds - Difficulty In Sprouting #2 Changing ISP Again, Hope Mail Gets Through --New Subscribers - Usually with questions. Help, if you can, please. From: Doug Jones Subject: New Subscriber, Mesa, Az, Having Blackened Tips On Branches From: Ranjit Singh Subject: New Subscriber, Canada, Grows Rare Fruit Under HID Lights From: joan@specialtyproduce.com (Joan Sonntag) Subject: New Subscriber, Arizona, Manages Specialty Produce Web Page From: Nabih S ABDELHAMID Subject: New Subscriber, Egypt, Has Leaf Miner Problem From: Alejandro Wellmann Subject: New Subscriber, Peru, & Info Date Palms from Ica, Peru From: Barry Edholm Subject: New Subscriber, Arizona, Wants To Grow Pepino & Cherimoya From: Mark Reed Subject: New Subscriber, Oregon, Wants To Expand His Plant List From: Ranjit Singh Subject: New Subscriber, Canada, Grows Rare Fruit Under HID Lights --Readers Write From: Eunice To: Joel Subject: Source for Stevia plants From: "Amy" Subject: Locating stevia From: Rob To: Bob Subject: americana seeds - Pessimism abounds! From: Geoff To: Eunice Subject: Lakatan Banana Description From: Eunice Messner To: Buckner, Geoff Subject: Re: Lakatan Banana Description From: Geoff To: Eunice Subject: RE: Lakatan Banana Description From: Eunice Messner Subject: CRFG Fruit Specialists Information Subject: Seedless guava To: Samar Gupta From: Bob To: Kirt Subject: Mangosteen and durian From: Eunice To: Travis Subject: Chilling Hours Subject: Webpage Snippets: Grafting using Rooting Hormones http://www.rooting-hormones.com/cummins.htm From: Sainarong Rasananda Subject: Hello from Thailand From: Kimberlee Subject: Lost Subscriber From: ron@cassfos03.UCSD.EDU (Ron Lyons) Subject: Giant Whitefly Project - Web Page Recommendation From: Dick Smith Subject: St. Julian (Prunus) Rootstock; Where Can I Find It? To: Dick Smith Subject: Re: St. Julian Rootstock; Where Can I Find It? From: Onder Tuzcu Subject: New? Subscriber, Turkey, Announcing Trop/SubTrop Meeting From: Holzinger To: Bob Thompson<102073.3346@compuserve.com> Subject: Mangos From: Eunice Messner Subject: About Phillipine Mangos From: "Margaret J. Basile" Subject: Pollination - Web Sites To Consider From: "Cheryl Wilen - Area IPM Advisor, Ornamentals" Subject: Re: Predatory Insects For Giant Whitefly: Available? From: Mary Subject: Re: Giant Whitefly Predators ----Zingiber List (Bananas, Gingers) From: Gene Paull Subject: Texas Cold - Banana Survivors and Not Survivors From: "Argento, Julie" Subject: RE: Texas Cold - Banana Survivors and Not Survivors --Announcements To Consider From: "Gordon C. Nofs" Subject: Pawpaws seed for sale, from Michigan From: FruitLovers@webtv.net (Oscar Jaitt) Subject: FRUIT LOVERS NURSERY, HI, Tropical Fruit seeds for sale From: Dan Hemenway Subject: Permaculture Design Intensive in Northern California --NAFEX List (Using hormones for grafting, above, came from NAFEX list) --From NEWCROPS List From: Steve Fleischaker Subject: Need Tissue Culture Information? Try These ------------------Leo's Notes------------------- #1 Annona Diversifolia Seeds - Difficulty In Sprouting I split a batch of Annona diversifolia seeds into two equal groups. Since I didn't have gibberelic acid yet, I put the first group in moist peat moss enclosed in a quart-size 'ziploc' bag in a darkened environment, and put them in a hot bed, with temperature about 80 deg F. I did this on December 23, 1998. Then, around January 15, I obtained the gibberelic acid, removed the seeds, soaked them overnight (2000 ppm I believe it was), and returned them to the same environment. In ten days I found four (about 13% of them) beginning to sprout, and I repotted them in separate containers. Also, on January 15, I took the second group, soaked them in G.A. overnight, and put them in an identical environment in the hot bed. In ten days, there were two beginning to sprout, so I put them in separate pots, and now (15 days) there are two more of them sprouting, and another looking promising. I don't know how long I should wait before giving up, but I will wait at least another month, for the first group (which doesn't contain any additional promising candidates yet.) So, they are sometimes hard to sprout, and I don't know what works best. It's possible the G.A. strength was not ideal, and I should have tried it in different strengths. ------ #2 Changing ISP Again, Hope Mail Gets Through I've just gone through another ISP change, with the usual mail-gets-lost problems. There may even be another change soon. Return addresses for me will sometimes look different, but I believe that the leom@rarefruit.com will always get through. That explains the one-day-earlier-than-scheduled mailing date for this newsletter, in case it takes longer than usual to get delivered. Yours, Leo ------------------New Subscribers (Eight!)---------------------- From: Doug Jones Subject: New Subscriber, Mesa, Az, Having Blackened Tips On Branches Date: Sun, 17 Jan 1999 15:34:16 -0700 I would like to get onto your fruit info service. You may remember me stopping by your house a few years ago. Well, my computer crashed soon after and I lost your info. Mrs Snow just gave it to me again. Hope to get with you on fruit info. I have been trying to grow mangos in Phoenix Arizona for a number of years. All the trees end up getting blackened tips on the branches, and just sort of sit there with out any growth. Once in a while I get a good flush of growth, but normally very little. Does anybody know what causes the blackened tips? Doug Jones, From Mesa, Arizona. ------------------------------- Date: Sun, 17 Jan 1999 23:37:49 -0500 From: Ranjit Singh Subject: New Subscriber, Canada, Grows Rare Fruit Under HID Lights Hi, I am Ranjit Singh, living in Toronto, Canada I grow (a few rare fruit trees) in my basement under HID lights during the winter and would be interested in your newsletter. Please let me know how much I have to send you and I will by a US $ check. Thanks, Ranjit in Toronto, Canada ------------------------------- From: joan@specialtyproduce.com (Joan Sonntag) Subject: New Subscriber, Arizona, Manages Specialty Produce Web Page Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1999 07:36:43 -0700 Good morning, Leo and Betty! This is Joan Sonntag, Managing Editor of our web site: www.specialtyproduce.com I research and write on all types of produce we list under our Shopping List. I would enjoy information shared by your Rare Fruit News Online very much! Your newsletter and contributor of information are credited to you in our bibliography if any information is used from your publication! Looking forward to my subscription!! Sincerely, Joan Sonntag, Editor ------------------------------- Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1999 07:38:49 +0200 From: Nabih S ABDELHAMID Subject: New Subscriber, Egypt, Has Leaf Miner Problem Dear Friend, I would be pleased to subscribe to your list. I am Eng. Nabih S ABDELHAMID, of Lower Egypt. I cultivate mainly citrus: Navel & Valencia oranges and Mediterranean Mandarins. I also have a heteroclytic collection of Mangoes. My interests are commercial. My actual concern is about the leaf miners. I thank you for your interest to accept me in the list. Since 3 years have been subjected, all over Egypt, to an onslaught of citrus leaf miner. In Lower Egypt we have 3 main flush growth: 1- in spring when the weather is still cold. 2- End May in warm weather. 3- End September. In Spring, as the weather is still cold there is no harm but in May-June the whole flush growth is decimated as well as that of Autumn if the weather has not cooled. As we have, countrywise, no IPM or biological control we rely on sacrificing the Summer flush, and, if important, spray Vertemec in Autumn. Some years, if we have to treat for Citrus rust mites we spray Vertemec in May. But Vertemec is expensive and the citrus crop is rather cheap. Oil sprays, sensitive in Summer, has not proven efficient. So I kindly enquire about any new trend in combating this terrible pest. Thank you Best Regards. Nabih -------------------------------- From: Alejandro Wellmann Subject: New Subscriber, Peru, & Info Date Palms from Ica, Peru Date: Fri, 22 Jan1999 20:07:24 -0500 Hello: Thanks for your e-mail. I'm a geographer, consultor of environmental facts. Please include me (and the date palms and rare fruits of Ica) in your list. Can you read me in Spanish? ---- Greetings from Ica, Peru, in the other side of the world. I send you some information from the date palms of Peru and geographical informations, because Ica is the only place in the Southern Hemisphere in where these palms can grow. The date palms in Peru are located in the Department of Ica, 300 kilometers south of Lima, the capital of Peru, at 14BA Latitude south. The climate in the region is hot and dry with sunny days all year round. There is no rain, and the average temperature in the summer is between 32 and 38B0 C during the day and 18 to 22B0C during the night. In winter the average of temperature is about 28-31BAC in the day, and 10-14BAC in the night. No frost is given here. Moisture is for example 75% in the coastal region, and 50-60% in the desert, during the day. Date palms were introduced from Morocco and Algeria in Ica by the Spaniards in the 17th. century.Today the date palms grow wild here (a lower percent corresponds to a cultivars). We estimate that in the Paracas and Villacuri areas there are also 12.000 hectars with palms and a 500.000 of these palms, in an 80-90% offshoots, but the local farmers donB4t know his management, cultural practices and utility. In Paracas bay and Villacuri desert, date palms can grow in a high density, in order of 200 and more palm / hectar, An ancient palm tree has 5 to 20 offshoots aroud them. Each productive palm tree can produce 20 or more bunches and 150 to 250 kilograms of dates. Almost any mediterranean and native subtropical produce can be grown in this region, even pecans, guavas, lucumas, pacay, figs, pomegranates, papayas and chirimoyas.20 I would be very grateful if you can tell me more about date palms and the possibility of participating in this mailing list. I wish you the best, too. sincerely, Alejandro Wellmann --------------------------- From: Barry Edholm Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 10:18:56 EST Subject: New Subscriber, Arizona, Wants To Grow Pepino & Cherimoya Growing up in Michigan, my dad, for subsistence as well as teaching his seven children how to work, maintained a full 1/2 acre garden. I believe I have inherited his green thumb, and have had envious gardens wherever I have lived. Then four years ago, I moved to the Phoenix area and have been served an extra-large serving of humble pie. However, a few months back I saw two fruits in a market that I haven't seen since I lived in Santiago, Chile. These fruits were the Cherimoya, and my favorite, the Pepino Dulce. Then I began noticing that many of the plants that I was amazed at in Chile (having grown up in the Midwest) grow right here in the Valley of the Sun. I couldn't sleep a couple weeks ago, so I started a search for someone who could provide me a source for Pepino Dulce seeds. This effort led me the CRFG homepage and I found a member nursery guide. After a call to Roger Meyer I found out that there are others right here in my area who are interested in the same. I even found a man who has attempted the Pepino Dulce, unfortunately without luck. The sum of all this is that I now have a fire burning within me to figure out how to not only grow Pepino Dulce and Cherimoya in by own backyard and have successful flowering and setting, but be successful at other rare fruits and nuts that have been shown to be successful outdoors here in the valley. So any information that I might have, any time that might be saved by learning from other's mistakes and success would be greatly appreciated. And when I finally figure out how to be successful with the Pepino Dulce, I will be glad to share what I have learned. Thank you, Barry Edholm Mesa, AZ 85201 ------------------------------- Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 18:06:58 -0800 From: Mark Reed Subject: New Subscriber, Oregon, Wants To Expand His Plant List Hi! Please sign me up! I am Mark Reed, in Albany Oregon Interested in trying most any fruit that will grow here - typical minimum temperature is about 10 degrees F. Kiwis, paw-paws, hardy kiwis, blueberries and persimmons are on my list already. I'd love suggestions for other things to try, plus hints a