========================================== Rare Fruit News Online - All Year for 2001 ========================================== 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. Interested in reading past issues of RFNO? Those published in previous years can be accessed at the homepage for Rare Fruit News Online http://www.rarefruit.com RFNO in 2001: http://www.rarefruit.com/RFN2001AllYr.txt RFNO in 2000: http://www.rarefruit.com/RFN2000AllYr.txt RFNO in 1999: http://www.rarefruit.com/RFN1999AllYr.txt RFNO in 1998: http://www.rarefruit.com/RFN1998AllYr.Txt RFNO in 1997: http://www.rarefruit.com/RFN1997AllYr.Txt RFNO in 1996: http://www.rarefruit.com/RFN1996AllYr.Txt For another place to see back issues of the newsletter, visit the online group, "OldRFN" OldRFN is at http://www.visto.com/j.html?g=16812838.WDY3NjdX If you are in the neighborhood, let me know, and hopefully I'll be home for you to drop by. I am a rare fruit garden addict, and plant far more than I have time to tend them properly, but I'd like to show you what you can grow here. Sincerely, Leo Rare Fruit News Online - January 1, 2001 - AKA RFN200101A.txt Notes In Passing ---------Table Of Contents - Headers; (Letters Follow Table Of Contents) >>>> New Subscribers <<<< New Subscriber, Florida - How To Protect Young Trees In Winter? Bob Earley New Subscriber, South Africa - How To Identify Star Fruit? Irene Ross New Subscriber, Miama, FL, Has Plenty Already; Wants White Sapote Claudio Riedi New Subscriber, Florida, Ed Sherwood New Subscriber, Finland - Growing (outside!) Loquat, Cocoa, .... "Evert Nylund" >>>> Readers Write <<<< Re: How To Identify Star Fruit? Sven Merten To: Irene Re: How To Identify Star Fruit? Irene Ross Re: What's This Black Stuff On Leaves Of My Lime and Sugar Apple? "Kok-choi Chan" To: rocopolis@earthlink.net RE: Carambola - Won't Fruit For Me "Ben Poirier" To: "'Alan Schroeder'" New E-mail Address For Santol (Bruce Livingston) Bruce Livingston Re: Sooty Mold "Juan A. Rivero" To: rocopolis@earthlink.net Fwd: HOW TO SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK WHEN ALONE Fred Nagahori Re: Tropical Fruit Availability "Helga and Bert Dunn" To: Linda O'sage Oranges "Diana E. Witt" Black Sapote (Diospyros digyna) Jim Adkins Re: Black Sapote (Diospyros digyna) "George F. Emerich" To: Jim Alphonso Mango "Ben Pierce" Re: Alphonso Mango Leo To: Ben Pierce Re: Alphonso Mango "Ben Pierce" Grafting Cherimoyas "Ben Pierce" Re: Grafting Cherimoyas Leo To: Ben Pierce Re: Grafting Cherimoyas "Ben Pierce" Noni-How To Prepare Fruit? Black Sapote: How To Propagate? Sven Nehlin Re: Black Sapote: How To Propagate? Leo To: Sven Nehlin Re: Black Sapote (Diospyros digyna): How To Propagate? "George F. Emerich" To: Sven Stephen Facciola's Cornucopia Dmshuck@aol.com Re: Stephen Facciola's Cornucopia Stephen Facciola RE: Large Lemon Maybe Ponderosa "Oscar Jaitt" To: jzwielic@san.rr.com Longan Girdling "Richard K. Gross" To: Re: Controlling Gophers "Richard K. Gross" To: Re: Controlling Gophers Michael Zarky Budding Of Avocados "Ben Pierce" Re: Thailand Fruit (Letter found at bottom of my mailbag. Leo) Sainarong Rasananda Longan and lychee study "Holzinger, Bob" >>>> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <<<< Fw: Questions on Longans "Sainarong Rasananda" Re: Longan Sainarong Rasananda To: Edward Lin Longan Sainarong Rasananda To: Edward Lin Re: longan flowering Sainarong Rasananda To: David Loring Re: Longan Girdling "Sainarong Rasananda" To: "Richard K. Gross" Re: Longan Girdling "Richard K. Gross" To: "Sainarong Rasananda" Re: Ping-Pong Longan "Sainarong Rasananda" To: "Yee Pak Leong" Ping-Pong Longan Yee Pak Leong To: "Sainarong Rasananda" Re: Litchi and Longan Sources In Thailand "Sainarong Rasananda" To: "Samar Gupta" Litchi and Longan Sources In Thailand Samar Gupta Chuliang - the Most Widely Grown Longan in the World "Sainarong Rasananda" To: "Longan Research" , Re: [Longan-Research] Worldwide Weather Pattern "Dr. Amos Blumenfeld 03-9683397 VH" To: LONGAN RESEARCH >>>> Announcements and / or Web Sites To Consider <<<< An Old Story -- Botanists Find 'Living Fossil' Tree http://news.excite.com/news/r/001215/01/science-environment-tree-dc Tropical fruit trees: akee, all spice, ambarella, annona, avocado, cherry, bay leaf, black pepper, caimito, canistel, carambola, cashew, coconut, coffee, curry leaf, grumichama, guava, jaboticaba, jakfruit, longan, loquat, lychee, macadamia, malay apple http://www.tropicalfruitnursery.com/fruitproducts.htm FRUIT LOVER'S MEGALINKS http://www.fruitlovers.com/megalinks.html Food Resource, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR http://foodsci.orst.edu/ Search engine for food crops Hedge apple, from the Osage Orange Tree, control insects such as roaches using natural pest control. http://hedgeapple.com/ GardenBed.com: Maclura pommifera - Osage orange http://gardenbed.com/M/2252.cfm Native Plant Exchange - Readers Offer Native Plants and Seeds For Trade http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/exnative/ Jackfruit, Breadfruit, Osage Orange, Mulberry, Soursop, Sugar Apple, Cherimoya http://daphne.palomar.edu/wayne/jackfr1.htm The Calimoya Cherimoyas Are Here! John Ruskey >>>> Zingiber List (Bananas, Gingers) <<<< None, this time >>>> NAFEX List <<<< None, this time >>>> From NEWCROPS List mailto:newcrops@purdue.edu <<<< None, this time >>>> From "rarefruit list" - rarefruit@yahoogroups.com <<<< None, this time >> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars>news@arsgrin.gov << http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm Fruit and Vegetable Films Keep Food Fresh and Tasty Tube Helps Establish Seedlings on Rangeland Kathryn Barry Stelljes >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> New Subscribers <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Subject: New Subscriber, Florida - How To Protect Young Trees In Winter? Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2000 19:48:00 -0500 From: Bob Earley Leo, I e-mailed you about a month ago asking that I be added to your distribution list but it appears that you may not have received it. My name is Bob Earley and I live in Venice, Florida. I have read the back issues on the website and managed to learn a great deal in the process. Over the past couple of years, I have planated bananas, mangoes, guavas, citrus, carambola, persimmon, tamarindo, lychee, jackfruit, black sapote, ilama, sugar apple, atamoya, papaya, pineapple, and yuca (cassava). All appear to be doing quite well. Temperatures today (12/15/00) area near 85 and I am worried my young trees are very vulnerable to a sudden cold spell. We live in a heavily forested area with a high fire danger (we have been without rain for 3+ months). For that reason, my wife is afraid that if I use the ancient smudge pots that I have, I will surely burn the entire neighborhood down. Thus, I am always interested in new ideas relative to cold protection. Thanks for providing this wonderful service to us rare fruit hobbiests. Bob mailto:Earley_b@popmail.firn.edu ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber, South Africa - How To Identify Star Fruit? Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2000 23:27:22 +0200 From: Irene Ross Hi I am Irene Ross and live in a valley in the Southern Drakensberg in South Africa. The fruit trees I grow at present are mainly citrus, crab apple and avocado. On a recent trip to Australia, I became acquainted with Star Fruit and retained the seeds and planted them when I returned home. I did not expect them to grow, having been told by the nursery in Australia that this was impossible. However I have a little plant and I have no idea what it is....I am hoping that it is a Star Fruit......where can I find a photograph of the plant and not the fruit? Please Help Irene mailto:granblue@mweb.co.za ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber, Miama, FL, Has Plenty Already; Wants White Sapote Date: Sun, 24 Dec 2000 06:43:43 -0600 From: Claudio Riedi mailto:criedi@worldwidelaw.com Hi, I am Claudio Riedi, in Miami, Florida. Fruit trees I am now growing are Mangos (Cushman, Valencia Pride, ST Maui, Carrie, Ataulfo, Edward, Nam Doc Mai); Avocado; Monstera; Imbe; Cherry of the Rio Grande; Caimite; Wax Jambu; Sapodilla; Jackfruit (DangRashimi, Black Gold); Canistel; SugarApple; Soursop; Litchi; Longan (Koala, Diamond River); Citrus (Limes, Kumquat, Tangerines, Oranges); Rose-Apple; Carambola; Miracle Fruit; amarind; Pineapples; Black Sapote; Mamey; Mamea Americana; Barbados Cherry; Banana. I want to grow White Sapote. Claudio Riedi mailto:criedi@worldwidelaw.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber, Florida, Date: Tue, 26 Dec 2000 15:30:54 -0500 From: Ed Sherwood My name is Ed Sherwood and I've recently bought 27 acres in Hawthorne Florida. I plan on planting many different fruit and nut trees and am interested in growing unusual and hard to find food crops. I am currently working on rennovating a 115 year old farm house but soon it will be 'done' and my attention can then turn to cultivating and planting. I will be growing in zone 9a/8b so I am interested in subtropical fruits. I will have some greenhouses so true tropicals will also be an option. I look forward to recieving your newsletter. please send it to sherwood@gator.net Thanks Ed mailto:sherwood@gator.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber, Finland - Growing (outside!) Loquat, Cocoa, .... Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 02:39:18 +0200 From: "Evert Nylund" Hi! My name is Evert Nylund. I'm a 12 years old boy from Espoo, Finland. Now I have just some fruit trees which I'm growing, e.g. 2 loquats, 1 cocoa tree, 2 coffee plants, and a rose-almong outside on our yard. No, no, I don't grow those outside, but I keep them outside sometimes in summer. I would like to know how I'm going to grow these: 1. Sapodilla/Sapodillo 2. Persimmon (Diospyros kaki & D. virginiana) 3. Cherimoya (Annona cherimola). I have those seeds, and I would like to grow other too. I have many "non-fruit tree" seeds, e.g. Spathodea campanulata, Ylang-Ylang, Magnolia sieboldii, Bixa orellana etc... If you know some growing tips, please, could you tell me! Evert from Finland mailto:evert@surfeu.fi http://www.surf.to/seedlist >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Readers Write<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Subject: Re: How To Identify Star Fruit? Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2000 07:27:44 +0200 From: Irene Ross Dear Leo Thanks to you and Sven Merten I have now confirmed that my plants are indeed Star Fruit and I will granny them with much love and tenderness. I feel a bit embarrassed now that I have received your newsletter as I realised that plants which practically grow wild here I dismissed and did not report as having in my garden. Granadillas (Passion Fruit) grow along my boundary fence but we are not over-enamoured of them as they encourage snakes, Guavas are classed an Alien Invader but will not be declared a weed because of the value of the fruit. South Africa is on a major move to indigenous species and many trees and plants are not permitted to be planted after 1 April 2001. Lychees are on my list "to be planted" and by all accounts are easy to grow here. I am also fortunate to live in an area where Blackberries grow wild (I have spent the last two weeks making jam) and my strawberries have produced enormous fruit this season. My husband wants to turn the bottom of our garden into an orchard, planting Peach, Plum and Mango (all grown in this area) and as long as it does not interfere with my veggie garden (I am a vegetarian) I will not object. For those of you who fly a lot, vegetarian food on an aeroplane leaves a lot to be desired so declare that you are a fruitarian and you will be delighted and the envy of passengers around you. Thanks for you help. Irene mailto:granblue@mweb.co.za ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: How To Identify Star Fruit? Date: Sun, 17 Dec 2000 07:45:22 -0800 From: Sven Merten To: Irene Hi Irene, Leo forwarded your note to me. The web sites below have some pictures of the leaves of star fruit. They have delicate pinnatley compound leaves. I don't know why the nursery told you that you can't grow them from seed. Maybe they meant there is a lot of variation in the fruit quality when you grow them from seed. They can be grafted later on. They grow slow at first, but after a year or so they will start growing faster. http://www.brevardrarefruit.org/photos/carambola.html http://www.greendealer-exotic-seeds.com/seeds/StarFruitCarambola.html granblue@mweb.co.za Regards, Sven mailto:scoutdog@pacbell.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: What's This Black Stuff On Leaves Of My Lime and Sugar Apple? Date: Sun, 17 Dec 2000 11:18:11 +0800 From: "Kok-choi Chan" To: rocopolis@earthlink.net I suspect the black stuff is sooty mold.The mold thives on the sugary substance exuded by scales,aphids or mealy bugs.Aside from the unsightly look,the mold does not do much damage to the plant except perhaps affecting the growth a little (due to loss of photosynthetic surfaces). From my experience, getting rid of the pests should usually solve the problem. Kok-choi Chan mailto:duriannow@hotmail.com ------------------------------------------------ From: "Ben Poirier" To: "'Alan Schroeder'" Sent: Thursday, November 16, 2000 5:45 PM Subject: RE: Carambola - Won't Fruit For Me Hi Alan, Time and patience - I'm sure you have heard this before ! But take heart - you are close. About fifteen years or so ago one of the local Avocado packers brought in a bunch of grafted Arken carambola trees and made them available at a reasonable cost for growers to try and evaluate. I picked up some of these trees figuring using them as a "control" in my project since they are the staple variety in Florida (at least at that time). They were a good 18' to 2" and took about seven years to bear their first fruit - the same year that the first of the seedlings came into bearing. With most fruit trees, grafted trees come into bearing much sooner than this,but this is my esperience with this one. The experiment is going on and some of the seedlings are coming up with better qualities than the Arkin. I've started grafting one plant and hope to have others in the future. Ben mailto:benplant@tfb.com -----Original Message From Alan----- Subject: Carambola - Won't Fruit For Me From: Alan Schroeder [SMTP:arschroeder@home.com] Sent: Thursday, November 16, 2000 8:49 AM To: Ben Poirier Dear Ben: I read with interest your comment that in Southern California it takes about seven years for carambola to fruit from seed. I purchased a grafted variety 'Florita' about six or so years ago. It was about one foot tall at the time and is now six feet tall and looks healthy enough but it has never flowered. It grows in a semi shaded area that is protected from wind. I do nothing for it except mulch it with straw or alfalfa. My residence is in Southern California (Santa Barbara) and I know there are some carambola fruiting in this area. Any comments? How can I get it to flower and fruit? Alan Schroeder mailto:arschroeder@home.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New E-mail Address For Santol (Bruce Livingston) Date: 17 Dec 00 12:12:03 EST From: Bruce Livingston Hello, Please excuse me for sending this as a form letter, but I want to let everyone know that I have switched my E-mail address to a web-based address. Please make a note of it and address any future E-mails to me as follows: santol@irishabroad.com Thank you, Bruce Livingston mailto:santol@irishabroad.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Sooty Mold Date: Sun, 17 Dec 2000 19:51:22 -0400 From: "Juan A. Rivero" To: rocopolis@earthlink.net Hola Ricardo: What you describe is the sooty mold or fumagina. It is a sooty black covering on the leaves, fruits and twigs of many plants and is associated with several insects belonging to at least three separate families. In short, it is found with all scale and allied insects which exude honey-dew in any considerable quantities. The fungus is a saprophyte and depends on this honey-dew for its sustenance. The black covering is composed of the vegetative threads of the fungus. The fungus itself is harmless but the black screen may reduce photosinthesis and thus, interfere with the natural functions of the leaves, which will keep the tree in an unhealthy condition and reduce the quality and abundance of fruits. Control the associated insects, not the mold. Any insecticide used for white flies and scale will do, but those with an oil base will do better as they will also loosen and break the black covering so that it falls away with the leaves, fruits and twigs. Best wishes and good luck. Juan A. Rivero mailto:jarivero@caribe.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Fwd: HOW TO SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK WHEN ALONE Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2000 07:14:37 -0800 (PST) From: Fred Nagahori Leo, I think this information is good to put in your newsletter since there are a lot of seniors and might be alone in their yards when smitten by a heart attack. Fred Nagahori mailto:fnagahori@yahoo.com Let's say it's 6:15 p.m. and you're driving home (alone of course), after an unusually hard day on the job. You are tired, upset and maybe frustrated. Suddenly you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to radiate out into your arm and up into your jaw. You are only about five miles from the hospital nearest your home. Unfortunately, you don't know if you'll be able to make it that far. What can you do? HOW TO SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK WHEN ALONE Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack, this article seemed in order. Without help, the person whose heart stops beating properly and who begins to feel faint, has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness. However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously. A deep breath should be taken before each cough, and the cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest. A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds without let up until help arrives, or until the heart begins beating normally again. Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating. The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythm. In this way, heart attack victims canget to a hospital. Tell as many other people as possible about this, it could save their Lives! From Health Cares, Rochester General Hospital via Chapter 240's newsletter, AND THE BEAT GOES ON ... (reprint from The Mended Hearts, Inc. publication, Heart Response) ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Tropical Fruit Availability Date: Thu, 21 Dec 2000 07:09:33 -0500 From: "Helga and Bert Dunn" To: Linda Hello Linda Suggest you haunt ethnic grocery stores & ask. If your restaurant waiters appear Asian, ask them. In Ontario we can get many varieties of 'tropical' fruit at different times of the year even in small towns with little ethnic population. Right now we're gorging on persimmons. Bert Dunn mailto:helbert@idirect.comRR4 Tottenham Ont zone 4b www.hardygrapes.tottenham.on.ca ------------------------------------------------ Subject: O'sage Oranges Date: Thu, 21 Dec 2000 18:28:49 -0500 From: "Diana E. Witt" Hi, A friend of mine is wanting to grow some O'sage oranges, he lives in Florida, but is having a difficult time locating information and seeds/seedlings. Any help would be appreciated. thanks, and Happy Growing. Diana Witt [Note: I've put a few references to Osage Orange culture and uses. In my youth in Kansas, they were common between wheat fields, and we often found squirrels there, when hunting. The wood is strikingly colorful and extremely hard and rot resistant. Fence posts of hedgeapple lasted longer than the barbed wire strung along them. Leo] ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Black Sapote Date: Thu, 14 Dec 2000 21:34:04 -0500 From: Jim Adkins Leo, I have a small grove I take care of for my doctor. The grove citrus, mango, avocado, longan, surinam cherry, star fruit, macadamia nuts and black sapote. I am learning about them all as I go along.Right now My biggest questions are about the black sapote tree.I`m told it is also called the chocolate pudding tree. My biggest question now is how to tell if it is ripe. I have recipes to use it but how do I tell when to pick? If you could give me a clue when I should pick, I would be grateful. Thank You Jim mailto:junglejimsplants1@mac.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: re: Black Sapote (Diospyros digyna) Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2000 19:46:11 -0800 From: "George F. Emerich" To: Jim Jim: Black Sapote is a little unusual in that if you allow them to fully ripen on the tree they will usually splash. I believe they are best if you can pick them for personal use as they start to ripen. (Be warned that the time between the visual appearance of evidence of ripening and dropping may only be a couple of days.) When ripening they undergo a sharp color change from a rich green to a drab olive color. From a practical view, I pick by size when some the fruit starts to drop. (the drops are usually a total loss) The picked fruit usually will ripen off the tree in a week or ten days and will be almost as good as the tree ripened ones. I take it that you are in Florida and your fruit should be ripening now. Here in California, our Black Sapotes set in July and August and ripen the following June and July. George F. Emerich mailto:gemerich@tfb.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Alphonso Mango Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2000 17:22:38 -0000 From: "Ben Pierce" Have you ever heard of the Alphonso mango? Is it available here? If so does it do well here? Some of the Indian programmers here at work say it is the best and there is no other like it. Ben Pierce mailto:mariposafamily@hotmail.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Alphonso Mango Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2000 11:41:54 -0800 From: Leo To: Ben Pierce Hi Ben, I did a very brief search on the internet (using dogpile.com) and it seemed that the tree is grown in India, with little references to elsewhere. Where did you hear of it, or see it? It is canned, I noticed in one source. Leo ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Alphonso Mango Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2000 20:54:38 -0000 From: "Ben Pierce" I was told about it from the Indian consultants here where I work. They told me that in their estimation it is the finest mango in the world. I will find out more about it from them and email you the information. Ben Pierce mailto:mariposafamily@hotmail.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Grafting Cherimoyas Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2000 17:23:59 -0000 From: "Ben Pierce" Does anybody have any tips out there on grafting Cherimoyas? What time of year is good? I have an Omega grafting tool that I purchased. How would I use that to graft? How about budding? Thanks Ben Pierce mailto:mariposafamily@hotmail.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Grafting Cherimoyas Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2000 13:35:47 -0800 From: Leo To: Ben Pierce Hi Ben, I will post your question in the newsletter, and hope that you get several contrasting opinions. I'm probably in a minority who do it in the way I will outline below. Last year was my most successful year in grafting cherimoya, and I really don't know what makes the difference. I grafted over a dozen of them, and almost every one was a success (only one failure that I recall.) It is often recommended that you graft during that brief period of time when the cherimoya has lost its leaves, but some have argued that you can graft almost any time of the year. I grafted over several months in the late spring up to the middle of summer. Which grafting method depends on the diameter of the scion. If large - one-half inch or so - I use a cleft graft. Also, I am likely to use a cleft graft for very small diameter wood. For pencil-diameter wood, I use a 'tongue-and-groove' (modified splice graft). In both types, I try to make the length of the scion contact with the rootstock as long as possible. For that reason, I don't use my grafting tool, since it makes for a relatively short contact of scion and rootstock. (Anyone want to buy my only slightly used grafting tool?) I believe it helps to have as much pressure applied to the union as possible, so I use a stretchy grafting plastic tape (I prefer clear) and wrap as tightly as possible, and usually make two layers of the tape (ie., up and then down the joined region.) When I use the cleft graft, I wrap to minimize the open space around the top, thinking it may help keep disease organisms out of the top of the join. Another thing I do (after years of doing it, it's become a habit) is to enclose the grafted scion with a clear plastic bag (sandwich bag, or any number of other bags than show up). Prior to the plastic bag, I will have moistened a piece of paper towel, and wrapped it around the plastic tape that joins the scion and rootstock. Then the plastic bag goes down over the scion and is tied rather tightly just below the plastic tape, after squeezing it slightly, to remove most of the air. Lastly, I cover the plastic bag with paper (sometimes 8.5 x 11 letter size, sometimes a small lunch bag) and tie it on, usually exactly on top of where the plastic bag was tied. The purpose of the plastic bag is to keep the scion from drying out, and if you have grafted a young potted seedling and have moved it into a mist house you may not need it. The purpose of the outside paper is to shade the scion and keep down the interior heat that could damage it. If you use a paper bag, you can cut off one or more corners at the bottom of the bag, so you can look into it and tell when the leaves begin to grow. I found that it's important to not remove the coverings too soon, as you may find that the emerging leaves will die and the graft fail. Let us know how it goes. Horticordially, Leo in San Diego ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Grafting Cherimoyas Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2000 16:01:57 -0000 From: "Ben Pierce" Thanks for the info. I am going to try in the spring time and I will let you know. I am also taking the grafting class at MiraCosta college this spring so I should learn some techniques there as well. Ben Pierce mailto:mariposafamily@hotmail.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Noni-How To Prepare Fruit? Black Sapote: How To Propagate? Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2000 17:22:26 -0400 From: Sven Nehlin Hi, I wonder if anyone knows how Noni fruits, Morinda citrifolia, are prepared? It has a flavor of French "Roquefort" cheese and a sharp taste but is nutritious and I have given some fruits to the lab to make an analysis. Then there is another rare fruit, which I would like to propagate, the "Chocolate Pudding Fruit" Diospyros digyna or ebenaster. It is green colored, soft when it is ripe and about 6 in. in diameter, very sweet. This variety comes from a clone from a member of RFCI in Miami. However, I have not seen the seeds yet, maybe because the pollinator has not turned up. As the lower branches have disappeared I think an air layer would be the proper thing to make. Anybody has any experience of the propagation of this important tropical species? Fruitful holidays! Sven Nehlin mailto:snehlin@reacciun.ve ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Black Sapote: How To Propagate? Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2000 06:53:45 -0800 From: Leo To: Sven Nehlin Hi Sven, I will publish your questions in the next issue of Rare Fruit News Online, and also comment on the Black Sapote question. Some varieties are self-pollinating and others are not. I have not tried to air layer, but have had a relatively low number of successes in grafting. In 1998, I grafted a seedling to two varieties - one from Florida. After placing grafts on almost every branch, I placed two or three onto a Fuyu persimmon. To my surprise, one graft took and is still growing, although it hasn't set fruit. This time of year, the Fuyu part has shed its leaves, and from a distance, the Black Sapote looks like mistletoe growing on the tree. George Emerich mailto:gemerich@gate.tfb.com is very knowledgeable about Black Sapote. I'll also send your question to him. Horticordially, Leo Manuel in San Diego ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Black Sapote (Diospyros digyna): How To Propagate? Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2000 09:31:02 -0800 From: "George F. Emerich" To: Sven Sven: I believe almost everyone propagates this species using its own seedling rootstock and simple grafts. George F. Emerich mailto:gemerich@tfb.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Stephen Facciola's Cornucopia Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2000 18:37:20 EST From: Dmshuck@aol.com Leo, I looked on Amazon.com to see if they had Stephen Facciola's Cornucopia a couple of weeks ago. At that time they did. Of course I put it on my Christmas wish list to help my husband out. A few days later I saw Stephen Facciola's Cornucopia referred to in a magazine I receive called Kitchen Gardener. The magazine gives tips on how to grow vegetables and what to do with them when they are harvested. After seeing it suggested for one of the best books ever written I decided to order it in case it became in high demand, unfortunately amazon no longer has it. If you run across a source for it would you please also let me know. Thank you, Happy Holidays, Denise Woo mailto:Dmshuck@aol.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Stephen Facciola's Cornucopia Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2000 14:44:42 -0800 From: Stephen Facciola Hi Leo, Thanks for all your help. Amazon.com usually lists the original Cornucopia as being out-of-print and Cornucopia II as being available in 4 to 6 weeks. But they do carry it. For local readers, The Book Works in Del Mar ordered some books but I don't know if they've received them yet. I also have a few books here in Vista for people to pick up and we take mail orders directly and ship books from New Jersey. You can list all of the following: Stephen Facciola, Kampong Publications, 1870 Sunrise Dr., Vista, CA 92084; (760) 726-0990; kzyl-uruk@worldnet.att.net Regards, Stephen Facciola mailto:Kzyl-Uruk@worldnet.att.net P.S. I don't have a digital copy of the Reader article but could probably get one from the author. Ben Poirier should be getting a hard copy in the mail shortly. ------------------------------------------------ Subject: RE: Large Lemon Maybe Ponderosa Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2000 16:11:17 -1000 From: "Oscar Jaitt" To: jzwielic@san.rr.com I think the large lemon you are referring to is the Ponderosa Lemon. Oscar mailto:fruitlovers@hotmail.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Longan Girdling Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2000 22:08:22 -0800 From: "Richard K. Gross" To: Thank you, Sainarong, for the information on longons. I have a question on girdling. Do you just cut through the bark or do you actually remove a section of the bark as one would with an airlayer? Is there a best place on the trunk or does it make any difference? Could individual branches be girdled and would that have the effect of forcing blossoms on only that branch? Girdling on different branches at different times; would that stagger the yield? And what about the time of year? Is there a period of time before the tree normally blooms that is best or is timing important? You may have covered these points, Sainarong, and I missed them but, if the questions are not too elementary, would you mind just covering them in your response in the next issue of the RFN? Thank you again. Dick Gross mailto:rkg144@worldnet.att.net Arizona Chapter, CRFG ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Controlling Gophers Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2000 22:46:24 -0800 From: "Richard K. Gross" To: Thirty years ago in Phoenix, my yard in retired farm land was infested with the critters. I don't remember where I got the idea nor can I prove that this is what caused them to quit the area but the infestation ended abruptly with this treatment. I always carried six road flares in my car. I used all six. Open up the holes in several obvious locations. and clean debris from the tunnel. When they are all open, light the flares and put them well up in both sides and fill the excavations quickly one at a time with the same soil just removed. I would guess that a gopher isolated from the gases in a passageway would probably survive. It apparently worked. The flares are inexpensive and I doubt the gases would have any deleterious affect on the soil. I treated an average sized city lot. If you have five acres, forget the above. I once heard of a guy who piped the exhaust of a gasoline engine into their labyrinths but don't recall how well it worked. The fumes would be just as deadly. You would have to be sure the exhaust gases had free flow or the back pressure would shut off the engine. Dick Gross mailto:rkg144@worldnet.att.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Controlling Gophers Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2000 07:41:59 -0800 From: Michael Zarky Dear Leo, There was a question about gophers in RFNO. I'm just reporting some suggestions heard at Fullerton and at our L.A. chapter meeting. One lecturer said that spreading fox urine around one's place would send the gophers packing. Here are some sites that I picked up through a search, to save everyone from looking individually: http://www.whateverworks.com/coyotefox.htm http://trap-supply.hypermart.net/quality.htm http://www.predatorpee.com/home.html http://www.hirts.com/p2576.htm http://www.mastergardening.com/mastergardening/foxurine16oz.html http://homeharvest.com/naturalpestmain.htm Another insight was that the leaves of wild fennel (very common weed in southern California) was quite an attractant - loop some around the jaws of your traps to ensure the gophers aren't suspicious. I have no experience with these techniques myself. Michael Zarky mailto:mzarky@earthlink.net Moorpark, CA 93021 USA ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Budding Of Avocados Date: Wed, 27 Dec 2000 17:00:04 -0000 From: "Ben Pierce" Does anybody have any tips/suggestions on budding Avocados? I have some scion wood from a Nabal avocado and noticed in the CRFG fruit facts that January is the time for budding Avocados. I have a Hass Avocado tree that is about two/three years old that I would like to have Nabal fruit on as well. Thanks "Ben Pierce" mailto:mariposafamily@hotmail.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Thailand Fruit (Letter found at bottom of my mailbag. Leo) Date: Tue, 31 Aug 1999 12:58:10 +0700 From: Sainarong Rasananda > > I'm looking for sources in Thailand of grafted pulasan and > > grafted durian cultivars. There may be someone out there willing to > > supply them in commercial quantities, I just can not find them. I have > > the necessary U.S. permits and am good to go. > I talked to someone last week who told me that exports of all kinds of > durian tree is banned. I shall verify this. As for pulasan, I have to check out its name in Thai. Perhaps you can direct me to a website which has info on pulasan.I am sure I can find a reputable exporter of fruit trees for you. Sainarong mailto:sainaron@ksc9.th.com [Note: When I find old letters such as this in my Inbox, rather than where they should have been after publishing them, I assume that they have never been published. With the large volume of mail - much of which is 'spam' - it's easy to overlook a pearl. I apologize to anyone whose letter has not been either published or answered. Leo] ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Longan and Lychee Study Date: Thu, 28 Dec 2000 11:27:46 -0800 From: "Holzinger, Bob" Hi Leo, One of the things I said I would send to you is the name of the guy who is coordinating the lychee and longan field study and the list of cultivars they are testing. Mark Gaskell mailto:mrgaskell@ucdavis.edu Lychee cultivars: Brewster Mauritius Haak Yip Emperor Bengal Bosworth Free Longan cultivars: Kohala Biew Kiew Diamond River Mark said he would be ready for tours of some sites in 2002. He did not say where those sites would be, but as the year 2001 wears on I expect to hear from him (he said he would put me on his mailing list). Otherwise I will get in contact with him at the end of next year. Hope this helps. Take care, Bob mailto:bholzing@amgen.com >>>> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <<<< Subject: Fw: Questions on Longans Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 14:05:07 +0700 From: "Sainarong Rasananda" Dear Leo, I shall cc or forward to you my e-mails on longans etc; these e-mails are replies to questions from RFNO readers. I leave it up to you to do whatever you want with these e-mails. Sainarong mailto:sainaron@ksc9.th.com --------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Sainarong Rasananda To: Edward Lin Sent: Friday, December 29, 2000 12:21 PM Subject: Re: Longan ----- Original Message ----- | Subject: Longan | Date: 11/13/00 | From: Sainarong Rasananda | To: Edward Lin | | I am a physician and an avid tropical fruit gardener living in | Florida. I grow many varieties of fruits | | I have 3 types of longans: Kohala, Degelman and Diamond River. I | have 3 lychees: Peerless (which is a Brewster sport), Hak Yip and | Ohia. Do you have information you can send me on the cultivation | of longans and lychees? I shall have to ask my Australian friends, as most of my literatures are in Thai. Would you be prepared to pay the cost? I do not think it would be fair for me to ask my Aussie friends to do it for free. I have many good and knowledgeable Aussie friends, including the chairmen of their national lychee and longan associations. | Last summer, I obtained my Diamond River by driving 200 miles to a | Miami nursery. This cultivar is supposedly from Thailand and is | "everbearing" or gives at least 3 crops a year. My tree is an | airlayer, now 3 1/2 feet tall with a dense canopy and a trunk that | measures 3.5 cm. Its leaves are smaller and more delicate than the | usual longan leaves. From your description, I would say you have | the genuine article. | | I have noticed that Longan trees seem to heal very well from minor | wounds to the bark and branches and appears to have a good natural | mechanism to seal off itself by the way it "drops" leaves and | small branches. This is so, especially for the tropical longans. Biew Kiew, though, is harder to look after. This leads me to a question: | | About 3 months ago, we had a minor hurricane and my diamond river | developed a 5 cm split at the crotch of one of its major branches. | I immediately taped it together and it has healed with a well | approximated but prominent scar. | | Should I just prune this branch off below the split now while the | tree is young or allow it to continue growing? Since I don't know | how strongly longans heal with this type of branch split, I am | concerned about risking it split apart later in another hurricane. For subtropical longans, such as Biew Kiew and Chompoo, branches do have a tendency to break apart quite easily. Here, in Thailand, the crops are usually quite large, and we have to support the branches by using bamboo sticks, etc, otherwise, the branches will break apart. Tropical longans, such as Diamond River, is much more hardy. However, as there is no strong wind the the areas where Diamond River is grown, I cannot be sure how it will react to a hurricane. However, if I were you, I would prune the branch off, just to be sure. It grows very fast any way. Do you know Richard Campbell? He is the Curator of the Fairchild Tropical Gardens in Miami. He has a lot of tropical trees in his data bank. He is a very nice man; he is, however, extremely busy. I find him very knowledgeable on tropical trees. I always answer my e-mails, if I do not inadvertently lose them. However, I cannot say how long it will take for me to answer the mails. Enjoy your 2001! Sainarong mailto:sainaron@ksc9.th.com --------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Sainarong Rasananda To: david loring Sent: Friday, December 29, 2000 12:49 PM Subject: Re: longan flowering ----- Original Message ----- | From: david loring | Subject: Longan flowering | To: "Sainarong Rasananda" | | | My wife's framily has a couple small longan orchards near Amphur | Chomtong, Chieng Mai. This year they paid alot of money for a | spray treatment that effectively produced flowering on one small | orchard (the price was too high to use elsewhere). I know Chomtong fairly well. The area is superb for growing longans, provided that it is not too far up the dois/hills/mountains. Sellers of elixirs abound in Chiangmai this year. This is a real concern. I myself have not fallen prey to any of them, because I do not know the ingredients in those elixirs, nor do I know the concentration and purity. A lot of people are, however, more gullible. | Girdling is a much less expensive way for them to induce flowering | but I wonder how large a branch is girdled and what time of year | is most favorable for treatment? Girdling only works well with the tropical longans. Girdling of tropical longans is very simple. Girdling of subtropical longans, such as E-Daw, Shompoo, Haew and Biew Kiew is not so easy. The operation is not very easy due to the nature of the barks; the results are not very satisfactory. I would not recommend girdling for subtropical longans. Of course, there may be a satisfactory technique, but we have not discovered it yet. Also, I located an article that suggests the use of Gibberillic Acid at 2-300 ppm will induce female flowering for plants in general. This is also from Rare Fruit Growers by Leo Wright. Many people have tried GA with longans. The results are negative, so far. I am not saying that it does not work. It may work, but we do not know the technique. I, myself, use potassium chlorate, with varying degree of success. The technique is still very new, and we are still on the learning curve. However, what is certain is that there are a lot of variables involved. I would suggest that your relatives contact Pawin of Maejo University. He is the most knowledgeble person on the subject. I can give you the phone number if you wish. Enjoy 2001 Sainarong mailto:sainaron@ksc9.th.com --------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: Longan Girdling Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 14:15:31 +0700 From: "Sainarong Rasananda" To: "Richard K. Gross" ----- Original Message ----- | From: Richard K. Gross | To: "Sainarong Rasananda" | Subject: Longan Girdling | | | I have a question on girdling. Do you just cut through the bark or | do you actually remove a section of the bark as one would with an | airlayer? Is there a best place on the trunk or does it make any | difference? Could individual branches be girdled and would that | have the effect of forcing blossoms on only that branch? Girdling | on different branches at different times; would that stagger the | yield? And what about the time of year? Is there a period of time | before the tree normally blooms that is best or is timing | important? Your question is a good one. Many persons probably want to know the answer as well. To do the question justice, I shall need some time to gather information, as the amount of girdling depends on the cultivars. Please be patient. I shall reply in about a month's time. Sainarong mailto:sainaron@ksc9.th.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Longan Girdling Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 09:48:31 -0800 From: "Richard K. Gross" To: "Sainarong Rasananda" Thank you, Sainarong. I apologize for raising questions that would impose upon your generosity and good nature but eagerly await your response. To appease my own conscience, I beg you to use only time that does not impose upon your own priorities. My best regards, Dick Gross mailto:rkg144@worldnet.att.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Ping-Pong Longan Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 14:27:47 +0700 From: "Sainarong Rasananda" To: "Yee Pak Leong" ----- Original Message ----- | Subject: Ping-Pong Longan | To: "Sainarong Rasananda" | From: Yee Pak Leong | | | I have read in one of the Malaysia agricultural magazine that | there ia another cultivar, called 'ping-pong 2'. It is supposed | to be a better cultivar than the original ping-pong. Is it true? | If it is, in what ways? Xuong com Vang was imported from Vietnam into Thailand. The importer is a very enterprising person, and did a great marketing job in promoting Xuong com Vang. One of the things he did was to unofficially change the name to 'Ping Pong'. There are a lot of tropical longans in South Vietnam, most of which have not been officially classified. I can picture a scenario in which an enterprising person goes to South Vietnam, chooses a likely-looking cultivar, promotes it outside Vietnam. Who knows ? He may actually have a good cultivar in hand. All I can say is that Xuong com Vang has officially won the prize for the best longan in South Vietnam from the only official Horticultural Research Station in South Vietnam for three years running. I shall write a summary of the longan look-alikes fruits in Malaysia some time in the future. Sainarong mailto:sainaron@ksc9.th.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Litchi and Longan Sources In Thailand Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 14:33:57 +0700 From: "Sainarong Rasananda" To: "Samar Gupta" ----- Original Message ----- Subject: Litchi and Longan Sources In Thailand From: Samar Gupta | I am a hobby fruit farmer in Pune, India and am interested in | collecting as many cultivars of litchi and longan that I can find. | Like all collectors, I grow many other fruit trees too, but these | two fruit trees are my absolute favourites. I travel to Thailand | occasionally and in Longans have managed to collect Pet Sakhon, | Edor, Si Chomphoo and Ping Pong. In Litchi I have managed to find | Chakaphat, Khom, O Hia and Sampao Kiew. Could you help me find a | nursery where I could buy Xuong com Vang vt20 and any other | cultivars of litchi or longan that are available? Does anyone sell | the sub-tropical longan cultivars? Travelling to Chiang Mai would | not be a problem, so any nursery name and address would be much | appreciated. Do you want to contact the nurseries yourself or do you want me to act as a go-between? Please advise. There are two problems in contacting nurseries in Thailand. Firstly, not many can speak or write English. Secondly, there are very few nurseries which have guarantees by a respectable organization. | If I in turn could help you in sourcing fruit plants from India it | would give me the greatest pleasure. Thank you for your offer. I shall bear that in mind. Enjoy 2001 Sainarong mailto:sainaron@ksc9.th.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Chuliang - the Most Widely Grown Longan in the World Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 15:10:37 +0700 From: "Sainarong Rasananda" To: "Longan Research" , According to my calculations, Chuliang is the most widely grown longan in the world. It is almost entirely grown in South-East China. I shall quote from the Gaozhou Fruit Office in Guaozhou, Guangdong Province, China. Chuliang longan cultivar is characterized by large fruit size (with an average fruit weight of 12-16.5 grams, edible part of 69-74% and TSS of 20-23%), thick and firm flesh and fragrant and sweet flavour. The dry fruit rate ranges 35-38%, and dry flesh rate 13-16%. The dry processed flesh is golden yellow in colour. The cultivar is high and stable yielding. Its clones show the features of early bearing, high and stable yielding and hereditary stability. Presently, the cultivar covers a total area of over 100,000 hectares in China, including 30,000 hectares in Guangzhou Province, where 12,000 hectares has put into production, yielding a total of more than 60,000 tons. The cultivar was awarded Gold Prize in the first China Agricultural Expo in 1992, won the title of 'Famous Brand Produce' in the Third China Agricultural Expo in 1997, and the '99 China International Agricultural Expo. In the next issue, I shall add more comments on 'Chuliang'. Sainarong mailto:sainaron@ksc9.th.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: [Longan-Research] Worldwide Weather Pattern Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 07:48:43 +0200 (IST) From: "Dr. Amos Blumenfeld 03-9683397 VH" To: LONGAN RESEARCH Dear Sainarong and all the longan research network members. I wish you a Happy New Year, A year of good health, happiness, and peace all over the world. With best regards, Dr. Amos Blumenfeld mailto:vhamos@agri.gov.il Institute of horticulture ARO, Israel. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Announcements And Web Pages To Consider <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Subject: An Old Story -- Botanists Find 'Living Fossil' Tree http://news.excite.com/news/r/001215/01/science-environment-tree-dc News Article: An Old Story -- Botanists Find 'Living Fossil' Tree By Paul Tait SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) - Australia has a new addition to its unique list of flora and fauna after the discovery of a species of tree described as a living fossil dating back at least 90 million years, botanists said Friday. The tree, which grows to above 130 feet tall, has been christened unofficially the Nightcap Oak after its discovery in the Nightcap Range rainforest near Byron Bay, 400 miles north of Sydney. The tree's history spans more than 90 million years, back to when Australia was part of the Gondwanaland super-continent linked to what is now Antarctica, New Zealand and South America, said Dr Peter Weston of Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens. "It's a very, very old lineage indeed," Weston told Reuters. Weston identified the new tree after a stand of about 20 mature trees was discovered by botanist Robert Kooyman in August. Weston said it was remarkable that such a unique tree could have gone unnoticed in a rainforest which has been well researched and documented by botanists. "I was really amazed...this rainforest has been scoured to within an inch of its life by some very good botanists," he said. He said the tree belonged to the Proteaceae family, of which native Australian banksias, waratahs, macadamias and grevilleas and South Africa's proteas are members. Weston said the tree was a "relatively non-descript" rainforest tree with dark green leaves, nuts about the same size as macadamias -- a delicacy in Australia -- and small white flowers in dense clumps. Kooyman said the flowers smelled faintly of sweet aniseed. One of the larger trees in the Nightcap Range had a circumference of more than 29 inches. The exact location of the Nightcap trees is being kept a closely guarded secret so the trees can be protected. The New South Wales state government said it was considering a request to grant the tree emergency protection under the state's legislation covering threatened species. Cuttings from the trees have been taken and are being cultivated at Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens. Botanists were excited in 1994 by the discovery of Australian flora's first "living fossil," the Wollemi Pine which dates back 150 million years. Weston said it was likely Australia, known for its unique wildlife which includes kangaroos and koala bears, probably still contained many species of undiscovered fauna. "That something that big can escape detection until now...what small, interesting plants are there now that we know nothing about?," he said. ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Tropical fruit trees, akee, all spice, ambarella, annona, avocado, cherry, bay leaf, black pepper, caimito, canistel, carambola, cashew, coconut, coffee, curry leaf, grumichama, guava, jaboticaba, jakfruit, longan, loquat, lychee, macadamia, malay apple, http://www.tropicalfruitnursery.com/fruitproducts.htm Comment: Pictures of fruit, some with folliage. Brief description of fruit and tree. Page 1 of 3 Common name:� Lychee Botanical name:� Litchi chinensis Family:� Sapindaceae Normal FL size:� 25� x 25� (untrained) Varieties:� Bengal, Bosworth-3, Brewster, Emperor, Hak Ip, Kaimana, Mauritius, No Mai Tze, Ohia Pink, Ohia Red Season: Mid May to Mid June in South Florida Comments: Best fruit in the world. You can�t argue with three billion Asians. Well suited to Florida. Has already become an important commercial fruit in Florida. Common name:� Longan Botanical name:� Dimocarpus longana Family:� Sapindaceae Normal FL size:� 25� x 25� (untrained) Varieties: Kohala, Diamond River, Biew Kieuw Season:� Kohala fruits in July or August. See other varieties for off-season fruit. Comments:� Beautiful shade tree, excellent fruit -- close relative of the lychee. Important commercial fruit in Florida. Common name:� Sugar Apple, Sweetsop Botanical name:� Annona squamosa Family:� Annonaceae Normal FL size: 10� x 10� Varieties:� Thai-Lessard, Kampong Mauve Season:� August - November. Older trees may continue into January during warm winter. Comments:� Sheer deliciousness. Sweet custard-like pulp. Very highly regarded in all tropical areas. Very well suited to Florida. Common name:� Atemoya Botanical name:� Annona squamosa x Annona cherimola Family:� Annonaceae Normal FL size: 15� x 15� Varieties:� Bradley, Gefner, Priestly, 48-26 Season:� August - November. Fragrant, firm, snowy-white flesh of a fine texture. Has fewer seeds than a sugar apple and the flesh is not divided into segments. Sweet and subacid taste, flavor resembles the cherimoya. Ate-moya is a cross between the lowland sugar apple and the highland cherimoya. Common name:� Soursop, Guan�bana Botanical name:� Annona muricata Family:� Annonaceae Normal FL size: 15� x 10� Season:� All year, best during warm months. Comments: Sweet & tart custard-like pulp. Cold sensitive. Common name:� Mamey, Mamey Sapote Botanical name:� Pouteria sapota Family:� Sapotaceae Normal FL size:� 25 x 25� (untrained) Varieties: Pantin (Key West) Maga�a, Pace, Florida Season:� According to variety Comments:� Handsome, open tree, leaves clustered at tips. Excellent flavor, Cuban favorite. Fruit has rough, brown skin, red to orange pulp. Eaten fresh, in shakes or ice cream. Common name:� Sapodilla, Naseberry -Jamaica� (N�spero, sapote Sp) Botanical name: �Achras (manilkara) zapota Family:� Sapotaceae Normal FL size:� 30 x 25 (untrained) Varieties:� Tikal, Alano, Oxkutzcab Season:� Sporadic throughout year.� March - July Comments:� Dense, beautiful tree. Thick glossy green leaves Milky sap was original source of chewing gum (chicle). Fruits prolifically Gray/brown rough textured fruit. Exquisite flavor tastes like a pear soaked in brown sugar. Most often eaten fresh. Common name:� Star Apple (Caimito-Sp) Botanical name:� Chrysophyllum cainito Family:� Sapotaceae Normal FL size:� 25 x 25 (untrained) Varieties:� Purple, Green Season:� February to May Comments:� Beautiful tree - dark green leaves, two tone with silky bronze color underneath. Fruits prolifically. Very good fresh fruit. Favorite in Caribbean and Central America as well as Southeast Asia. info@tropicalfruitnursery.com Photos are Courtesy of: Chris Rollins: Fruit and Vegetable Society of the Redlands, Rafael Salazar, and Walt Lyford ------------------------------------------------ Subject: FRUIT LOVER'S MEGALINKS http://www.fruitlovers.com/megalinks.html Comment: You may want to bookmark this page with many valuable links of interest to those who are interested in rare fruit. Some information about tropical fruits and growing the trees. This page created by Oscar Jaitt and brought to you courtesy of Fruit Lover's Nursery http://www.fruitlovers.com FEATURED SITE OF THE MONTH: ***DURIAN PALACE*** Favorite Links: [Note: This is only a few of the many links cited. Leo] * Southeast Asian Fruit Links * South American Fruit Links * My Tropical Fruit Tree Descriptions * Some Tropical Fruits Having Salt Tolerance * California Rare Fruit Growers * Edis Subtropical & Tropical Fruits * Know & Enjoy Tropical Fruit * Neglected Crops: 1492 from a Different Perspective * NewCROP HomePage * Santol's Tropical Fruit Home Page * Contact the Crop Experts * Fruits of Warm Climates by Julia Morton On Line The most comprehensive book on tropical fruits. * Florida fruit growers * Growing Fruit in Florida * Tropical Research & Education Center, Homestead, Florida * Fairchild Tropical Garden- Botanical Resource Center * Brevard Rare Fruit Organization, Florida Excellent selection of photos, sample below * Anacardium occidentale (cashew nut) [updated] 06/04/2000 * Ananas comosus (L.) Merr. (Pineapple) * Annona (atemoya, cherimoya, sugar apple, guanabana / soursop) [updated] 06/04/2000 * artocarpus heterophyllus (jackfruit) [updated] 06/04/2000 * Averrhoa carambola (carambola, star fruit) * Blighia sapida (Akee) * Casimiroa edulis. (White Sapote) [updated] 06/04/2000 * Diospyros ebenasta. (black sapote, chocolate pudding fruit) * Diospyros Kaki Thunb. (Persimmon) * Dimocarpus longan (Longans) * Eriobotrya japonica Lindl (nespola, loquat) * Eugenia brasiliensis (grumichama) * Feijoa sellowiana (pineapple guava) * Inga (icecream bean) * Litchi chinensis. (lychee, litchi) [updated] 06/04/2000 * Macadamia integrifoia (macademia) [updated] 06/04/2000 * Malpighia glabra L. (barbados cherry, acerola) * Mangifera indica (mango) * Melicocca gijuga (Ginnup) * Mespilus germanica (Royal Medlar) [updated] 06/04/2000 * Muntingia Calabura (capulin cherry, strawberry tree, cotton candy fruit) * Musa (Brevard's Bananas) * Myrciaria cauliflora Berg. (Jaboticaba) * Opuntia ficus-indica (Prickly Pear) * Passiflora edulis, f. flavicarpa. (PassionFruit) * Pouteria caimito Radlk. (Abiu) * Pouteria sapota (mamey sapote) * Punica granatum (Pommegranate) * Psidium guajava L. (Guava, Lemon guava, Yellow guava, Guayaba) * Spondias (red mombin, jocote) * Syzygium malaccensis (Maley Apple) * Tamarindus indica (tamarind, tamarindo) [updated] 06/04/2000 * Terminalia Catappa (almond) * Hardy tropicals * Sub-Tropicals and Meditteranean Fruits * Hawaii Tropical Fruit Links * Tropical Fruit Images * Tropical Fruit Posters * Tropical Fruit Message Boards and Online Newsletters * Tropical Fruit News Magazine * Rare Tropical Fruits Homepage * Air Layering Information * Grafting Encyclopedia Some other grafting sites http://muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/agguides/hort/g06971.htm a University of Missouri publication on grafting, similar in format to this web site, with useful internal links. http://www.fortunecity.com/marina/dockers/108/graft.htm is another site covering grafting of hibiscus. http://www.goodfruit.com/core.html The Good Fruit Grower Magazine, online edition. The February 1, 1998 issue is devoted to grafting. http://www.goodfruit.com/archive/Feb1-98/special4.html Professional grafters discuss their favorite grafts. This article has many interesting points. http://www.tcgcs.com/~nrolls/garden.html. Neve's gardening page, including a list of the essential gardening sites on the web, and descriptions of the hundreds of apple and pear varieties which Neve has grafted in her own orchard. http://muextension.missouri.edu/ The University of Missouri extension web page. http://www.missouri.edu/~hortds/homehort/homehort.html Not, strictly speaking, a grafting site, but a web site created by Denny Schrock for his home horticulture class. An excellent resource for the home horticulturalist. This page created by Oscar Jaitt, FRUIT LOVER'S NURSERY, September, 1999, PO Box 1597, Pahoa, HI 96778 USA, Tel: (808)965-0835 PLEASE KEEP IN MIND TIME DIFFERENCE., FAX: (808)965-0654, Web Site: http://www.fruitlovers.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Food Resource, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR http://foodsci.orst.edu/ Search engine for food crops --------------------------------------------------------------------- Food & Ingredients Baked Products Beverages Carbohydrates Grains & Cereals Dairy Products Eggs & Egg Products Fish, Seafood Fruits Gums/Hydrocolloids Ingredients Lipids, Fat Replacers Meat and Poultry Plants: General Protein Starch Sugar & Sweeteners Vegetables Water Food Information Chemicals Color Cultural Aspects Flavor Miscellaneous Subjects Nutrition Pesticides Phytochemicals Plants: General Product Development Recipes Comprehensive Sites Resources ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Hedge apple, from the Osage Orange Tree, control insects such as roaches using natural pest control. http://hedgeapple.com/ ------------------------------------------------ The Hedgeapple Fruit of the Osage orange tree, hedge apples are a proven safe insect control for roaches making them a popular natural pest control. * Safer than a natural insecticide, they don't kill roaches or kill ants, they repel them using their natural insect repellant abilities. * For best natural pest control, it is recommended to place a hedgeapple in each room or adjacent closet for best insect control. Forget the moth balls. * Average repellant life in an air-condition environment is 2 months for unaltered Hedgeapples. * Hedgeapples can be cut, cored or whatever to expedite their natural pest control effects, although life is greatly reduced. The fluids will evaporate quicker creating more intense natrual insect repellant vapors. Growing and Planting (Propagation) of Osage Orange (Hedgeapple) Trees * Tips on Propagation from Mr. Stan Lemaster's Propagation of Historic Trees. The cuttings could be difficult for a nonprofessional. A cutting is a piece of stem or root removed from a plant and prompted to develop into a new plant, genetically identical to the parent plant. * Old Timers told our friend Clark Knapp that they started Hedge Rows by dumping the Hedgeapples in a barrel, letting them sit until they were soft, mash them, pour the slurry into a plowed furrow and cover. Mr Knapp is only 84 years old, and claims he is a few days away from being an Old Timer himself. I assume this method would be a good technique if one would want the hedge row to act as a fence. Mr. Knapp knows his business. Picture at right was taken on his farm. (FYI, the old truck is his pride and joy that he made in the 1930's as a kid. He used a Prince Albert can for the truck body and watch springs for the shocks. It's about ten inches long and five wide.) I tried this planting technique last spring and it works (over 300 seedlings n a 8 ft hedgerow), please click here for a complete description of my experiment. * Here is an actual story submitted by Jeff Goodwin on his class's experience with preparing seeds and growing hedgeapple trees. * Small Osage orange trees can also be snatched from pastures. Identifying the tree can be tricky, hedgeapple trees have leaves very similar to Mulberry trees. You definitely do not want a wild Mulberry tree attracting flies to your front yard. * Commercial sources: (However, they might not be selling at this time of year) o ARBORVILLAGE, 15604 County Road CC, P.O. Box 227, Holt, MO, 64048 sells 'White Shield', a mostly thornless male selection, in two sizes, for $9.50 and $15.00 plus shipping. o FOREST FARM, 990 Tetherow Road, Williams, OR, 97544, has 'Whiteshield' as well as unsexed seedlings ($15. and $8. respectively. o Spandle Nurseries for year-old bare-root seedlings (minimum order 25 at $1.00 each, price break to $0.50 at 100). o Adams Nursery Currently, not Accepting any orders as of March 31, 2000, they should start up again next fall. * Mr Hedgeapple will be preparing seed this winter and might have some available for sale. Check here in the spring. Hedgeapple 101 Introductory Course * Hedgeapples are not poisonous. . See NYC Poison Control Page. See right side of Non-toxic list and seven down. However, hedge apples have suffocated livestock by lodging in their esophagus. My father-in-law lost one cow that way. * The hedge tree has several names, Osage Orange (most popular) and Bodark (French) and Maclura Pomifera (scientific name). Naturalist, Jim Mason has posted a very professional page about Osage Orange. * Not all of the Osage Orange trees will have fruit because hedge trees are either male or female. * Osage Orange is a cousin to the mulberry tree. * Hedge apples are used to get rid of spiders and insects, an total insect solution The suspected active natural ingredient is 2,3,4,5-tetrahydroxystilbene. * Hedge Wood has several top characteristics: 1. Has highest strength for primitive bows used in archery. For more information see Mike Easter's Osage Orange page. He is as devoted to Osage Orange tree as I am. 2. Highest in rot resistance without additives. 3. Highest in BTU's when used as firewood. Hedge wood is the closest to a piece of coal as you can get. 4. Green Hedge puts on the most spectacular light show when burned in a fireplace. 5. Could Hedgewood be the best for making string musical instruments? + Gary Woodall (Gwoo111@aol.com) thinks it might be. Check out his instruments (Guitar, Mandolin) Move over famed violin maker, Antonio Stradivari, Gary is here!! + There is an person in Americus, Ks who makes Harps from Osage Orange because he believes it is the most dimensionally stable of all woods when aged and placed under strain. mailto:hedgeapple@hedgeapple.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: GardenBed.com: Maclura pommifera - Osage orange http://gardenbed.com/M/2252.cfm ------------------------------------------------ Maclura pommifera Cultivation Notes This article was provided care of 'Plants For A Future' Latin Name: Maclura pommifera Common Name: Osage orange Family: Moraceae Synonyms: M. aurantiaca. Toxylon pommifera. Known Hazards: The milky sap can cause dermatitis in some people [200]. An extract and the juice of the fruit is toxic, though a 10% aqueous infusion and extract diluted 1:1 are not toxic[240]. Author: (Raf.) Schneider. Habit: A Medium Growing Deciduous Tree Habitat: Woods, fields and thickets in rich bottom lands[73, 83]. Height: 15.0 Width: 12.0 Cultivation Details: Prefers a well-drained soil in full sun[200]. Succeeds in poor soils and also in dry ones[20]. Plants are fairly tolerant of maritime exposure[K]. They dislike waterlogged soils[188]. Dormant mature plants are hardy to about -20�c though the young growth in spring can be cut back by late frosts[200] and young plants can be damaged in cold winters[188]. Plants require hot summers to fully ripen their wood if they are to thrive in areas with cold winters[188]. Plants are tolerant of severe pruning[200]. This species is notably resistant to honey fungus[200]. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. Propagation Notes: Seed - best sown as soon as ripe in an open seed bed[200] or in pots in a cold frame. Pre-soak stored seed 48 hours in warm water and stratify for 2 months at 4�c then sow in a cold frame[113, 200]. Germination is normally good. The seed stores for 3 years[113]. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[200]. Cuttings of mature wood, November to January in a frame[113]. Layering in summer[200]. Root cuttings 4cm long in December. Plant horizontally in pots in a greenhouse and plant out as soon as possible. Good percentage[78]. The information above has been supplied solely via the hard work and dedication of the team at 'Plants for a Future'. ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Native Plant Exchange - Readers Offer Native Plants and Seeds For Trade http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/exnative/ ------------------------------------------------ Native Plant Exchange This forum is the place for users to offer native plants and seeds for trade and to make requests for what they are seeking. Items for sale are not permitted nor are exchanges of plants gathered from the wild. Please read both the Special Instructions for the Exchange and the more general Forum Instructions below. Copyright � The Virtual Mirror, Inc. ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Jackfruit, Breadfruit, Osage Orange, Mulberry, Soursop, Sugar Apple, Cherimoya http://daphne.palomar.edu/wayne/jackfr1.htm Comment: Lots of information and pictures of these fruits both in the Mulberry and the Annonaceae Families ------------------------------------------------ Jackfruit, Breadfruit, Osage Orange, Mulberry, Soursop, Sugar Apple and Cherimoya Some Interesting And Delicious Tropical Fruits -------------------------------------- Mulberry Family (Moraceae) The jackfruit tree (Artocarpus heterophyllus) bears massive fruits from the trunk and lower branches. Because the flowers and fruits develop directly from the trunk they are termed cauliflorous. Native to the Indo-Malaysian region, this tree is grown throughout the tropics for its pulpy, edible fruit. According to Charles Heiser (Seed To Civilization, 1973), the fruits may reach nearly three feet (0.9 m) in length and weigh up to 75 pounds (34 kg), thus making them perhaps the largest tree-bearing fruits on earth. Of course, the undisputed world's record for the largest fruit is a mammoth 1,061 pound pumpkin, a member of the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae). Jackfruit and its close relative, breadfruit (A. altilis), belong to the diverse mulberry family (Moraceae). Since individual jackfruits are composed of many ripened ovaries from many densely-packed female flowers, they are technically referred to as multiple fruits. The flesh of jackfruits is eaten raw or preserved in syrup, and the seeds are eaten after boiling or roasting. In tropical countries it is generally considered inferior to the breadfruit. The remarkable cauliflorous jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus), the largest fruit actually produced on a tree. Native to the Indo-Malaysian region, this species now grows throughout tropical regions of the world. The largest fruits may reach nearly 3 feet (0.9 m) in length and weigh up to 75 pounds (34 kg). A remarkable jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus), the largest fruit produced on a tree. Native to the Indo-Malaysian region, this species now grows throughout tropical regions of the world. The largest fruits may be nearly 3 feet (0.9 m) long and weigh up to 75 pounds (34 kg). Canned jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) imported into the U.S. from Thailand. Native to the Indo-Malaysian region, this species now grows throughout tropical regions of the world. Along with durians (Durio zibethinus, Bombacaceae) and soursop (Annona muricata, Annonaceae), these are the largest fruits produced on trees. The breadfruit is native to Polynesia where it is baked, boiled or fried as a starchy, potato-like vegetable and made into bread, pie and puddings. In 1789 Britain sent Captain Bligh on the H.M.S. Bounty to Tahiti to collect breadfruit cuttings for introduction into the New World colonies. Enchanted with the Tahitian way of life, the crew mutinied on the return voyage, putting Bligh off at sea in a small boat with 18 loyal followers. Bligh and his men survived a 3,618-nautical mile, 41-day trip to the East Indies. Undaunted, he returned to Tahiti on a second voyage and successfully introduced breadfruits into the West Indies in 1793. The infamous breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) introduced from Polynesia into the West Indies by Captain Bligh himself. Multiple fruits of the mulberry family are composed of numerous, seed-bearing, ripened ovaries derived from numerous separate flowers. The multiple fruit of a mulberry (Morus) is composed of a cluster of drupelets superficially resembling a blackberry; however, unlike a blackberry, each drupelet arises from a separate minute flower. In the aggregate fruit of a blackberry, all the drupelets of the cluster come from a single flower. The fig (Ficus) is a very unique genus in the mulberry family with a special kind of multiple fruit called a syconium. The pollen-bearing male and seed-bearing female flowers line the inside of a fleshy, flask-shaped structure called a syconium. The tiny female flowers are pollinated by symbiotic female wasps who enter the syconium through a pore (ostiole) at one end. Another very interesting member of the mulberry family is the osage orange (Maclura pomifera). Native to the midwestern and southeastern United States, this species is also known as the hedge apple because it was planted in thicket-like hedge rows before the advent of barbed wire fences. The fruit is neither an orange nor an apple, although it approaches the size of those fruits. Like the breadfruit and jackfruit, it is a true multiple fruit composed of numerous separate ovaries, each arising from a separate female flower. In fact, the bumpy surface of the fruit is due to the numerous, tightly-packed ovaries of the female flowers. The black hairs on the surface of the fruit are styles, each arising from a separate ovary. The wood of osage orange was highly prized by the Osage Indians of Arkansas and Missouri for bows. In fact, osage orange is stronger than oak (Quercus) and as tough as hickory (Carya), and is considered by archers to be one of the finest native North American woods for bows. In Arkansas, in the early 19th century, a good osage bow was worth a horse and a blanket. A yellow-orange dye is also extracted from the wood and is used as a substitute for fustic and aniline dyes in arts and industry. Osage orange (Maclura pomifera), a native North American tree with multiple fruits that are similar in structure to the breadfruit and jackfruit. The bumpy surface of the fruit is due to many tightly-packed ovaries, each with separate styles that appear like black hairs. The black mulberry (Morus nigra), a monoecious tree native to western Asia. The bumpy surface of the fruit is due to many tightly-packed, seed-bearing ovaries (drupelets), each with separate styles that appear like black hairs. It is technically a multiple fruit (called a syncarp) composed of a cluster of drupelets superficially resembling a blackberry; however, unlike a blackberry, each drupelet arises from a separate, minute, unisexual (female) flower. Individual flowers do not have petals, but have a calyx composed of four tiny sepals. They are produced in catkins, with male and female catkins on the same tree. Male flowers have four stamens while female flowers have a single pistil. In the aggregate fruit of a blackberry, all the drupelets of the cluster (syncarp) come from a single flower. Custard-Apple Family (Annonaceae) Soursop (Annona muricata), another large, spiny, cauliflorous fruit that may weigh up to 6 pounds (3 kg). Unlike the jackfruit, it belongs to the Custard Apple Family (Annonaceae) and is native to tropical America. This interesting plant family also includes the cherimoya (A. cherimola), custard apple (A. reticulata) and sugar apple or pinha (A. squamosa). Soft, ripe soursops are mostly used for ice creams and sherbets. Sugar Apple or Sweetsop (Annona squamosa), an interesting tropical American fruit in the Custard Apple Family (Annonaceae). Soft, ripe sugar apples have a sweet, custard-like pulp containing several shiny seeds. They are a popular Caribbean dessert, eaten raw (preferably chilled) and in fruit salads, ice creams and drinks. The cherimoya (Annona cherimola), another delicious fruit of the Custard Apple Family (Annonaceae) native to the northern Andes of South America. The creamy white flesh has the flavor of banana, vanilla, pineapple and mango. The fruits are used in salads, drinks, desserts, ice creams and sherbets. Pond apple (Annona glabra), a cherimoya relative native to swamplands of the southeastern United States. Although not as tasty as its tropical relatives, pond apple provides an important food source for wildlife of this region. ------------------------------------------------ Subject: The Calimoya Cherimoyas Are Here! Date: Thu, 28 Dec 2000 12:54:26 -0800 From: John Ruskey THE CALIMOYA CHERIMOYAS ARE HERE! Once again its cherimoya time! The season is just beginning and it looks to be a great year. Right now we have the large white cherimoyas which are especially sweet and juicy from all of the unseasonably warm weather. Expect this year�s season to last through May. If you are interested in purchase Calimoya cherimoyas, just go to Calimoya�s Packinghouse and press the "order" button. Seasons� greetings! Jay Ruskey Calimoya Exotic Fruits Calimoya! A unique destination for culinary adventurers and explorers of the exotic! ------------------Zingiber List (Bananas, Gingers)------------------ None this time ------------------NAFEX List ------------------ None this time -------Discussion list for New Crops ------- None this time --------From "rarefruit list" - mailto:rarefruit@egroups.com-------- None this time -- Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars-news@arsgrin.gov --- http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm. Subject: Fruit and Vegetable Films Keep Food Fresh and Tasty Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2000 09:38:14 -0500 From: "ARS News Service" Edible films made from pureed fruits and vegetables can add shelf-life and tantalizing new flavors to lightly processed foods such as cut produce, Agricultural Research Service scientists reported Saturday in Honolulu. ARS food technologist Tara McHugh mailto:thm@pw.usda.govdeveloped the films from produce like apples, oranges, carrots and strawberries. Some films also contain Food and Drug Administration- approved oils and antioxidants. She then applied the thin, opaque films to cut apples. The films controlled browning and prevented moisture loss better than several types of coatings. An added benefit: The films could provide new flavor combinations, such as a strawberry film on cut bananas or an apple glaze on pork. McHugh presented results of her research at the International Chemical Congress of Pacific Basin Societies. She works at the ARS Western Regional Research Center in Albany, Calif. Sheets of pureed fruit have long been available as snack foods. But McHugh is the first to explore produce-based films to enhance storage and flavor. ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Tube Helps Establish Seedlings on Rangeland Date: Wed, 20 Dec 2000 09:52:14 -0500 From: Kathryn Barry Stelljes Small, plastic tubes designed by Agricultural Research Service rangeland scientist Terrance Booth could help reestablish native shrubs on rangeland denuded by fire. "Booth" tubes are made of half-inch-diameter, scored, clear plastic. Each tube contains a soil mixture and a seedling that has been grown from seed in the greenhouse for two weeks. The tubes are pushed into the ground up to four inches deep, with up to three inches remaining above ground to serve as a mini-greenhouse and windbreak for the tiny seedlings. Fueled by weeds, large rangeland fires have destroyed millions of acres of native habitat. Land managers revegetate these areas by broadcasting seeds or direct seeding methods, or by transplanting young plants from the greenhouse. Wind, sandstorms and rodent predation take a large toll on seedlings. Survival rates range from less than 0.1 percent for broadcast sagebrush seeds to 70 or 80 percent with transplants. Because the Booth tubes protect the seedlings, they can be planted in the field sooner than traditional transplants. The shorter greenhouse time could cut costs and make the practice more competitive with direct seeding costs. So far, the tubes have achieved about 70 percent seedling survival in experimental plantings. They have proven effective with sagebrush, winterfat, bitterbrush, four-wing saltbush, prairie flowers and even some garden vegetables. The thin-walled tubes--about the thickness of two pieces of paper--break down at the soil surface after two or three years. Bitterroot Restoration Incorporated in Corvallis, Mont., has established a cooperative research and development agreement to develop a commercial revegetation system using the tubes. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>End of RFN2000101A.txt<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Rare Fruit News Online - January 15, 2001 - AKA RFN200101B.txt --Notes In Passing 1. I borrowed rather heavily from the RareFruit List - rarefruit@egroups.com I apologize to those of you who have read it all because you subscribe to it. 2. Keitt mango fruit are still quite firm but colorful. The following are beginning to bloom: Edwards, Zill, Glenn, Carrie, Nam Doc Mai, Pen Seng Mon, Early Gold, Kent, #20222 (Winters), and several seedlings. 3. Several cherimoya fruit have begun to ripen. I may have forgotten, but I think there hasn't been an overlap in cherimoya and mango for ripe fruit. 4. I've heard weather reports for Florida that seemed to indicate that fruit damage may have been widespread. If you had problems, or found ways to avoid or minimize weather-related problems, why not write to let us know? 5. The section "From The Mailbag of Dr. Sainarong Rasananda" continues. He writes about the possible consequences of pesticides and answers questions on managing a longan orchard. I think we are most fortunate to have his contributions. Thanks, Dr. Sainarong Rasananda! ---------Table Of Contents - Headers; (Letters Follow Table Of Contents) >>>> New Subscribers <<<< New Subscriber, Alaska And Hawaii (!) Cindy Johnson New Subscriber, Idaho, Grows Jujube; Has Genealogy Question Margaret Lauterbach New Subscriber, Michigan, Writing Fruit E-Zine Debby Williams New Subscriber, Australia; Growing Rare Fruit BUT Has Fig Problem David Price New Subscriber, North Texas: What Can I Grow Here? Duane Smith >>>> Readers Write <<<< Death Of Dr. Fred S. Yerger, Jr. M.D., AZ CRFG Glenn Young Citron Tree - Buddha's Hand? "Theresa Harley" Re: Avocado Budding "Ben Pierce" To: Elaine Re: Avocado Budding Elaine To: Ben Pierce Fruit Garden Displayed--copies available?? Elaine Re: Longan/Lychee Experimental Program - Information Holzinger, Bob My Megalinks Page Oscar Jaitt Plumerias - How To Send To Girlfriend In Leucadia, CA? Matthew Montee Re: Noni Maurice Kong >>>> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <<<< Worldwide Weather Pattern "Sainarong Rasananda" Re: Split longan branches "Sainarong Rasananda" To: Dr. Edward Lin Re: Preventing Branch Breakage in Longan - Correction Sainarong Sirpen Rapeeporn Rasananda To: Dr. Edward Lin To Pesticide Or Not To Pesticide Sainarong Rasananda To: David Loring" >>>> Announcements and / or Web Sites To Consider <<<< None, this time >>>> Zingiber List (Bananas, Gingers) <<<< None, this time >>>> NAFEX List <<<< None, this time >>>> From NEWCROPS List mailto:newcrops@purdue.edu <<<< None, this time >>>> From "rarefruit list" - rarefruit@yahoogroups.com <<<< Mango Grows In Berkeley, CA Thomas E. Billings Re: Mango Grows In Berkeley, CA Dr. Chiranjit Parmar" Re: Mango Grows In Berkeley, CA Clarence Re: Mango Grows In Berkeley, CA Leo A. Martin Windbreaks In The Tropics Greg Woolley Re: Windbreaks In The Tropics Will Wardowski Re: Windbreaks In The Tropics Bill Re: Windbreaks In The Tropics Bob Cannon Re: Windbreaks In The Tropics Oscar Jaitt Fruits of Warm Climates Jim Singer Re: Fruits of Warm Climates William Butler Re: Fruits of Warm Climates Oscar Jaitt Re: Fruits of Warm Climates Jim Singer Fruits in Brazil Book Marcos Sobrosa Re: Fruits in Brazil Book Oscar Jaitt >> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars>news@arsgrin.gov << http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm Superb Strawberries Without Methyl Bromide Marcia Wood Eavesdropping on Insects in Soil and Plants Jes�s Garc�a >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> New Subscribers <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Subject: New Subscriber, Alaska And Hawaii (!) Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 16:14:42 -0900 From: Cindy Johnson My name is Cindy Johnson. I live in Alaska and have property in the district of Puna, Hawaii. I plan to grow anything I can get my paws on. I will be doing my first planting in March of this year Mangosteen, rambutan, and avocado for sure. I look forward to reading your news letter Cindy Johnson mailto:thedillo@gci.net ------------------------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber, Idaho, Grows Jujube; Has Genealogy Question Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2001 09:59:40 -0700 From: Margaret Lauterbach I am Margaret Lauterbach, and I liee in Boise, Idaho. I grow Zizyphus jujuba "Li", PawPaws and an American Persimmon. The latter has not yet produced fruit. I also have three varieties of Asian pears grafted onto one tree. I gave up on kiwis, because the blossoms (when it blossomed) were destined always to be frosted, so I'd never get any fruit. I grew apricots that must have been special, because some alien squirrels bussed in, took the aerial route to my two loaded apricot trees (first time in 10 years they've gotten to fruiting stage), and ate the nuts out of every single one. I didn't get to eat a single apricot. My dog was frantic and frustrated. I do not have questions for newsletter readers, but I have a major question for the editor. Mr. Manuel, do you know anything about your ancestors? My great, great, great grandfather was James Manuel, born in Maryland, lived in Ohio until 1856, then moved to southern Indiana. He and his wife, Jane Stillwagon Manuel, had eleven children live to adulthood. I'm descended from his eldest daughter, Mary Elizabeth Manuel Logsdon. We have a mini-Manuel mailing list. Marci Manuel White is descended from the oldest son, Grafton. Sharron Wood is descended from another daughter, Isabelle Manuel McCoy. There are others, but I don't recall from whom they're descended, off hand. James Manuel, according to the family Bible (Marci has access to it), served as a drummer boy in the War of 1812 at the age of 6. Margaret Lauterbach mailto:mlaute@micron.net ------------------------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber, Michigan, Writing Fruit E-Zine Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2001 13:26:26 -0500 From: Debby Williams Leo, I am Debby Williams. I live in Michigan, in a suburb of Detroit. This e-mail address will work fine for the newsletter. Fruit trees I am now growing: Red Haven Peach - started from a pit/seed 2 years ago. Maybe this year I will get at least one Peach? Fruit trees I would like to grow: Sweet and Tart Cherry, Apple and Pear (not too ambitious, eh?). If I had a greenhouse I am sure the list would be larger. I would like to subscribe to your newsletter because my primary interests as a gardener are fruit, vegetables and herbs. I have just taken on the job of writing an e-zine for wz.com on the subject of fruit and would like to expand my knowledge of the unusual. Your newsletter was highly recommended by Nan Sterman. Debby Williams mailto:debbywilliams1@home.com Advanced Master Gardener Oakland County, MI, USDA Hardiness Zones 6a/5b ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber, Australia; Growing Rare Fruit BUT Has Fig Problem Date: Sat, 13 Jan 2001 11:24:18 +1000 From: David Price My name is David Price, I live in Nanango, Queensland, Australia. my E-mail address is this one, rodneyprice1@burcom.com.au. I am 16. I am growing casimiroas, avocados, papaws, mango, jaboticaba, yellow sapote, figs, cherimoya, and abiu. I am interested in growing any type of rare fruit.. I have planted some figs, it is summer and their leaves either droop or fall off, and only start growing a month later, how can this be remedied? David Price mailto:rodneyprice1@burcom.com.au ------------------------------------------------ Subject: New Subscriber, North Texas: What Can I Grow Here? Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2001 16:14:57 -0600 From: Duane Smith Hi I live in north central Texas. At present I only grow normal blackberries and a few peach & plum trees. I would like to read about other ideas. Thanks Duane & Joyce Smith mailto:farmsted@flash.net Poolville TX >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Readers Write<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Subject: Death Of Dr. Fred S. Yerger, Jr. M.D., AZ CRFG From: Glenn Young Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2001 23:29:24 EST It is with great regret that I forward on to you this message from the Arizona Chapter of CRFG. Fred had become a very good friend to Peggy and me. We feel that this is a great loss to both of us. Words are inadequate to express our sorrow. We have lost a good friend, the world a great citizen and CRFG and the Arizona Chapter one of its finest members. Glenn Young mailto:GGYoung@aol.com | Message from Dick Gross, Secretary of the Arizona Chapter CRFG. | | "Allison Yerger has asked me to inform the members of the Arizona | Rare Fruit Growers of the passing of Fred S. Yerger, Jr., MD. Fred | was a long time member of the CRFG, Inc. and founder, with | daughter Allison, of the Arizona Chapter, an achievement in which | he took great pride. A physician who ministered to man, animals | and plants with equal respect, Fred earned the love of everyone | who knew him. His absence will be painful to all of us but his | memory will always be a part of the Arizona Rare Fruit Growers. | | A memorial Ceremony will be held at 2:00pm Sunday, January 21 at | St. Barnaby's Church, 6715 Mockingbird Lane, Scottsdale. Let us | all celebrate the life and memory of our good friend. | | In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to | one of the following: | | Desert Botanical Gardens | Fred S. Yerger, Jr., MD Memorial | c/o Carolyn O'mally | 1201 Galvin Parkway | Phoenix, AZ 85008 | | M. D. Anderson Cancer Center | Frederick Slith Yerger, Jr. MD | Acute Mylogenous Leukemia Research Fund | P. O. Box 297193 | Houston, TX 77297" ------------------------------------------------------------------ Subject: Citron Tree - Buddha's Hand? I Want To Buy One Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 10:22:20 -0600 From: Theresa Harley Do you know where I can buy one of these trees for my greenhouse? Thanks, Theresa Harley mailto:dyrw@jvlnet.com ------------------------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Avocado Budding Date: Mon, 01 Jan 2001 17:59:15 -0000 From: Ben Pierce To: Elaine Elaine, Sure I will share any info I get. I chose the Nabal for several reasons. My sister has one so I have a supply of scion wood. I have heard it grows upright like the Reed. I have also heard it is a high quality avocado. I did not know that the Reed was a descendant of the Nabal but know that I do know it makes sense because they have similar characteristics. I also like the Reed and would grow it as well. One problem I am facing with the budding is that I want to bud onto side shoots. The problem with that is the shoots are horizontal and small. If I bud onto the trunk of the tree then do I have to cut the wood above off to force it to grow? Is this the trick in budding to force the bud to do something? I have never grafted anything sucessfully and want to learn how. Ben Pierce mailto:mariposafamily@hotmail.com ------------------------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Avocado Budding Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2001 09:25:45 -0800 From: Elaine To: Ben Pierce Ben, Have you seen the 5 pg handout on budding/grafting avocado in the home garden from university of california? a good handout to have. If you don't have it, see: http://danrcs.ucdavis.edu. publication #8001 or do a search. Forgot, what are you grafting the Nabal on to again? Where are you located? What I hear about Nabal is that it is not a consistent bearer, but tasty. I've never tried it personally. What do you think of the taste quality of Nabal (though taste is quite personal). What is your favorite avocado for taste? Can I ask the approx. size and shape of your sister's Nabal and is your sister's tree a consistent and fruitful bearer? Where is her tree located? Good luck! Elaine mailto:leelou@pacbell.net Mountain View (N. California) ------------------------------------------------------------------ Subject: Fruit Garden Displayed--copies available?? Date: Mon, 01 Jan 2001 22:20:07 -0800 From: Elaine If anyone knows of a source for a copy of the FRUIT GARDEN DISPLAYED, written by Harry Baker, published by Royal Horticulture Society, approx $35, US, please let me know! Book is out of print, according to RHS in England. Raintree Catalog still advertises it, but have been sold out. Many thanks in advance, Elaine mailto:leelou@pacbell.net Mountain View, CA ------------------------------------------------------------------ Subject: RE: Longan/Lychee Experimental Program - Information Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 12:13:30 -0800 From: Holzinger, Bob Leo, There's not a general call for growers, I think the program is pretty much set. Mark did sound like he would consider another site(s) if everything was right for the project. As for more details, you'll have to contact Mark. The bottom line is this: the grower must have enough room to plant 40 trees, which eliminates all backyard growers like you and me. Bob P.S. I just got a note from Sven saying he finally talked to Mark Gaskell about the lychee and longan program. It appears that there is no more funding for additional test sites, so Sven can't get in with the fun. Oh well, that's the way it goes with government programs. We will have to be content with news and tours in the future I guess. Best wishes, Bob mailto:bholzing@amgen.com ------------------------------------------------------------------ Subject: My Megalinks Page Date: Wed, 03 Jan 2001 14:41:01 -1000 From: Oscar Jaitt Dear Leo, Thank you for the link in your newsletter to my megalinks page http://www.fruitlovers.com/megalinks.html Some of the links in that page come from reading your newsletter. Please tell your readers if they have any suggestions for inclusion of sites that I have omitted or overlooked to please let me know. Also if there are any other suggestion in general for the improvement of the site I would be happy to hear them. Fruitfully yours, Oscar Jaitt mailto:fruitlovers@hotmail.com ------------------------------------------------------------------ Subject: Plumerias - How To Send To Girlfriend In Leucadia, CA? Date: Thu, 4 Jan 2001 09:50:33 -0800 (PST) From: Matthew Montee Dear Leo, I thoroughly enjoyed your website. I am from Ventura, CA, but am currently attending med school in NY. My girlfriend lives in Leucadia and I would like to send her some plumerias for our anniversary. She is extraordinarily special to me, and she is extremely fond of plumerias. Is there any way that I could have some sent to her on Sat. or Sun. (Jan. 6th Or 7th.)? Sincerely, Matt mailto:bigfatdonkey@yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Noni Date: Thu, 4 Jan 2001 15:00:01 EST From: Maurice Kong Hi Leo: Re information on how to use Noni, most people suggest you pick the fruits a day or two before they get ripe. Recognizing ripe fruits is easy because it changes from green to an opalescent color at which time it's odor becomes very obvious and is reminiscent to that of limburber cheese. To avoid the possibility of creating problems with your neighbours, it's best to pick them just before they begin to become opalencent. Keep till ripe outdoors in a slightly open zip lock bag till they feel very soft to touch. Put the entire fruit in a blender with two cups of water and give several bursts at medium speed till the Noni pulp separates from the seeds. Strain and return strained pulp to blender. By adding apple, grape, cranberry or any juice of your choice to mask the smell, you will have a very delicious, healthy and palatable drink. It will certainly be the most economical way to enjoy Noni compared to the overpriced $40 + pricetag for a pint bottle of diluted Noni drink. Maurice Kong mailto:CHINO228@aol.com >>>> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <<<< Subject: Worldwide Weather Pattern Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 07:20:31 +0700 From: Sainarong Rasananda Not many fruit of any kind around here this year - a very strange year! Normally this time of year is hot (about 35-37�) with storms in the afternoon. This year it has been cloudy, cool, and drizzly for the past several weeks - we have not seen the sun at all for more than a week and last Saturday Mareeba had it's coldest December day on record with a maximum of only 23�. This phenomenon has been occurring worldwide. Some people around the world, myself including, are beginning to fear that the worldwide weather pattern is not going back to the previous relatively steady pattern. From now on, the weather may be much more unpredictable. If this is so, the repercussion would be vast, maybe even devastating! Why then have nobody been talking, cassandring, or making alternative plans, you may ask? The only answer we can think of is that the future outlook is too uncertain to think about, so the easiest thing to do is to turn a blind eye, blame the current weather to the temporary after-effect of el Nino, and think that everything will turn back to normal soon. I apologize for this unseasonal thought; after all this is the season to be jolly. Enjoy the New Year. Sainarong mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th ------------------------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Split longan branches Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 21:37:19 +0700 From: Sainarong Rasananda To: Edward Lin | Since my question to you about the split branch on my Diamond | River longan, another strong wind further blew the branch apart | and I had to cut the damaged limb off to prevent further damage. I | cut the branch an inch below the split wood but after cutting the | wood off, the bark split toward the main trunk as it dried off. I | hope there will be no further trouble. Although longan wood is very hard, the branches are very susceptible to breaking apart. Moreover, the longan roots are rather thin and shallow, particularly if the tree is grown from an air-layered branch. In Thailand, an entire small longan orchard has been known to be uprooted by strong winds. This does not normally occur until the trees have grown to a height of 3 meters or more. What can you do to prevent this from happening? 1. Wind-breakers obviously help, unless the wind is tornado-like. 2. Grow the trees from seeds or graft a small sapling grown from seed to an air-layered tree. This gives the tree a thick, deep main root. 3. Thoughtfully pruning to get rid of branches which make wide angles with the trunk. [Note: Corrected to "... get rid of branches which make narrow angles with the trunk" in letter that follows. Leo] 4. Prune to get rid of the excess leaves, so that the wind can blow through the trees, and so that not-too-much water droplets will gather on the leaves after heavy rain. 5. Keep the trees low. 6. Prop up the branches with pieces of woods, etc. when the crop is a heavy one. Enjoy Yourself! Sainarong mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th ------------------------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Preventing Branch Breakage in Longan - Correction Date: Tue, 9 Jan 2001 13:30:51 +0700 From: Sainarong Sirpen Rapeeporn Rasananda To: Dr. Edward Lin | ----- Original Message ----- | From: Dr. Edward Lin | | With regard to your six tips on preventing of branch breakage in | the longan, you wrote: | | "What can you do to prevent this from happening? | | 3. Thoughtfully pruning to get rid of branches which make wide | angles with the trunk...... | | In No. 3 above, did you not intend to say "get rid of branches | which make narrow angles with the trunk?" I had always thought | wide-angled branches bear fruit loads better. You are absolutely right! Thank you for correcting me. I do not mind making a fool of myself, but I would be way down in the dump, if people followed my incorrect recommendation! Sainarong ------------------------------------------------------------------ Subject: To Pesticide Or Not To Pesticide Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 23:39:42 +0700 From: Sainarong Rasananda To: David Loring" | ----- Original Message ----- | From: david loring | | If there is anything I can ever do for you from here in Southern | California let me know, I'm an agricultural pest control advisor | specializing in biologically intensive IPM strategies. Dear David, I contribute regularly to a fortnightly on-line newsletter for rare fruit enthusiasts; all contributors do this purely for love. Leo Manuel, the Editor, is the loveliest of all. I have been wanting to share with the readers my experience on pest control. However, I have not done so until now, as I am afraid that I may be leading them down the wrong track I shall now do so, and I would very much appreciate it if you will kindly support me when I am right, and correct me when I am wrong. I am a scientist by training, and I have worked for Du Pont, so it is not surprising that I started my horticultural career by using a lot of pesticides, fungicides, etc. After a while, I became satisfied with my heavy use of pesticides for the following reasons: 1. I spent far too much money on pesticides in my losing battle against the pests. 2. The health of the orchard workers, including myself, seemed to be deteriorating. 3. My orchard was rather lifeless; no birds, no insects, not even domestic fowls and dogs. 4. Although I followed the instructions carefully, I could not help but wonder whether some of the poisonous stuff found their way to the consumers' bodies. So, I thought that there must be a better and more profitable way. I believe that I have found it. Now I hardly use any pesticides, etc., and, believe it or not, I have reduced the operating cost, improve yields, both quality-wise and quantity-wise (admittedly, I have not kept records and analyzed them, but I believe that I have suceeded). Moreover, the workers are healthy, and the birds, insects and animals are coming back. I shall write more in future e-mails, and you, David, will hopefully advise me on how to improve my pest control. Thank you kindly, Sainarong mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Announcements And Web Pages To Consider <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< None, this time ------------------Zingiber List (Bananas, Gingers)------------------ None this time ------------------NAFEX List ------------------ None this time -------Discussion list for New Crops ------- None this time --------From "rarefruit list" - mailto:rarefruit@egroups.com-------- Subject: Mango Grows In Berkeley, CA Date: Sat, 6 Jan 2001 13:02:43 -0800 (PST) From: Thomas E. Billings Reply To: rarefruit@egroups.com Thought list members might find it of interest that a mango seed sprouted in Spring/early Summer 2000 in my garden in cold Berkeley (San Francisco area), California. (I used mango peels, seed, and other produce trash as fertilizer that I turned under: a few avo seeds germinated as well. The heat of decomposition may have warmed the soil and "tricked" the seed into germinating.) Anyway, here it is mid-winter in cold Berkeley, and the (small) seedling is still alive! It is on the south side of my apartment building, in a heavily protected area (with additional protection provided by heavy mulch). I have no illusions that it will grow/survive long term (it probably won't - the climate here is way too cold). However, the fact that it has survived so long (we have had several frosts already) shows the value of local protection for tender tropicals. I also have 2 Florida sabal (cabbage) palms outdoors, in pots (grown from seed). They grow very slowly in the cold California climate. In my previous apartment (no garden) I grew a sabal/cabbage palm from seed and had to get rid of it when it reached 8 feet - the height of my apartment ceiling! That was donated to the Strybing Arboretum in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, where I hope it is happy. :-) Let me take this opportunity to thank the list owner, Bob Cannon, for creating this list, and for his previous service as editor of "Tropical Fruit News" magazine. [In my opinion, the overall quality of that magazine has decreased under the new editorship, i.e., the folks who replaced Bob as editor(s).] Let me also invite any list members interested in fruit diets, vegan, vegetarian, paleo, or other "extreme" diets to visit my not-for- profit, information-only (no ads) websites: http://www.beyondveg.com Beyond Vegetarianism http://www.transbay.net/~teb/fruitarian Fruitarian Diets Tom mailto:teb@synergy.transbay.net ________________________________________________________________________ Subject: Re: Mango Grows In Berkeley, CA Date: Sun, 7 Jan 2001 12:33:11 -0800 From: Dr. Chiranjit Parmar" Reply To: rarefruit@egroups.com Dear Mr. Billings, Though I do not want to discourage you, but the fact is that germination of a seed does not indicate that the plant will reach the fruiting stage. Moreover, the fruiting too should be of viable level. Though I have visited San Francisco area 3-4 times, yet I do not have an idea of the degree of cold in the area. Mango starts from Tropical region and extends upto sub-temperate regions having stone fruits as main fruit crops. But the performance and fruit quality varies. The performance of mango with increasing cold is like this: 1. The fruits will be sweeter and flatter in taste, skin will be thick. 2. Flavours will start developing and a pleasant sugar acid blend will start developing. We Indians prefer this taste. 3. The proportion of grafted trees will start declining. 4. Only Seedlings will survive and they will also bear fruits. 5. Trees will be there but they will not be very productive. The fruit buds in mango are at shoot terminal which is the first to be damaged by cold leading to loss in yield. 6. You find sporadically located large seedling mango trees which bear fruit once in 4-5 years. This happens at 4000 ft in North West India. 7. No mango trees beyond that. In India, mango also occupies a religious place. Long garland like things made with mango and Ficus religiosa leaves are a must on auspicious religious occasions. So people try to plant and protect mango trees in every village to get a supply of leaves for such occasions. Some natural selection has taken place in this process and one sometimes comes across cold hardy mango trees surviving and even bearing fruits at places which are otherwise "SCIENTIFICALLY" not suitable for mango. The local people do not attach any importance to such trees as the fruit quality does not match the commercial types. But such plants are a very valuable genetic resource and should be exploited by the people/organizations interested in the promotion of mango cultivation in relatively colder areas. 6-7 years back one of our list members, Dr. J.D. Prince from New Zealand with financial assistance from the New Zealand Tree Crops Association had got a small survey conducted for this from me and we had selected 7-8 promising seedlings. I was told by Dr. Prince last year that one of the plants had started bearing. It was a very small effort restricted to a very small area. Much better results might be obtained if a larger effort, well planned in advance, is made. I request some organization like CRFG or Rare Fruit Council or some other group of resourceful fruit growers to sponsor such project. Dr. Chiranjit Parmar mailto:parmarch@vsnl.com Horticultural Consultant for Lesser Known Indian Plants ________________________________________________________________________ Subject: Re: Mango Grows In Berkeley, CA Date: Sun, 7 Jan 2001 04:06:47 EST From: Clarence Reply To: rarefruit@egroups.com Hi All I had almost given up trying to find a mango that could be fruitful at 1600 feet on the Hamakua Coast of Hawaii Island. But these few posts on mango sound encouraging. I had earlier been searching for mango for 2800 feet in Waimea on Hawaii Island. I had given up. The lows in "winter" usually gets to the low 40s (F.) and rarely, into the high 30s. Anyone with any ideas on the 2 locations. I would appreciate it. Clarence from the Big Island (Hawaii) mailto:kahiwal@cs.com ________________________________________________________________________ Subject: Re: Mango Grows In Berkeley, CA Date: Sun, 07 Jan 2001 22:01:11 -0500 From: Leo A. Martin Reply To: rarefruit@egroups.com Hello, Here in Phoenix, Arizona, often with much lower usual winter night temperatures than Berkeley, California, several members of our chapter of the Rare Fruit Growers get mango fruit every year. Of course, they have their trees in protected spots, they are relatively small, and they are covered on cold nights. Leo A. Martin mailto:leo1010@attglobal.net Phoenix, Arizona ________________________________________________________________________ Subject: Windbreaks In The Tropics Date: Tue, 09 Jan 2001 21:50:07 +0800 From: Greg Woolley Reply To: rarefruit@egroups.com Hello, I am interested to know if there are any strategies to prevent or lessen damage from hurricanes to tropical fruit orchards. What are the most recommended wind resistant trees used for windbreaks in tropical climates? Does having an orchard surrounding or interplanted with windbreak trees help to lessen the damage of hurricanes? What about giant timber bamboo, does this stand up to hurricane force winds? Would appreciate any comments on this topic. Many thanks again, Greg Woolley mailto:gregw@amitar.com.au ________________________________________________________________________ Subject: Re: Windbreaks In The Tropics Date: Tue, 9 Jan 2001 09:41:22 EST From: Will Wardowski Reply To: rarefruit@egroups.com I doubt that you will get research backed up data for your questions. However, many years ago, Dr. Gene Albrigo, University of Florida, Citrus Research & Educaiton Centrer (albrigo@lal.ufl.edu) did some windbreak work with citrus. You may want to ask him for any available reprints on that work. Also, I know that windbreaks are commonly used in Argentina to reduce the spread of citrus canker. Finally, although the book does not answer your questions, you may want to check out Hurricanes and Florida Agriculture on our homepage. Will Wardowski mailto:fssource@aol.com Florida Science Source, Inc. http://www.ultimatecitrus.com/fssource/index.html ________________________________________________________________________ Subject: Re: Windbreaks In The Tropics Date: Tue, 09 Jan 2001 19:06:43 -0000 From: Bill Reply To: rarefruit@egroups.com General thoughts: There is the adage about a mighty oak breaks and the humble bamboo bends. I note many tropical trees seem to follow this trend. Windbreak trees would help, if they don't fail and fall on their wards. IF I could see a bad blow coming, I might prune the largest weakest limbs to allow wind to pass through and save the main trunk and some shorter limbs. That would take awareness and opportunity and a chain saw. Slower would be pruning smaller branches to reduce foilage, which catches the wind, and leaving the larger limbs. Staking could help smaller trees. New tree plantings are staked with due thought though, and there is a methodology to it. Bill mailto:OOWON@netscape.net ________________________________________________________________________ Subject: Re: Windbreaks In The Tropics Date: Tue, 09 Jan 2001 19:48:36 -0400 From: Bob Cannon Reply To: rarefruit@egroups.com I haven't seen many. Erythrina is used in Florida by Bill Whitman at his experimental grove. At one time we also used casurina in Florida - now a prohibited weed tree. A few of the Averrhoa carambola growers are using walls of shade cloth, up at the chosen height instantly, requires no water, quite costly! Best of growing, Bob Cannon mailto:tfnews@gate.net (still too cool outside) ________________________________________________________________________ Subject: Re: Windbreaks In The Tropics Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2001 07:10:33 -0000 From: Oscar Jaitt Reply To: rarefruit@egroups.com Hi Greg, Bamboo works well and is beautiful, but many types grow slowly, and some are invasive. So be selective. What I have used are wind resilient fruit trees: Jackfruit seedlings, Avocado seedlings, Java Plum seedlings, Mango seedlings. It is best to have a double row if you are in a real windy area, with tall trees in the back and a shorter hedge in the front. There are very few trees that will stand up to hurricanes. Two that I noticed after visiting Kauai after Iniki (160 mph speeds,200 mph gusts) are Ironwoods (Casuarina) and Norfolk Island Pines. Is your area really hit by hurricanes? Oscar Jaitt mailto:fruitlovers@eudoramail.com ________________________________________________________________________ Subject: Fruits of Warm Climates Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2001 21:07:03 -0500 From: Jim Singer Reply To: rarefruit@egroups.com FYI, Julia Morton's classic 'Fruits of Warm Climates' is available on cd-rom. ECHO [Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization] says it has it at $50 a pop. ECHO's address is www.echonet.org. I expect to drop by their digs on monday and pick one up. Jim Singer mailto:jsinger@igc.org ________________________________________________________________________ Subject: Re: Fruits of Warm Climates Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2001 03:02:04 -0000 From: William Butler Reply To: rarefruit@egroups.com Jim You and everyone else can save the $50.00 because this book is available online for nothing. www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/index.html I have the book but refer to the online version more than my book. Also the book " Lost crops of the Inca's " is online too www.nap.edu/books/030904264x/html/index.html Both of these books have very useful information. Good growing to you all. William mailto:bananaizme@aol.com ________________________________________________________________________ Subject: Re: Fruits of Warm Climates Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2001 06:58:06 -0000 From: Oscar Jaitt Reply To: rarefruit@egroups.com Correct link for Lost Crop of the Incas is http://www.nap.edu/books/030904264X/html/index.html Oscar Jaitt mailto:fruitlovers@eudoramail.com ________________________________________________________________________ Subject: Re: Fruits of Warm Climates Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2001 18:20:31 -0500 From: Jim Singer Reply To: rarefruit@egroups.com Oscar, This gets me to the nas Table of Contents but the site doesn't work beyond that point. I tried pulling up two or three chapters without success. Jim Singer mailto:jsinger@igc.org ________________________________________________________________________ Subject: Re: Fruits of Warm Climates Date: Sat, 13 Jan 2001 12:22:55 -0800 From: Karen Janssen Reply To: rarefruit@egroups.com How odd. I connected yesterday and printed most of the roots chapter from that book. It's a pain though. You have to download a PDF file for each page and then print from Acrobat Karen Janssen mailto:res03wp3@gte.net Southern California ________________________________________________________________________ Subject: Fruits in Brazil Book Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2001 10:53:19 -0200 From: Marcos Sobrosa Reply To: rarefruit@egroups.com Dear E-group As the subject is book online, The book Fruits in Brazil is on-line (the Portuguese version), it is well worth to check the beautiful fruit photos. http://www.bibvirt.futuro.usp.br/acervo/paradidat/frutas/menu.html This book was out of print but the publisher released recently a new edition of it. Marcos Sobrosa mailto:msobrosa@net.em.com.br Belo Horizonte - BRAZIL ________________________________________________________________________ Subject: Re: Fruits in Brazil Book Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2001 05:57:07 -0000 From: Oscar Jaitt Reply To: rarefruit@egroups.com Too bad they did not also put the English on line. The edition of the book I saw had both Portugese and English in it. It is a very nice "coffee table" book with large photos. Oscar mailto:fruitlovers@eudoramail.com -- Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars-news@arsgrin.gov --- http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm. Subject: Superb Strawberries Without Methyl Bromide Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2001 10:05:18 -0500 Marcia Wood Most of the bright-red, juicy strawberries produced in this country are plucked from plants growing in soil that's been fumigated with one of the world's most effective farm chemicals, methyl bromide. The compound zaps soil-dwelling organisms that might otherwise weaken or kill berry plants. But methyl bromide use is being phased out because of evidence that the compound depletes the Earth's ozone layer. At research laboratories in Davis, Fresno, and Salinas, Calif., ARS scientists are scrutinizing environmentally friendly alternatives to methyl bromide. Soil scientist Husein A. Ajwa and agricultural engineer Thomas J. Trout at Fresno, for example, are using irrigation lines--called drip tapes--to deliver candidate fumigants to strawberry fields. The two researchers have probably explored more variations of that idea than any other recent scientific team. The grower- sponsored California Strawberry Commission is funding part of this research. Applying fumigants through drip irrigation systems, says Ajwa, may reduce worker exposure to the chemicals and may also decrease the amount of chemicals needed to treat the fields. Among the best performing of the compounds that Ajwa and Trout have examined is InLine. At some sites where InLine was applied, marketable yields of strawberries were 95 to 110 percent of those from plots treated with methyl bromide in combination with another compound, chloropicrin. InLine is made up of about 60 percent 1,3-dichloropropene and about 35 percent chloropicrin. The manufacturer, Dow AgroSciences LLC, is seeking federal and state approvals for use of InLine in strawberry fields. An article in the January issue of ARS' monthly Agricultural Research magazine tells more. View it on the World Wide Web at: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/jan01/straw0101.htm ------------------------------------------------------------------ Subject: Eavesdropping on Insects in Soil and Plants Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2001 09:52:18 -0500 From: Jes�s Garc�a Agricultural Research Service scientists and colleagues have adapted acoustic techniques-- commonly used by engineers to predict mechanical failures--to detect insects hidden in soil and the interior of plants. Researchers at ARS laboratories in Gainesville and Ft. Pierce, Fla., and Corvallis, Ore., and colleagues at Auburn University, University of Florida and Montana State University have collaborated on the development of an acoustic technique that uses sensitive instruments like accelerometers, soil-probe electret microphones and piezoelectric disks to pinpoint insect locations. These sensors convert vibrations into electrical signals. Because insect pests often reside within plant structures and in soil, they can be hard to detect. As a result, field searches often include a visual inspection followed by digging, removal of the root mass or flushing with water, all of which are damaging to the plant. So researchers have been trying to find a less destructive way of determining the incidence of insect infestations. The scientists conducted tests using a variety of insects and soil conditions in Florida, Oregon and Puerto Rico. The kinds of insects used--like the wheat stem sawfly and weevils that attack the roots of orange trees and ornamental plants--were chosen for their economic importance and variations in size. The portable acoustic sensors were found to detect insects within 180 seconds over distances of 10-30 cm, depending on the composition of the soil and peak frequencies of the sound pulses. Those sound pulses were then averaged to create profiles for each insect. Since background noises such as wind, airplanes and motor vehicles often interfere with researchers' ability to accurately determine the presence of an insect, acoustic profiles were developed for them as well. Those profiles were then used to conduct tests that compared acoustically predicted infestations with insects found in the soil at recording sites. Under laboratory or ideal field conditions--with low levels of low-frequency background noise--insects within 30 cm were detected 100 percent of the time. Under adverse conditions in the field, the technique was 75 percent reliable. This inexpensive and nondestructive pest-monitoring method may prove useful to growers intent on using integrated pest management systems to lessen the impact of a variety of insect pests on farm productivity. ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>End of RFN2000101B.txt<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Rare Fruit News Online - February 1, 2001 - AKA RFN200102A.txt --Notes In Passing What Is The Ripening Order For Your Cherimoas? At my home, the earliest seem to be Honey Hart, Dr. Booth, and a seedling. One of my seedlings is quite late, and is noteworthy for its relatively few seeds and excellent flavor. Recommendations for Mango Fertilizer and Schedule? Wouldn't it be great if someone came up with an almanac or calendar with recommendations for when to apply what fertilizer to which fruit trees? Has it been done? I'd like to hear of it. Mail was relatively light for this newsletter. If you have questions that you'd like to address, or web sites to recommend, or comments that you think would be of interest to the group, I hope you'll write. I could always pad it with possible items of interest, but I'd much rather that the newsletter was written by you. ---------Table Of Contents - Headers; (Letters Follow Table Of Contents) >>>> New Subscribers <<<< New Subscriber, Australia; Fruit Passion Out Of Control! Rob Mack >>>> Readers Write <<<< Central Calif Mango Jeff Earl To: Thomas Budding avocado Richard K. Gross" To: Re: Budding Avocado Ben Pierce To: rkg144@worldnet.att.net Re: Budding avocado Richard K. Gross To: Ben Pierce" Interactive Newsgroup - Will You Be Changing? AJS Longan & Lychee Experimental Program - March Tour Alan Schroeder" To: Bob Holzinger Mangos at altitude in Hawaii Holzinger, Bob To: kahiwal@cs.com Tropical fruit book of Brunei fruits of Brunei Darussalam Maurice Kong Who Grows Che, Carambola, and White Sapote Nan Sterman >>>> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <<<< Experience with Excess Use of Pesticide Sainarong Siripen Rapeeporn Rasananda CC: David A. Loring Re: Longan Questions/Similiarities Between Plant & Humans Sainarong Siripen Rapeeporn Rasananda To: >>>> Announcements and / or Web Sites To Consider <<<< The World's Largest Source Of Out-Of-Print Books! http://dogbert.abebooks.com/ Bamboo Web Site http://www.geocities.com/zhuzi.geo/ Jinhe Fu To: >>>> Zingiber List (Bananas, Gingers) <<<< None, this time >>>> NAFEX List <<<< None, this time >>>> From NEWCROPS List mailto:newcrops@purdue.edu <<<< None, this time >>>> From "rarefruit list" - rarefruit@yahoogroups.com <<<< Re: Humidity, salinity, loquat, nutrient strength Greg Woolley Link to AZ Master Gardener Site (Fertilizer) Bill Re: NUtrient Strength To Prevent Browning Off In Tropical Tree Seedlings Greg Woolley Re: Foreign Travel - Health Protection When Abroad Morgan D. Hartt" Re: Foreign Travel - Health Protection Leo A. Martin Re: Foreign Travel - Health Protection Karen Janssen" Re: Foreign Travel - Health Protection Digby Gotts >> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars>news@arsgrin.gov << http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm Camphor Curbs Asian Lady Beetles Jes�s Garc�a >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> New Subscribers <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Subject: New Subscriber, Australia; Fruit Passion Out Of Control! Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2001 23:42:42 +1100 From: Rob Mack Hi My name is Rob Mack and I live on a 12 acre farm at Eden Creek Australia. It's a subtropical climate and I have a wide range of fruit including Jaboticaba (small and large leaf and yellow) many types of citrus, cherimoya (nearly ripe) nashi, loquat, papaya, tamarillo, figs, passionfruit, avocado, Ice Cream Bean, apples, peach/nectarine, wild rasberries, kiwifruit, ceriman, guava, grapes. My question for the group is... How do I stop ? Daleys Nursery (http://daleysfruit.com.au) is just up the road and I have this uncontrollable craving for a Babaco and a couple of Longans and perhaps a Grumichama or two. Rob Mack mailto:pomello@one.net.au >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Readers Write<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Subject: Central Calif Mango Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2001 22:45:11 -0800 From: Jeff Earl To: Thomas Thomas, Welcome to the club! I started a seed from a store bought mango about 5 years ago. I planted it and forgot it for a year. The thing grew rapidly here in Modesto, CA . I figured during the coldest part of the year I had better cover the tree with plastic. Sometimes I did...sometimes I did not. Well low and behold!!! 4 years later my 8 ft tall mango has flowered and fruited! The best advice I can give is to keep your tree covered if the temps are expected to get below 30f..... Who knows, you may get fruit. My temps during the winter are a little colder than Berkley. Jeff Earl mailto:jearl@peoplepc.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Budding avocado Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2001 01:05:39 -0800 From: Richard K. Gross" To: Ben, I am sure you will get many responses to this but here is my two cents worth. From my own limited experience, budding avocado would involve the same mechanics as citrus. Select a pregnant bud, insert into the T, wrap it snugly with a grafting rubber or plastic nursery tape. Use caution not to wrap the bud itself but you can you cover the tie material with Parafilm that the new shot will grow through when the bud breaks. You can get detailed information on budding on the Internet and the best way to learn, in my experience, is to select practically any tree and practice grafting and budding it to itself until you develop some degree of skill. You can usually tell when the bud has healed in. You can remove all the tie material then. Callus will show and the bud will still be green. At that time, you can prune the branch above the bud to force it to break or bend it to the point of breaking half way through. Leave it that way pointed downward. Sometimes buds will break without doing either but you will at some point want to cut it off above the new shoot anyway. For a novice with stubby fingers like mine, budding is difficult on stems smaller than 1/4 inch where I have better success with a simple cleft graft. Can you select one or more of the stronger shoots--removing the others, tie them upright to the main stem and graft or bud if or when the shoots are large and old enough? Budding will work only when sap is flowing and the bark slips easily. Grafting can be done almost any time in a warm climate but my own poor success rate drops dramatically the colder the weather. Regards, Dick Gross mailto:rkg144@worldnet.att.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Budding Avocado Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2001 02:57:02 -0000 From: Ben Pierce To: rkg144@worldnet.att.net Thanks for all of the great info. I did exactly as you suggested except that I sealed the graft with Tanglefoot Tree Seal instead of Parafilm because I didn't have any. I got a little bit of the Tree Seal on the buds. I hope that doesnt cause a problem. I budded onto the trunk of the tree lower down. I dont know if I will be able to cut the top off or bend it because the trunk is too thick there. I did read that you can sometimes force a bud by cutting away the bark above the graft. I may have to try this because of the location of the buds. I like your suggestion of tying limbs toward the main trunk once they got large enough to bud. I think this would work and then I would have a fairly vertical surface to work with. I could then cut that limb above it preserving the structure of the tree. I will try that next time if this doesnt work or If I need to add another variety. Ben mailto:mariposafamily@hotmail.com [Note: Tanglefoot as used to keep ants and other insects from climbing into trees can be exceedingly injurious when applied directly to the bark of young trees. I assume that the Tanglefoot Tree Seal is a different product that is 'safe' to apply directly to tree. -Leo] ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Budding avocado Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2001 21:04:22 -0800 From: Richard K. Gross To: Ben Pierce I will guess, Ben, that the Seal material won't hurt the bud but haven't used it. As for "cutting away the bark above the graft", I think you are talking about a girdle and it raises a red flag. I think the callus that heals-in the wound around the inserted bud depends upon carbohydrates traveling downward. Wouldn't a girdle interrupt that supply, just thinking out loud, and stop or slow down the callus formation? Anyway, I wouldn't attempt to force the bud until it is well healed in. If it breaks prematurely, my hunch is that its viability would drop considerably. Some budding I've done successfully, never broke, just healed over and stayed green forever but that teeny new branch locked in there could never make it out. Thanks for your response, Dick Gross mailto:rkg144@worldnet.att.net ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Interactive Newsgroup - Will You Be Changing? Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2001 07:02:18 -0500 From: Andrea Hi Leo, Do you think you will add an interactive newsgroup in the future? I find it fun to check my mail a couple times a day and get info right away...patience is a virtue I do not posess, and we have just purchased a house with 2+ acres, 1 1/2 of that have fruit trees (of which I don't know the varieties yet) and can't wait to jump into my new adventure. If you are not adding a newsgroup in the future, do you know of a good one I may subscribe to? thanks Andrea mailto:andiart@mindspring.com [Since I have no immediate plans to change the format of the newsletter, I forwarded to Andrea a copy of the Florida-based "rarefruit list" - mailto:rarefruit@egroups.com as it sounds like what she wants. -Leo] ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Longan & Lychee Experimental Program - March Tour Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2001 15:20:45 -0800 From: Alan Schroeder To: Bob Holzinger Dear Bob: Our own local Ventura/Santa Barbara CRFG chapter will be having a tour of the longan/lychee experimental orchard that is with Mark Gaskell's program on March 17 at 10am. This will be at Jay Ruskey's Calimoya ranch in Goleta,CA. Alan Schroeder mailto:arschroeder@home.com ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Mangos at altitude in Hawaii Date: Wed, 17 Jan 2001 07:56:14 -0800 From: Holzinger, Bob To: kahiwal@cs.com Hi Clarence, Growing mangos at altitude on Hawaii may be like trying to grow mangos here in So. California. The summers aren't quite warm enough and the winters are a little too cold to get good growth out of the tree. From my limited experience I would suggest planting as many seeds from good tasting mango fruits as you can accomodate. Then see which one performs well in your climate. The fruit will probably be okay and could be very good, depending on your luck. Another option is to try the 'Reposa' cultivar. Frankie Sekiya sells this at his nursery on Oahu. He says that it blooms and blooms for a long time, up to nine months. It basically blooms until it sets fruit, if setting fruit is a problem. The fruit resemble 'Haden' in all respects, but are a little larger. Frankie's number is (808) 259-8737. Good luck, Bob Holzinger mailto:bholzing@amgen.com ------------------------------------------------ From: Maurice Kong Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2001 19:27:05 EST Subject: Tropical fruit book of Brunei fruits of Brunei Darussalam Hi Leo: In researching some back issues of Rare Fruit News, I found your list of Rare fruit reference books of interest to your subscribers. Thought they would also like to know that as a result of an article I wrote in a past issue on Brunei, many members depleted the remaining copies at the Fruit & Spice Park of what is now considered another rare book titled "Fruits of Brunei Darussalam". A very limited quantity has now arrived and will be therefore be sold on a first come basis. Anyone wishing to get a copy should stop by or place their order immediately with 'April" at the Park. Phone ( 305) 247-5727, e-mail Fax (305) 245-3369. The reason? It is now out of print so once they're gone, they're gone forever. Sincerely, Maurice Kong mailto:CHINO228@aol.com ------------------------------------------------ Date: Mon, 29 Jan 2001 14:58:09 -0800 From: Nan Sterman Subject: Who Grows Che, Carambola, and White Sapote Hi Leo I am researching Che, carambola, and white sapote. Can you refer me to any gardeners who are growing these delicacies in their yards in San Diego? Thanks! Nan Sterman mailto:nsterman@mindsovermatter.com Olivenhain, CA >>>> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <<<< Subject: Experience with Excess Use of Pesticide Date: Wed, 1 Jan 1997 08:22:09 +0300 From: Sainarong Siripen Rapeeporn Rasananda CC: David A. Loring I have a hectare of lychees which I kept mainly for landscaping purpose. Wanting to produce a good crop of beautiful looking lychees, I applied pesticides liberally. The more pesticide I used, the more frequent and more numerous the pest atttacks became. I finally surrendered, and left my lychees to the pests to feast upon. I did nothing to my lychees, apart from watering them normally, applying some manure once a year, sparsely applying chemical fertilisers once a year, and cutting the grass when it gets too long and leave the grass there to rot. Guess what? After two years, I noticed that the pests are almost all gone! My lychee trees were quite good-looking, and even produced some fruits. I then realized what a pompous idiot I was to think that my puny scientific knowledge is superior to Mother Nature. This was the turning point. From then on, I started to work with Mother Nature instead of working against her. I am reminded of a ditty about the old lady who swallowed a fly. he then swallowed a spider to get rid of the fly. Then she proceeded to swallow in succession a mouse, a cat, a dog and a horse in order to get rid of the previous pest. Of course, she died. Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Re: Longan Questions/Similiarities Between Plant & Humans Date: Wed, 1 Jan 1997 07:50:49 +0300 From: Sainarong Siripen Rapeeporn Rasananda To: -----Original Message----- From: Link2itc@aol.com To: sainaron@loxinfo.co.th Date: 18 �� 2544 7:37 Subject: Longan Questions | Under the trunk of my air-layered Degelman, protruding slightly | above the soil, is an irregular knobby brownish mass, about 5 cm | in diameter, with a surface texture resembling taro root (looks | like tiny 1cm spherical taro roots melted into one another). This | mass is clearly attached to the trunk. Do you have any idea what | this may be? It almost looks like some sort of tissue reaction. I | have never heard of this, and I have no idea what it is. | | My Degelman leaf also has a strong tendency to curl with a | slightly irregular chlorophyl distribution (slight mottling) when | the leaf is young. As the leave gets older, the curling and | discoloration becomes less evident. What's the cause of this? I do not know. I can offer some thoughts. It may be nutrient deficiency. It may be a characteristic or a defect of this cultivar. It may be peculiar to your particulat tree. It may be a defect or characteristic of the mother tree. It may be none of the above. Again I repeat, I have come to a conclusion, of my own, that plants and human are much more similar than most people realize. As a doctor, you have a distinct advantage over other people, including the horticulturist, in understanding the plants. Your logic may seem crazy to some trained hortculturists, but you may be more right than they are! When you have a question on horticultural matter, try to imagine a patient asking you similar question about himself, and imagine what your answer may be. Tell me what you think of my (out-of-the-line) idea. P.S. I have just come back from a meeting of horticulture experts, mostly PhD.s. You'd be amused to see the number of arguments and disagreements (and questioning of the validity of the data) on topics which most amateur horticulturists would assume that the experts have the definitive answers. Sainarong mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Announcements And Web Pages To Consider <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Subject: The World's Largest Source Of Out-Of-Print Books! Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2001 10:10:08 -0800 http://dogbert.abebooks.com/ Recommended by Debby Williams for out-of-print botany books. ------------------------------------------------ Subject: Bamboo Web Site Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2001 14:12:26 +0100 From: Jinhe Fu To: You are welcome to Bamboo web site: http://www.geocities.com/zhuzi.geo/ NewCrop Archives are available at: http://bluestem.hort.purdue.edu/newcroplistserv/Search.html Jinhe Fu mailto:jfu@gwdg.de ------------------Zingiber List (Bananas, Gingers)------------------ None this time ------------------NAFEX List ------------------ None this time -------Discussion list for New Crops ------- None this time --------From "rarefruit list" - mailto:rarefruit@egroups.com-------- Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2001 06:40:24 -0000 From: Bill Subject: Link to AZ Master Gardener Site (Fertilizer) For fertilizer, see Soil and Fertilizer in http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/mg/index.html This I am told, is the Main Site to which most Master Gardeners refer. If you wish to pursue this with a list, see: http://www.egroups.com/group/MoreAboutGardening ListMom Martha is very buzy, but good. Bill mailto:OOWON@netscape.net ------------------------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2001 22:36:50 +0800 From: Greg Woolley Subject: Re: Nutrient strength to prevent browning in tropical tree seedlings OOWON@netscape.net wrote: || Have found a site for Phostrogen fertilizer products || http://www.pbi.co.uk/fxdhtml/profertilise.htm || there is one with an NPK of 19.19.19 || Does that sound like the one to use? | For seedlings, more like 5-10-10 after they are advanced pretty | well. For sooner, maybe a 1-5-5 or so. But 19-19-19 has an N equal | to the rest! Better for mature plants, and 19 N is very potent so | you will need less, making it economical, usually. N, burns... but a | good amount of P & K is ok. NOW, you might even want a weak solution | of 1-10-10 or 0.1-1.0-1.0 --- note the decimals. Weak on the N... | But the RATIO is the same, though you'd require more of it. Aaaah, thanks Bill that is exactly the kind of info I am seeking. You've put some solid perspective on how I am to fertilize these delicate tropical fruit tree seedlings and this may mean all the difference between more browning off problems and healthy vigorous seedlings, much appreciated! I've never seen the NPK ratio you are recommending over here. Can you buy it of the shelf in the US, or do you mix it yourself? I have some mono-potassium-phosphate which I understand is a safe form of soluble potassium/phosphorus fertilizer, would you recommend this or another form for the tropicals? Maybe mixing a large percentage of the mono-potassium-phosphate with a small percentage of regular fertilizer would be the go, ie creating a low nitrogen, high potassium high phosphorus fertilizer. Would need to so some calculations to work out how to approximate the 1-10-10 ratio you are recommending, but probably can manage this. | Bill, how often would you advise doing the fertilizing? Once a | week, more, less? IE Do you know how long a 50% perlite + 50% pine | bark (with small amount of gravel rock dust thrown in) would hold the | nutrients in the potting medium before being leached away? Cause | knowing this seems important in order to know how often to fertilize. | | *This is hydroponics. EVERYtime you water you use a VERY weak | fertilizer. That is usually just before the soil substitute dries, | which might be 5-15 minutes on, and 15 to 30 minutes off and drained | to the resevoir, IF I understand what you are attempting, in bark and | perlite. Most of what i am doing is pretty well standard gardening method, yet using some hydroponic medium (ie 50% perlite) in the seedling potting mix primarily for the excellent drainage and aeration of the roots, but the rest is just normal standard procedure, no tank reservoir, no pump and timer with returned nutrients, just forestry seedlings tubes and seedlings trays and plain old watering can and manually dragging the hose all around the garden with it tending to knock over plants in the process lol... However in the past I have tried the automated hydroponic system with some tropicals yet for one reason or another not much success. Actually I think you may have misunderstood my intentions. I am not inquiring on this rare fruit list for methods on hydroponics per se, but am sincerely trying to determine what strength fertilizer I should be using for my tropical fruit tree seedlings which seem to be getting browned off on the one hand and slow growth on the other. I did bring up the subject of hydroponics because I thought your knowledge in that area would equate to good solid advice on the fertilizer needs for sensitive tropical fruit tree seedlings. I apologize Bill if I gave the wrong impression, I think the mention of using perlite in the potting medium may have confused things a bit. Anyway, no problem, ultimately what I am aiming to do is to use liquid compost as the prime fertilizer, cause I like the idea of the micro-organisms interacting with the nutrients, with the medium, with the plant and their roots. Yet, after what you've said about the need for a low nitrogen fertilizer in the beginning, maybe liquid compost would be too high in the nitrogen percentage for that early stage of growth. The rationale for my desire to use liquid compost, is that whenever I've plant a fruit tree in the ground with the soil mixed with plenty of well rotted compost + some rock dust and mulched with generous amounts of well rotted compost the fruit trees seem to love it and thrive. So I think to myself, well maybe i can kind of duplicate this organic fertilizer method in containerized tropical fruit trees (and seedlings) by using liquid compost. But then again, maybe my rationale is missing something. Anyway this and the browning off problems are the background to why I'm asking these specific fertilizer questions and where I am ultimately aiming to go with the tropicals I am propagating :) Also, had read somewhere that durian don't like chemical fertilizers, this being another reason why I am eventually aiming for organic liquid compost as fertilizer, but maybe I am getting things all out of perspective, this is all very new to me. Thanks Bill :) Best regards, Greg Woolley mailto:gregw@amitar.com.au ------------------------------------------------ Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2001 00:53:27 +0800 From: Greg Woolley Subject: Re: Re: Humidity, salinity, loquat, nutrient strength OOWON@netscape.net wrote: | I recall that gypsum (powdered rather than pelletted in this case, | but maybe pelleted for later sustaining effects,) is used for | salinity problems. The catch, is that it is used in conjunction with | a heavy "flush away" water quantity. Hi Bill, Thanks very much for your kind care and suggestion. Did some searching on the net for 'gypsum' to learn more about it and came upon this: "Sodic (sodium) soils have poor soil structure and so pose special problems for farmers. Researchers have discovered that sodic soils can be rehabilitated by putting on gypsum or lime. These contain high levels of calcium which leach into the soil and displace the sodium attached to the clays. The sodium is then leached down below the root zone, and the soil structure in the upper layers is restored". http://www.waite.adelaide.edu.au/School/Soil/salinity.html And this:- "Application of 6 inches of water will reduce salinity levels by approximately 50%, 12 inches of water will reduce salinity by approximately 80%, and 24 inches by approximately 90%. The manner in which water is applied is important. Water must drain through the soil rather than run off the surface. Internal drainage is imperative". http://www.ext.usu.edu/publica/agpubs/salini.htm The 2' feet of water you were mentioning and your suggestion of creating a mote around the fruit trees and using gypsum sits well with the above. Thus if I create 6" tall motes around my trees, fill them with water and then let them drain, I can expect an approx 50% reduction in salinity in the soil for those particular trees. That is a neat trick. Would look pretty weird though, with a heap of motes dotted all around my back garden with trees growing out of the middle of them all, hahaha, like a strange medieval village from some storybook far-away-land :) Hmmm, today I did some thinking about using reverse-osmosis water and drippers to irrigate the salt sensitive tropicals, yet my bench top unit only supplies 240 liters per day, not enough for 5-6 trees per day. So I did some ringing around for a larger unit and recieved a whopping great big quote for $5000 for 2000 liter unit. Slightly above my budget I would think! ;) Shall do some more ringing around tomorrow. Well, thanks for your suggestion Bill, will give it some more thought and research and may give it a go. Can't help hoping though that I can cure the problem at the source, ie the actual water. Best, Greg Woolley mailto:gregw@amitar.com.au ------------------------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2001 07:53:54 -0800 From: Morgan D. Hartt" Subject: Re: Foreign Travel - Health Protection When Abroad On 24 Jan 2001, at 11:21, Eunice Messner wrote: | I have a letter asking what a traveler to foreign | counties can do to cleanse their fruit before eating | it. | | Probably there is store-bought product one can bring | along. What is it? | | Eunice Messner Hi Eunice, May I suggest that you check into Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE). http://www.nutriteam.com/index2.html There is no known interactions. I also use GSE for bugs in my garden. If you have problems with bugs. I have had very good results with using Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE). You might go to this website and take a look http://www.nutriteam.com/garden.htm This is the company that I order from. Their service has always been great. Not only do I use it against bugs... When I am working with Homes for Habitats (HFH) down in South America, we all take it to save us from the water. If we get a bug bite or scratch we put a drop of the GSE on the area. We use it in spray bottle to keep bugs off. Unlike Neem oil, you can put GSE right on your skin. It does not even bother young children's (3 months or older) skin. Some of the HFH people have been using the GSE for 15 plus years with very good results. When you are working down in poor areas of South America, you get cut and scrapes all the time. The areas that we work in are sometimes very dirty, with dirt gutters that men urinate into. Since starting to take GSE while there, I have had little to no problems and now I drink or eat anything that I want. Smiles & Flowers, Morgan D. Hartt mailto:Gardening@J4L.Com Garden Grove, Ca. ------------------------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2001 13:03:44 -0500 From: Leo A. Martin" Subject: Re: Foreign Travel - Health Protection When Abroad Hello, The things you're actually worried about catching from vegetable food are a few bacteria, a few protozoan parasites, and some viruses. You won't be safe with anything less than rinsing in a 10% solution of sodium hypochlorite (bleach) or 70% isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol, which won't be permitted on the plane in any useful amount because of fire hazard.) But then, if the water used to prepare the bleach solution is contaminated, it will make the bleach less effective. Much easier and more certain is peeling the fruit YOURSELF with a clean knife. Don't forget that ice can be contaminated too, as can be salads. Don't eat anything already peeled from street vendors. Bottled beverages might not be safe unless they're carbonated. Be sure you open the bottle yourself. Ask for no garnish on drinks. The Centers for Disease Control Traveler's Health page http://www.cdc.gov/travel/ has a link to this page dealing with food and water: http://www.cdc.gov/travel/foodwatr.htm I recommend anybody traveling outside the US, Western Europe, or developed countries in Asia to read it. Leo A. Martin, M.D. mailto:leo1010@attglobal.net Phoenix, AZ ------------------------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2001 15:16:13 -0800 From: Karen Janssen" Subject: Re: Foreign Travel - Health Protection When Abroad Colloidal silver is a fairly good killer of pathogens, easy to make and cheap. But don't buy it already made. It is likely of very weak concentration and very expensive. Get 3 little 9 volt batteries, link them together with snap clips, and attach a length of PURE silver wire to the two end pieces with an aligator clip. Suspend the wire in a glass of distilled water with one or two grains of table salt to start the action. When it shows a faint amber color it is about ready. Store in dark bottle. And it won't hurt YOU to ingest it either. I've been useing it on myself and my cat for 5 years. Karen Janssen mailto:res03wp3@gte.net Southern California ------------------------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2001 18:17:56 +1000 From: Digby Gotts Subject: Re: Foreign Travel - Health Protection When Abroad Simply wash the fruit and veges (and your hands) in a dilute solution of Potassium Permanganate - Condy's crystals. this is a strong oxidising agent and kills single celled organisms easily with no ill effects on you. Digby Gotts mailto:digby@capetrib.com.au -- Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars-news@arsgrin.gov --- http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm. Subject: Camphor Curbs Asian Lady Beetles Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2001 09:29:52 -0500 From: Jes�s Garc�a Camphor effectively repels the multicolored Asian lady beetle and could be a way to repel the insects as they attempt to overwinter indoors, Agricultural Research Service scientists report in a recently published paper. The results may help researchers balance the need for protecting this beneficial insect against the public's concern for the nuisance the beetles create when they congregate in people's homes and businesses. The research was published in the November 2000 issue of the Annals of the Entomological Society of America. The multicolored Asian lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis, originally from China, was introduced to the United States in 1916. The beetle has been an effective biological control agent for aphids and scale insects. Researchers with the Chemicals Affecting Insect Behavior Laboratory in Beltsville, Md., used bioassays to determine the ability of the plant compounds camphor and menthol to repel the beetle. Preliminary test results indicate that camphor and menthol vapors are an irritant to the beetle's chemosensory organs. These organs--like little taste buds--were found to be so sensitive that the vapors from the two compounds were enough to repel the lady beetles. Other scientists have found that adult beetles use visual or physical cues to find acceptable overwintering sites. These locations are usually the sunnier or warmer sides of buildings in the afternoon or prominent, exposed, light-colored buildings. Once beetles are at the chosen site, they then resort to using chemical cues to locate the exact crevice they want to inhabit within the structure. Researchers believe that the source of these chemical cues may be beetle feces from the previous winter, the odor of beetles that died at the site, or an attractant pheromone. This evidence suggests that multicolored Asian lady beetles could be controlled using a "push-pull" strategy. They could be "pushed" from their overwintering sites by the camphor repellant and "pulled" into traps--using chemicals that mimic the natural cues they use to identify sites--without harming them. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>End of RFN2000102A.txt<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Rare Fruit News Online - February 15, 2001 - AKA RFN200102B.txt --Notes In Passing Dr. Sainarong Rasananda tells us what the four top-tasting lychees are, and the nutritional content of longan, in his mailbag section. Bothered by Spam? Check out the Spam Cops reference in the Announcement section http://spamcop.net/ This newsletter is more brief than I would like for it to be. Please consider whether you can write an occasional letter to keep the newsletter going. Consider introducing yourself again, if you haven't written for a few years. Tell us about your weather- related problems. Without your participation, RFNO will wither. I will be changing my Internet Service Provider to Earthlink, and expect that there will be glitches. My web page may be missing for a few days, although I've been assured that this won't happen. Anyway, if my address fails to work, you might try one of these: First: leom@rarefruit.com, Second: leowesman@mac.com, Third: leowesman@earthlink.net, and Last: leom@bigfoot.com.... ---------Table Of Contents - Headers; (Letters Follow Table Of Contents) >>>> New Subscribers <<<< New Subscriber, Cayman Islands, Wants Help Locating Plants Joel Walton New Subscriber, Florida, Looking For Non-Astringent Persimmon Charlie Boning Re:New Subscriber, Florida, Looking For Non-Astringent Persimmon Leo Manuel To:Charlie Boning New Subscriber, CA, Interested In Heliconias and Gingers Gary Bernard New Subscriber, FL, Wants "Non-Mysore" Raspberry Ralph Schmidt >>>> Readers Write <<<< Gitit Pitanga - What's Your Opinion Of The Fruit Quality? Leo Manuel To:Doron Kletter Re:Gitit Quality? Doron Kletter To: Leo Re:Gitit Quality? Leo Manuel To:Doron Kletter Pitaya Fruit Gruett, Tricia M" >>>> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <<<< The Best Lychees Sainarong Rasananda Stay Healthy and Keep Pests and Diseases Away Sainarong Rasananda To: David Loring Re: Stay Healthy and Keep Pests and Diseases Away David Loring To:Sainarong Rasananda Information about Longan... Andr�s Sbarbaro Nutritional Content and Medicinal Properties of Longan - Part 1 Sainarong Siripen Rapeeporn Rasananda" To: Longan-Research To: Andres Sbarbaro Nutrition Content and Medicinal Properties of Longan - part 2 Sainarong Siripen Rapeeporn Rasananda" To: Longan-Research To: Andres Sbarbaro >>>> Announcements and / or Web Sites To Consider <<<< Re:Spam - Fight Back - See http://spamcop.net/ Brian Nesse http://spamcop.net/ >>>> Zingiber List (Bananas, Gingers) <<<< None, this time >>>> NAFEX List <<<< None, this time >>>> From NEWCROPS List mailto:newcrops@purdue.edu <<<< None, this time --From "rarefruit list" - mailto:rarefruit@yahoogroups.com Differentiating female from bisexual papaya Greg Woolley Re: Differentiating female from bisexual papaya Laisene Samuelu Re: Differentiating female from bisexual papaya Greg Woolley Re: grow lights! Console IIci Re: grow lights! Bill >> Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars>news@arsgrin.gov << http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm Putting the Soil to Bed Over Winter ARS News Service New Beetle Attractant Controls White Grubs ARS News Service >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> New Subscribers <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Subject: New Subscriber, Cayman Islands, Wants Help Locating Plants Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 16:19:14 -0500 From: Walton, Joel My name is Joel Walton, live in Cayman Islands, email: jowal@candw.ky. I am currently growing several annonas and citrus, bananas, 20+ mangoes, various nuts, spondias, eugenias, jujube, sapotacae, and guavas, strawberry, brazos blackberry, mysore raspberry, coffee, acerola cherry, various piper, mirliton, various spices and herbs, grapes, various pouteria, etc. In total I have over 100 distinct types of fruit and possibly double that amount of varieties. I want to grow durian, capulin cherry and pulusan. Can anyone help with sources of grafted plants and/or seed. Joel Walton mailto:Joel.Walton@gov.ky ----------------------------------------------------------- Subject: New Subscriber, Florida, Looking For Non-Astringent Persimmon Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 19:44:47 EST From: Charlie Boning My name is Charlie Boning. I live in Palm City, Florida at the northern fringe of the subtropics. I am currently growing: Kiett Mango, Hayden Mango, Geffner Atemoya (just planted), Priestly Atemoya, Honeybell Orange, Naval Orange, White Peruvian Guava (just planted), Ruby x Supreme Guava, Alano Sappodilla (just planted), Macadamia, Marcus Pumpkin Avocado, Day Avocado, and N1 cultivar Jackfruit (just planted). I would like to grow other Annonas, White Sapote (possibly Suebelle, Louise, or Michele), and Persimmon. I have found very little information on the two varieties of Avocado that I am growing. Also, I can find nothing on the N1 cultivar Jackfruit and know nothing of its characteristics other than that it is (supposedly) precocious and an early bearer. Is anyone else growing Jackfruit north of the Palm City/Stuart area? Any recommendations for a variety of (nonastringent) Persimmon that needs few chilling hours? I'd be appreciative of any input. Charlie Boning mailto:SBoning@aol.com ----------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: New Subscriber, Florida, Looking For Non-Astringent Persimmon Date: Thu, 08 Feb 2001 18:49:05 -0800 From: Leo Manuel To: Charlie Boning Hi Charlie I'll put your letter in the newsletter for additional responses, but I want to say that my understanding is that the N1 cultivar of jackfruit is rather dwarf, making it popular for those with too-little space. Also, I would guess that Fuyu, Giant Fuyu, and other non-astringent varieties of persimmon would do well for you. Your climate is probably very similar to mine in San Diego, and I have most of the same fruit you mention, including Fuyu. I have a graft of Black Sapote (Black Persimmon) on one of my Fuyu trees, and has been growing for almost three years. When the persimmon loses its leaves, the black sapote graft looks like mistletoe, from a distance. Have you seen White Sapote growing? The tree gets pretty large, unless you prune aggressively, so much of the fruit goes 'splatt' when it falls from the tree. Also, while I have it, McDill, and others on a multiple graft tree, it is not as interesting to eat as many other fruit. I also have Keitt mango, and there are several still on the tree, quite large, of course, and quite firm. I don't have Hayden. What is the White Peruvian guava like? Most guavas also need to be pruned heavily, to keep them in their small allotted space, at least in my yard. Take care, Leo ----------------------------------------------------------- Subject: New Subscriber, CA, Interested In Heliconias and Gingers Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 15:24:12 -0800 (PST) From: Gary Bernard Hi, Thanks for getting back to me, My name is Gary Bernard. I am from England, but now live in S. California. At present I am growing 6 different types of fruiting bananas 3 flowering ones, also passion fruits papayas,pineapples,and a vanila, if you can class this as a fruit. I am also very much in to tropical plants, especially heliconias and gingers, I would be very interested to here if any of you grow heliconias in S California. I also got a small tree of a black sapote, and would like to know how big it will get and how big it needs to be to fruit. It is only 2 feet at the moment Have a nice day all the best GAZA Gary Bernard mailto:tropicalgaza@webtv.net ----------------------------------------------------------- Subject: New Subscriber, FL, Wants "Non-Mysore" Raspberry From: Ralph Schmidt Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 12:01:11 -0500 Hi, I am Ralph Schmidt, and I live in Miami Beach, FL Fruit trees I am now growing are....Jackfruit, Hak Ip Lychee, Glenn Mango, Avocado from seed, Sugar Apple, Figs (brown and green), Burro Bananas, Longan seedling (15 ft.tall, never blooms. Are there raspberries other than Mysore which will grow in Miami? Ralph Schmidt mailto:rschmidt@telocity.com [Note: I'm not sure about the availability, but Oregon 1030 is a raspberry recommended for Southern California, possibly also for Southern Florida? Leo] >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Readers Write<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Subject: Gitit Pitanga - What's Your Opinion Of The Fruit Quality? Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 09:58:50 -0800 From: Leo Manuel To: Doron Kletter Hi Doron, I girdled my Gitit and am trying to airlayer it, and was exceedingly disappointed in the only fruit I ate from it. Granted, it was from a girdled tree, in a pot, and on the north side of the house, so there were plenty of reasons why it should not have been more tasty. How has it tasted at your home? Do you give it the rave review that we were expecting? How's everything else? Are you in an area with electricity outages? We've been spared so far, but it's scary. Take care Leo in San Diego ----------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: Gitit Quality? Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 16:28:03 -0800 From: Doron Kletter To: leom@rarefruit.com Leo, Had a few dozen fruit on my plant too. I ran out of space in my little greenhouse and had to take the plant outside (it is still in a pot, like in your case). The fruit is large (3/4" to 1") and pale pink - it never gets too dark. I thought they were ok, sweet and not overly resinous, but not as good as the ones I tasted from the mother plant. I was going to plant it in the ground this year (once the danger of cold weather is over) and give it a real try. Maybe they need a warmer climate. Heard on the news it was snowing in San Diego. Is this very unusual? Do you have to protect your plants at all? We did not have much in terms of blackouts (one so far), but it ain't over yet. Regards, Doron mailto:kletter@impact.xerox.com ----------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: Gitit Quality? Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001 19:41:10 -0800 From: Leo Manuel To: Doron Kletter Hi Doron, The climate in San Diego County varies tremendously. I haven't experienced frost at my location, but have seen it within a few blocks of my home. My location is on a hill and seems to have enough air circulation to keep frost away. The snow was outside of the city of San Diego, I believe, but quite close. I heard that Alpine had snow, just east on I-8, with a somewhat higher elevation than San Diego has. I did live much closer to the coast, but on a coastal canyon. The cold air that drained from the colder inland parts of the county made that location much more frost prone, and I couldn't grow the fruit that I can now. Did the 'Gitit' you ate in Israel lack the resinous taste so common in many varieties? The 'Vermillion' is relatively free of that, gets rather large, and is orange-red when ripe. It is one of my favorites. Take care, Leo ----------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Pitaya Fruit Date: Thu, 1 Feb 2001 16:11:24 -0600 From: Gruett, Tricia M" Hi My name is Tricia Gruett. I am currently a college student at University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. After doing soem research on the web, I discovered your name. I am doing a project on pitaya fruit and was wondering if you could send me some samples. What I am doing is designing a poster to promote this fruit to others. Any help that you can give me would be greatly appreciated. thank you...... Sincerely Tricia Gruett mailto:tgrue965@uwsp.edu >>>> Mailbag of Sainarong Rasananda mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th <<<< Subject: The Best Lychees Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 15:57:50 +0700 From: Sainarong Rasananda International lychee experts and lychee growers who have travelled extensively agree the China has the best lychees, unsurpassed by lychees anywhere. Noumici or No Mai Chee is the most famous of all. It is well known for its lovely scarlet skin, plumb and tender flesh, small seed, small seed, sweetness, juicy texture, fragrance - sounds heavenly, doesn't it? Its average weight is 25 gm., TSS 18-21%, TA 0.22%, the edible portion is 84%. The second favorite is Gui Wei. It has tiny seed, crisp flesh, delicate sweetness, fragrance similar to that of the osmanthus flower. My Australian grower-friend thinks it is fabulous. Its average weight is 17 gm., TSS 19%, TA 0.15%. Two other cultivars are also very good. Feiz Xiao is juicy and delicious; the fruit tastes better when picked half-colored than when over-ripe. The average size is 30 gm. - that is large, TSS 18-19%, TA 0.28%. The seed is degenerated. Bai Tang Ying is also excellent. If you can get hold of any of these fab four, buy them. Bear in mind, however, that they are native to China, where the climate is cool. PS I am not sure whether these four are known by any other names or not. Sainarong mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th ----------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Stay Healthy and Keep Pests and Diseases Away Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2001 23:47:57 +0700 From: Sainarong Rasananda To: David Loring David, I would like to begin by following up on the analogy between plants and humans. We all know certain people who are hardly ever ill, while some sickly individuals spend a fortune on their medical bills. I know that we realize that the reasons for the difference lie in a combination of heredity, way of living, as well as luck. It would appear that the healthy individuals have developed an immunity to diseases. Well, the same applies to the plant kingdom, healthy plants seems to be immune to pests and diseases, while their unhealthy cousins seem to attract a host of pests and diseases. Many hypotheses have been put forward to explain this phenomenon. I shall not bother you by going into details, but the bottom line is clearly that an unhealthy plant is more prone to diseases and attacks by pests. So, if your orchard suffers from frequent attacks by pests and diseases, you should take a hard look at your soil, water and plant management techniques. It could well be that the pests and diseases are the symptoms, not the cause. On the same line of thoughts, some people say that weeds are indications of an imbalanced soil. They claim that they can tell the nature of the imbalance by the weeds which are growing; they say that this is even more accurate than a scientific soil analysis. They say that weeds do not grow on balanced, healthy soil; they even say that insects tend to attack weeds, and leave healthy plants alone. I would like to thank many friends who have written to me, telling me that they had similar experiences, and have come to similar conclusions as I have. This shows that my ideas and observations are neither new nor innovative. Indeed, they may be quite ancient, but some of us seem to have forgotten or ignored them, so it is worthwhile to remind all of us that there is a lot of wisdom in the ways of our forefathers. Sainarong mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th ----------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: Stay Healthy and Keep Pests and Diseases Away Date: Wednesday, February 07, 2001 17:04:28 +0700 From: Sainarong Siripen Rapeeporn Rasananda The attached e-mail comes from David Loring, a specialist in pest control by biological techniques. David knows what he is talking about. Sainarong mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th ----- Original Message ----- From: David Loring To: Sainarong Rasananda Sent: Wednesday, February 07, 2001 11:06 AM Subject: Re: Stay Healthy and Keep Pests and Diseases Away I agree with all that you've said except that weeds don't grow on balanced, healthy soil. From the time man started tilling the soil weeds have been the major problem even on the best soils. It is true though that certain plants (a weed is a plant out of place . . .eg. a bunch of tomato plants in your broccoli field are weeds if they compete for fertility, light or water) are indicators of poor soil ie. drainage, saltiness or pH problems. The rest of the natural world does not know that we humans consider tomatoes to be edible and nightshade to be a weed. All plants are edible to some insect, animal or microbe. We are all someplace on the food web trying to fit in every nich we can. Dave ----------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Information about LONGAN... Date: 2 Feb 2001 20:30:51 -0800 From: Andr�s Sbarbaro Hello, My name is Andr�s Sbarbaro and I'm writing from Per�. I found your page in a search about LONGAN, because now I'm too interest about this fruit. I need information like PH, �BRIX, ACIDITY and Nutrition Facts. If you could help me I'm going to be too grateful with you. Andr�s Sbarbaro mailto:andresssbarbaro@laciudad.com ----------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Nutritional Content and Medicinal Properties of Longan - Part 1 Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 12:36:07 +0700 From: Sainarong Siripen Rapeeporn Rasananda" To: Longan-Research Andres Sbarbaro Querido Andres! The nutritional contents of longan, Biew Kiew variety, per 100 g. edible portion,are as follows: Water (g)------------81.6 Energy (kcal)--------71 Protein (g.)----------1.2 Fat (g.)--------------0.1 Carbohydrate (g.)----16.4 Fiber(g.)-------------0.8 Ash (g.)--------------0.8 Calcium (mg.)---------5 Phosphorus (mg.)-----17 Iron (mg.)------------0.5 Sodium (mg.)----------9 Potassium (mg.)-----222 Copper (mg.)----------0.07 Zinc (mg.)------------0.1 Retinol (mg.)---------0 Carotin (mg.)-------- - Vitamin A (mg.)------ - Thiamine (mg.)--------0.04 Riboflavin (mg.)------0.07 Niacin (mg.)----------0.8 Vitamin C (mg.)------11 pH------------------- 6.3-7.0 Sweetness----------- 15-18 Brix (I myself consider 22 brix to be more acceptable) Source : Institute of Nutrition, Mahidol University, Thailand Hasta Luego! Sainarong mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th ----------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Nutrition Content and Medicinal Properties of Longan - part 2 Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 12:05:04 +0700 From: Sainarong Siripen Rapeeporn Rasananda" To: Longan-Research" Andres Sbarbaro" Querido Andres! If you consider only the nutritional contents of longan (que llamas longan en espanol?), you are missing a most important propery of longan, viz, its numerous medicinal value. It is generally accepted that longans and lychees are native to South-East China, or whereabout. The Chinese knew about these two fruits for well over a thousand years, and exported them to the outside world. While the rest of the world prefers lychees, the Chinese themselves surprisingly value longans more highly. This is because the Chinese have been aware for a long time that longan has many medicinal properties. As a matter of fact, longan is an essential ingredient in many of the traditional Chinese concoctions. The medicinal properties of longan which I summarize below are weaned from the book (in Chinese) called 'The Correct Usage of Chinese Medicines with Enervating Properties', published by the Medicinal Technology of China Publishing House in Beijing in 1996. Among the medicinal properties of longan is the prevention and cure of the following symptoms - insomnia, excessive dreams, nervousness, restless disposition, forgetfulness, indigestion, feeling weak, excessive menstruation. Longan is recommended as a pick-me-up for people who feel weak, particularly new mothers, elderlies, and people who have just recovered from a long illness. The book goes on to list a number of Trditional Chinese medicines which has longan as a major ingredient. I know that, to a Western mind, the numerous properties may appear exaggerated. However, do bear in mind that the Chinese are a wise, ancient race, whose wisdoms are being constantly re-discovered by the West. Hasta Luego! Sainarong mailto:sainaron@loxinfo.co.th >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Announcements And Web Pages To Consider <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Subject: Re: Spam - Fight Back Date: Wed, 07 Feb 2001 09:57:16 -0800 From: Brian Nesse Organization: Netscape Communications Corp. Another great service I was recently introduced to can be found at: About halfway down the page is a "Just Testing" link. Choose this link, paste the entire contents of the email into the text box and hit the process button. A quick check at ARIN shows the origination server of the message appears to belong to "Interpacket Group, Inc." After parsing the headers, SpamCop suggests sending complaints to: abuse@interpacket.net and postmaster@interpacket.net -Brian ------------------Zingiber List (Bananas, Gingers)------------------ None this time ------------------NAFEX List ------------------ None this time -------Discussion list for New Crops ------- None this time --------From "rarefruit list" - mailto:rarefruit@yahoogroups.com-------- Subject: [rarefruit] Digest Number 308 ReplyTo: rarefruit@yahoogroups.com Subject: Differentiating female from bisexual papaya Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 21:51:15 +0800 From: Greg Woolley Hello all, Okay I know what a male papaya looks like, the small plentiful flowers are on long stalks, easy one. But how do you determine the difference between a female and bisexual papaya? Can anyone please explain? Thanks in advance :) Greg mailto:gregw@amitar.com.au ----------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: Differentiating female from bisexual papaya Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 12:12:31 -1100 From: Laisene Samuelu A female papaya is more round compared to a bisexual (hermaphrodite) which is a smooth oblong shape. To determine at flowering stage, the female flower is usually larger and when you open a closed flower, it does not have pollens (yellow). A bisexual flower has both the pollens and ovary. Hope this helps. Laisene Samuelu mailto:lsamuelu@lesamoa.net ----------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: Differentiating female from bisexual papaya Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 16:12:59 +0800 From: Greg Woolley Thanks to everyone for your replies. Can you believe it, I've walked past my papaya trees hundreds of times and looked at the flowers from a few feet away and never thought to actually open the flowers and have a look! What I did think though, was the flowers on all my papaya trees all looked pretty much the same (except of course the male tree flowers). I had thought there would be some obvious outward difference between a female tree flowers and bisexual tree flowers. Will open a few of those flowers and take closer look, thanks Laisene and everyone else. Regards, Greg Woolley mailto:gregw@amitar.com.au ----------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: grow lights! Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 11:33:28 -0400 From: Console IIci Michael, I have grown some plants under fluorescent lights. I used 48 inch fixtures with duel tubes. One tube was 'cool white' the other 'warm'. This mix seemed to give good growth. These were purchased rather cheaply as shop lights. These seem to be the least expensive. Using these the plants need to be kept close to the light source. Other light types might do better but tend to cost more. You might use some as supplemental lights. IF you can get the plants big enough, and keep them warm enough, they should bloom when mature. Your best answer might be a glass lean to that would be lighted in winter and allow sunlight and supplemental light in summer. In the coldest months the glass could be covered with insulation. Passion vines can get very large:) I have also sent your message (and my reply) to CoolFruit@yahoogroups.com as some of the readers might have more information. You may want to join the group. CoolFruit members will need to reply to Michael at: "Michael Krause" or through rarefruit@yahoogroups.com Best of growing, Bob SW Florida mailto:tfnews@gate.net ----------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: grow lights! Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 17:25:22 -0000 From: Bill Studies have shown the above mix is as good as the expensive lights except for very minor differences in a very few and certain situations/plants. They are a more pleasant purple though for inside if that is an isue. In http://groups.yahoo.com/group/an-ot-garden I have some light posts around messages 43 - 45 as I recall. Some address shop lights and how to use a camera as a light meter. www.GrapeSeek.com has a small tent/light setup. Maybe just upsize the basic concept... Bill mailto:OOWON@netscape.net -- Agricultural Research Service (ARS) mailto:ars-news@arsgrin.gov --- http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/thelatest.htm. Subject: Putting the Soil to Bed Over Winter Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 10:37:10 -0500 From: ARS News Service Winter cover crops can provide a wealth of ecological and financial benefits for farmers and gardeners--especially if these crops have been fine-tuned for local use. In sustainable agricultural systems, farmers and gardeners need new nitrogen-fixing winter cover crops to help reduce weeds and herbicides, add nitrogen and improve soil quality and tilth. ARS geneticist Thomas E. Devine at the Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory in Beltsville, Md., has a 13-year plant breeding program under way to meet these needs. He is breeding, testing and selecting two potential species--hairy vetch, Vicia villosa, and subterranean clover, Trifolium subterranean. He wants to make these crops more useful to farmers and gardeners who grow crops in sustainable agricultural systems. Both cover crops are legumes that form a symbiosis with specialized soil bacteria called rhizobia. These bacteria take nitrogen from the air, convert it to a form the plants can use, and store the nitrogen in nodules on legume roots. The next crop seeded after the cover crop can use this readily available nitrogen. Since the spring of 1998, Devine has evaluated 451 lines of subterranean clover, earmarking those with better winter-hardiness and seedling vigor. He is testing them to determine whether genetic variability exists for winter-hardiness, seedling vigor and thatch production. Since the fall of 1998, Devine has been evaluating 53 accessions of hairy vetch, to identify those useful as parental material. His goal: develop earlier flowering cultivars with more vigorous cool-season growth for use in green manure/mulch systems for sustainable agriculture. For more details, see the February issue of Agricultural Research magazine, available online at: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/feb01/soil0201.htm ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency. ----------------------------------------------------------- Subject: New Beetle Attractant Controls White Grubs Date: Thu, 15 Feb 2001 09:45:45 -0500 From: ARS News Service A new lure being developed by Agricultural Research Service and cooperating scientists could bring relief to people trying to guard their lawns and crops against root-damaging white grubs. White grubs--the larvae of beetles in the family Scarabaeidae--are important pests of turfgrass, sugarcane, corn, small grains, vegetables, flowers, trees and nursery crops throughout the United States and around the world. The research focuses on a lure that attracts and kills the adult beetles before they have a chance to lay eggs. By preventing an infestation of white grubs, this new environmentally friendly technology may greatly reduce the need for treating large areas with insecticides, according to ARS entomologist Juan D. Lopez, Jr., in College Station, Texas. ARS researchers there are working with a scientist at the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station in Dallas. This new attractant is of special interest because no effective attractants are currently available for monitoring and controlling several species of white grubs, according to Lopez. The attractant was developed under a cooperative research agreement with Trece, Inc., of Salinas, Calif. The scents, which smell like food to the beetles, lure adult insects into a trap or into a treated area where they are captured or can feed on low-dose insecticides. A feeding stimulant entices them to eat enough of the mixture to kill them. With attract-and-kill technology, adults are targeted even though the larvae do the most damage to root crops. The goal is to keep adults from reproducing, thereby reducing succeeding generations. The new attractant can be used either as part of a monitoring program or as a direct control. Using monitoring alone, farmers and other growers can know when and where the pest is breeding to produce damaging offspring. This permits more efficient use of fewer pesticides in area-wide Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs. USDA and the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station have applied for a patent on the adult beetle attractant. A similar attractant for corn earworm moths was patented in June 2000. ARS is the chief scientific research agency for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>End of RFN2000102B.txt<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Rare Fruit News Online - March 1, 2001 - AKA RFN200103A.txt >> Notes In Passing << Dr. Sainarong Rasananda discusses the Longan Underground (roots) and more on the nutritional content of longan, in his mailbag section. Thank You Readers! You wrote more letters and made the newsletter more useful to others. I hope you will keep it that way! Letters Missed? > Several letters have dates that means they should have been published in an earlier newsletter. I'm not sure, but I think they were overlooked, so I'm putting them here (again?). If you ever write and it doesn't get published, please write again, as I almost never deliberately refrain from publishing a letter. >>>> Table Of Contents - Headers; (Letters Follow Table Of Contents) <<< >> New Subscribers << New Subscriber, In Israeli Kibbutz, is an Agronomist Timna Shoer New Subscriber, S. CA: One Acre, Forty Fruit Varieties.... Lawrence Dodson" New Subscriber, S. CA: Root Characteristics of Rare Fruit? Jim Hathaway New Subscriber, S. CA Greg Danskin New Subscriber, San Diego, Getting Started With Rare Fruit Harvey Stewart New Subscriber, Israel Now, S. Calif. Later MR. DAN ARDEL New Subscriber, Georgia, Looking For Moy Dulce Papaya Info William Boyd Re: Carica papaya "moy dulce" Leo Manuel To: William Boyd New Subscriber, Missouri Jan Bennicoff >> Readers Write << Newsletter - What Newsletter? HFTurnbull How do I stop? Richard K. Gross To: Bob Re: How do I stop? Bob Fruit Passion out of Control Alan Schroeder To: Rob Re: Who Grows Che, Carambola, and White Sapote? George F. Emerich