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Some of the Less Known Fruits

THE HE Otaheite and Spanish or Barbadoes gooseberries are "gooseberries" by courtesy only, although the resemblance is not strained. The former, Cicca disticha (C. racemosa), is a tree whose berries are white and waxy, growing in clusters, the tree, leaves, and berries all being very ornamental. The "gooseberries" are extremely acid and very acceptable at their season of ripening: the height of summer. The Spanish, or Barbadoes Gooseberry, the Pereskia aculeata, or Lemon Vine, is a climbing cactus with exquisite blossoms which resemble miniature pond lilies, and fruit of pleasing tartness. (The blossoms, however, give out an unpleasant musty odour.) The berries may be used in many different ways, bringing out their refreshing flavour in natural state or for culinary purposes.

The Spanish Lime, or Ginep (Melicocca bijuga) has an edible fruit resembling the Northern plum in appearance but with rather a grape flavour, both pulp and seeds being edible, the latter sometimes roasted and eaten like chestnuts. The Sea Grape or Shore Grape of the West Indies, the Coccoloba uvifera, is not a vine but a broad-leaved, bushy tree or plant with purple-red fruits of agreeable flavour, susceptible of varied preparation.

The Ceriman or Monstera deliciosa is sometimes called the "false bread-fruit," but its distinction should rest entirely upon itself for the tall, spreading plant with large, curiously shaped leaves bears a most delicious fruit, conelike in form, whose flavour is singularly delightful, a combination of pineapple and banana both as to taste and pulpconsistency, though far more aromatic than either. The light, husky skin is not unlike the pineapple in its markings, though very tender and readily removed.

The Kai Apple (Aberia Caffra), from Natal, is a large, edible fruit which makes an excellent preserve.

The Carissa carandas or "Caraunda," the Carissa arduina and C. acuminata, are also Natal fruits, known variously as "Amatungulu" and "Amatungula" and "Maritzgula."

The Carissa arduina resembles both a cherry and raspberry, having a thin, deep-red skin, and tiny seeds (larger than the fruits it resembles), and makes a delicious preserve though equally good uncooked.

The "Strawberry Pear" (Cereus triangularis) is a relative of the Night-blooming Cereus, and its "scaly buds,” called "Godochro" in Jamaica, are used in making the toothsome "pepper-pot" of the West Indies. The "pear" itself is pleasing but not more pronounced than many other fruits of the cacti. • The "Melon Pear" or Pepino, sometimes called also "Melon Shrub" is one of the edible Solanums, described by Mr. Grelech of Los Angeles, who introduced it there from Guatemala, as resembling "in many respects the Chili pepper vine, the tomato, or the nightshade. The fruit is of the size of a hen or goose egg or even larger, and very much of the same shape.

The interior of the fruit is a solid pulp similar to that of a pear, also of a pale yellow colour and of a taste resembling that of a fine muskmelon, but which has besides a charming acid, so wholesome and delicious that when the fruit is partaken of on a very warm day it allays the thirst for several hours." It is in colour lemon, streaked with violet. • The "Tree Tomato" of Jamaica is another Solanum (S. betaceum), which is grown over much of the world for its purplish-red fruit which, uncooked, and fully ripe is not unlike a gooseberry, or, stewed with sugar, an apricot, though more tart. It is used as is the tomato and is about the same size though oval rather than rounding.

The Cashew Apple or Nut (Anacardium occidentale) bears its seeds outside of the pulp and both parts are used as food, the nut being roasted like chestnuts or used for flavouring, in the making of chocolate or wine. It is said, however, that care must be taken in roasting the kernel, as from its thin covering a peculiar vapour rises which is apt to affect the skin. The pulp or stalk of the fruit proper is pleasantly tart and varies in both colour and size radically.

The red fruit of the Akee Tree, the Cupania sapida, is not considered quite safe to eat uncooked, but cooked, stewed, or otherwise prepared, is both palatable and wholesome.

The Mangrove, or Rhizophora, one of the hour-glass-like guardians of the seashore in the tropics, has an edible fruit, sweet and pleasant in flavour, which may be varied in preparation; and the juice, fermented, makes an acceptable light wine.

The Carambola (Averrhoa carambola) is also sometimes called the Coromandel Gooseberry in India. It is curiously formed, with five distinct ribs or angles; has a thin, smooth coat, generally yellow in colour, and is about the size of a duck-egg. The flavour ranges from sweet to acid so that it is used variously, for desserts or preserves, cooked or not as rendered necessary by its flavour.

The Averrhoa Bilimbi, or Blimbling, is a similar fruit but generally more acid. The leaves of both resemble those of the sensitive plant in irritability.

The Emblic Myrobolan (Phyllanthus emblica) is a beautiful plant with delicate leaves, a fruit similar to the plum and equally edible in simple or preserved form.

The Durian or Durion (Durio zibethinus: Nat. Ord.

Sterculiacee), is a remarkable Malay fruit. The tree is tall and spreading, the fruit, rounding yet oval, "the size of a man's head," is light green and covered with spines. It takes nine months to ripen and the odour from it is very offensive to Europeans till accustomed to it. The creamy pulp, somewhat like a strawberry in flavour, is delicious and contains large seeds, edible when roasted.

The Nephelium longanum, or Longan Tree, is handsomely leaved and clustered with fruit, the latter having one large seed in the centre with sweet, translucent pulp surrounding it. It is a near relative of the famous Chinese nut-tree, the Nephelium Litchi (or Leechee), which loses its pink colour (of pulp) when dried and so reaches other countries in brown, shrivelled form.

The Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo) is semi-tropical but will grow as far north as Ireland. The tree, flowers and berries are all very ornamental and from the edible fruit both sugar and a fermented liquor are made. In Italy and Spain the berries are much liked.

The Otaheite Apple, or Spondias dulcis, is a fruitbearing tree whose "apples" are in colour and size like small oranges and in flavour resemble the pineapple. The Otaheite Plum, or "Jamaica" or "Hog-Plum" (Spondias lutea or S. cytheria) is related to the Otaheite Apple but its fruit more nearly resembles the larger Loquat ("Japan Plum").

The Ximenia Americana is also often called the "Hog- Plum" and is also an edible, though a smaller fruit. The Adansonia digitata or "Baobob," known best in Africa, is commonly called "Monkey's Bread." The oval