Improvement of Edible Fruits, 277 



bills of fare ; the former is more a luxury than a fruit for gene- 

 ral use ; their culture on hot-beds forms a material branch of 

 modern gardening, and with that of the gourd, pumpkin, 

 squash, vegetable marrow, &c., is well known. 



Of the Pine-Apple. — This sovereign of fruits is, and can 

 only be, in this country, an appendage to opulence and rank. 

 Several varieties are cultivated in our forcing-stoves, and grace 

 the tables of the rich, and in as great perfection as they can 

 be had between the tropics. In their wild state, they affect 

 the sides of rivulets, and often under the shade of lofty trees ; 

 but are of inferior flavour, unless the weather is very dry when 

 they are ripening off; and when cultivated, they receive little 

 or no water during the last stage of their growth. 



As the introduction of other intertropical fruits begins to 

 interest the admirers of such productions ; and as trials may be 

 made without much additional expense in our stoves appro- 

 priated to botanical collections ; it may be necessary here to 

 mention the names of a few of them, for the information of 

 those who have the means and the desire of making such trials. 



Of the banana, or plantain. This has been fruited in Britain 

 nearly forty years ago, and several times since. When the 

 pinery or stove is lofty enough, they are a magnificent plant, 

 and in appearance far surpassing what tliey are in their natural 

 place in the open air ; for then the winds tear their ample 

 leaves to pieces, and give the plant a most unsightly appearance. 



The mangoe has been also fruited both in France and Eng- 

 land : there are several much improved varieties of it in Ja- 

 maica ; and if a few worked plants could be had from thence, 

 and a stove, or part of a stove, fitted up for them, there can be 

 no doubt but that the mangoe may be had on the table as 

 easily as the pine-apple. 



The mangosteen is one of the most delicious fruits in the 

 world. It has been fruited, according to report, in France. It 

 requires the same treatment as the mangoe. To these may be 

 added the jambosteen, rambosteen, and decku ; they are na- 

 tives of the oriental archipelago, and when obtained, might be 

 cultivated along with the preceding. They are all superior fmits. 



The following list are inferior compared with the others, but 



