70 CITRUS AURANTIUM. 



In Europe, the VdhnrUi omns^'-rs are eac;erly sonclit after, on account of tlicir 

 early appearance, lari^^e size, and beautiful colour. They are j)ut up m l)oxes of 

 two hundred and twenty to two hundred and forty fruits in each, enveloped in 

 brown paper. 



The Siri/ian onni^rs, and those of the south of Italy, may be regarded as 

 nearly of the same quality. They are of a medium size, with a fine colour, and 

 are rather acid in their flavour. Those shipped from Me.ssina are put up in 

 boxes of two hundred to two Inmdred and ten fruits in each, and those of Pa- 

 lermo, which mature later, are shipped in boxes of three liundred or more fruits 

 in each. The oranges of Ileggio ripen very early, so much so, that it is not unu- 

 sual to send them away by the 2Uth of October. They are packed in boxes of 

 two hundred and forty fruits in each, and like most of the oranges of the Medi- 

 terranean, are enveloped in paper. 



The Provence oransfes come to great perfection, and may be classed with those 

 of Genoa. Along the river Var, they have two harvests of the orange, the first 

 commencing from the 10th to the 15th of November, when the fruit begins to 

 turn, and continues till the 4th of December; the second begins about the lOth of 

 January, and is prolonged nearly to the end of February. They are put up in boxes 

 of one hundred and twenty to three hundred and sixty fruits in each, accord- 

 ing to their size and qualities. 



With the Seville orajiges may be classed those of Faro, St. Ubes, Oporto, 

 Andalusia, Malaga, and the bitter oranges of Cuba and Florida. This fruit is 

 usually of a good size, of a beautiful colour, but unfit to eat, on account of its 

 bitter flavour. Those shipped from Seville are put up in large boxes, of one 

 thousand fruits in each ; while those of Faro and St. Ubes are badly packed, in 

 cases of three hundred to three hundred and fifty in each. Those of Spain and 

 Portugal are principally carried to England and the Baltic, and are employed in 

 cookery, and in the manufacture of cordials and other aromatic liquors. The 

 essential product of the fruit is in the rind or peel ; it is cut into quarters, sepa- 

 rated from the pulp, and caused to be quickly dried. It is much used in Hol- 

 land in aromatizing a certain liquor, called curagoa. In East Florida, the imme- 

 diate vicinity of a wild orange grove, is of some importance to the planters. 

 They collect the fruit, extract the juice by horse-mills, and send it otT to differ- 

 ent markets, where it is used as an ingredient in cooling drinks. The fruit is 

 sometimes given by them to their horses, which seem to eat it with relish. In 

 Cuba it is much used by the inhabitants in the cure of fluxes, intermittent, and 

 other fevers. In France, in the department of the Var, and particularly at 

 Grasse, the flowers of the Seville orange are brought into use. A volatile oil is 

 listilled from them, called ?ieroll, the colour of which varies from a reddish-yel- 

 low to a deep red. It is very fluid, of an agreeable odour, and is chiefly 

 employed in pharmacy and in perfumery. For the latter purpose, this variety 

 is superior to the ordinary orange. 



