370 



if there is not a twinge of conscience in the mind of every per- 

 son applying that false name to one of the best citrus fruits the 

 world has ever seen — and the one which has made the most 

 money for its growers, with the exception of the orange, perhaps, 

 since the two species left their ancient home in India and the 

 Far East. 



Chico. — This excellent Tropical American fruit has traveled 

 under several names, such as "naseberry,"" "sapodilla," "chico 

 zapote," and others ; but since it is not a berry nor any kind of a 

 zapote. let us adopt the convenient little name which even Mrs. 

 Grundy should have no difficulty with — except that it sounds 

 "foreign" and therefore iiiii;;ht have a meaning (sic) less nice 

 than its flavor. 



Yantia. — This good old Arawak word originally meant "place 

 of the Hutia." or so-called Spiny Rat of the Antilles. This 

 tuber vegetable is supposed to be the very oldest crop cultivated 

 by man ; and we can imagine the savages of twenty thousand 

 years ago being obliged to choose a word which would clearly 

 signify that object which was always to be found in the places 

 frequented by their common game animal, the now early extinct 

 Hutia. This plant has been called "coco," "eddoes," *'ot6." and 

 "macal" in various countries of Tropical America. Worse than 

 having a number of names is the fact that the yautias were for 

 many years confused even by botanists with the taros which be- 

 long to quite another genus of plants with peltate leaves instead 

 of arrow-shaped. 



It will be an interesting question to note whether it will be pos- 

 sible to accustom the Filipino planters to the use of the word 

 before they get the idea settled in their minds that it is only 

 a kind of "gabi" — which it resembles, of course, in habit. 



Fcijoa. — The name of this new fruit is to be spelled in English 

 as in Latin but the Portuguese pronunciation ( f ay-zho-a ) is to 

 be given, it out of honor to Snr. Feijoa, a Brazilian gentleman, 

 after whom it is named. This fruit will be very widely known, 

 we believe, within a few years on account of its remarkably 

 strong perfume and fine flavor, and now is the lime to correct 

 the spelling and pronunciation of the name. 



Cherimoya. — This Central American fruit is now successfully 

 introduced into the Philippines in the form of several varieties 

 and even hybrids between Anoint clicriiiiolia and other species 

 of Anona, and it is ra])idly becoming very po]:)ular in California. 

 It is also spelled Chirimoya, Cherimolia, and Cherimoyer, and. 

 especially in California is often confused with the custardapple. 



Ciistardapplc. — 'i'his, not being an api)le in either shai)e, size, 

 color, or .flavor, sliould eitlier l)e written as one word, or better 

 .still a new word should be decided u])on to take the place ot the 

 rather awkward and long name it now bears. The once fairly 

 common West India name of "IJullock's lle;irt" has fortunately 

 been droj)pe(i. 



