OTHER CITRUS FRUITS LIMES. 161 



CHAPTER XVII. 



OTHER CITRUS FRUITS LIMES. 



Next after the orange and lemon the lime ranks as the 

 most important member of the celebrated citrus family, 

 and the day is not far distant whe'n the hitherto modest 

 lime will step forward and assert itself as the full equal of 

 the lemon. 



The production of limes in quantity is one of the latent 

 interests that will spring up in the near future of Florida. 

 The lime tree is an early and prolific bearer, and will 

 bring its owner a revenue more quickly than any other of 

 the citrus fruits. 



The lime, which is found scattered over the State, and 

 known as the " Florida lime," is in reality the Mexican 

 lime, and is well worthy of extended culture. It never 

 "sports" like the lemon, but is a quiet, steady-going tree, 

 coming true to its seed always, growing rapidly, and pro- 

 ducing abundantly good fruit in poor soil when only three 

 years old. 



Wherever the lime is introduced it receives a warm wel- 

 come ; its acid is more pleasant than that of the lemon ; 

 its juice far more abundant in proportion to its size, and, 

 being smaller than the lemon, is highly esteemed ; and, in 

 fact, preferred before the latter for hotel, saloon, and culi- 

 nary uses. 



Pickled and preserved limes are justly celebrated, and a 

 jelly made of limes is also delicious. 



With all these points in its favor, how is it that compar- 

 atively so few limes are planted ? 



There are two reasons, we are told. First, because the 

 lime tree is the most delicate, as regards cold, of the citrus 



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