178 OTJK COMMON FETJITS. 



is derived. It often retains the style at the summit, but 

 sometimes has, instead, an aperture disclosing six or eight 

 tiny fruits nestling within the large one, each having its 

 vesicled outer skin covering pulp within. The white blos- 

 som, though small, is extremely odoriferous, and the es- 

 sential oil contained in it, and also in the rind of the fruit, 

 becomes in the hands of the perfumer a precious essence, 

 which serves as the base of many delectable preparations. 

 The whole rind, indeed, is often, after being cleared from 

 the pulp, dried, and then softened in water, introduced 

 into a mould, pressed into the form of a box, then adorned 

 with paintings in brilliant colours, and made thus into a 

 very popular bonfionniere, gratifying at once to the sight, 

 the smell, and the taste. 



The Bergamot, too, like all its other orange brethren, 

 has diversities quaint and queer. One variety in parti- 

 cular has double blossoms, succeeded by a fruit which has 

 a large circular opening at the flattened top, whence pro- 

 ceed a number of irregular prominences.* On cutting open 

 one of these fruits, it is found to be divided into about 

 20 regular cells around the circumference, besides a num- 

 ber of irregular ones in the centre corresponding with the 

 external protuberances, and in each of the 20, in the midst 

 of the pulp, is seen, instead of seeds, the rudiment of a 

 little fruit covered with yellow rind. 



The same season which brings our ordinary orange into 

 such demand claims also special service from two other 

 fruits very nearly allied to it, and which, though not like 

 the former, blazoned proper upon our tables, yet appear 

 before us, especially during winter festivities, in a variety 

 of forms, lending such added attractions to many a deli- 

 cious compound, that we could ill brook their absence, 

 and therefore may well add them to this page. "What 

 would be our British palladium, plum pudding, not to 

 speak of Puritan- defy ing mince pie, were it deprived of 

 the subtle influence of Citron ? And how, passing over 

 many a minor use, could wit-inspiring punch maintain 

 even existence without Lemon ? 



* See Plate V., fig. 14. 



