530 



Our Surroundings 



Brown Brothers. 



ORANGE AND GRAPEFRUIT GROVE 



goods is grown in Flanders, Belgium, and in the north of 

 Ireland. Hemp, useful for making twine, is produced from the 

 fibers of plants that grow in Yucatan and in the Philippine 

 Islands. 



Fruit-producing Plants. We depend on trees for healthful 

 and delicious fruits. These are used raw or in preserved form. 



Owing to improvements in 

 packing and shipping, fruit 

 growing and fruit preserv- 

 ing have become great indus- 

 tries in this country. Our 

 main commercial fruits are 

 apples, oranges, grapefruit, 

 peaches, pears, plums, and 

 apricots. Bananas and figs 

 are grown to a slight ex- 

 tent, but most of our sup- 

 ply comes from more tropical regions. 



Among the fruit-producing plants should be included such nut- 

 bearing trees as the walnut, almond, chestnut, and pecan. 



Beverage-producing Plants. The most common plant 

 products from which beverages are made are coffee, tea, cocoa, 

 apples, grapes, hops, and several cereal grains. Coffee is made 

 by boiling in water the ground berries of the coffee plant, which 

 grows extensively in Brazil and, to some extent, in Java, the 

 West Indies, and Mexico. Tea is made by steeping in water the 

 leaves of the tea plant, which is widely cultivated in Japan, China, 

 India, Ceylon and, to a less extent, in some other countries. 

 Chocolate as a drink is made by adding milk or water to the 

 roasted and ground seeds of the cacao tree, which thrives in sev- 

 eral countries of South America, in the West Indies and in 

 Mexico. Cocoa is made in the same way except that the fats 

 have been removed from the ground seeds. 



The fresh juices of many fruits are used to make delicious 

 and healthful drinks. Orange juice has become especially popu- 

 lar for this purpose. Lemonade and limeade, made from the 

 juices of lemons and limes, are excellent warm-weather bever- 



