Fruits 



275 



The Grape (Vitis vim- 

 fera) is the most esteemed 

 of all dessert fruits. In this 

 country a great many varie- 

 ties of grape are cultivated, 

 practically all under glass, 

 and English hot-house grapes 

 are considered the finest 

 grapes in the world. Else- 

 where in this work the vine 

 is treated at length, and it is 

 sufficient in this place to note 

 its value as a fruit. 



Considerable quantities 

 of grapes are imported into 

 this country. In 1905 we 

 imported 700,050 cwt. of 

 grapes, valued at £761,632. 

 Of these, 664,383 cwt. were 

 from foreign countries, chiefly 

 Spain,which sent 543,807 cwt. 



From British possessions 

 came 35,667 cwt., Channel 

 Isles 33,863 cwt., Cape 

 Colony 1,645 cwt. 



Raisins are the- dried 

 fruits of a peculiar variety of 

 V. vinifera, cultivated in 

 Greece. Sultanas are the 

 dried fruits of a seedless 

 variety of this same species, .- 

 also largely cultivated in 

 Greece. The Black Corinth 



or Zante grape, a variety of V. vinifera, supposed to have originated near Corinth, and- very 

 widely cultivated in the Greek Archipelago, furnishes the dried currants of commerce. 



Dates are' the fruits of the date palm (Phcenix dactyli/era). This palm is a native of the 

 dry, hot regions of Northern Africa ; it is also cultivated there in immense quantities, and 

 more sparingly in Western Asia and Southern Europe. In the dry parts of Northern Africa 

 it is the principal food of a large proportion of the inhabitants, and likewise of the various 

 domestic animals — dogs, horses, and camels being alike partial to, it. 



The Fig (Ficus Carica) is a deciduous tree, growing fifteen to twenty-five feet high in 

 favourable climates ; native probably of Asia Minor, but now very widely cultivated. The 

 fig is hardy in the more favoured parts of the United Kingdom, and when grown agamst 

 sunny walls or under glass fruits readily. Figs grown in this country are seedless, anjd&Jije 

 usually eaten in a green state. 



Figs when fresh are pear or urn-shaped. Drying -is effected in a warfn climate by. expoj 

 to the sun's rays.- In drying some of the grape sugar. exudes and forms a white powder, 

 dried figs are packed in boxes under pressure, and constitute the figs of commerce. The figs 

 imported into this country mostly come from the Mediterranean region, notably Turkey and 

 Asia Minor. 



The Pineapple (Ananas sativus) is universally acknowledged to be one of the most 



TRINIDAD. THE CASHEW FRUIT 



