96 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Oct. 5, 1831. 



MISCELiLAiVY 



PRODUCTIONS OF ST THOMAS. 



\XJ' The following description of the fruits of St 

 Thomas we have taken fiom a manusciipt account of the 

 Island, its plantations, vegelable productions, animals, Sfc, 

 furnished us by an intelligent and observing young man, 

 for a few years attached to our Establishment, now a 

 resident at St Thomas. 



Fruits. 

 Forbidden Fruit is one one of the largest fruits 

 known here; is about 18 iuclies in circuiiifereuco, 

 round like an orange ; of a light yellow color, 

 and resembles the orange much in taste. 



Mangoes are one of the richest and most deli- 

 cious fruits in tlie West Indies ; are a native of the 

 East Indies, and were first brought here about 30 

 years since ; are shaped like an egg, and about 

 the size of a very large pear ; the skin is thick and 

 smooth ; the color yellow tinged with rod ; the 

 flesh is of a rich orange color, and in flavor some- 

 what resembles a peach, having a rich condjina- 

 tion of acid and sweet, and very juicy ; the tree is 

 very beautiful, of the shape and size of a cherry 

 tree, with broad leaves. 



Guavas are a small but delicious fruit, and f-jiw 

 wild on bushes which resemble the American black 

 alder; they are about the size of a large plum ; 

 of a yellow smooth skin, and the flesh a light red 

 color ; the flavor is similar to a ripe gooseberry. 



Bananas are about the size and shape of a cu- 

 cumber, but more pointed at the ends ; the color 

 is \ olio w, the skin thick, which peals off very 

 easily ; the flesh is soft and very sweet and nutri- 

 tious ; they grow in clusters of from 10 to 20 on 

 a stalk ; the trees grow to the height of 12 feet, 

 covered with leaves from 10 to 12 feet long, which 

 grow in abundant clusters. 



Pomegranates are much celebrated for their beau- 

 ty and their delicious juice ; -are perfectly round, 

 the size of an apple ; the color a ricli scarlet ; spot- 

 ted with yellow and black ; the skin smooth with 

 a beautiful glos.s; the inside is curious, being com- 

 posed of small separate pieces of flesh, with trans- 

 parent skin, about the size of a currant, but oh- 

 long ; the tree resembles the orange tree. 



Sour Sops are a large, irregular shaped fruit : 

 color green; flesh white, very soft and juicy, and 

 has a pleasant mixture of acid and sweet, resem- 

 bling the strawberry ; the trees have a rich, dark 

 green foliage. 



Shaddocks are what I should call nianiinoth 



of a i)each ; the skin brown and rougli ; the flesh 

 excessively sweet, soft, and full ol juice. 



Tamarinds grow in pods of a brown color, about 

 the size of large, beans. Some kinds are compara- 

 tively sweet, and some are so acid as to take the 

 skin off the mouth and tongue. 



Coy Meats are round, the size of a peach, are 

 yellow anil. purple, skin smooth, flesh sweet and 

 rich. 



Sugar Apples are a curious fruit ; shape irregu- 

 lar ; the color a light green ; and the size about 

 that of an apple ; the flesh is not solid, but com- 

 posed of small long pieces growing together, which 

 come a|)art vvIkmi eaten ; the (ruit is full of juice 

 and sweet with little acid. 



Marmcy .Apples are a large fpiiif, with a rough, 

 brown skin ; they are about the size of a cocoa 

 nut, but more round ; the flesh is somewhat har- 

 der than an apple, and of a dark orange color , 

 the taste resembles the apple, mingled with the 

 flavor of' the peach. 



Gooseberrries (as they are called here) are 

 about the size of a cherry ; the color a light yel- 

 low when ripe ; they have a strong acid taste, and 

 make excellent tarts and pies. They grow on 

 branches on large tree?. 



Grapes. There are three kinds which grow 

 here ; the malnga, and a small black kind, the lat- 

 ter very sweet ; there is also the Sea Grape which 

 grows on large trees by the Sea Shore. 



Sherries resemble our black Tartarean cherries 

 very much ; of the same size and color ; the taste 

 acid, with little sweet. They make excellent pies, 

 and tarts. 



Plums. — Those arc ahotit the same size as the 

 Plums in America ; the color is rod, and the taste 

 nmch like the sherries. 



Bell Apples grow on vines, ami arc of the size 

 of a small a]jplc. The skin is yellow and smooth ; 

 they are v«ry sweet and rich ; the method of eat- 

 ing them, is, to bite off one end and suck out the 

 inside, ihcy being very soft like the Ouava. 



Alligator Pear is a very" valuable fruit, particu- 

 larly for the table. The shape, color and size re- 

 semble exactly our Winter large Pears, only the 

 ' in is smooth ; in the centre is a large round 

 seed ; the flavor has no acid or sweet, but a rich, 

 buttery taste. When used for the table it is peel- 

 ed and eaten with pepper and salt ; the flesh is 

 very soft. The tree grows to the size of our pear 



Black Currant Jf'ine. 



Ju<t received at J. B. Russell's Seed Store, Nos. 51 fy 

 32 North Market Street, Boston— 



A further supply of superior old Black Currant Wine, 

 made under the inspection of John Prince, Esq. Roxbu- 

 ry ; an account of its astringent and detergent proper- 

 tics in various compbiints, will be found in the N. E. 

 I'";Hiner, vol. 5, paje 267, written by S, W. Poraeroy, 

 Esq and the late Doct. J. G. Coffin. It is highly salu- 

 tary in many summer complaints. Doct. Coffin states : 

 * Its use has been attended with remarkable success in 

 the early stages of cholera morbus and dj'sentery — and 

 again also in the later stages of these diseases, after the 

 symploms of inflammation or febrile excitement had 

 ceased. It has been strikingly remedial in llie lowstates 

 of typhoid and bilious fever. Tlie late Capt. Gilchrist, 

 wlio lor several years lollowed the Batavia trade, and 

 w'lo had alw.tys sulTered an attack of the severe cholera 

 which proves so destructive of human lile in that climate, 

 used to say that after he had this wine with him, and 

 took two glasses of it every morning, he escaped the 

 disease. On one voyage, his male, wbo had not taken 

 the wine, was seized with this complaint, when a bottle 

 or two slopped its progress. We have not room to enu- 

 merate many other morbid affections in which this wine 

 has proved useful. In sore throat it has for many years 

 been considered almost a spei'ific remedy. — Price 75 cts- 

 per bottle. Aug. 3. 



Pine Apples I need not describe ; I would re- 

 mark, however, they have a much sweeter and 

 more sprightly taste when eaten here fresh; 



Cocoa Mtts grow here in abundance. The 

 tree is a sort of palm, from 40 to 60 fcethi<rh, with 

 leaves on its tops only, appearing like immense 

 feathers 10 to 15 feet long, by 3 broad, and win- 

 ed—the upper ones erect, the middle ones hori- 

 zontal, and the lower ones drooping. The nuts 

 l>ang .1, clusters of ten or a dozen together. Many 

 of the roads are lined with these trees, which 

 n.ake a beamilhl and romantic a,)pearance.— 

 When green the fruit is very fine; the meat, in- 

 stead of betng hard, is a soft jellv, and the water 

 IS very sweet. 



Messibhs grow on vines, and are about the size 



Kinneps are about the size of a Plum, with a 

 oranges ; resembli ng that friiit much, but are twice I thick green skin, which peels off whole ; when off, 



the flesh looks like the yolk of an egg : the taste 

 is a mixture of acid and sweet — are very juicy, 



Pomrose, a small green ftuit, having a delightful 

 fragrance ; they are hollow inside, whli two large 

 seeds, which rattle when shaken. They have^ 

 sweet spicy taste, combining the rose and nutmeg. 

 Bread Fruit are of the size of a child's head ; 

 when roasted and eaten with salt and butter, they 

 serve for bread. They are hanl and white like a 

 yam. 



Patipaw. — This fruit grows on a small tree re- 

 sembling the castor-oil-bean plant, but larger ; it 

 is of the size of a small nnisk melon. It is cut 

 into slices, like citron, and preserved in syrup. 



The two following kinds I have not seen, and 

 cannot describe, viz. Custard Apple; and Granadilla, 

 which grow very large on vines. 



~*''' 



Tulip Roots. 



For sale at J. B. Russell's Seed Store, Nos. 51 &^ 

 North Market Street, Boston — 



A splendid collection of Tulip Roots, now in fine order 

 for transplanting, comprising some of the most beautiful 

 varieties now cultivated in this vicinity, viz: 



Marbled or mottled, dark stamens. 



While and Purple, ditto. 



Vellow and Purple, ditto. 



Double Yellow Rose. 



Double pale yellow flamed, (Passe non plus ultra.) 



Crimson, yellow centre and yellow stamens. 



White, shaded with red, dark centre and stamens. 



Fine large yellow, with yellow stamens. 



Double white, with red shades, (beautiful.) 



Double orange brown, (very large.) 



Double pa-ony lose. 



Double coffee color. 



Parrot tulips, of several colors. 



Fine bibloems, (striped on white ground. 1 



Fine bizarres, (striped on yellow ground.) 



Fine Rosy, on white, &c, &c. Price 12jj cts. each 



$1 per doz. 



The above are of large size, and aro raised from su- 

 perior imported roots, some of which cost igl each. 



Also, common tulip roots, of all colors, and of good 

 size, price .$.5 per hundred, suitable for those commenc- 

 ing a large lulip bed. 



Also, Double White and Yellow sweet scented Nar- 

 cissus— 124 els. each — $1 per doz. 



Mixed Crocus roots — 50 cts. per dozen. Aug. 3. 



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