54 FLORIDA : ITS CLIMATE, SOIL, PRODUCTIONS, 



Spain, and persons familiar with this fruit in those countries are rather 

 disposed to discredit the statement that the lemons of Florida are of the 

 same variety of fruit. The Sicily lemon grown here frequently reaches 

 from 1 to 2 pounds in weight, and is of a superior quality. 



VARIOUS FRUITS. 



There are five of the acid varieties of the lime (Citrus limetta) named in 

 English nursery catalogues. The juice of the lime is preferred to that 

 of the lemon as being more wholesome and agreeable, and when freely 

 used is a preventive of fever. Combined with a little salt, it is regarded 

 by some of the old settlers as a specific for chills and fever. 



The citron (Citrus medico) is commercially known in the United States 

 as a preserved confection, imported from the Mediterranean in oblong- 

 boxes, weighing 20 to 25 pounds each, and used by families as an addi- 

 tion to fruit cakes, pies, &c. It is a native of the warm regions of Asia. 

 Heretofore but little attention has been paid to the cultivation of this 

 fruit in Florida, except for variety and ornaments, and it is not usual 

 to observe more than one or two trees in a large garden of several acres in 

 extent, though it is grown here with the greatest ease and perfection, fre- 

 quently producing fruit weighing 10 pounds, and there is no doubt but 

 that it may be cultivated, preserved, and introduced into our home mar- 

 kets as an article of commerce with great profit to the producer. There is 

 no other variety of this species so easily propagated, and none more 

 hardy, or that yields its fruit so quickly, or produces more abundantly; 

 and the fact that both the fruit and the sugar for preserving it are pro- 

 duced in the same field, with equal facility, gives to the American cul- 

 tivator a great advantage over the foreign producer in our markets. 

 The citron prepared and preserved by private families in Florida for 

 home use is of much finer quality, lighter colored, and more transparent 

 than the imported. The cost of preparing this fruit for market on a 

 large scale need not be great, and the combination of two articles, green 

 citron and sugar, the cost of producing w.hich does not exceed one-half 

 their actual value, where the two are combined, must leave a large mar- 

 gin of profit to those who engage intelligently and with proper facili- 

 ties in the business of cultivating and preparing this article for market. 



The shaddock (Citrus decumana), a native of India or China, is now 

 cultivated in all warm climates, and is called Arancio massino by the 

 Italians, Granger pampelmouse by the French, and sometimes in this 

 country mock-orange or forbidden fruit. It was brought from China to 

 the West Indies by Captain Shaddock, from whom it derives its present 

 name. There are at least six varieties, only one of which is useful or 

 desirable as a fruit. Some of these attain a very large size, frequently 

 weighing 10 to 14 pounds. It is chiefly used for ornament or show, and 

 where several sorts of oranges are presented at desert, it forms, a strik- 

 ing addition to the varieties in the way of contrast. The most desirable 

 variety of this fruit is sometimes called grape fruit. It possesses a red- 



