214 



CHAPTER XV. 



DISCUSSION ON THE ORIGIN OF THE DIFFERENT VARIE- 

 TIES OF CITRUS, AND ON THE DERIVATION OF THEIR 

 NAMES. 



THE object of discussing the derivation of the 

 numerous names of the citrus family is, if possible, to 

 obtain some clue/ through the name, of the origin of 

 that particular variety. I shall take them as far as I 

 can, in the order of their chapters. 



The Orange. We have narunj, narang, and 

 naranghi, from which probably the European names 

 have been derived. I have not been able to make out 

 satisfactorily that this name is indigenous in India. But 

 to leave no stone unturned, I referred the question to 

 various orientalists. Their courteous replies are given 

 in the course of this chapter. 



Mr. Growse, of the Bengal Civil Service, states that 

 no genuine Sanskrit work makes any mention of any 

 kind of citrus. The Pundits of Benares, however, say 

 that there is a book on medicine, called Mandanpdl 

 nighunt, dated 1411, Sumbut (about 531 years 

 ago), which mentions both the sweet and the sour 

 orange, under the name of naranghi, as follows : 

 (a.) Is sour-sweet. It increases the appetite, and 

 counteracts flatulence, (b.) Is sour. It is extremely 

 heating and difficult to digest. It is laxative, and also 

 counteracts flatulence. 



