266 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



globular or ovoidal syncarpium as h\g as the fist, with a mammillatcd 

 surface like the preceding, greenish witliout, and with a whitish 

 flesh within, is, according to some travellers, the most exquisite of 

 fruits ; its gelatinous pulp possesses a delicate flavour of strawberry 

 and pineapple. Like most of the edible Anon as this species is 

 cultivated in all warm climates ; and might be grown, it is asserted, 

 in the South of Europe. Nevertheless, Father Feuilki/s opinion 

 of the best Custard-apples applies to this fruit also, viz., that none is 

 equal to our exquisite European pears. They are all much prized 

 in tropical regions, but must be eaten when just ripe. They are 

 already overripe when they fall off the tree ; gathered too soon they 

 are astringent, and the tougher outer layers are then too rich in re- 

 sinous matters and essences, giving the fruit an after-flavour of tur- 

 pentine. They are no doubt refreshing, but are often injurious to 

 invalids, especially the feverish, who find them " too raw" and in- 

 digestible. Before they are ripe they are only eaten with the addition 

 of a certain quantity of sugar ; they are then more tonic, owing to 

 their astringency. Usually they are far less nutritious for their 

 bulk than our indigenous fruits, containing a larger proportion of 

 water. The expressed juice is sweet and mucilaginous ; fermented 

 it produces a sort of sweet wine called " vin tie CurossoV in the 

 Antilles. This drink does not usually keep well, turning sour 

 very readily. As stated above, the fruit when incompletely ripe 

 is slightly astringent ; it is then better tolerated by the alimentary 

 canal ; otherwise it may arrest digestion, and aggravate instead of 

 alleviating the disordered functions. In Peru the young fruit is 

 prized as an astringent drug; its decoction and powder are pre- 

 scribed in cases of diarrhoea and dysentery. 



The fruit of Anona rdicidata' is the Ci/shtrd-applc,' otherwise 

 known as Coroasol rMicnU or muvagc, petit Corossol, Cach'unan, Coeitr- 

 dc-/j(£nf, or MamUicr, a large globular or oval berry, whose surlace, 

 covered by a network with more or less distinct irregular pen- 

 tagonal meshes, is of a reddish yellow or tawny colour. This 

 fruit is edible, but, it is said, not much esteemed.' Tlie leaves 



• L., .S/jcr., Trj?.— Sloane, Jiim., t. 22G. — Iiidios, luul Hra/.il. Hoxiivitoii Fnys that it is 



J ACQ., Ohs.,\. t. G, tig. 2. — DC, <S|y«/., 1, 474; called ]S'uona in Iiiiliu, uiid U'lieves it to bo 



Prodr.,n. IH, idi-nticid witli A. (isiaticu Luru. (iiec L ). 



-• TliiH i» tlic true Cunt ard -apple of KiiKliHh =• It i» very lieatiii^ uceonling to Tl'BSii; 



colonints; ii is ciilliv.ili(l ill Mminliiis, ll,.- |.;,„i { h'lor. Anlill., v. l,t. 211). 



