154 



green. This irce usually bears a grenl qiianliir 

 of fruit which is perfectly round and of a shining- 

 yellow, forming a fine contrast with the beautiful 

 \erdurc of the foliage. 



The clwgner (lucuma spinosa) has a trunk 

 about thirty feet high ; the branches are thorny, 

 the leaves oval and sessile^ and the fruit resembles 

 that of the keule^ but has a more agreeable taste. 

 The wood is hard, of a yellow colour^ and much 

 valued by cabinet-makers. 



The different kinds of pulse, flowers, garden 

 herbs, vines, and fruit trees, which the Spaniards 

 have brought from Europe, thrive as well in 

 Chili as in their native country.* 



The melons, of which there are many kinds, 

 are almost always long ; the rind is very thin, 



* Eacli house lias a garden in -ivliicli may be fouiul ali kinds 

 of fruit trees, which produce c\ cry year siicii abun(iance of fruit 

 :Iiat Ilie iiiliabitant,-; pluck off a great part of it ^^hen it first 

 forms, as otherwise it wouhl not only endanj^er breaking the 

 limbs, but wouhl never come to maturity. The fruits are not 

 inferior in <]U:ility 1o those of Europe, except the rlic-^nut \^ Isic h 

 is much Ifss, Init in pl;ice of this there are many other kinds 

 of fruit unknown in o-.ir chmate. FcuiHi', voh ii. 



All the liou'cs in Conuliiibo h'lve large gardens surrounded 

 i^ith walls, in whi^h, in t'leir season, :\ye produ'cd apples, 

 pears, prr.nes, delifiov;^ cherries, nut-, almonds, olives, lemons, 

 orapi^fs. ;ome;:^ranate::, fir;';, crapes, and i!)any other fruit^', 

 pec'jiiav io the roiintry, not known in {>n()pe. Al! the^e 

 jVuits aje very od.oriff'rous, U'-' I huve myc-flf evperiou'-ed.-- 



