CHAP. II. DESSERT FRUITS. 221 



make a great secret of the remedy for this pestilence ; but it is 

 nothing more than pouring into the orifice made by the insect 

 a small quantity of Assafoetida and Buckh (orris-root) boiled in 

 oil, which has the effect of bringing the insect to the surface, 

 when it can be picked out by a thorn or pin. 



" The Oranges are not of two colours, but you have been cor- 

 rectly informed that there are two crops. The blossoms of the 

 first crop (Ambeeabar, from their coming in with the Mango 

 blossoms) appear in February, and the fruit ripens in November, 

 lasting on the trees till January. The tree flowers again in the 

 beginning of July (Mirigbar t from the setting in of the Kain 

 season), and the fruit ripens fully in March and April. The 

 Oranges of this second crop are the sweetest, and coming in at 

 the beginning of the hot weather, they are in great demand, 

 and are plucked early in March, and even in February, while 

 the rind is yet green. Hence the impression that the fruit is of 

 two colours. 



" The Nagpore Oranges were introduced by Kaja Kaghqjee II. 

 from Ourungabad and a place called Seethakolee. The Ourun- 

 gabad stock is distinguished by a peculiar formation of the 

 fruit at the peduncle, where it rises in the form of a nipple, 

 having a marked depression all around. The Seethakolee 

 Orange is quite round. Both descriptions are of two distinct 

 kinds, viz., the Sunthura, or thin, smooth, and close-rinded ; and 

 the Koomla, or thick, rough, and loose-rinded. The latter are 

 the largest, being sometimes as much as five inches in diameter. 



" I believe that the double crop is owing to a peculiarity in the 

 Nagpore Orange. It has retained that peculiarity when removed 

 elsewhere ; though, in the very limited number of instances in 

 which it has been removed, the fruit has been found to deterio- 

 rate. 



" I was recently down at Bombay, where I found in a Parsee 

 nurseryman's garden a description of Orange that I had never 

 seen before. It is in colour and appearance very like a Sweet 

 Lime quite as juicy, but slightly acid, and fully as large as our 

 largest Oranges : indeed it looked like a young Pumelo ! The 

 Parsee said he had a sour variety of this Orange ; but this is a 

 fruit not uncommon here, known as the Jumbairee Leemoo. It 

 is exceedingly sour, but not distinguishable from the Seethakolee 

 Koomla Orange except by the taste." 



