Fruits of Cuba. 207 
should say that it more nearly resembles, in taste, a 
Sweet and over-ripe pear, than any other northern fruit. 
It is esteemed by some to be the best fruit which the 
island produces, though I should place it below two or 
three others. 
In the “ Sugar Cane,” a lover is represented as dike 
ing the favor of his fair one by offerings of fruit, and 
of this fruit especially, which is most graciously re- 
ceived, and endowed by the fancy of the maid with an 
added flavor. | 
$ 4 The sweetest sappodillas oft he brought ; 
From him more sweet ripe sappodillas seemed.” 
par di 
acon OCCIDENTALE. This is the present bo- 
pea name of a fruit which ìs called by the Spaniards 
Marañon, and by the French Acajou, or Pomme acajou, 
from which word, of native origin, comes by corruption 
the English name Cashew. Hence the genus is by some 
termed CassuBra. The nut itself the Spanish call, as 
Grainger says, Anacardo. 
The tree is of a moderate size, thick 3$ bushy, with 
tufts of oval, glossy leaves, strongly marked by. trans- 
verse ribs, regularly parallel, and set nearly at right 
angles with the central rib. The blossoms are small, 
star-shaped, with five narrow petals of a reddish color, 
and hang in bunches at the ends of the branches. The 
blossom is followed by the nut, which acquires nearly 
its full size, before the fruit is very distinguishable. 
This nut is kidney-shaped, of an olive color, looking 
like a large bean. The shell is double, containing an 
hacc acrid and corrosive oil, * which," says Grain- 
H Mn held to a candle, emits s bright saline sparks, 
