68 The Philippine Journal of Science wis 



The general characteristics of this fruit are much like the 

 preceding, and its uses are the same. The sour juice is useful 

 as an antiscorbutic and as a cooling drink to allay fevers. Both 

 form excellent preserves, with a pleasant refreshing taste. 



PINEAPPLE 

 ANANAS SATIVA Lindl. PlNA. 



An erect perennial plant, the long spiny leaves forming a 

 rosette, the fruit solitary, peduncled, erect, borne in the center 

 of the rosette, fleshy, ovoid to cylindric, up to 40 centimeters 

 long, more or less scaly, crowned by a tuft of leaves. Tropical 

 America. 



The fruit is so well known in every country that little need 

 be said regarding it. The dietetic value is high, not only due 

 to the available food material, but also to the presence of bro- 

 melin, a proteolytic enzyme closely related to trypsin. This fer- 

 ment converts albuminous matter into peptones and proteoses, 

 acting in acid, alkaline, or neutral media. The Philippine pine- 

 apples are of good size and flavor, although not equal to those 

 from Hawaii. The industry of growing and canning pineapple 

 is beginning to develop, and has great commercial possibilities. 

 The fiber is used extensively in weaving the well-known piria 

 cloth. 



LIMONCITO 

 TRIPHASIA TRIFOLIATA DC. 



A small spiny shrub with trifoliolate leaves and white flowers-. 

 Fruit globose, aromatic, red or purplish, about 1.5 centimeters 

 in diameter, containing few seeds. Tropical Asia. 



The limoncito was largely employed at one time for preserves, 

 but its use has gradually declined as other and more suitable 

 products became better known. It is eaten in India, and is very 

 commonly used as an ingredient of Chinese preserved fruits. 



POMELO 



CITRUS DECUMANA Murr. Plate VI, fig. 2. Pomelo, Shaddock, Forbid- 

 den fruit; Suha, Lucban, T.; Sua, II. 



A medium-sized, usually spiny tree, the leaves simple, the 

 petiole foliaceous, often nearly as broad as the leaves. Flowers 

 white, fragrant. Fruit large, globose, green or yellowish, 10 

 to 15 centimeters in diameter, the pericarp very thick, the pulp 

 yellowish to pink, acid, usually containing numerous seeds in 

 each segment. Tropical Asia. 



