THE WILD "SOUR." OR SEVILLE ORANGE 205 



oil of bitter oranges is distilled from it. The smallest green 

 oranges, sour or sweet, are usually saved in Europe as they 

 drop, and are dried to be sold as "orange berries" for 

 various uses, or to be made into Curafoa. The peel is dried 

 for medicinal purposes, the resultants being employed in 

 stomachics and general tonics. The flowers, also, are dried 

 and preserved in Europe, being considered a gentle nerve 

 stimulant when infused in boiling water (two drachms to 

 a pint) and a cupful of it taken once in a while throughout 

 the day. One of the chief uses of both flowers and peel is 

 to disguise or flavour other less-pleasing medicinal prep- 

 arations. It is never recommended that the peel of orange 

 be eaten in its natural form ; too much of rind (the Seville's 

 particularly) would be apt to affect one unpleasantly from 

 the strength of its oil. The sour oranges themselves are 

 shipped in great quantity for making up into the famous 

 bitter Scotch Marmalade so much in evidence at British 

 breakfasts, where its tonic qualities are considered to en- 

 tirely offset any possibility of too much "sweet." Orange- 

 leaf tea (from sweet, sour, or bitter-sweet trees) is much 

 used all over the southern countries as a preventive or cure 

 of fevers, even during scourges of "Yellow Jack." As a 

 foundation or component of cooling summer drinks nothing 

 is more delicious than the aromatic, acid juice of the Seville 

 and it is vastly superior to lemons for " Russian tea." Even 

 the lime cannot outclass it for flavour and it has almost 

 equal power with the lemon in killing typhoid germs. 



For the table it may be halved as is the grape-fruit, 

 cutting out the centre and dropping therein sugar, letting 

 stand a few hours, but this should be only at its very 

 ripest stage. It is an excellent substitute for vinegar or 

 lemon juice with salads and a general rule may be laid 

 down that the Seville may be used in any way that the 

 lemon, lime, and sweet orange are employed, allowing for 



