HANDY BOOK 



FEUIT CULTUEE UNDEE GLASS. 



THE PINE-APPLE. 



This noble fruit lias derived the name of pine-apple from 

 its striking resemblance in shape to the cones of some of 

 the pine-trees. It is probably the most rich and luscious 

 of fruits. " Three hundred years ago it was described 

 by Jean de Levy, a Huguenot priest, as being of such ex- 

 cellence that the gods might luxuriate upon it, and that 

 it should only be gathered by the hands of a Venus." 



Some say that it is a native of Brazil, and found its 

 ■way from that country to the East. It is, however, not 

 very clearly determined to what part of the world we 

 are indebted for the pine-apple ; and there is little doubt 

 that it is also a native of the West Indies, for many of 

 its varieties are found growing wild on the continent 

 and islands of the West. It was first brought into 

 Europe by a Dutch merchant, and introduced into this 

 country from Holland in 1690 ; and first cultivated for 

 the dessert by Mr Bentinck, ancestor to the present ducal 

 family of Portland. 



The superior cultivation of the pine-apple has always 



