COMPOSITION OF FRUIT TREES 75 



In the month of January (winter) the sweetest 

 oranges come from Jamaica, but these have the dis- 

 advantage of being of a somewhat fibrous texture ; 

 whilst their pale exterior is delusive to the unprac- 

 tised eye — external pallor being usually supposed 

 to be indicative of internal acidity. 



For the largest and finest supplies of oranges we 

 are dependent upon the fertile soils of Spain. It is 

 well known that the districts of Denia and Murcia 

 send to these shores oranges the flavour and juciness 

 of which are unsurpassed ; and unfortunately, un- 

 scrupulous dealers do not hesitate to ofi"er the 

 commonest of Spanish oranges as the " finest 

 Denias." The soils of the South of France, Italy, and 

 other countries in South Europe also produce excel- 

 lent oranges ; and in France the art of cultivating the 

 orange has been brought to a high state of perfection. 



The importation of Jafia oranges is chiefly in the 

 hands of the Liverpool brokers, who have made a 

 speciality of the business. The facilities offered by 

 the accommodation of the Liverpool docks, the 

 methods of selecting and distributing the fruit in 

 Liverpool, are superior to those of London ; con- 

 sequently, the great Lancashire port has always 

 received the bulk of th6 oranges grown in the 

 fertile soils of Palestine. The choicest brands, 

 however, are sent to the London market. 



