SOME USEFUL PLAXTS 329 



The Mulberry family produces the breadfruit, which is 

 the chief means of subsistence of many islanders of the 

 South Pacific. The only two fruits of the family familiar 

 to us are the mulberry and the fig. Our supply of figs 

 is mainly derived from imports of the dried fruit from 

 Asia I\Iinor, but fig culture is now well established in 

 California. 



The Saxifrage family and the Rose family produce many 

 of our berries, properly so called, and a number of other 

 kinds of fruits commonly though incorrectly known as 

 berries. To the former family belong currants and goose- 

 berries, to the latter, quinces, pears, apples, strawberries, 

 blackberries, raspberries, plums, cherries, peaches, apricots, 

 and nectarines. 



Strawberry-growing in the United States was an in- 

 dustry of no importance until after 1840, but has now 

 become extensive. The crop is a very profitable one, as 

 under the most favorable circumstances more than four 

 hundred bushels have been raised on an acre. The mar- 

 ket was formerly onlj- for a few weeks of the year, but 

 now lasts over as much as five months, beginning in Feb- 

 ruary with berries from the Gulf States and ending in 

 July with Canadian berries. 



Apples form the leading fruit crop of North America, 

 as the product of a good year amounts to about 100,000,- 

 000 barrels, for the United States and Canada. They suc- 

 ceed -n-ell in most of the more northerly states, and about 

 a thousand varieties are grown. 



The Rue family gives us the citrous fruits, including 

 ordinary oranges, tangerines and mandarins, lemons, and 

 grape-fruit. Oranges are of Asiatic origin and have long 

 been cultivated in hot and warm temperate climates. The 



