239 
markets from 4d. to 2d. M Ib. Some varieties are good keepers, so 
much so, that in some gardens grapes enveloped in thin paper bags 
are kept up to Februa a sold at 1s. to 1s. 6d. per Ib. 
The family of the Rosacee ei s our markets em April to June 
with strawberries (fraul i), Fragraria vesca. The Chili DIM is 
only grown as.a curiosity. Strawberries are sold from 4d, to 10d. 
the Ib. 
The loquat or Japan medlar, Eriobotrya Japonica, nespola or nespli 
of the Maltese, grows e xceedingly w well in Malta; its fruit is ripe in the 
months of May and June, and sold from 1d. to 2d. per lb. The loquat 
not being a long keeper is exported to a very limited extent; in 1887 
Several varieties of the pear (Pyrus c communis) are grown, such as 
(a) common bergamot eg dons a a aniio of which is ripe in 
November (bergamotta ta sanguian) and another in January (berga- 
as ** Caillot rosat d'hiver" or Malta pear, is an abundant bearer; 
if not gathered mellow the fruit, which is rich, "Taseous and high- 
flavoured, is a good keeper. They all thrive vell, a e remunerative, 
and sell from 4d. to 1s. per lb. They are seldom expor mie d. Weimport 
a large quantity of — A only of a coarse quality, from Sicily, and a 
better sort from Mars 
= The apple (Pyrus seals, toffieh, is largely grown in Gozo, mir. ue 
in Malta. Apples are not exported but sold for local consumption 
principal varieties are: (a) toffieh abiat or pumicellta Malta, fruit 
yellowish, streaked with red, of a rich aromatic flavour ; (c). toffieh ta 
f large jeep RA 
fruits, yellowish rath eti d with red, flesh greenish white, fine 
mildly sub-acid and aromatic. Season, September to November, 
e peach and nectarine commence to ripen their fruit in July; the 
first, called in Maltese, hawh (Amygdalus persica), presents two varieties: 
(a) yellow, firm, flesh, hawh ams d fruit me grebninh, or white and 
red, hawh ta Ma lta, “ pêche d alte," * Belle de Paris," or Malta 
peach. The Nectarine, called pesce ~ bok Varieties : (a) fruit, 
middle sized, green-yellow, always red on the sunny side, or wholly dark 
red; (5) fruit, large, and white, anciprisc fatis The best of these 
fruits, when picked, realise from 2d. to 3d. per Ib. The quantity 
produced is hardly sufficient for local consumption, and consequently it 
is not exported. The most valuable sorts are the Malta peach and the 
nectarine. Large plantation of these trees would be very rnana 
as ^x par ee well if properly gathered, and bears carriage. 
lgaris, called here 
uince, Cydonia vulgaris, sfargel, is 
sparingly cultivated in N in Malta, but in Gozo it is grown in quantity far 
the manufacture of jams and other confections. The fruit, which is 
pem r eaten m. is sold from 2d. to 3d. the lb. 
o be hoped that the — and sweet almond, which grow most 
lufaliéptly and fruit freely in Malta, will be pro pagated. es tig the 
