THE NAVEL ORANGE OF BAHIA. 95 
Dendé oil is an important food product, entering into the prepara- 
tion of a number of dishes, some of which, such as vatapa, are con- 
sidered peculiar to the region. While utilized by all classes of people, 
its greatest popularity is among the negroes, long familiarity hav- 
ing made dendé oil almost as indispensable to them as olive oil 
is to the Spaniard. The price at which it is sold, 25 to 30 cents for 
a quart bottle, is not high by Brazilian standards. Its flavor is 
characteristic, but not objectionably strong. The oil is prepared by 
a simple process, requiring no special utensils and involving but 
little labor. The pulp is macerated and placed in cold water, and as 
the oil rises to the surface it is skimmed off, placed in a pan, and 
boiled down to remove all water and other foreign substances. When 
ready for use it is deep orange colored, about as heavy as olive oil, 
and usually somewhat cloudy in appearance. Upon exposure to 
cold it solidifies. It is said to be employed as an illuminating oil, 
as well as being used for culinary purposes. 
The utility of the dendé palm is not limited to the production of 
oil. Among the Bahians the leaflets are used for making brooms, 
while the woody leafstalks are split and woven into baskets. 
SOME INTERESTING FRUITS OF RIO DE JANEIRO AND VICINITY. 
Aside from the natural beauty of its surroundings, the capital of 
Brazil has an added interest to the horticulturist in its magnificent 
avenues Of Royal palms (Oreodowa oleracea Mart.), of which there 
are a number scattered throughout the city. In such an avenue as 
that in the Botanic Garden, over half a mile in length, this palm is 
seen at its best, its straight, flawless trunk rising to a height of over 
a hundred feet, crowned by a tuft of graceful leaves. There are 
certainly few plants more striking in landscape effect than this, and 
it should be more widely grown throughout the Tropics and in the 
United States wherever it will survive the winters. 
Rio de Janeiro does not appear to have the profusion of indigenous 
and exotic fruits which are found in Bahia, yet the markets are 
nearly always supplied with many choice sorts. European fruits, 
such as the apple, the pear, and the grape, hold a much more impor- 
tant position than in Bahia, large quantities being imported from 
Europe and North America in addition to a limited production of 
certain ones in various parts of southern Brazil. Many of the 
tropical fruits found at Bahia are common, notably the cashew, 
the mango, the sugar-apple, the pineapple, and the banana. 
THE JABOTICABA. 
Among the fruit trees cultivated in the gardens about Rio de 
Janeiro the jaboticaba is one of the commonest, and certainly the 
one which creates the strongest impression upon the newcomer. The 
