162 



SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED. 



38664 and 38665— Continued. 



India. The fruit is greenish yellow, globular, or nearly so, varying 

 from 2 to 6 (usually 4 to 5) inches in diameter. The fruit of the wild 

 tree is considerably smaller than that of the cultivated form. The hard 

 shell, one-eighth of an inch thick, is filled with the pale-orange, aromatic 

 pulp, in which occur 10 to 15 long, narrow cells containing the seeds 

 .imbedded in transparent, tenacious gum. These cells correspond to the 

 {Segments of an orange, while the pulp is made up of the pith and the 

 greatly thickened fleshy membranes separating the cells. The ripe fruit 

 is much esteemed by the Hindus, many of whom consider it the best <jf 

 the citrus fruits; the European residents in India often become very 

 fond of it. Watt (Dictimiary of Economic Products of India, 1:123) 

 says : ' The fruit, when ripe, is sweetish, wholesome, nutritious, and very 

 palatable and nmch esteemed and eaten by all classes. The ripe fruit, 

 diluted with water, forms, with the addition of a small quantity of 

 tamarind and sugar, a delicious and cooling drink.' The famous bot- 

 anist, Roxburgh {Flora Indica, 2:580), says: 'The fruit is nutritious, 

 warm, cathartic, in taste delicious, in fragrance exquisite.' On the other 

 hand, W. R. Mustoe, superintendent. Government Archaeological Gardens, 

 Lahore, India, writes: 'The fruit is greatly prized for eating by the 

 natives, but can scarcely be looked upon as palatable to the white man, 

 except as a sherbet.' Sherbet is made from the mashed pulp, which is 

 diluted w^ith a little water and then strained into milk or soda water 

 and sugared to taste. Sometimes a little tamarind is added to give 

 a subacid flavor. All Indian medical authorities agree that the bael 

 fruit has a most salutary influence on the digestive system. The ripe 

 fruit is mildly laxative and is a good simple remedy for dyspepsia. The 

 unripe fruit is a specific of the highest value for dysentery, but so mikl 

 that it can be given to children without danger. The bael fruit tree is 

 widely cultivated in India and is found in nearly every temple garden. 

 It is dedicated to Siva, whose worship can not be completed without its 

 leaves. This promising fruit tree is now being tested at several points 

 in the warmer parts of the United States." (W. T. Swingle. In Bailey, 

 Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture.) 



38665. Cacara erosa (L.) Kuntze. Fabaceoe. Yam bean. 



(Pachyrhizus angulatus Rich.) 

 " Seeds of an edible tuber bean. The tubers are usually the size of 

 an orange. Flesh white, somewhat like a turnip. It is usually eaten 

 raw, though I believe the Chinese sometimes cook it with pork and the 

 Burmese with their curries. This vine requires a long season. The tuber 

 is cooling and refreshing, being as juicy as an artichoke." {Hale.) 



