40 



POPULAR ECONOMIC BOTANY. 



sailing to foreign countries^ that dreadful disease^ the scurvy, 

 has hardly been known in our Navy and Mercantile Marine. 

 The acidity of the juice in the lemon, and all others of its 

 genns, depends entirely upon the presence of a peculiar acid 

 called citric, which is easily separated by chemical means. 

 The Lime. Citrus Limetta, 



Risso describes seven varieties of the Lime. They are 

 rarely brought to England, and then only in a preserved 

 state, usually in syrup, forming a most delicious addition 

 to our dessert fruits. The variety usually sent thus is 

 the Small-fruited Sweet Lime [C, Limetta fructu jpumilo, 

 Eisso) . It is about one-third the size of a common lemon, 

 and of a yellowish-green colour when ripe ; but in order to 

 preserve the delightful aroma of the rind, it is preserved 

 green, which is the only state in which we see it in this 

 country. The preserved lime comes in very small kegs, of 

 about seven pounds weight, chiefly as presents from Brazil. 

 The Greeks have a method of removing the pulp, and after- 

 wards preserving the rind dry with a thin coating of sugar, 

 in which state we occasionally see them. Although, like all 

 its congeners, it is a native of Asia, it has found its way all 

 over the world, and is cultivated generally where the climate 

 is suitable. 



