GRAPES, APPLES, COFFEE TREE. 



383 



COUNTRY GRAPES (VitlS CCBmo). 



A native of Sierra Leone, a half-shrubby climber : the fruit is produced 

 in small bunches, and is round, black, of a rather acid, not over-pleasant 

 taste. It produces immense crops of fruit, and could be cultivated suc- 

 cessfully in a Tropical Fruit house in this country. 



couxTRY CURRANTS {Antidesma sp. ? ) 



A native also of Sierra Leone, producing plenty of fruit upon small 

 bushes, and of very easy cultui-e. 



MOXKEY APPLE {Artmj2)hylla Laurind). 



A native of Congo and Sierra Leone. It attains the height of forty or 

 fifty feet natm*ally, but would of coui'se by cultivation produce fi'uit at 

 a much less height. The fruit in size and form resembles a pigeon's 

 egg, red on the sunny side, and yellow on that which is most shaded ; 

 the favour is something between that of a nectarine and a plum. 



MALAY APPLE {Eugerda malaccensis). 



A native of the South Sea Islands, resembhng in general appearance 

 the Jamrosade, or rose apple. The fruit is about an inch and a hak^ in 

 diameter, fleshy, sweet- smelling, and agreeable both to the taste and 

 sight, as well as wholesome and nutritious. Its cultivation is not different 

 from that of other tropical Eugenias, many species of which are inhabit- 

 ants of our plant stoves. 



COFFEE TREE {Coffea orobico). 



Arabia is generally supposed to have been the native region of this 

 tree, although some naturalists have adduced reasons to show that it might 

 have passed into that country from Persia, whose inhabitants are sup- 

 posed to have received it from Ethiopia, where it has been in use from 

 time immemorial. " The migration of the cofl'ee shi-ub fi'om Arabia to 

 the tropical regions of the ^Yest, was effected circuitously by way of 

 Europe. About the year 1690, the then governor of Eatavia, Van Hoom, 

 procured some berries of the coffee ti'ee from ^locha, in Arabia Felix, 

 and raised many plants in the island of Java, whence he sent one to 

 Nicholas AVitsen, a burgomaster of Amsterdam, and the governor of the 



