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Annals of Horticulture. 



is the orange, of which there are many varieties, both sweet 

 and sour. One of these, I am told, is called the "Mandarin," 

 probably a misnomer for "Tangierine," a well-known variety 

 with a loose, flaccid rind and insipid juice. There are two 

 kinds of this, one very large and one quite small, both of them 

 esteemed in Paraguay as remedies for the "chucho," a form 

 of fever and ague common in the country. Still another va- 

 riety, with rather small fruit and insipid taste, is regarded by 

 some persons as indigenous, but that remains to be proved. 

 The sweet orange {Citrus Aurantiuni) it is supposed was in- 

 troduced into the country some three hundred years since by 

 the Jesuits. The fruit is large, very sweet, juicy and luscious, 

 and the tree may be raised from the seed or cuttings without 

 need of grafting. After it is once planted it grows without 

 the least care, and is productive for thirty years or more. The 

 orange tree in Paraguay often attains a height of sixty feet or 

 more, and when well developed and covered with its white, 

 fragrant blossoms and fruit in all stages, and its deep green, 

 glossy leaves, it is one of the most beautiful objects in nature. 



Allied to the orange is the lime {Citrus Limetta), which bears 

 a sweetish fruit nearly as large as the orange, and the lemon 

 {C. Limoniwti), of which, likewise, there are several varieties, 

 the best of which has a small, ovate, smooth, thin-skinned, 

 fragrant, juicy fruit, containing only two or three, and some- 

 time no seeds. The large, thick and rough-skinned lemon of 

 the Mediterranean region does not seem to occur in this coun- 

 try. The citron {Citrus medico) is also common in the gar- 

 dens, yielding a fruit of fine quality. I have seen specimens 

 for sale in the market which measured six inches or more in 

 diameter. The orange is used principally for the table, but 

 its juice is sometimes expressed as a flavor for drinks and ice- 

 creams. So far as I know, no use is made of it for cooked 

 dishes. Of the citron, sweetmeats and jellies are sometimes 

 made, but it is little valued in Paraguay. 



Second in rank to the orange is the banana, which grows 

 luxuriantly, and with but very little cultivation, all over the 

 country. There are numerous varieties, the most palatable of 

 which that has come under my observation being a small fruit 

 not over three inches in length, with a smooth, green rind and 

 nearly seedless. 



The pineapple {Ananassa sativa) is equally common, and 



