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form of a whipping-top. Notwithstanding both 

 these fruits ripen upon the tree, it is necessary 

 to keep them some time in straw, which ameliorates 

 them and corrects their natural roughness, and by 

 this means they acquire that pleasant taste which 

 renders them so much esteemed. 



Of the wild lúcuma three species are known in 

 Chili by the names of bellota^ keule and chaguar. 



The ^i-Z/oiiz (lúcuma Valparaidisea) grows in great 

 quantities in the environs of Valparaiso, and is dis- 

 tinguished from the others by its leaves, which are 

 opposite, and its round or oval fruit, which is usually 

 bitter. 



The keule (lúcuma keule) which frequently grows 

 to the height of a hundred feet, has oval leaves about 

 six inches long and of a brilliant green. This tree 

 usually bears a great quantity of fruit which is per- 

 fectly round and of a shining yellow, forming a fine 

 contrast with the beautiful verdure of the foliage. 



The chaguar (lúcuma spinosa) has a trunk about 

 thirty feet high ; the branches are thorny, the leaves 

 y oval and sessile, and the fruit resembles that of the 

 keule, but has a more agreeable taste. The wood is 

 hard, of a yellow colour, and much valued by cabinet 

 makers. 



The différent kinds of pulse, flowers, garden 

 herbs, vines and fruit trees, which the Spaniards 

 have brought from Europe, thrive as well in Chili as 

 in their native country.* 



• Each house has a garden in which may be found all kinds of 

 fruit trees, which produce every year such abundance of fruit that 

 the inhabitants pluck oif a great part of it when it first forms, as 



