THE ACID LIME FRUIT IN HAWAII. 



19 



LIME CANDY. 



4 cupfuls of granulated sugar. 

 2 tablespoonfuls of lime juice. 



\ cupful of water. 



2 tablespoonfuls of butter. 



Mix ingredients together and cook until a soft ball is formed when tested in 

 cold water. Remove from the fire and beat. Turn into buttered dishes and 

 mark into squares while warm, or knead until creamy and shape as desired. 



Extract the juice from the limes, clarify by settling and straining; then fill 

 into bottles and keep tightly corked. The juice can be kept in this way for 

 several months without serious deterioration. 



The acid lime fruit, which is closely related to the lemon, orange, 

 mandarin, pomelo, and shaddock, was introduced into Hawaii early 

 in the nineteenth century and seems to be the best adapted of any of 

 the citrus fruits to island conditions. 



The tree can be propagated in several ways, produces a large crop 

 of fruit during the greater part of the year, withstands drought re- 

 markably well, and is not as susceptible to insect attack as are most 

 of the other citrus fruits. 



It thrives best in a warm, moist climate where the rainfall is evenly 

 distributed in frequent showers, and is not particular as to soil type, 

 although it needs rich, well-drained, and thoroughly tilled sandy or 

 gravelly soil for best development. 



The lime tree should be furnished with an abundance of plant food 

 in the form of fertilizing material, either as barnyard manure or 

 commercial fertilizers, singly or in combination, to maintain heavy 

 bearing. Vigorous tree growth, dark green foliage, and a small 

 amount of fruit having thick rind and very fibrous pulp indicate the 

 presence in the soil of excessive nitrogen. Liberal applications of 

 potash with the nitrogen tend to produce greater fruitfulness, thin- 

 ness of rind, and less fiber. In general fruit culture it is thought that 

 young trees require phosphoric acid, potash, and nitrogen in the pro- 

 portions of 6, 8, and 4 per cent, respectively, and that fruiting trees 

 require them in the proportions of 8, 12, and 3^ per cent, respectfully. 



Both seedlings and grafted stock should be at least a year old be- 

 fore they are transplanted to their permanent location. Young trees 

 may be set in hedge formation and developed into a wide fence for 

 the production of a large quantity of fruit from a small area. 



Four varieties of limes, with possibly their closely related species, 

 were experimented upon by the station. Of these, Kusaie is consid- 

 ered the finest, having abundant colorless or transparent juice and 

 few seeds. Each tree of this variety produced in its fourth year 

 at this station about 400 fruits averaging 40 pounds per tree. • 



The growing demand for the various commercial products of the 

 lime has created considerable interest in lime culture. Salt-pickled 

 limes are made from the selected yellow fruit, and raw lime juice is 

 expressed from clean, sound limes and after being clarified is used 

 principally in the preparation of beverages. Green limes are shipped 

 to market, usually packed in barrels holding about 1.500 fruits 



BOTTLED LIME JUICE. 



Limes. 



| Bottles, 1 or 2 pint capacity. 



SUMMARY. 



