NOTICES OF PERU. 



227 



the taste of which has been generally compared to that of 

 strawberries and cream, though not very correctly, is eaten 

 with a spoon. Its exquisitely luscious flavor is enhanced by 

 adding riie juice of a sweet orange ; commend me to cheri- 

 moya and orange juice to enrapture my palate! 



The tree, which is very delicate, and will not bear frost, is 

 from sixteen to seventeen years in coming to maturity from 

 the seed. In Bolivia it attains a very large size; but its fruit 

 cannot excel that brought to Payta from the valley of Piura. 

 Ehret writes it, Cherimolia,^' and from the frequency of 

 changing the y for the //, I am inclined lo think that it was 

 originally Cherimolla." The botanic appellation given by 

 the above named gentleman is, Guanabanus Persese. 



The palta resembles the pear in shape. In its centre there 

 is a large stone, the juice of which being indelible, is used as 

 a dye and for marking linen. This stone or kernel, whose 

 consistence is about the same as that of the chestnut, is sur- 

 rounded by a greenish white pulp, usually eaten on bread, 

 with pepper and salt, as a substitute for butter, which in Lima 

 is rare, and seldom good. It is preferred by some, dressed 

 with sugar and lemon juice ; in either way it is excellent, 

 though not generally liked when first tasted. It is esteemed 

 a wholesome fruit, and Frezier states, I know not on what 

 authority, that it is provocative of love! In the Carribee 

 islands it is called avocat; at Panama, and on the island of 

 Taboga, where it grows in great perfection, Aguacate.'^ 

 The tree, which somewhat resembles the pear tree, is from 

 six to eight years in coming to maturity from the seed. 



The granadilla is the fruit of the passion flower, {passiflora 

 ccBTulea,) which is indigenous to America, and named by 

 pious Spaniards from the fancied resemblance which its parts 

 bear to the instruments used at the crucifixion. In Chile the 

 plant does not yield fruit. The granadilla is oval in shape, or 

 rather egg-like, and has a smooth yellowish surface, resem- 

 bling that of the mock-orange. When broken, it is found to 

 be a hard, slightly brittle shell, lined with a soft velvety 

 membrane, which contains a pulp of rather more consistence 

 than the white of an egg, filled with flattened, dark colored 



