The American Botanist 
VOL. XI. 
JOLIET, ILL., JANUARY, 1907. 
No. 5 
SOME FRUITS FROM A TROPICAL GARDEN. 
HERE are many delicious fruits in the tropics, but one 
must not suppose that all are as palatable as the few that 
come to our markets, at least if a native of the temperate zone is 
to decide. They send us their best, no doubt, but Nature has 
treated us far too well in the matter of native fruits to make 
us exact and impartial judges. If we were to take the testi- 
mony of Jamaicans we should be warranted in ignoring that 
prince of exotics, the orange, so long as apples are to be ob- 
tained. With them an apple is a luxury. All are brought 
from "The States" as our part of the world is called. But 
it is no disparagement of our fruit, to place the orange before 
the apple in the list, though it may be doubted if any of our 
countrymen would permanently exchange our peaches, plums, 
cherries, pears and wild berries for all their strange and 
wonderful fruits. The thoughts of for ever afterward receiv- 
ing them in tin cans, or tins, as the Jamaicans say, would rise 
up to spoil the bargain. However, the tasting of unfamiliar 
products is a novel, if not always pleasing experience, and one 
to be desired if one does not possess the caution of a tourist 
of the writer's acquaintance who said when urged to try some 
of the many fruits before him '*No, thank you. I know 
bananas and oranges and I guess I will stick to them" — and he 
did. It is the purpose of this article to set forth some of the 
impressions of one who did not. 
After one begins his conquest of tropical fruits, he soon 
perceives that many are lacking in the qualities that make ours 
so desirable. There seems to be something in the climate that 
takes the full rich flavor out of them, just as it takes the viril- 
BY WILLARD N. CLUTE. 
