The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-06-04
CITY INTELLIGENCE.
Iron ADDITIONAL 1Oc.L ITEMS SEE nVsrDr PAGES.

W HERE THEY CCME FROM. -Lnls Is ghe season
ior All the different kinds On tropical fruits to
De plentiful In our Northern cities. For the
past few weeks the ships and Gmaller vessels
bringing in their eafgoes of the riS,h tropical
productions OF that seotion-oranges, bNNnanas
!. do, before the regular advent Of our spring 2nd
early summer fruits and berries they form a
useful and luxurious adjunct to our bills of
fare. This we notice unusual guam
tity of bananas upon the streets. Not for years
fruit been in our cities. The different fruit
establishments along the wharyes are filled
in their green state, they rlpen during
their passage. This fruit is obtained
principally from Baracoa, in the east
ern part of the island of Cuba, and together
with the pineapple form the principal article of
same time these fruits are brought mere TO.
Eether. The average number of buNches OF
bananas brought In each schooner is about 1000.
They are generally bought In Baracoa for about
90 or 90 cents in silver. and sell here at from 81
to s2 They are in season usually from March
until the latter part OF July. Much of this fruit
is uncultivated, but the finest varieties are
grown especially for the Northern market. AT
the present time there Is not corner stand, or
hardly an old apple.woman along our streets,
who have not got their supplies of this fruit,
and at very moderate prices.
PINEAPPLEs. .
Plneapples are also getting to be as plentiful
as bananas. The season for this fruit is the
same as that of the banana. The greatest part
generally in the English eoasting schooners
from the West Indies. The crops generally are
year, such quantities are grown as to make
them drug. The American schooners tina
engage in this trade generally make arrange
ments with the planters to take their entire
crops, and pay for them in sugar, flour, tea rum
etc. Large numbers, averaging at least fifteen
per cent. of the pineapples, are lost through rot
in coming here. This is moro especially the
case during the mon this Of June and j ally, when
the fruit being ripe is more liable to decay. In
the earlier months they are not quite ripe, and
being picked when only semi.ripe. are just in
good condition when they are thrown upon the
THE ORANGES AND LEMONS,
which ARE are @ almost drug in our markets. are
that hucksters hawk them about in carts, and
rarely been seen before. Every hucEster in our
market almost has her basket of oranges, and
as we are writing at the present moment, there
are TWO d1fterent hawkers crying oranges in
the street. The fruit is obtained from several
sources From the West Indies we get out sup
ply during the winter months, while from
Sicily and the islands in the Mediterranean we
obtain our supply for the spring months, and
the summer. The largest supply both OF
oranges and lemons are from the ports
usually considered among the finest that are
brought TO the market The trade from these
OF vessels engaged in it. Probably as much as
one hundred cargoes, averaging six thousand
cities during the season. The oranges from
Sicily are not considered as fine as those from
limited that 1t cannot compete with the sicily
orange. InIndia and Southern Asia the orange
cellence. There are some varieties which grow
in Siam and Burmah, that are cultivated exclu-
s1vely for the use OF the Kings of those lands,
guch as have been tasted by travellers who have
been fortunate enough TO obtain specimens,
have been pronounced to be unapproaehed
for their delicious flavor by any that find their
way into commerce
Oranges and lemons that find their way into
our markets are generally plucked in their
green state, so that they may rtpen as they
season generally require to be picked over, as
large number, amounting fully to lO per cent,
is spoiled on the passage. They are usually sold
in the places where they are grown at from 75c
to 50 per box, and readily bring from S3 to % on
eaching our markets
CoCoANUTs.
Another fruit that is grown exclusively in
tropical countries is the cocoanut. The season
this year has been remarkably good, and there
Ruatan, Brazil and the countries OF the south
ern shores of the Mediterranean supply our
many Vessels that are specially engaged in this
trade and the numbers that are yearly brought
by seeing the immense piles of the nuts
importers places along the wharves Cocoa
4 nuts are extensively used by confectioners In
One One of the Greatest Uses to Which it is applied
here and the principal one TO wh1oh IL Is ap-
piled In the countries where IT grows, Is the
expressing of the oil that the meat is very rich
in. This oil is used for hair-grease and other
meroe. The milk is fermented by the natives
where they grow, and makes o powerfully
Intoxicating liquor In 1acI, the cocoanut ~
applied to so many uses that 1t is an invaluable
article of domestic use to them.
EARLY FRUITS FROM THE SOUTH.
Besides the fruits that are essentially tro-
pical in their character, there are numbers OF
!. Others that, rpening earlier in the warmer
= -llimate of the Southern States are brought
here in advance OF the regular season
Strawberries, cherries, and other fruit find their
Way into our markets in the coasting
vessels, touching at the southern ports OF the
Carolinas and Florida, In few days moro we
may expect to see cargoes OF watermeions ar;
riVing. Indeed, as far south as Florida and
New Orleans this luscious fruit is IN the mar
kets as early as April, and before this time they
are abundant, and Of very nne quailty. 80 are
ahe musk-melons and cantelopes. The South
srn melons are not generally considered as
Nnely favored as those from New Jersey
and from own State, but there IS
one peculiar variety peculiar 70 the
HMolon" principally grown In Missouri and
Arkansas. The popularity of this hne rult is
hat the rind peelS away from the ripe core,
Egt as the skin of an orange from the sections
that fruit. Besides this, the meat is very
LoY and of a delicious havor, AS Iar as we
soW. it has never been introduced IN the
IDLE States, although there is no reason TO
theFe that IL would not grow as Wen mere as
I've II does.
outhe above crude sketch we have only given
lot IL Idea OF the fruit trade. better idea
thl be gained by personal visit TO the great
TO les Of the trade along the wharves. There
ofxreat amount of capital Invested In the diff
cat branches of the business. As general
rig they do not conhne themselves TO deal
In any particular variety o. fruits, put re-
Sy come into season. These importers act as
cents of the prod ucers, and are a sort of middle
len between them and the regular dealers
REV, DIR. SAUNDERS, a commissioner to the
Presbyterian General Assembly from Philadel