The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-11-18
Fruit in Italy.

We have fruit upon the table at every
meal, except breakfast, just when we
want it most. The markets are as pretty
a picture as YOU would see, with the
heaps and baskets of handsome, shining
fruit. Vast quantities of grapes are
raised for eating purposes, far more than
with us. Several kinds of the grapes for
table use are of pale, translucent green
color, very tender and pulpy. They are
called white grapes. They are not par
ticuIarly sweet, but have very delicate,
slightly tart flavor, which makes them
| peculiarly grateful to the taste in the
broiling hot weather. They could un-
! doubtedly be cultivated extensively in
the Southern States of our own country,
and ought to be. We have also seen
some apples here and there. but so far
as they have come under our notice
neither the Italian apples or peaches are
as fine as our own. Olives grow in ev-
cry part of Italy that we have seen,
which includes every portion except the
southeastern.
The olive orchards here frequently
cover the sides OF the Apennine Mount
aims quitc to the top. Thousands OF acres
are devoted to olive culture. When we
used to read in the Bible about the peo-
Pile who ate bread, wine aud olives, we
always supposed, you remember, that
7 an olive was fruit to be eaten ripe, like
q peach or an orange. IL seems neces-
Sary to reconstruct our Bible belief in
this respect. They tell us here that an
olive is a fruit which must never be eaten
raw that in that state il is bitter,
burning. acid-tasting thing which a
goat itself would refuse to take
down. 1t is a product to be picked
and then eaten. usually with
bread. In the picked state those who
are accustomed to eating it in its native
state say il is delicious. There are vari-
Gus ways Of preserving the olive. II is
! chiefly raised, however, for the oil, on
which. il is said, great profit is made.
There seems to be no good reason why
it could not be cultivated successfully in
Florida and perhaps in other parts of
the Southern United States. In appear
ance, the olive tree is about the size and
shape Of an ordinary peach tree, with a
gnarled trunk. Its leaf is the shape of a
| peach leaf, but small, harsh and stiff.
The color Of the foliage is pale, dull
green, like that of sage bush, the true
aesthetic shade.
We have had q varied experience in
eating fresh figs. There are several va
ricties, of different colors when ripe.
We have eaten small green ones and
large purple ones. Readers who arc
fortunate enough to have spent their
childhood in the country, will remember
the little woods fruit we used to call
MAY apple" Well, fresh Italian fig
tastes like that The rind is bitter and
irritating and must be peeled of. Fig
trees grow to great size.
Italian watermelons are good. very
like those dear to the soul of the colored
brother in August days. But the musk
melons taste to us Americans like raw
pumpkin. There was one fruit we
could not possibly make out for a week
or two. 1t was like a plum, and then,
again, il wasn't 1t twas yellow inside, and
smooth, shining and yellow, with a bril-
| liant red cheek upon the outside. 1t
was tougher and dryer than a peach,
and vet tasted like one, and was on the
| whole good, and interest on the subject
ran high. We took sides and had dis
cussions. We bet bottles of wine on it.
Was it peach, plum or apricot? AT last
we found solemn old Italian waiter
who knew enough English to solve this
important question. He said the mys-
terious fruit was called the nut-peach.
Did he make the name out of his own
head? | don't know.-Cor. Cincinnati
| Hn1n1.lnrcinl