The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1884-09-24
Rare Tropical Fruits.
SOME VARIETIES UNKNOWN TO COMMERCE. E
..t THAT CAN BE PRESERVED By
REFRIGERATION. g

SOME VARIETIES UNKNOWN TO COMMERCE
THAT CAN BE PRESERVED By
: REFRIGERATION.
New ORLEANS, Aug. 9th, 1884.
Major e. 4. Burke, Director Federal Cot
ton Centennial and Worlds Industrial
Exposition:
An American gentleman who has in
vested largely in tropical fruit planting
and who naturally takes deep interest
in the further development of that prom
Using industry, yesterday called my at
tention to an article, which, under the
caption of GA Great Exhibit" appeared
in The Times Democrat of the I'd inst.
According to this article fruits of all
kinds may be preserved for an indefinite
period in their native flavor and quality
through the medium of the "Ballantine
refrigerating process" which is owned
and operated by the GUNNER Manufac-
turing Company of Cleveland, O. If this
be the case, problem that has long puz-
zled the fruit producers of the tropics is
solved, and hundreds of specimens of
tropical fruits which are never seen out
sipe the Torrid Zone can be brought to
our markets.
Hitherto the efforts of intertropical
fruit growers have been confined to the
expectation of but few kinds. The
banana, once considered rare luxury,
has almost become an article of neces-
sity. The plantain, which decade ago
was scarcely known to American cater
ers, is now constantly seen on the tables
of the principal hotels and restaurants.
Oranges, lines and lemons are imported
into this country from either Mexican
coast, from the Caribbean coast, from
the Great Antilles, and from Southern
Europe. The traffic in cocoanuts, or
anges, lemons, ETC., in particular, has
assumed gigantic proportions. These
fruits are considered as. comparatively
durable, yet are subject to great loss and
deterioration by transportation. As New
Orleans is but few days distant from
the fruit-producing centers of the An
titles, of Mexico, and OF Caribbean coast,
shippers to this port meet with the com
paratiyely small loss of % per cent il
transportation. Even the cocoanut, il
picked too ripe, is liable to spoil, while
several intects destroy the fruit while on
] shipboard, by eating out its "eyes."
i But if the aforementioned fruits, on
account of their comparative capability
| OF resisting transportation have become
common in our markets, there are innu-
merable kinds and other classes of trop-
ical fruits which are known only to the
traveller and to the natives of the locali-
ties where they are cultivated, or spon-
taneolsly produced. Their name is
legion, and while the majority of them
are healthy and pleasant to the taste,
there are specimens that are absolutely
delicious, but which will not bear trans
portation under the imperfect system
that now obtains
There is tropical fruit which is eX-
ceptionally tender and whose SAVIOR is
exquisite. The dnOnG cherimOyd, of the
family of the anoas (anoa sq9amosal is
| probably the most delicious fruit pro-
duced on the planet 1t has pale green
rind, and contains numerous small
seeds. We're the most delightful pro-
ductions of the most skillful confectioner
combined with the most delicately fla
vored ice cream, etc., known, the result
would not even approach the delicious
| SAVIOR of the cherimOya. | have never
seen any specimens in our markets.
There are also numerous kinds of the
Aguacate family (vulgarly known as
| vegetable butter) Persd Grdtisimd), and
various classes of the Zapote 1chrds .Sd-
pOld), specimens of which have been
brought to New Orleans, but in deteri-
GRATED condition. The mango (manifra
iRdicd) is at times offered for sale, but in
a semi-putrid state. The rose apple and
various kinds of mameys (maned Ameri
cana, are sometimes imported, but dur
ing the sea passage lose their flavor and
become insipid. The Papaya (Pdpaya
Kulgoris), is too tender to bear transpor
tation. The Pitaya, the fruit of one of
the Cacti family, has a similar SAVIOR to
the strawberry, but is thousand times
! more delicious. FL Nispeco (Hym@ner
cOurbGrii), will not bear transportation.
Bread fruit (Atrocapus incisa) is also too
tender to Withstand being carried to a
long distance.
There are innumerable other kinds of
delicately savored intertropical fruits
that are too destructible to bear carriage,
but which might become commercial OBJ
jects if the refrigerating processes pos
sess the. properties attributed to them.
tbs to'be hoped; then, that this invalu-
able refrigerating system will be thor
oughly tested at the coming Exposition
If it be as perfect as the GUNNER Com
'pany. claim, it most certainly could be
introduced with advantage and profit in |
the Antilles, in the Bay Islands, and
among the fruit plantations that gem the
extended coasts washed by the waters
OF the Gulf of Mexico, the Bay of Hon