ORANGES.—Those from Florida and California are richer and of finer flavor, while the Mediterranean variety are thin skinned, juicy, hardy, and will keep longer. That region sends us annually a million boxes of oranges, and the annual product of Florida and California is two million boxes. Havana oranges are not as good as they used to be, but twenty thousand barrels come to New York yearly from Cuba.
LEMONS.—A million and a half boxes of lemons are consumed yearly in this country, most of which come from Sicily, but lemon culture is increasing in Florida. Lemons vary much more in price than oranges, as a heated term or unusual sickness increases the consumption.
BANANAS AND OTHER FRUITS.—There are two varieties, the red from Cuba, and the yellow from Jamaica and the Spanish Main. The latter are the better. Bananas are in market all the year, but the season is from March to August. PINEAPPLES are exquisitely flavored fruit, much used sliced for the tea table. The season is from May to August. COCOANUTS are used grated, for making pies and puddings; they are delicious, but rather indigestible. DESSICATED COCOANUT is the meat of cocoanuts ground and dried, and mixed with powdered sugar; sometimes, also, rice, flour, or corn starch is added. It comes in packets, cans, etc.
In the Spring and Summer months the appetite craves fresh vegetables; and their free use, especially in those seasons, will be found excellent for the general health of the family. Spinach, for instance, is said to be beneficial in kidney complaints; Dandelion greens are good for biliousness; Tomatoes act upon the liver; Celery upon the nerves; Onion soup restores a debilitated stomach, etc., etc. In fact, it would be easy thus to go through the whole vegetable list and find each one possessing some special mission of healthfulness.
The Bermudas send annually about $400,000 worth of potatoes, onions, beets and tomatoes to New York, during the months of March, April and May. Florida garden produce finds its way North very early in the Spring, and later, in regular order, Georgia, South and North Carolina, and Virginia, wheel into line with their numerous productions, until, finally, our home gardeners have their season. During all this time our vegetables on sale are improving in freshness as they are drawn from sources nearer home, and prices are falling.