Lima Beans - juice, lime and lemon

LIMA BEANS: a native American product. See sub-head in article on BEANS. LIMBURGER CHEESE. See description in general article on CHEESE.

LIME (fruit).

The lime is a fruit of the lemon species, grown abundantly in the West Indies, India and some parts of Europe. It is almost globular in shape and is much smaller than the lemon, averag ing only from one to one and a half inches in diameter, but its skin is thin and its juice very abundant. As the use of limes is steadily extending, the trade can profitably recommend them as good substitutes for lemons and as possessing a peculiarly agreeable aromatic flavor. Dominica and Jamaica, of the British West Indies, send us our main supplies of the fresh fruit.

Fresh limes are, however, very perishable and they should be kept in a cool, dry place. If to be held for a considerable length of time and refrigerator facilities are limited, it is a good idea to cover them with dry sand.

The whole limes are also put up in syrup as a dessert dish, and "candied" as a confection, and the rinds are boiled in sugar and dried in the same manner as candied lemon peel.

Lime Juice,

in which form the lime is best known to the general public, is put up in bottles of attractive appearance and makes a desirable article for all fancy grocers.

The best qualities come from Dominica and Montserrat, West Indies. Besides mak ing a delicious beverage, it has been for a long time recognized as a useful medicinal agent, almost identical in composition with LEMON JUICE (which see).

The color of good sound lime juice should be a very pale straw—if it tends toward red, the product should not be accepted at first-class prices. It is advisable to select only guaranteed brands, as a considerable percentage of the commercial supply consists of juice pressed from fruits in all sorts of conditions. The juice is offered in this market as low as twenty cents a gallon, and though this may possess good appearance and flavor when fresh, it is liable to acquire a moldy flavor in a year or two, and, if the bottles are not hermetically sealed, it will finally turn red.

Low grade varieties also frequently contain preservatives and artificial coloring matter.