Many fruits which European trees produce are unknown to Paraguay: in all
my travels through that country I never, or very rarely, saw any apples,
pears, plums, cherries, filberts, chesnuts, &c. These trees seem not to
suit the climate and soil of Paraguay; for they are either entirely
barren, or produce such ridiculous fruit as rather deserve the
appellation of abortions of nature, than delicacies of the palate. The
want of the fruits above-mentioned is amply compensated by an incredible
abundance of very large peaches, quinces, pomegranates, citrons, both
sweet and sour, and oranges which Europe might envy. In the neighbouring
kingdoms of Chili, where, on account of the vicinity of the mountains,
the air is much sharper, almost all European fruits, and many other
native ones, succeed amazingly, and are dried and carried into other
countries with great profit. But though Paraguay is destitute of various
European fruits, she boasts of many native ones, unknown in Europe even
by name. I shall cursorily describe trees and shrubs as they enter my
head, without regard to order.