Rex Harrill <[log in to unmask]>:
>However, the
>thought that a sweet orange miraculously arrived overnight in a wild world of
>sour oranges is beyond my belief.

Tom:
Oranges are polyembryonic; sweet oranges may be within the natural
genetic variation, or beyond it. Thus a sweet orange might be a chance
mutation - or maybe not.

Rex Harrill <[log in to unmask]>:
>In a discussion of the relationship of MN offering up exactly the right taste
>to lure man into partaking of certain fruits, so as to spread the seed, can we
>set the sour orange aside?

Tom:
No, because humans like a variety of tastes, not just sweet.

Rex Harrill <[log in to unmask]>:
>I find the above to be most interesting.  Is it possible to incorporate my
>thoughts on temporary, or initial, toxicity in the form of sourness or
>astringency?  But I think of this as temporary toxicity only.  And why would
>you say "most is sour/bitter"?  You are describing fruits that humans are
>clearly programmed to avoid.  I don't eat bitter and I recommend anyone else
>avoid bitter.  My point is that humans are irrestibly guided to the sweetest
>fruit they can find.  When the food adulterers don't interfere, that means
>humans will get the best possible nutrition.

Tom:
Sweetness and nutrition are two different things. Greens are mineral rich,
but are not sweet. Bitter is OK; pomegranates are often bitter. Toxicity
cannot be inferred purely from taste.

Rex Harrill <[log in to unmask]>:
>There are no
>seeds involved they tell me.  And I'll check around on the mango.  Are you
>saying that some "wild precursors" are edible and some are inedible?

Tom:
Pineapples can produce seeds. See "Fruits of Warm Climates" by Julia F.
Morton, for further info. Wild precursors of some cultivated fruits, are
not sweet and may border on being inedible.

>Those plants that can produce the most sugar are the most
>successful at growing, not just spreading seed.
>And she was wise enough
>to plan it so we would get maximum mineralization if we simply headed for
>maximum sweetness.  How simple---and beautiful---and emminently workable.

Tom:
Sugar and nutrition are two different things; greens are mineral rich but are
not sweet.

Regards,
Tom Billings
[log in to unmask]