容縣沙田(tian)柚(you)(you)是柚(you)(you)類(lei)中的佳品,有(you)“柚(you)(you)中之王”的美(mei)譽。其果呈(cheng)梨型,色(se)澤橙黃,外皮細(xi)薄,果肉脆(cui)嫩,味清香甜(tian)蜜,品嘗之后滿嘴留香,令(ling)人食之而不厭。
沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)田(tian)(tian)柚(you)(you),原產於中(zhong)國廣西容(rong)(rong)縣(xian)松山鎮沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)田(tian)(tian)村,由農夫夏紆笍于明朝(chao)末年(nian)以接枝法(fa)發明,后(hou)來(lai)廣泛種(zhong)(zhong)植,成為(wei)容(rong)(rong)縣(xian)的(de)(de)(de)(de)特(te)(te)產。據史料記(ji)載,萬(wan)歷十(shi)三年(nian)(1585年(nian))刻本《容(rong)(rong)州志(zhi)》記(ji)載:“柚(you)(you)以容(rong)(rong)地(di)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)田(tian)(tian)所(suo)產最負盛名(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming),香甜多(duo)汁;容(rong)(rong)地(di)年(nian)產二(er)百萬(wan)只,運銷梧粵(yue)港各埠(bu)。”清乾隆四十(shi)二(er)年(nian),乾隆皇(huang)帝(di)(di)巡(xun)游江南,官(guan)人(ren)夏紀(ji)綱把家(jia)(jia)鄉(xiang)容(rong)(rong)縣(xian)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)田(tian)(tian)村出產的(de)(de)(de)(de)蜜柚(you)(you)獻給皇(huang)帝(di)(di),乾隆吃了連聲贊好(hao),并召見夏紀(ji)綱,詢問(wen)是(shi)何佳(jia)果(guo)(guo)(guo)。夏紀(ji)綱回答說(shuo)(shuo):“叫楊核子。”皇(huang)帝(di)(di)道(dao):“此(ci)果(guo)(guo)(guo)名(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)字不(bu)(bu)(bu)佳(jia),應(ying)另取果(guo)(guo)(guo)名(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)。”一(yi)位大(da)臣在旁說(shuo)(shuo):夏官(guan)家(jia)(jia)在沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)田(tian)(tian),千(qian)里迢(tiao)迢(tiao),郵(you)送佳(jia)果(guo)(guo)(guo)獻給皇(huang)上,依臣愚見,郵(you)由同音,又(you)因為(wei)此(ci)果(guo)(guo)(guo)為(wei)喬木(mu)所(suo)生(sheng),用木(mu)旁的(de)(de)(de)(de)“柚(you)(you)”,稱為(wei)“沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)田(tian)(tian)柚(you)(you)”合適。皇(huang)帝(di)(di)聽罷,龍(long)顏大(da)悅,隨口贊道(dao):“沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)田(tian)(tian)柚(you)(you),沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)田(tian)(tian)柚(you)(you),好(hao),好(hao)!”沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)田(tian)(tian)柚(you)(you)一(yi)得到(dao)天子的(de)(de)(de)(de)贊賞,便很(hen)快繁衍(yan)起來(lai),沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)田(tian)(tian)村附近(jin)越種(zhong)(zhong)越多(duo),那里的(de)(de)(de)(de)土(tu)壤特(te)(te)別(bie)(bie)適宜于它的(de)(de)(de)(de)生(sheng)長,所(suo)產柚(you)(you)果(guo)(guo)(guo)確(que)有“甜脆消渣,獨此(ci)一(yi)家(jia)(jia)”的(de)(de)(de)(de)特(te)(te)點。名(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)聲傳開以后(hou),外(wai)縣(xian)外(wai)省(sheng)紛(fen)紛(fen)前來(lai)引種(zhong)(zhong),產品質(zhi)量(liang)雖然不(bu)(bu)(bu)能完全趕上地(di)道(dao)的(de)(de)(de)(de)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)田(tian)(tian)柚(you)(you),便也是(shi)果(guo)(guo)(guo)中(zhong)上品,因種(zhong)(zhong)源來(lai)自(zi)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)田(tian)(tian),又(you)儀仗其名(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)聲,不(bu)(bu)(bu)愿另起別(bie)(bie)名(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming),仍然沿(yan)用沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)田(tian)(tian)柚(you)(you)之名(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming),直(zhi)至今天。