FRUITS. 145 
places on the island. Yams are more difficult to cultivate than taro, 
and are therefore not planted so commonly by the natives. 
Sweet potatoes are far superior to the best varieties of yams and of 
taro. The natives grow them principally to supply visiting ships. 
Several varieties occur in Guam. Unlike the yams and taro, which 
erew on the island before the discovery, sweet potatoes were intro- 
duced by the Spaniards. One variety was brought from the island of 
Agrigan, where it had been introduced by settlers from the Hawaiian 
Islands. 
Among other plants with starch-bearing roots are the indigenous 
Tucca pinnatifida, or Polynesian arrowroot; the true arrowroot 
(Maranta arundinacea, Pl. XXV); and the mandioe plant (Jlanchot 
manihot, Pl. X XVI), which vields cassava and tapioca. 
Srarcuy Fruits.—The principal starchy fruits are those of the 
sterile breadfruit (Artocarpus communis, Pl. XXVIT), called ** lemae” 
or ‘‘rima” by the natives, and the well-known plantain (J/usa para- 
disiaca). Of the plantain there are several varieties. The fruit differs 
from that of the banana in being starchy instead of sweet, and it must 
be cooked before eating. When baked it has somewhat the taste and 
consistency of a potato, but is inferior to it in flavor. 
As both the breadfruit and plantain are seedless they must be prop- 
agated by suckers. This is readily done with both plants. They 
both grow with little care and produce abundantly in Guam, As the 
breadfruit is in season only during certain months of the year, some of 
the natives lay in a store of it for the rest of the year by slicing it and 
drying or toasting it in ovens, making a kind of biscuit of it which 
they call ** biseocho de lemae.” If kept dry this will last indefinitely 
and may be eaten either without further preparation or cooked in 
various ways. It is fine food for taking on a journey, as it is light and 
conveniently carried. 
Squashes and pumpkins are grown, but they do not occupy a promi- 
nent place in the economy of the natives. 
The nuts of the Cycas c7reinal’s, called **fadan” by the Chamorros 
and ‘*federiko” by the Filipinos, yield a nutritious starch. As these 
nuts are poisonous in their crude condition, there has been considerable 
prejudice against them on the part of some of the Spanish governors 
of the island. In other countries, however, a fine sago, or arrowroot, 
is made from them, which is declared to be superior to that made from 
the pith of sago palms. 
It is remarkable that the ‘t Polynesian chestnut” (Bocoa edulis), so 
widely spread over the Pacific, is not included in the Guam flora. 
Tree rruits.——The principal fruits are oranges, bananas, mangoes 
(Pl. XXVIID), and sugar apples (Annona sguammosa), all of which are 
of fine quality. In the vicinity of Agat and the harbor of San Luis de 
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