THE VEGETABLES. 273 



those of old Egypt are upstarts of yesterday? There are 

 those who never can look at the Banana without a feelincj of 

 awe, as at a token of how ancient the race of man may be, 

 and how little we know of his history. 



Most beautiful it is. The lush fat green stem ; the 

 crown of huge leaves, falling over in curves like those of 

 human limbs ; and below, the whorls of green or golden fruit, 

 with the purple heart of flowers dangling below them ; and 

 ail so full of life, that this splendid object is the product of 

 a few months. I am told that if you cut the stem off at 

 certain seasons, you may see the young leaf remember that 

 it is an endogen, and grows from within, like a palm, or a 

 lily, or a grass actually move upward from within and grow 

 before your eyes ; and that each st^m of Plantain will bear 

 from thirty to sixty pounds of rich food during the year of 

 its short life. 



But, beside the grand Plantains and Bananas, there are 

 other interesting plants, whose names you have often 

 heard. The tall plant with stem unbranched, but knotty 

 and zigzag, and leaves atop like hemp, but of a cold purplish 

 tinge, is the famous Cassava,^ or Manioc, the old food of the 

 Indians, poisonous till its juice is squeezed out in a curious 

 spiral grass basket. The young Laburnums (as they seem), 

 with purple flowers, are Pigeon-peas,- right good to eat. The 



^ Janiplia Manihot. - Cajanus Indicus. 



VOL. II. T 



