STtKAD HORTLS JAMATCEXSIS. 113 



uiKicr the direction of a conimiltoe of tbe honourable House of AssemW" ; and have 

 been culu\-aled ia every part of tliis island with great success, though not in so exttja- 

 S:ve a iiianner as they desi-rvc. The trees thrive well almost evcr\- where, and s>tow to 

 as large a size as in their native soil, bearing abundance of fruit, and fortnirsg an cxr 

 cellent addition to the many other articles of subsistence which this island possesses. 

 The warts which cover the surface of the thick rind of this valuable fruit are of a qua- 

 drangular or diamond like figure, but without points. Tiie internal part of the rind or 

 })eel, consists of a fleshy substance lull of twisted fihres, which has the apyjearauce of 

 fine wool ; these iKliiere to, and in some measure form it. The iieshy part of this fruit 

 becomes soi'ter toi\'ards tiie midJle, where there is a surall cavity formed without any 

 'fiuts or seeds, except in one variety, which has but a small number, and this sort is 

 not good unless it is baked, or prepared some other way : but, if the outward rind be 

 taken oft', and the fiGrous flesh dried, and afterwards boiled with meat, as we do cabbage, 

 . it has then tiie taste of artichoke bottoms. The leaf iis large and dark coloured, and, 

 when young, has a covering which is pushed off as the leaf gathers strength. The 

 trunk, branches, and leaves, when Ixoke^ or cut, exude very plentifully and freely a 

 milky juice, which boiled with cocoa nut oil makes a very strong birdlime. Caout- 

 chouc, or Indian rubber, may also be obtained from it by exposure to the air; or if 

 oxv-tnnriatic acid be poured into it the caoutchouc precipitatos immediately. 



There is a variety with deeply gaslred and another widi entire leaves, but the prin- 

 cipal variety is that which bears fruit with seeds, and is much taller and larger m every 

 respect than the other. The seeds are almost as large as chesnuts, oblong, omewhat 

 angular, produced into a point at each end, scjjarated by several little meuihranes or 

 coats, formeil by the abortion of some of the germs ; they are attached to a fleshy and 

 very considerable placenta, which occupies the centre. Tliey are farinaceous like the 

 chesnut, and are eaten, in some places,, by the savage inhabitants, either boiled or 

 j-'oasted. In Otaheite they reckon eight varieties of that without seetl^, differing in the 

 form of the leaves and fruit. One of tliese they name uru, which has a: globular^mootlt 

 even fruit,, and is the most common. A second, named viaira, has an oval smooth 

 fruit, with the leaves more deeply cut : A third, called /xr/tY/, has the fruit oblong and 

 rugged, as it were seal}' : A fourth tatara, has an oval fruit, with mamillary germs, 

 muricated by the permanent style. It is believed most if not all of these varieties are 

 to be found in this island,, and perhaps the different modes of cultivation may still fur- 

 ther increase them. The wood of all in body and branches is very soft and brittle^ 

 having a considerable pith or hollow ; and the branches, especially of young trees, are 

 very liable to be broken by high winds. 



The fruit, when used as a bread kind, is gathered before perfectly ripe, and is be.";t 

 roasted whole in an oven, and the rind afterwards scraped off, the inside is then soft 

 and white, tasting much like sweet cassada, to which its texture has also considerable 

 resemblance, but it is not palateable if kept for any length of time after being cooked. 

 Fritters may be made of it, and it forms a good ingredient in puddings, in any vvay it 

 affords a great deal of nourishment, especially when boiled, and being, it is said, of a 

 gentle astringent quality, is good for persons of a lax habit. The tree is useful not- 

 only for food but for clothing ; lor the bark is stripped off the suckers and formed into 

 a kind of cloth. 



It is a hardy plant enough, and easily propagated by suckers, and cuttings of the 

 roots, '.rhe suckers rise in great numbers from the horizontal roots, which extend a 

 considerabJe length ironi tiie tree. When the roots are taken fur plants, each slip or 



Q cutting. 



