WHOLE VOL. THE WEST INDIES VAZQUEZ DE ESPINOSA 83 



say, it is the most abundant and usual fruit to be had at all times, 

 and is the stand-by of the poor. The leaf which the plantain puts 

 forth is like that of the sugarcane, but softer, and so large that a 

 single one will cover a man, and a banana plantation is as thick as a 

 field of cane. They are planted along the rivers or watercourses, as 

 the Holy Spirit says : "1 grew up as a plane ^ tree by the water" ; and 

 although the tree does not bear fruit more than once, it is always 

 producing suckers. There are many kinds of plantains and bananas ; 

 some are lO inches long or over ; when they are unripe they have the 

 outer skin green ; when ripe, yellow ; when overripe, black ; they are 

 the shape of a long radish ; one peels off the outer skin, which is 

 soft, and the inner fruit is white, without any core or other impedi- 

 ment, white as blancmange ; they have them medium-sized, tiny, and 

 of many varieties ; those from Guinea are better-flavored, small, cool- 

 ing, and somewhat nauseating ; wherever you cut them, they take 

 the shape of a crucifix. They grow only in hot countries ; there is 

 fruit on the tree all the year round ; ordinarily they cut them when 

 it is the right time, and let them ripen after cutting. 



226. The mammee is a tall tree, with thick foliage and spreading 

 branches like a walnut, although the leaves are larger ; the fruit re- 

 sembles a large quince ; the skin or rind is dark-colored and rough ; 

 its flesh in color and taste is like that of a peach ; it has two or three 

 stones larger than chestnuts and like them in the color and smooth- 

 ness of the husk. 



227. The jocotes or jobos are the plums of the Indies, and the 

 size of ours ; there are many varieties of them, though the most usual 

 are about like our Michaelmas plums ; there are yellow, purple, and 

 red ones. The tree resembles an almond, and the leaves are similar, 

 though larger and juicier. They make good parsley from its sprigs, 

 which taste like tender onion shoots ; the fruit is yellow and smooth, 

 and its flesh sweet, with something of a bitter flavor, and very juicy ; 

 the stone is soft. In Jocotenango (Guatemala) and other places they 

 dry them and they are delicious. 



228. The aguacate (alligator pear), which is called palta in Peru, 

 is a tall and luxuriant tree, of wide spread ; its leaves are larger and 

 greener than apple leaves ; its fruit is larger than a big king pear ; 

 there are many varieties and shapes, some long like squashes, some 

 round. The rind is usually green and smooth, though there are some 

 like pippins with rind of two colors ; the flesh is a yellowish white, 

 with a green tinge next the rind. It is a very healthful and delicious 



1 "Platanus" in Latin, which he confuses with plantain. 



