HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK, 



late. It belongs to the Sterculiaceae, and is a native of tropical America, 

 where it is widely cultivated. The flowers and fruits are borne on the trunk 

 and bases of the older branches. The chocolate pods are 6-8 inches long, 

 and contain five rows of seeds, each row with 10-15 seeds. These seeds are 

 the chocolate beans of commerce. In the family Amaryllidaceae we have the 

 genus Agave. From Agave Americana, and perhaps a few other species, 

 is manufactured the pulque of Mexico. When a plant starts to bloom the 

 bud with several of the upper leaves are cut out, leaving a large cavity in 

 the center of the plant. In this cavity the sap of the plant collects; a large 

 plant is said to yield two gallons per day for several months. This sap 

 is fermented in rawhide bags, and is largely consumed by the Mexicans. 

 Aguardiente or mescal is obtained from the pulque by distillation. 



The fruits of tropical America are many, both native and introduced. 

 Perhaps the most useful as an article of food is the plantain, Musa para- 

 disiaca, largely taking the place there of the potato in the north. A close 

 relative of this, Musa sapientum, in many horticultural forms, is widely 

 cultivated as the banana. The greater part of the bananas which come to 

 the United States are grown in Central America, northern South America 

 and Jamaica. One of the most delightful of fruits, to those who once ac- 

 quire the taste, is the mango, the fruit of Mangifera indica. It is hardly 

 necessary to say that the natives do not have to acquire the taste, 

 they are born with it. It furnishes a large part of the food for some months 

 of the year, as it is very nourishing. It belongs to the Anacardiaceae, to 

 which belongs our common sumac. In Cocos nucifera, the cocoanut, we 

 have another valuable economic plant. This is a member of the palm fam- 

 ily, Palmaceae, and its origin is veiled in obscurity, although supposed to 

 have originated in America, where all its relatives are native. It is now ex- 

 tensively cultivated in all the tropical parts of the world. In an entirely 

 different family, the Bromeliaceae, we find the pine apple, also extensively 

 cultivated in tropical and warm temperate regions. In the southern part of 

 Florida the pine apple industry is an extensive one. 



In the Moraceae, or mulberry family, is the bread-fruit tree, Arto- 

 carpus incisa, which attains a height of 25-30 feet. It is a native of the 

 Pacific Islands, and was introduced into the West Indies by the British Gov- 

 ernment about 1793. In Carica Papaya, the papaw, we have another econ- 

 omic fruit. This is a native of tropical America. Animal flesh when 

 wrapped in its leaves becomes very tender; the same result is produced by 

 boiling meat in its juice. In the laurel family, Lauraceae, to which our 

 sassafras belongs, there is a tree which yields a fruit of great value as a 

 food. This is the avocado pear, or alligator pear, Persea Persea, a native 

 of the West Indies. The flesh of its fruit is very rich in fat, and is said to 

 be highly nutritious. Among other native American fruits may be mentioned 

 the sweet sop, Anona squamosa, highly prized by many, and the sour sop. 



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