146 NAT. ORDER. ARTOCARPE/E. 



make a meal without it, though to us the taste is as disagreeable 

 as that of a pickled olive, the first time it is eaten. The fruit 

 continues good for eight months in the year, and the mahie sup- 

 plies the inhabitants during the other four. 



To procure this most bounteous gift of the Creator, which is 

 the principal article of their food, these happ}' people have no 

 other trouble or labor, except climbing up the tree which produ- 

 ces the Bread-fruit, and plucking it from the stems. It is said that 

 this tree does not grow spontaneously ; but, as an ancient author 

 has remarked, " if a man plants ten of these trees in his life time, 

 which he can do in about one hour, he will as completely fulfil 

 his duty to his own and future generations, as the native of our 

 less temperate climate can do, by ploughing in the cold of winter, 

 and reaping in the summer's heat, as often as these seasons return. 



There are two species of Artocarpus — the incisus, with gashed 

 leaves ; and the integri/oHa, with entire leaves. There is also 

 said to be another distinction, into that which bears fruit with 

 Btones, or seeds, and that in which the fruit has none. The parts 

 of fructification of that tree which beai's the fruit without stones, 

 are defective. The amentum, or catkin, which contains the male 

 parts, never expands. The style, or female part of the fruit, is 

 likewise deficient ; from which it follows, that there can be no 

 stones or seeds ; and, therefore, this tree can be propagated only 

 by suckers or layers ; although it is abundantly evident that it 

 must originally have proceeded from the seed-bearing Bread-fruit 

 tree. Instances of this kind we sometimes find in both European 

 and American fruits, such as the barberry, and the Corinthian 

 grape from Zante, sometimes called currants. Dr. Scholander was 

 assured by the oldest inhabitants of Otaheite, and the adjoining 

 islands, that they well remember that there was formerly plenty 

 of the seed-bearing Bread-fruit, but they had been neglected on 

 account of the preference given to the bread-fruit without seeds, 

 which they propagate by suckers. 



