68 CLIMATE AND VEGETATION OF [MaVCh, 



Various species of Capsicum or Cayenne Pepper are common, 

 and used by the Creoles and Negroes as a condiment to flavour 

 their soups, etc. ; but I fear tliey would prove rather too hot 

 for a British palate. 



The Banyan-tree [Ficus indica) is remarkable for producing 

 fibrous appendages from its branches, Avhich descend to the 

 ground, strike root, and so multiply ad infinitum. 



The Coffee-plant {Coffea arabica) is here cultivated to a great 

 extent. Any notice respecting it would be superfluous. 



The Pumpkin [Cucurbito Pepo, Nat. Ord. Cucurbitacea;) is a 

 large fruit, and when boiled is eaten with meat, and has a flavour 

 and taste intermediate between a turnip and carrot. 



The Yam {Dioscorea sativa) is an excellent root ; it is a turning 

 plant, of slender appearance, but produces tuberous roots of im- 

 mense size. They are boiled and eaten as we do potatoes in 

 Britain, and are in reality an excellent substitute, of a far better 

 quality than most of our potatoes nowadays. 



fyomoea Batatas is another plant, the tubers of which, when 

 boiled, are used in lieu of potatoes. They are of a sweetish 

 flavour, those in Barbados being superior in size and quality to 

 those of St, Lucia. 



Jatropha Manihot, called by the natives Cassava or Cassada, is a 

 highly poisonous plant, with tuberous roots, which by the Negroes 

 are grated, and afterwards washed in water, and finally kneaded 

 into cakes and baked on the fire. The action of heat dissipates 

 all the acrid and noxious qualities, and renders this poisonous 

 substance an article of human food. It belongs to the Eu- 

 phorbiaceae, a family which contains many highly deleterious 

 plants. 



Arum Colocasia, a plant much resembling our British Wake- 

 robin, with large deltoid leaves, is used by the Creoles and Ne- 

 groes in the preparation of soups. The leaves being only accep- 

 table, are by boiling rendered as bland as spinach, notwithstand- 

 ing their extreme acridity. 



The Dumb Cane {Caladium seguinum), a shrubby evergreen 

 of the same family, is a highly poisonous plant, and completely 

 paralyzes the mouths of all who incautiously taste it. 



Artocarpus incisa, or Breadfruit-tree, a large tree with pal- 

 mated leaves, introduced from the South Sea Islands, bears a 

 large oval fruit of the size and shape of an ostrich- egg. It is 



