VEGETABLES — ANIMAL FOOD. 235 



are likewise brought to market, together with the following 

 culinary herbs : — Lettuce, parsley, thyme, and water-cresses ; 

 onions and shallots [Allium ascalonicum) , spinach (Spinacia 

 oleracea), goment (Solatium morella), and the foliage of tanias. 



We import annually a large quantity of vegetables, either as 

 preserves or fresh. Preserves are imported mainly from France. 

 The total quantity imported may be estimated at £31,975 sterling 

 — from France, £3,374; Portugal (potatoes and onions), £3,711 ; 

 United States (potatoes, cabbages, beet-root, &c), £8,183; 

 British West Indies (yams, sweet potatoes), £5,304; Venezuela 

 (plantains, peas), £7,217. 



Animal Food. — The animal food of the population consists 

 of salt provisions and fresh meat, including game of all kinds. 



Salt Provisions. — We import from the British Colonies of 

 North America and the United States, besides cod or salt fish 

 (local term), mackerel, herrings, and salmon, to the amount of 

 about one million two hundred thousand pounds — value £60,713, 

 of which £40,623 is imported from British North America. Salt 

 fish may be said to be the staple of the animal diet of the popula- 

 tion ; the richest as well as the poorest inhabitant of Trinidad 

 must have his salt fish at breakfast, and many use it at dinner 

 also. So constant and extensive is its use in the rural districts, 

 that it has long borne the flattering designation of " Planter's 

 Ham." 



Salt beef, pork, and hams are imported from the British Isles 

 and the United States ; corned fish, salted hog, and tasajo or 

 jerked beef, from Venezuela. We import of meats (salted and 

 dried), 8,085,036 lbs. — value £45,353. We get our supplies of 

 butter from France and the United States mainly (483,781 lbs. 

 and 98,600 lbs.) ; total quantity imported, 619,949 lbs. — value, 

 £25,170 ; total quantity of lard imported, 610,686 lbs., of which 

 540,432 lbs. are from the United States— value, £10,163. Olive 

 oil, 34,668 bottles — value, £11,256, of which quantity France 

 sends us 31,690 bottles. 



Live Stock and Fresh Meat. — Except poultry, the island rears 

 almost no animal food — nearly every ox slaughtered in the colony 

 being imported from Venezuela. The beef is not of the best 

 quality, as the animals, on arrival, are generally wild and lean ; 

 it sells at from 20 to 24 cents per pound. About 4,305 oxen are 

 imported annually, of which 3,652 come from Venezuela — value, 



