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VARIOUS FOOD PLANTS 



Fig. 108. — Date {Phcpnix dacti/lifera. Palm Family, Palmacccr) . Group of 

 trees in an oasis of the Sahara desert. (Strasburger.) 



on account of its strongly acid sap; in spite of its fruit-like 

 qualities, however, it can still less be called a fruit. 



Similarly in the olive (Fig. 113) we have a fruit which is 

 put to a peculiar use. The ]iulp instead of being sour or sweet, 

 abounds in a rich oil, which when extracted by pressure, is 

 the most highly valued of vegetable oils for salads and in 

 cookery. Peanuts and various other oily nuts, as also cotton 

 seed and others rich in oil, yield a similar product which is 



