Ch. XXII. | CLASSES AND ORDERS. 133 



Musa, affords the Plantain and Banana trees, whose leaves and 

 fruit are of great size. The Plantain trees grow to the height 

 of twenty feet, having leaves about six feet long and two 

 broad. Some of these trees in a plantation will not fail to be 

 in bearing at every season of the year, so that the inhabitants 

 of the countries which produce them are in no danger of per- 

 ishing for want of food. The fruit when used as bread is roasted 

 or boiled ; it is also made into pies, or dried and preserved as a 

 sweet meat. Three dozen of plantains we considered as suffi- 

 cient food for a man during a week, and it is said will support 

 him better than bread. 



567. The fruit of the Banana is not unlike the cucumber in 

 form and size ; when ripe it is soft and pleasant to the taste. It 

 is introduced at desserts at the tables of the rich in the West 

 Indies ; and is much used as an article of food among the poor- 

 er classes of people. How kind, my dear children, is Provi- 

 dence, in thus causing the earth to bring forth cooling and 

 nourishing fruits and refreshing shades in those parched and 

 burning countries ! 



568. The Aloe belongs to the class and order we are consi- 

 dering ; there are a great many species of it ; some grow but a 

 few inches high, and others to the height of tall trees. The 

 Aloe is a native of hot countries. The Negroes of the West- 

 ern coast of Africa, make nets of the fibrous parts of the leaves 

 of this plant; the Hottentots use the stem for their arrows. 

 The people of Jamaica obtain materials from the Aloe plant 

 from which they make fishing nets, stockings, and thread. In 

 Mexico, a species of aloe serves for hedges, enclosures, beams 

 for the roofs of houses, and leaves for their covering : its wood 

 and fibres furnish needles and thread, cloth and ropes, while 

 its juices allbrd sugar and vinegar. The juice of aloes was 

 used among Eastern nations in embalming their dead. This 

 plant is often spoken of in the Bible, particularly in the Old 

 Testament. It is very useful in medicine ; for which purpose 

 it is prepared by pressing from its leaves a gummy substance 

 of an extremely bitter taste, from whence comes the very com- 

 mon comparison, " as bitter as aloes." The Island of Socotra 

 was the first place where this gum was prepared ; hence it was 

 sailed Socotrine aloes, a name which is still in use. Many 

 plants of this genus produce beautiful flowers; some are said 

 not to blossom until they are 100 years old. 



It is necessary to pass over many interesting plants whick 



501 What is said of the fruit of the Banana 7 

 5G8 Repeat what is said of the Aloe plant. 



