38 THE WONDERS OF VEGETATION. 



mention that of the bread-tree, discovered in the isle 

 of Oceanica. This invaluable tree belongs to the ge- 

 nus Artocarpus^ of the fig family. The leaves in 

 this family are simple, plain or serrated, and the flow- 

 ers very small and imperfect, some having no corolla, 

 and others no calix, but all appearing alike upon the 

 same tree at the extremities of the branches. 



The true bread-tree has indented or serrated leaves. 

 We say the true bread-tree, for this genius embraces 

 many other species, which, in spite of a very remark- 

 able organization, do not possess the properties of the 

 one we have mentioned. Thus there is an Artocar- 

 pus incisa, with small leaves and flowers, but bear- 

 ing fruits which are, perhaps, the largest borne by 

 any tree on earth. These round fruits are sometimes 

 so large that a man cannot lift them ! The kernels 

 are eaten, roasted like chestnuts, but they are not easily 

 digestible. Then there is the Jack (Artocarpus in- 

 tegrifoUa), of the Indian Archipelago, with a huge 

 trunk, and dense foliage on the broad-branching sum- 

 mit, while the fruit measures 18 inches by 15. Trav- 

 ellers are not agreed as to the merits of the latter. 

 Rheede says they have an agreeable taste and odor, 

 but Commerson could not summon courage even to 

 put a morsel of it in his mouth. " Tastes differ," but 

 it seems difficult to explain such contradictory opin- 

 ions, unless it should be that these travellers speak of 

 such trees as certain critics are said to judge of works 

 which they have never seen. A third species is the 

 Artocarpus hvrsuta, the tallest of the genus. Its 

 wood is used in carpentery, and in boat-building. 



