Liberia <*- 



ground into fine flour, or it is soaked, dried, and pounded in a 

 mortar. This flour is used to thicken stews or palm-oil soup. 

 A very favourite vegetable dish is the truly delicious " palm 

 cabbage " (Vai, boro). This is the heart of the oil palm, and 

 its extraction kills the tree. A sort of spinach is made from 



389. IN \ PADEBU vn i,\<;i. NKAK TIIK CKNTI KAI. CAVALLA 



Show-in- ( in ulai . l.iy houses, platfoim for drying i;r;iiii, and lofly CM Irtish ) 



various leaves, especially those of the shrub Portulaca. Away 

 from the coast, the small sweet banana, which was probably 

 introduced from America, is not met with : the plantain or long 

 banana is the only kind, and as a matter of fact no travel lei- 

 seems to note any abundance of banana groves. Although the 



996 



