NOTES ON PLANTS, VEGETABLES, AND FRUITS. 4.17 



middle one broader, shorter, and blunt. The long upcurved 

 anther-processes are nearly three-eighths of an inch in length." 



Gardner* mentions, passing through Brumado, "a long, 

 straggling village in a state of great decay." 



NOTES ON PLANTS, VEGETABLES, AND FRUITS REFERRED TO 

 ON P. '134. 



Tobacco. " The tobacco of Rio de Pomba, fifteen leagues 

 from Barbacena, and the Rio Novo WOP the medal at the Indus- 

 trial Exhibition of Rio de Janeiro ; that of Baependy, especially 

 the fumo crespo, is a dark, strong leaf, well fitted for making 

 ' cavendish ' or ' honey dew.' The soil will be much improved 

 by compost, and the produce by being treated in Virginian style 

 delicately dried in closed barns with fires " (Captain Burton). After 

 a time I took a great liking to the Pomba tobacco, and brought 

 home a good supply. My friends in general consider it superb. 



Bananas. There are at least six kinds : Banana ouro, Sao 

 Tome, and Prata, which are best eaten raw ; B. maga, da terra, 

 and velhaca, which are generally fried or boiled, not being very 

 sweet or juicy. The banana da terra is commonly known as 

 plantain. This tree often falls to the ground by the weight of its 

 own fruit. The banana tree is always cut down after the fruit is 

 picked, and grows up again the next year. Banana ouro is the 

 smallest, and velhaca the largest. 



Sugar-cane. Besides the ordinary powdery yellow sugar, there 

 is a product called rapadoura, which is abundantly used, It 

 consists of a hard brick-like brown uncrystallized sugar, from 

 which the molasses has not been extracted. Captain Burton says 

 it is only found in South America. 



Cachaga, or caxaga, I have frequently referred to, and given 

 the different local names by which it is known. This spirit is 

 distilled from molasses, and is supposed to be pure ; but the 

 odour and taste are very disagreeable, though one gets accustomed 

 to it. The price is about ^d. a pint. I found it useful and not 

 injurious, when taken in small quantities ; while a glass of any of 

 the half-dozen Dutch spirits sold at Brumado invariably disagreed 



* " Travels in the Interior of Brazil," p. 385. London, 1849. 



2 E 



