60 NUTRITIVE PLANTS. 



in this manner: they saw the body into small pieces, and after 

 beating them in a mortar, pour water upon the mass 5 this is left 

 for some hours to settle. When fit, it is strained through a cloth j 

 and the finer particles of the mealy substance running through with 

 the water, the gross ones are left behind and thrown away. After 

 the farinaceous part has sufficiently subsided, the water is poured 

 off", and tiie meal being properly dried, is occasionally made into 

 cakes and baked. These cakes are said to eat nearly as well as 

 wheaten bread, and are the support of the inhabitants for three or 

 tour months in the year. 



The same meal more finely pulverized, and reduced into granules, 

 is what is called sago, which is sent into all parts of Europe, and 

 sold in the shops as a great strengthener and restorative. There is 

 a sort of sago made in the West Indies, and sent to Europe, in the 

 same manner as that from the East ; but the West Iudia sago is far 

 inferior in quality to the other. It is supposed to be made from 

 the pith of the areca oleracea. 



2. The cycas revoluta, or brood boom (or bread tree) of the 

 Hottentots, a plant discovered by Professor Thunberg. The pith, 

 or medulla, which abounds in the trunk of this little palm, Mr. Spar- 

 man informs us, is collected and tied up in dressed calf or sheep- 

 skins, and then buried in the earth for the space of several weeks, 

 till it becomes sufficiently mellow and tender to be kneaded up 

 with water into a paste, of which they afterwards make small 

 loaves or cakes, and bake them under the ashes. Other Hotten- 

 tots, not quite so nice, nor endued with patience enough to wait this 

 tedious method of preparing it, are said to dry and roast the pith 

 or marrow, and afterwards make a kind of frumenty of it. 



2. Areca. 

 Fausel-nut. 



This genus also belongs to the natural order of the palm. It 

 includes the three following species. 



1. A. cathecu, a native of India. It has no branches, but its 

 leaves are very beautiful ; they form a round tuft at the top of the 

 t^unk, which is as straight as an arrow. It grows to the height of 

 25 or 35 feet, and is a great ornament in gardens. The shell which 

 contains the fruit is smooth without, but rough and hairy within ; in 

 which it pretty much resembles the shell of the cocoa nut. Its size 



