PLANTS. 343 



Palestine, but highly ornamental, now planted in gardens 

 everywhere. 2 . Next is 



The Pine Apple (Bromelia ananas), root fibrous and 

 thick; leaves, rigid, dry, and spiny on the edges, are 

 three feet long and three inches broad ; the fine fruit 

 which is formed by a consolidation of the imperfect flow- 

 ers, bracts, and receptacle into a fleshy succulent mass, 

 rises on a stem about a foot in length from the middle of 

 the leaves. The stem, before the fruit is formed, has a 

 terminal tuft of leaves and purple flowers, and again an- 

 other crown of red or yellow leaves. Fruit, like the 

 artichoke, is overgrown with leaves, often one foot in 

 length and six inches in breadth, is yellow, pulpy, and 

 of delicious flavor. Seeds small and brown, and pear- 

 shaped. Grows almost everywhere in South America, 

 thrives best in sandy soils, and is as a refreshing cordial 

 to the wayfarer in those arid wastes. The wild pine 

 apple, however, is by no means so luscious as that nur- 

 tured by cultivation, but has a harsh taste. Propagated 

 by planting the tufted crown or lateral sprouts ; the first 

 produces better plants, but are longer in attaining to 

 maturity. It is a common practice to cut the pine apple 

 very thin, and pouring wine over the slices, let it remain 

 all night ; the wine pressed out in the morning, will be 

 found to have imbibed all the delicious aroma of the 

 fruit. A relative race is 



The Sinyalassi (Bromelia sagenaria), which bears 

 fruit of an inferior kind ; nevertheless, is not less useful, 

 as the fibrous leaves, treated as hemp, is converted into a 

 similar, but more enduring fabric. When matured by 

 the same process as has been described, it is manufac- 

 tured into ropes, whips, nets, etc. 



The Tree Aloe or Century Plant (Agave americana), 



