i8 FOOD FOR THE TROPICS 



gently over the fire, mashing them into a pulp, and then 

 moulding into lumps. In Fiji the grated plantain is 

 made into a pudding with coco-nut milk, sugar, and 

 grated coco-nut. In Cuba it is cooked in slices with oil. 



In the Albert Nyanza District, East Africa, plantains, 

 when peeled, are cut into thin slices, dried in the sun till 

 crisp, then stored in granaries till required. 



In India, plantain meal is obtained by peeling the fruit, 

 slicing, drying in the sun till crisp, and then grinding. 

 This meal is called "conquintay" in the West Indies 

 and British Guiana, where it is highly esteemed and 

 extensively used. 



Some say that, after removing the skin, the slightly 

 mealy thin layer on the outer surface should be scraped 

 off before use, as it is somewhat bitter. 



It would be a good plan to confine the name " Plantain " 

 to the large variety which is always gathered and coolted 

 while green, and " Banana " to the product which is allowed 

 to ripen before use. 



In Mexico, Humboldt calculated that one acre planted 

 with plantains was sufiicient to support fifty men, whilst 

 the same area in wheat would barely support the wants 

 of three. 



