f 



68 FOOD FOR THE TORPICS 



grown as a sweetmeat, being cut up in short pieces, the 

 outer skin stripped off, chewed, and the fibrous part thrown 

 away. The juice is a delicious drink, and contains 18-20 

 per cent, of cane sugar. 



In Venezuela sugar is obtained as follows : The cane 

 minus the leaves is taken to a mill, and the juice squeezed 

 out between two strong iron rollers, then run into large 

 iron pans, where it is boiled and inspissated by gradual 

 evaporation, and finally poured into wooden moulds, of 

 conical shape, about 15 inches high. It solidifies into brown 

 sugar, called locally "papelon." In Borneo the Golden 

 Yellow Cane is considered the best variety as a sweetmeat. 



Sugar is a powerful antiseptic. 



CocO''nut 



{Cocos nuciferct) 

 This Palm also yields Sugar, as described in Chapter V. 



Banana 



{Musa saplentum) 



Called Guineo in New Granada ; and Bacove or Figue 

 Banane (French Guiana). As a rule, the banana when 

 ripe is small, round, sugary, and finely flavoured. The 

 plantain, on the other hand, is large, coarse, flat, long, and 

 in taste resembles rice or potatoes, showing that it contains 

 a lot of starch ; it is generally gathered green and unripe, 

 and boiled or roasted like a vegetable. The banana is a 



