76 FOOD FOR THE TROPICS 



Durian 



{Durio zibethinus) 



This fruit is a native of the Malay Islands, Malay Penin- 

 sula, and South Tenasserim ; and is extensively cultivated. 

 It is called Duyin (Burmah) ; and Mfinessiya-kisungu 

 (Kisuah, East Africa). 



It must be eaten at a particular time of ripeness, 

 and will not keep longer than five to six days after 

 plucking. The Burmans cover it with a cloth and coat 

 it with clay to make it keep. It is very aromatic, which 

 is probably due to the presence of a volatile oil. Colonel 

 Biggs says that " it is richly and highly flavoured, resem- 

 bUng marrow rather than fruit, and decomposes rapidly 

 when ripe, when its odour becomes very disagreeable. 

 This has caused it to be disliked by some who have not 

 been able to eat the fruit fresh from the tree. It is 

 beyond question the finest fruit in the world." Wallace 

 says " it is worth a journey to the East to taste it, because 

 it has such an exquisite flavour." 



Pine^AppIe 



(Ananas sativa) 



This well-known fruit, which is a native of Tropical 

 America, and generally found growing in dry localities 

 on the outside of forests, is extensively cultivated throughout 

 the tropical world. 



