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PINE-APPLE PLANT. -AN ANAS. 



Natural order, Coronaria. A species of the Bromelia, 

 and of the class Hexandria Monogynia. 



o JIKJ 

 " What Nature, alas! has denied 



To the delicate growth of our isle, 

 Art has in a measure supplied ; 



E'en winter is deck'd with a smile." 



Cowper. 



THESE species of plants were named Bromelia in me- 

 mory of Olaus Bromel, a Swedish author of the seven- 

 teenth century. 



The Brazilians call this delicious fruit Nana, from which 

 the generic name has been formed. 



It takes its name of pine-apple from the resemblance it 

 bears to the cones of the pine-tree. It is considered the 

 king of fruits, being second to none in flavour, and always 

 appearing at table with a crown. 



The Ananas is an herbaceous plant, with leaves some- 

 what resembling those of the aloe. It grows wild, in vast 

 abundance, in many parts of Africa and South America ; 

 and is cultivated in the hotter islands of the West Indies, 

 where it requires but little attention to procure this ele- 

 gant fruit in perfection and plenty. 



That the history of a fruit of so exquisite a flavour, and 

 so late an introduction, should be so little known to us, 

 appears extraordinary ; by various ingenious devices, its 



