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call the bananas Adam's Apples, supposing 

 them to be the fruit that Eve took and gave 

 to Adam, which is as erroneous as the ac- 

 count of the Abb6 Poyart and others, who 

 state the leaves to be those of the tree from 

 which our first parents made themselves 

 aprons, as from their size, which is from five 

 to seven feet in length, and from one to two 

 feet in breadth, they could not have required 

 sewing together for that purpose. These 

 leaves are said to be as strong as parchment. 

 The leaves of the plantain, as well as the 

 banana, grow so rapidly, that by placing a 

 thread, they will be found to grow an inch in 

 an hour. The young leaves are so soft, that 

 the} r are employed in dressings for blisters, 

 &c. When full grown, they are so large that 

 they are used as substitutes for napkins and 

 table-cloths : when dried, they are made into 

 mats and stuffings for mattresses, &c. 



If a knife be thrust into a plantain-tree, 

 there will come out a great quantity of clear 

 water, which is very rough and astringent, 

 stopping all sorts of fluxes. 



The fruit of the banana-tree has been 

 ripened in our hothouses; but as the tree 

 grows very tall, the size of the leaves requires 

 more room than most gardeners are willing 

 to allow it in the stove. 



