SOUTH AMERICA 229 



the hand, else the sugar will be earmelized, and the core 

 of the fruit blackened and rendered bitterish. Tight close 

 packing in drums under considerable pressure, as with figs, 

 would no doubt contribute materially to the preservation 

 of dried ripe plantains and bananas." 



Plantain Meal. " The plantain is sometimes so abundant 

 and cheap that it might, if cut and dried in its green state, 

 be exported with advantage. It is in this unripe state that 

 it is so largely used by the peasantry of this colony as an 

 article of food. It has always been believed to be highly 

 nutritive ; but I have not found in any sample of the dried 

 plantain which I have analysed a larger amount than -81 

 per cent, of nitrogen, which corresponds with about 5J per 

 cent . of protein compounds . When dried and reduced to the 

 state of meal, it cannot, like wheat flour, be manufactured 

 into maccaroni or vermicelli, or at least the maccaroni 

 made from it falls to powder when put into hot water. 

 Plantain meal is prepared by stripping off the husk 

 of the plantain, slicing the core, and drying it in the 

 sun. When thoroughly dry, it is powdered and sifted. 

 It is known among the Creoles of the colony under the 

 name of conquintay. It has a fragrant odour, acquired in 

 drying, somewhat resembling fresh hay or tea. It is 

 largely employed as the food of infants and invalids. In 

 respect to nutritiveness, it deserves a preference over all the 

 pure starches on account of the protein compounds it 

 contains. The plantain meal would probably be best and 

 freshest were the sliced and dried plantain cores exported, 

 leaving the grinding and sifting to be done in Europe. The 

 flavour of the meal depends a good deal on the rapidity with 

 which the slices are dried, hence the operation is only fitted 

 for dry weather, unless indeed, when there was occasion 

 for it, recourse were had to a kiln or stove. Above all, the 

 plantain must not be allowed to approach too closely to 

 yellowness or ripeness, otherwise it becomes impossible to 

 dry it. The colour of the meal is injured when steel knives 

 are used in the husking or slicing, but silver or nickel blades 

 do not injure the colour. Full-sized and well-filled bunches 



