FRUIT-TREES. 329 



varieties of love-apples {Solarium lycopersicum) ; the CHAP. XXV 

 earth pistachio or man! {Arachis hypogaa) ; and different 

 species of pimento {Capsicum), are the other useful 

 plants cultivated there. 



The Mexicans now have all the culinary vegetables Culinary 

 and fruit-trees of Europe ; but it has become difficult to v^g^'^'^'^eu. 

 determine which of the former they possessed before 

 the arrival of the Spaniards. It is certain, however 

 that they had onions, haricots, gourds, and several 

 varieties of Cicer ; and in general, if we conside,r the 

 garden-stuffs of the Aztecs, and the great number of 

 farinaceous roots cultivated in Mexico and Peru, we 

 shall see that they were not so poor in alimentary 

 plants as some maintain. 



The central table-land of New Spain produces the European 

 ordinary fruits of Europe in the greatest abundance ; fruits. 

 and the traveller is surprised to see the tables of the 

 wealthy inhabitants loaded with the vegetable produc- 

 tions of both continents in the most perfect state. Before 

 the invasion of the Spaniards, Mexico and the Andes 

 presented several fruits having a great resemblance to 

 those of Europe. The mountainous part of South 

 America has a cherry, a nut, an apple, a mulberry, a 

 strawberry, a rasp, and a gooseberry, which are peculiar 

 to it. Oranges and citrons, which are now cultivated 

 there, appear to have been introduced, although a small 

 wild orange occurs in Cuba and on the coast of Terra 

 Firma. The olive-tree answers perfectly in New Spain, 

 but exists only in very small numbers. 



Most civilized nations procure their drinks from the Common 

 plants which constitute their principal nourishment, and "^"""^^ 

 of which the roots or seeds contain saccharine and amy- 

 laceous matter. There are few tribes, indeed, which 

 cultivate these solely for the purpose of preparing bever- 

 ages from them ; but in the New Continent we find a 

 people, who not only extracted liquors from tlie maize, 

 the manioc, and bananas, but who raise a shrub of the 

 family of the ananas for the express purpose of converting 

 its juice into a spiritous liquor. This plant, the maguey 



