306 



resulted. Perhaps the best distinction is to designate as " Plan- 

 tains " those varieties which are generally consumed cooked, and 

 " Bananas " the varieties which are eaten fresh and ripe. As a 

 rule the stem of the first is green, and that of the latter somewhat 

 mottled. 



PLANTAINS (Musa parasidiaca) . Long, large fruits. The 

 Dacca plantain is about nine inches long, the Madagascar plantain 

 as large as a man's forearm : whilst it is reported that in the 

 Philippines a couple of fruit of plantains are a load for a man. The 

 trees are 15ft. to 18ft. high. The fruit is cut before maturity, when 

 rich in starch, and cooked or allowed to ripen, and eaten when 

 sweet. 



BRAHMIN E BANANA (M. Sapientum) is small. A native of 

 India ; its cultivation has spread all over the semi-tropical world. 

 The tree is tall, reaching 18ft. in height ; should be planted in well 

 sheltered and warm spots. The fruit, eaten when sweet and ripe, 

 is of the best. 



CHINESE BANANA (M. Sinensis or Cavendishii) is a compara- 

 tive dwarf species and a squatter plant with large, long leaves, and 

 attaining a height of five or six feet. It produces excellent fruit, 

 stands high winds better than the preceding ;' is altogether more 

 hardy and stands a greater amount of cold weather. The tree bears 

 early most excellent fruit. 



BREADFRUIT (Artocarpus incisa). 



The botanical name is derived from the word artos, bread, and 

 carpus, a fruit, and the generic name incisa in contradistinction to the 

 genus integrifolia, or entire leaved, which applies to the Jack-fruit. 



This plant is distinctly tropical, and requires for growing and 

 bearing a deep moist soil, well sheltered in a uniformly warm 

 climate. A handsome evergreen tree, 20 to 30 feet high, it has its 

 native habitat in the islands of the Pacific and the Malay Archipelago, 

 whence it has been introduced into Mauritius and Madagascar, 

 where it thrives well. Such glowing accounts were given of this 

 fruit by the early navigators, that steps were taken to introduce it 

 into the West Indies towards the end of the eighteenth century, 

 and the expedition, which was connected with the historical mutiny 

 of the " Bounty," first failed to achieve that end. A second 

 attempt was, however, made and again entrusted to Captain Bligh, 

 who succeeded, and the tree has since become quite common in the 

 West Indies. 



The breadfruit together with the banana form a staple article 

 of food of the islanders of the Pacific. The average size of the 

 fruit varies from that of a child's head, and often weighs 301b. and 

 more. It is more or less round or oval in shape, and is carried on 

 the stem, and the main branches. Externally it is not unlike the 

 Jack-fruit, which is illustrated at page 312. The outer rind is 

 rough, and covered with diamond-shaped facets. The inside is a 



