200 PALMS AND FRUIT TliEES. [1696. 



Palm-Trees,i Plantane-Trees,^ and divers sorts of Fruit- 

 Trees.3 



fruit ; but our flax will ever be preferred to its cotton for making cloth, 

 our wines to its liquor, and our filberds to its nut." (Bernardin de St. 

 Pierre, op. aV., p. 125.) 



^ Dictyosperma alba, AcantTiopliamix rubra, Hyophorbe ind'ica, Acan- 

 tlioplicenix crinita. Hyopliorbe amaricaulls, is indigenous on Round 

 Island. (Baker and Bal/mir.) 



"There are still some other trees, which, though curious, are of 

 little or no use, as the Date, which seldom bears fruit ; the Palm, 

 which is called here the Araque (Areca) ; and that which produces 

 sago. The Vacoa is a kind of small palm-tree, whose leaves grow 

 spirally round the trunk ; they make mats and bags of them. [This is 

 the pandanus, not a palm.] The Palm-tree rises in the forest above all 

 the other trees ; it bears at the heart a cluster of palms, whence there 

 issues a shoot, which is all this tree affords fit to be eaten ; and to get at 

 this the tree must be cut down. This shoot, which they call the 

 cabbage, is formed of young leaves rolled one over the other, very 

 tender, and of a very pleasant taste." {St. Pierre, p. 63.) 



2 Latania Commersonii, L. Loddigesii. "The Latanier is a large kind 

 of palm-tree : it bears at the top one leaf only, in the shape of a fan, 

 with which they cover their houses. (Ibid., p. 63.) 



3 "Fruit-trees." Between 1750 and 1770, M. Poivre introduced 

 into the Isle of France the spice-trees of the Malaysian Archipelago 

 and many exotic and economical fruits and plants, some of which, by 

 the time Bernardin St. Pierre visited the island, had become thoroughly 

 naturalised and established. The latter says: "I have seen here 

 cherry, apricot, medlar, apple, pear, olive, and mulberry-trees ; but 

 without fruit, though some of them had flowers. The fig-tree pro- 

 duces a tolerable fruit. The vine does not succeed upon props, but, 

 when in arbours, bears grapes, which, like those in the gardens of 

 Alcinous, ripen one part after another ; a good vintage, therefore, can- 

 not be expected. The peach-tree gives fruit enough, and well-tasted ; 

 but they are never luscious. There is a white louse which destroys 

 them. ..." " The fruit-trees are the Attier, whose triangular flower, of a 

 solid substance, tastes like the pistachio ; its fruit is like a pineapple ; 

 Avhen it is ripe, it is full of a white and sweetish cream, which smells 

 like the orange-fiower ; it is full of black kernels. (This is the 

 custard-apple.) The Atte is very pleasant, but, being very heating, 

 soon cloys and gives a pain in the stomach to those who eat it (Anoiia 

 ifquainosa). 



" The Manyo is a very beautiful tree. It is covered with superb 



