240 TIMEHRI. 
in the whole 104,000 lbs. weight, with the simple care of 
weeding and draining. 
It appears that, like the Papaya, there is a male and 
female plant, which is evident, from the internal sub- 
stance of the fruit, where the appearance of seeds is 
evident, but they are all abortive from want of the 
impregnating principle of the male plant. It is only 
grown therefore from divisions of the stool or roots, and 
the rapidity with which it is propagated by this means 
renders any care about the seeds unnecessary. Indeed, 
no good purpose could be effeéted by the introdu€tion of 
the male plant, as the fru€tification of the seeds would 
evident!y detra&t from the farinaceous principle, and those 
who ate the fruit would have the trouble of extra€&ting 
them, which in its present state is not required.* 
It possesses the nourishing principle in a greater 
degree than any other vegetable, combined with a slight 
astringency like that of new wheat flour, Men, horses, 
dogs, hogs and cattle thrive upon it. By cutting the 
green fruit into strips, and drying it in the sun, it may 
be pounded into a kind of flour called Congo Tea, from 
which soups, pap, and panada are made, most essentially 
useful in the hospital and the nursery. The broad leaf, 
when drooping and dried, is a good substitute for thatch. 
The fibres of the stem make excellent ropes. And the 
expressed liquor from the trunk is of so very astringent 
a quality, that it may be used with success for nut gall 
or oak bark. 
The man who introduced the plantain deserves this 
praise, that he ensured to a population that has no wants 
* Mr, H. is of course mistaken in his premise.—Epb, 
ee a es 
——— 
