107 
TROPICAL VEGETABLE FOODS* 
t may be noted that the term “tropical,” as used in this 
lecture, relates rather to climate than to latitude. When it is 
remembered that rising 200 feet in altitude has about the same 
effect on temperature as proceeding one degree toward the north 
or south pole, it becomes apparent that every climatic condition 
may be encountered in climbing the high mountains of Ecuador, 
directly under the equator. Millions of people there subsist 
chiefly Bee vegetable products which can grow only in a cool- 
temperate or frigid region and which could not aes be 
classed as pat foods, although their growth and use is 
principally within the geographical tropics. For example, most 
people on learning that a majority of the people of Ecuador, 
Peru and Bolivia subsist largely upon quinoa, would at once 
class this as an important tropical food, yet there is scarcely any 
other crop that requires so cool aclimate. It is frequently partly 
covered with snow during the growing season, and its favorite 
climate is one too cold to permit barley-grains to develop upon 
their stalks. Potatoes, also, are very largely grown at these high 
altitudes, within the tropics, yet it is well known that potatoes 
can neither be grown nor successfully transported in tropical 
regions. 
As a general thing, dwellers in the tropics eat rather sparingly 
of meat, and such meat is, like the people themselves, mostly 
lean. From this it might be assumed that the tendency is to 
avoid a carbonaceous diet, yet the reverse is true. Starchy foods 
and sugary fruits are mostly in demand. ‘These foods are rather 
freely eaten and it is not easy to understand what becomes of the 
carbon, since the people are rarely fleshy and heat-radiation is 
a minimum. As might be expected from the fermentation 
of such foods, intestinal diseases are very common and con- 
stitute, in fact, the chief cause of death. 
Among grains, Indian millet, Kaffir corn or dhouro probably 
ranks first in extent of consumption in the tropics. First place 
is usually accorded to rice, but this is far too expensive an article 
* Abstract of a lecture delivered at the New York Botanical Garden on Novem- 
ber 8, 1913 
