156 



ception has but a small number, and is not good unless baked. 

 He says in Otaheite they reckon eight varieties without seed, and 

 one with seed, but it is inferior to the others. Wallace' says that 

 the seeds are entirely abortive by cultivation ; he praises the 

 taste and compares it to Yorkshire pudding; a friend said it was 

 like mashed potatoes and milk. ''It is generally about the size 

 of a melon, a little fibrous towards the centre, but everywhere 

 else quite smooth and puddingy, something in consistence be- 

 tween yeast dumplings and batter pudding. It is in no way as 

 good as simply baked. With meat and gravy, it is a vegetable 

 superior to' any I know," The seed-bearing variety, he continues, 



4 



is common all over the tropics, and though the seeds are very 

 good eating, resembling chestnuts, the fruit is quite worthless as 

 a vegetable. 



Brussels Sprouts, 



4.06 



Cabbage, Savoy 8 5.08 



White 38 5.62 



Red 4 6.17 



Cham^rops stauracantiia. (Palm^). 



This tree has the character of producing sterile fruit, but 

 mixed with fertile on the same panicle. The pulp of the fruit is 

 of a peculiar delicate, spongy consistence and of a pure white and 

 shining on the outside. The fruit is oblong, about one inch in 



V 



longest diameter. It has probably, says Prestoe,' been brought 

 under a certain amount of cultivation from very remote times. 



^ 



2 Wallace, Malay Archipelago, p. 310. 



1 Frestoe, Rept. Trinidad Bot. Card, iSSo, p. 39. 



•« 



CaERAGE. BrASSICA OLERACEA, L. (CRUCIFERyE). 



Although not a fruit, yet it is interesting to note the relation 

 of the seed to the recognized quality. Thus arranging the races 

 in the order of delicacy, we have the following table : 



A^o. of Var^ or Trials. Wi, of too Seed i}7 graiits. 



Cauliflower, 24 4.55 



Broccoli 4 5.03 ^ 



