232 Fruits of Cuba. 
‘Though the mango tree is so ornamental, and its fruit 
is so fine, it is thought by some planters to be for their 
interest, not to suffer it to grow on their estates. The 
trees, they say, shade their coffee, and the fruit is pre- 
judicial to the health of their negroes, who are very fond 
of it, and apt to eat it immoderately. With regard to 
the coffee, it is a pity. indeed, if a few bushes cannot be 
given up for the sake of the shade and ornament which 
the mango affords ; and with regard to the negroes, it is 
held by other planters that the fruit is good for them, 
and does them no manner of harm. I suspect that the 
whole question of benefit or hurt, depends on the mode- 
rate or immoderate use of the fruit. ; 
Musa. Two Conr of this genus, the Musa sapi- 
ENTUM, or Banana, and the Musa PARADISIACA, or 
Plantain, are cultivated in Cuba, as in most tropical 
countries. ‘The Spanish name for both the Banana . 
and Plantain is Platano, while the French name for 
both is Banane.. It is common, however, in the lat- 
ter language, to distinguish the Banana by calling it 
Figue Banane, and to designate the Plantain’ by the 
term Grosse Banane. The Spaniards, according to La 
Sagra’s catalogue, apply the term Platano hembra to 
the Plantain, and Platano Guineo to the Banana. Some 
botanists regard them as varieties only of the same plant, 
and not distinct species. However this may be, it is 
convenient to speak of them as distinct species, and 
there are certain slight marks which distinguish them 
from each other. The stem of the M. sapientum, or 
Banana, is spotted. with purple ; that of the Plantain is 
uniformly green. The fruit of the, Fae is ‘smaller 
