9 ik 
Fruits of Cuba; — 933. 
and more delicate than that of the Plantain, though - 
perhaps the latter is more in request as an article of © 
food. cs : - 
This fruit is occasionally seen in our market, and is 
more common in the markets of the cities to the south of 
us. [Itis not necessary, therefore, that 1 should describe 
it, farther than by saying that it is of a long oval shape, 
somewhat curved, pointed at the ends, of a yellow or 
purplish color when ripe, and of a sweet, luscious 
taste. The. outside skin readily peals off lengthwise, 
and the rich pulp then presents itself, of the consistence 
of butter.’ It is eaten raw, or cooked in various ways. 
The stem of the plant is not woody, but consists of 
the footstalks of the former leaves wrapped round each 
other, and it rises to the height of twelve or fifteen feet. 
'The leaves are very large; of a long oval form, five or 
six feet in length, and of a beautiful green. . The mid- 
dle rib of the leaf is tough and strong; but the it of its. 
substance is thin and delicate, and is easily t | by 
the wind alone, in a direction of right angles with the 
rib. E 
The manner in which the fruit is developed is quite 
interesting. From the midst of the leaves, and at top, 
appears a large, smooth, purple cone, hanging down 
gracefully at the end of a stalk. "The flowers are all 
wrapped up in this cone, which consists of a large 
number of closely packed spathes. By and by, the 
uppermost of these spathes disengages itself from the 
rest, curls up, and discloses a row of three or four long 
blossoms, with the young fruit of each beginning to form. . 
hile this row of fruit is tender, the spathe remains 
hanging over it like a roof; but when the fruit has ac- 
