E] 
Fruits of Cuba. 237 
stance, with greenish veins interspersed. Being eat 
with salt and pepper, or sugar and lime juice, it is not 
only agreeable, but highly nourishing; hence Sir Hans 
Sloane used to style it Vegetable Marrow.” It was once 
thought to be worth a voyage from Europe to the West: 
Indies, to taste of this fruit; but now, its ancient fame 
is somewhat diminished, though it is still considered a 
great delicacy. It seems to have the character of a 
vegetable rather than a fruit, and is more highly c. 
ciated by some palates than by others. 
As the Aguacate does not ripen till summer, I had 
not the opportunity of giving it a trial. [saw many of 
the trees, however, and some specimens of aps fruit 
which had attained a large size. 
Imbedded in the pulp is a large rough seed or stone, 
the juice of which stains a violet color, and is sometimes 
üsed for — linen. 
Psinium. Of this genus, vhiehis is sof the atira or- 
der Myrtacee, two fruit-bearing species are commonly 
mentioned as belonging to Cuba, the rommrrvm and 
PYRIFERUM ; ‘the fruit of the former being shaped like an 
apple, and that of the latter like a pear. It is the 
Guava, or as it is variously written by the French and 
Spanish, Guaiava, Gouyava, Guayaba, Goyabe, &c. 
The tree is small, looking something like our cherry. 
tree when young ; though the leaves of the Guava are 
larger and longer than those of the cherry, and more 
thinly scattered on the tree. It is natural to Cuba, and 
is of a pertinacious life, covering and usurping the 
ground on which it is permitted to settle, . The wood is 
close bunek 'heavy, clothed with a smooth, reddish 
