330 Remarks on Brazilian Esculents and Fruits. 



Kunth. Of this, three varieties arc grown : the Mandiocca preta, branca, and 

 the Impin. * The first is the most common, and has a thick substantial root, at 

 times quite conical, attaining a weight of from 8 lb. to 10 lb., brown externally, 

 and the epidermis of which consists of small scales; internally it is white, and the 

 whole root, on being wounded, yields a milky juice. The stem also is bigger 

 and darker, than in the two other varieties. The root of the Mandiocca branca 

 does not attain so large a size, and it is more elongated, and externally paler 

 than that of the preceding kind. The cultivation of all varieties of Jatropha, 

 is attended in Brazil with very little trouble. The stem is entirely covered 

 with knots (the remnants of the old leaves) ; which, even after having been a long 

 time out of the ground, remain in a fresh and vegetative state, as I had 

 some in my house, which, after they had been there for six weeks, without 

 any attention being paid to them, vegetated vigorously. The way of growing 

 the Mandiocca is, therefore, simply to cut pieces of the stem, from 4 in. to 6 in. 

 long, and to plant them at any season of the year. They like a dry and loamy 

 soil, and yield without farther trouble, in three or four months eatable, and in 

 ten or twelve full-grown, roots ; yet they remain for five years in the ground 

 without injury. The roots of the Mandiocca preta are grated in small pieces 

 by a machine turned with a wheel, the pieces are then freed from their 

 poisonous juice by compression, and afterwards dried, an operation which has 

 been already described in Piso's Historia Naturalis, who wrote in the seven- 

 teenth century. Nearly in the same way, the Mandiocca branca is prepared. 

 The roots of the Impin finally are boiled or roasted, and do not require much 

 cooking; their flavour is between that of the celery and the potato. The varieties 

 of Jatropha attain generally the height of from 5 ft. to 7 ft., being the most 

 important produce of every Brazilian farm. The farinha resembles grits, and 

 may be eaten raw, but more generally it is scalded with hot water or broth, 

 and forms then, under the denomination of Pirao or Angu, a dish, the more 

 extensive introduction of which into Europe, and far more on board ships, 

 would be highly commendable. In this state it is partly jelly-like, and more 

 delicate than either grits or rice, and therefore well adapted to serve as a sub- 

 stitute for fresh bread, in which capacity it is used in the Brazils. 



The next important tropical esculent is the Inghame (the common yam), 

 the tubers of I)iosc6re« sativa, which acquire a weight from 1 lb. to 3 lb. 

 There are two varieties, the Inghame da terra and I. da agua. The tubers are 

 more or less cylindrical, and of a darkish brown colour. These plants are 

 propagated in the same manner as our potatoes, viz. the root is cut in circular 

 pieces, and planted in rather a light and damp soil. They are served up either 

 boiled or mashed, and their flavour is between that of a potato and a 

 parsnep. The batatas ( Convolvulus Batatas) are tubers, much resembling a small 

 kidney potato with a thin red epidermis. Their flavour is indifferent, and they 

 become, after being boiled, a soft sweetish mass, not unlike that formed by the 

 Jerusalem artichoke. Another esculent is the Chiavo, the unripe capsules of 

 .Hibiscus esculentus. When about 2 or 3 inches long, these capsules are boiled 

 with meat, and form a rather tasteless, but nutritious food. Interesting also 

 are the Mandubi beans or Brazilian earth nuts ( J'rachis hypogae v a), which grow 

 under the ground, and are of a reddish colour, like kidnevbeans. They yield, 

 when pressed, a great deal of oil. 



A most important, although not indigenous, sort of esculent in the Brazils 

 are kidneybeans, especially a small black variety. The ripe seeds of these, 

 boiled with salted or dried meat until they are nearly broken to pieces, are 

 the common food of the negroes and of the poorer classes. For spice, 

 several kinds of pimenta (Capsicum) are cultivated; the small fruits of which 

 are squeezed and scalded with a little broth, and used in that way, with either 



* Martius mentions only the mandiocca and aypim roots. (See Beise, <$-c, 

 vol. i. p. 1 18.) 



