THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA. 67 



kinds ; the one is sweet, while the other, and much the 

 larger, is pleasantly sour. The sweet variety is 

 about the size of a large orange, and so like a cus- 

 tard that it is called the custard apple; the other, or 

 sour fruit, is as large as a quart cup, elongated, 

 green, and quite rough on the surface. Their sub- 

 stance is so delicate that it is most conveniently 

 eaten with a spoon. 



The alligator pear is another very delicious fruit, 

 very common in the market of Panama; indeed, 

 there is seemingly no end to the various different 

 productions of this class, which grow spontaneously, 

 or may be produced with little labor ; yet they are 

 now fonnd but in limited quantities, so much so 

 that it has been doubted by some who have been 

 upon the Isthmus that they existed there. Nearly 

 all I have so far mentioned have come under my 

 observation, and many not here mentioned have 

 still been spoken of by others. All the soil of this 

 country wants, is cultivation, to make it the garden 

 of the world ; this is evident from the great variety 

 and gorgeous character of vegetable life every 

 where to be seen. 



The medicinal products alone are a numerous 

 and valuable class ; yet they cannot be considered 

 but in a limited extent, known. 



The great remedy, or antidote, for the bite of 

 venomous reptiles, {simaruba cedron^) which has re- 

 cently attracted so much attention in Europe, was 

 first discovered on this Isthmus, and has been for a 

 long time in use among the natives. The seeds are 



