THE FRUIT TREES OF BRAZIL. 239 



ticaba (Eugenia cauliflora), Avocado pear (Persea gratissima), Ameixas da 

 India (Mespilus japonica), Ameixas da Terra (Ximenia americana), and the 

 Jack (Artocarpus vntegrifolia) ; the true Bread-Fruit tree (Artocarpus incisa), 

 is more rare, owing to its being difficult of propagation. Its fruit is usually- 

 cooked by roasting in the ashes. Among the fruits which are found in 

 the greatest abundance, are the varieties and sub-varieties of the Citrus 

 aurantium ; the principal are the Laranjas da terra or Bitter Oranges ; the 

 Selatas which are the largest ; the Laranjas da China, China oranges ; and 

 the small and large Tanjerines, the dry and the Embigudas oranges. Of 

 the varieties of Citrus medica, the most generally met with are the Sour 

 Lemon, the Cidreiro or Cidra, the Zamboeiro, and the Lime. The Pine- 

 apple is also very common ; but the most abundant of all is the Banana, 

 from the two species, Musa paradisiaca, or Banana St. Thomas and Musa 

 sapientum, or Banana da terra. There exists a vast number of varieties 

 and sub-varieties of both, differing in size and form, colour and odour. The 

 Banana is, probably, the most valuable of all plants to the inhabitants of 

 the tropics. Its fruit, when ripe, scarcely reddens litmus paper ; it is 

 sugary, and contains a tolerable amount of starch, as may easily be seen 

 by the use of iodine and the microscope. The Banana has the advantage 

 of bearing throughout the year, even if the climate is not very favourable. 

 "When once planted, it propagates itself for many years, and requires no 

 further care. On the contrary, it can hardly be extirpated. In confirmation 

 of this we have heard a remarkable anecdote. A Swiss, M. Colin Schuler, 

 bought a house at Rio Janeiro about 15 years ago with the purpose of re- 

 building it. In the court yard grew some Bananas, which were grubbed up, 

 and the soil having been levelled, rooms were built over it which had asphalte 

 floors. Three months afterwards the asphalte began to swell up ; the 

 swelling increased every day, till at last the asphalte rent in several places, 

 and a young and vigorous banana made its appearance. The banana is 

 also cultivated by the wild tribes, who have made some of the banana 

 plantations found in the midst of the forests and wild places. Others have 

 been made by the Maroons, or fugitive slaves, who lived on the borders of 

 the forest, in order to escape the persecution of their masters. The opossiims, 

 and likewise the bats, are very fond of this fruit ; the former get it on the 

 trees as they do on the oranges. If only a few bananas are in a room, vast 

 numbers of bats come there in the evening. The leaves are considered very 

 injurious to animals. 



It is generally admitted, that where the culture of the vine ceases that 

 of the date commences. Both are found, however, at Rio de Janeiro, and 

 elsewhere throughout the province in the gardens of foreign residents. 

 Firm thick-skinned grapes are the sorts cultivated, as they better withstand 

 the influence of the climate, which is apt to cause the berries to rot ; their 

 flavour, however, is pretty good. The date suffers from the same cause as 

 the grape, the fruit often rotting on the trees before ripening. Dr. Teuscher 

 attributes this to the dampness of the climate. The berries which rot in a 

 bunch of grapes are always those on which condensed moisture has lodged. 



