232 



FRUITS. 



season : when it is found throughout the twelve 

 months the people predict that next year it will 

 fail. It is, in fact, a hiennial, like the olive in 

 Palestine. 



The especial fruits of the poor are the Eanas 

 or 6 Jack ' of India, and an even more fetid 

 variety, the 6 Doriyan,' which certain writers 

 call the c Aphrodisiac dorion.' Some Europeans 

 have learned to relish the evil savour, and all 

 declare the Jack to be very wholesome. Hin- 

 dus refuse to touch it, because it is 'heating 

 food : ' they say the same, however, of all fruits 

 with saccharine juices. The nuts are roasted, 

 and eaten with salt, as in India, and the villagers 

 fatten their poultry with ' the rind and the 

 rotten.' 



The bread-fruit, and the curious growth 

 (Ravenala) known as the 'Travellers' Tree,' were 

 introduced from the Seychelles Islands : the 

 young plants, however, were soon uprooted and 

 strewed about the fields. Grapes, both white 

 and red, look well, but, as in the Tropical Brazil, 

 the bunches never ripen thoroughly ; in fact, 

 the same cluster will contain berries of every 

 age, from the smallest green to the oldest purple. 

 This is a great disadvantage when making wine, 

 and requires to be corrected by syrup. The 



