SEED-VESSELS WE EAT 24I 



Two members of the banana group have in- 

 edible fruit, but are useful for the fibre they yield. 

 Manila hemp is obtained from the leaf sheaths of 

 the most important species. The leaf blades of 

 others are tough enough for papers. Coarser 

 ones are split and the dried strips woven into 

 baskets, mats, and bags. 



Starch is made from the fleshy rootstocks of an 

 African banana. 



MELONS 



The family of the cucurbits includes both 

 vegetables and fruits. Here the squashes, pump- 

 kins, and cucumbers hobnob with the watermelons 

 and canteloupes. All are fleshy seed-vessels, 

 with abundant seeds, attached along three distinct 

 areas of the wall of the cavity of hollow kinds, 

 and similarly located when the flesh embeds the 

 seeds. The name, pepo, is given by botanists 

 to all such fruits. 



The watermelon grows wild in the hottest 

 regions of Africa. Livingstone described the 

 vines as covering vast areas, and the natives feast- 

 ing on the abundant fruit, which, though small, 

 was not bitter. Size, sweetness, and flavor have 

 all been added by cultivation. Egypt first begun 

 the improvement of the wild watermelon, and 

 thence it has spread through all sunny, warm 



