334 



FRUIT-TREES. 



which are a foot in diameter, and superior in quality 

 to those in the Old Continent. It is unnecessary to 

 expatiate on the advantages derived from this in- 

 valuable root, the use of which now extends from 

 the extremity of Africa to Lapland, and from the 

 southern regions of America to Labrador. 



The New World is very rich in plants with nu- 

 tritive roots. Next to the manioc and the potato, 

 the most important are the oca, the batate, and the 

 igname. The first of these (Oxalis tuber osa) grows 

 in the cold and temperate parts of the cordilleras. 

 The igname (Dioscorea alata) appears proper to all 

 the equinoctial regions of the globe. Of the batate 

 (Convolvulus batatas) several varieties are raised. 

 The cacomite, a species of Tigridia, the root of which 

 yields a nutritive farina, numerous varieties of love- 

 apples (Solarium lycopersicum), the earth pistachio 

 or pea-nut (Arachis hypogcea), and different species 

 of pimento, are the other useful plants cultivated 

 there. 



The Mexicans now have all the culinary vege- 

 tables and fruit-trees of Europe ; but it has become 

 difficult to determine which of the former they pos- 

 sessed before the arrival of the Spaniards. It is 

 certain, however, that they had onions, haricots, 

 gourds, and several varieties of Cicer ; and, in gene- 

 ral, if we consider the garden-stuffs of the Aztecs 

 and the great number of farinaceous roots cultivated 

 in Mexico and Peru, we shall see that they were 

 not so poor in alimentary plants as some maintain. 



The central table-land of New-Spain produces the 

 ordinary fruits of Europe in the greatest abundance ; 

 and the traveller is surprised to see the tables of the 

 wealthy inhabitants loaded with the vegetable pro- 

 ductions of both continents in the most perfect state. 

 Before the invasion of the Spaniards, Mexico and 

 the Andes presented several fruits having a great 

 resemblance to those of Europe. The mountainous 

 part of South America has a cherry, a nut, an apple, 



