28 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



twenty inches in length, and about three in diameter. 

 It is hard and little efteemed, and is only eat when roaft- 

 ed or boiled. The Flatano largo ^ that is long^ is eight 

 inches at the mod in length, and one and a half in dia- 

 meter. The il<:in at firfl: is green, then yellow, and 

 when perfectly ripe, black or blackifli. It is a relifhing 

 and wholefome fruit, whether boiled or raw. The Guinco 

 is fmaller than the other, but richer, fofter, more deli- 

 cious, and lefs wholefome. The fibres which cover the 

 pulp are flatulent. This fpecies of plantain has been cul- 

 tivated in the public garden of Bologna, and we have 

 tafted it, but found it fo unripe and unpalatable on ac- 

 count of the climate, that it might have been fuppofed to 

 be a quite different fpecies. The Dominico is the fmall- 

 efl: and likewife the mofl delicate. The tree alfo is 

 fmaller than the others. In that country there are whole 

 woods of large extent not only of the plantain, but alfo 

 of oranges and lemons ; and in Michuacan there is a con- 

 fiderable commerce with the dried plantains, which are 

 preferable to raifms or figs. 



The fruits which are unqucfiionably original in that 

 eountry are the pine-apple, which from being at firfl view- 

 like to the pine-tree, was called by the Spaniards Pina. 

 The Mamei, Chirimoya, (a) Anona, Cabeza di Negro, 

 black Zapote, Chicozapote, white Zapote, yellow Za- 

 pote, Zapote di S. Dominico, Ahuacate, Guayaba, Ca- 



puiino, 



{a) Several European writers on the affairs of America, confound the Chiri- 

 moya with the Arcona and Guanabana : but they are three diftincft fpecies of 

 fruits ; although the two firft are fomewhat refembling each other. It is necef- 

 fary alfo to guard againft confounding the pine-apple with the Anona, which 

 are more different from each other than the cucumber and melon. Bomare, 

 however, makes two diftindl fruits of the Chirimoya and Cherimolia, whereas 

 Cherimolia is only the corruption of the firft and original name of the fruit, 

 the Ate likewife, which fome judge a fruit different from the Cherimoya, is 

 only a variety of the fame fpecies. 



