xl 



PREFACE. 



Asia, Africa, and America, abound with a variety 

 of curious and interesting trees, not remarkable for 

 size. Among others may be mentioned the Bread- 

 fruit tree, the fruit of which supplies the people 

 with bread eight months in the year, only for the 

 trouble of gathering it. The best kind is that 

 which grows in Otaheite. 



The Bertliolletia excdsa, or Juv'ia of the In- 

 dians, which Humboldt describes as ^' one of the 

 most majestic trees of the forests of the New 

 World," is remarkable from the short space of 

 time in w^hich its fruit is formed. This fruit is 

 know^n by a variety of names ; as Nuts of the 

 Amazon, Almonds of Peru, Almonds, or Chestnuts 

 of Brazil, &c. but their most usual name in this 

 country is, Brazil Nuts. The nuts were known in 

 Europe as early as the sixteenth century ; but were 

 supposed to grow' on separate stalks. The tree 

 which produces them is now better know^n, and 

 it has been discovered that they grow^, tw"enty or 

 more together, in a shell as large as the human 

 head. The nut itself is enclosed in a tolerably 

 hard covering, yet the drupe or shell which con- 

 tains them is half an inch thick, of very hard 



