FOOD IN THE TROPICS 
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or slightly oval, green in color, and is covered with short, stout, 
sharp spines that make it difficult to pick up if the stem is 
broken oft. The outer rind is so thick and tough that it never 
breaks when it falls. It can be opened with a heavy knife by 
cutting along the five grooves which run from end to end beneath 
the spines. The cream-colored yellow pulp surrounding the few 
seeds is best when the fruits first fall from the tree. It is eaten 
raw, especially when ripe, but when unripe may be cooked as a 
vegetable. Despite its foul odor, the fruit is very nourishing. 
These trees can often be located by following the odor radiated 
in all directions from the fruit lying on the ground. The seeds 
from the fruit may be roasted and eaten like nuts. Because 
the fruits are so large and so covered with spines they might 
kill a man if they fell on him. Consequently one should not 
lie under a durian tree. 
There are many kinds of fig trees, shrubs, or vines in jungles. 
They are recognizable by their milky juice and fig-like fruits. 
These fruits are generally smaller than domestic dried figs. 
They usually are round with a more or less hollow center con- 
taining numerous small “seeds” and a small opening at the end. 
This opening may be pressed shut when the fruit is ripe. Most 
of these fruits contain small insects but they are edible unless 
decayed. When infested with insect larvae it probably would 
be better to boil them before eating. There are other forest 
trees with edible fruits but they are difficult to identify even 
if they can be reached. The fruit can be tested by eating a 
small sample and then waiting some hours to see if harmful 
results develop before trying larger amounts. If it tastes 
bitter or produces a burning sensation in the mouth don’t eat it 
