266 PAWPAW. 
The ripe fruit of the ebony tree is eaten by the 
natives of Ceylon ; but it is astringent, and not very 
palatable. 
Linnaeus was of opinion that ebony was the wood of 
a shrub (ebenus creticd) which grows in the island of 
Crete, and has silky leaves and rose-coloured flowers. 
278. The PAWPAW is a fruit about the size of a small 
melon, but of very various shape, the production of a species of 
palm-tree (carica papaya), which grows in tropical climates, 
both of the eastern and western parts of the world. 
The tree is twenty feet and upwards in height ; naked almost 
to the summit ; and marked, through its whole length, with the 
scars of fallen leaves. Its leaves are on foot-stalks two feet in 
length, and deeply divided into seven, nine, or eleven large 
lobes. The flowers are axillary, white, and sweet scented. 
In shape the fruit of the pawpaw-tree is sometimes 
angular, and flattened at both ends; sometimes oval or 
round; and sometimes pyramidal. When ripe it is of 
yellow colour; and contains a yellow succulent pulp, 
of sweetish taste, and aromatic smell, with many black 
or brown and furrowed seeds. This fruit is seldom 
eaten raw, but when boiled it is esteemed a wholesome 
sauce for fresh meat. The inhabitants of the countries 
where it is found sometimes preserve it in sugar, with 
oranges, and small citrons. Thus prepared, it may 
be kept a long time ; and, in this state, it is not un- 
frequently brought into Europe. When about half 
grown, the pawpaw is sometimes pickled in vinegar 
with spices. 
The fruit of the trifid-fruited custard apple (nnnona 
trilobfi) is called pawpaw in some parts of America. 
The bark of the pawpaw-tree is manufactured by the 
Indians into cordage. The leaves are used in place of 
soap ; and water-pipes are sometimes made of the stem 
of the tree. 
