312 
MADAGASCAR. 
stages of the road to Imerina. The pine-apple 
is also indigenous to the soil, and flourishes 
without artificial cultivation everywhere. The 
banana is the favourite fruit, however, and is 
not only agreeable but very nourishing, and 
capable of being prepared for food in a variety 
of ways. Dried and preserved, it is considered 
a great dainty by the natives, who can exist 
upon this edible alone for days if necessary. 
The yam, or sweet potato, the manioc root, 
dried or^boiled, and the husk of the Indian corn, 
are all popular as articles of consumption. Tea 
and coffee also are now being cultivated, and 
with a considerable measure of success. The 
sugar-cane, cut up into pieces about a foot long, 
and simply crushed between the teeth till the 
syrup is extracted, is much appreciated, and is 
possessed of great sustaining power; and on 
long journeys the palanquin bearers will keep 
up a steady pace for a long time without much 
apparent fatigue if refreshed frequently with 
this succulent vegetable. Wheat has been in¬ 
troduced into the island, and flourishes on the 
high lands in the vicinity of the capital; and 
the cotton plant, of which one species is found 
in a wild state in certain districts, could, with 
a certain expenditure, be made remunerative, 
and is already used a great deal by the Mala¬ 
gasy for making the native lambas , under the 
