HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
39 
Of native productions, used as articles of food, must 
be specified rice, as holding the principal place.* Of the 
sorts cultivated in Madagascar, modern botanists have 
enumerated eleven varieties. The oldest people in the 
country agree in affirming, that this article of food, which, 
with the exception of the Sakalavas, may be regarded as 
the staff of life to the Malagasy, is of comparatively recent 
origin. This opinion may probably, however, refer more 
strictly to the introduction of rice into the interior of the 
island, and its cultivation there, as Flacourt gives a descrip¬ 
tion of the different kinds of rice cultivated in the island 
before his time, nearly two hundred years ago. 
The cocoa-nut is also thought to be of recent date in 
the island, and is supposed to have been borne by the 
waves from some other soil, and washed to the shores of 
Madagascar about one hundred and fifty years ago. The 
bread-fruit tree is of still more recent introduction. Plan¬ 
tains and bananas have been known from time immemorial. 
There are also several kinds of yams, called by the natives, 
ovy; the manioc plant, also called manga-hazo; Indian 
corn, or maize, and large millet; several kinds of beans, 
gourds, melons, pine-apples, and earth-nuts. Lemons, 
oranges, citrons, limes, peaches, and mulberries also flourish 
luxuriantly; some of which, it is said, were first planted by 
Flacourt in the south of the island. Many edible roots 
and vegetables grown in the neighbouring islands, at the 
Cape of Good Hope, and in Europe, have been introduced 
within the last few years, partly by the late James Hastie, 
esq. and Mr. Brady, and still more extensively by the 
* So general is the use of this article of food, that in the ordinary lan¬ 
guage of the country, to take a meal is to eat rice ; whatever besides may 
appear in the most sumptuous banquet, being only an accompaniment 
to rice. 
