385 
The Akee as Grown at the 
Fairchild Tropical Gardens 
In South Florida one finds a good many 
reversals of the customs of the most tem- 
perate regions, such as the fact that vege- 
tables and annual flowers must be planted) 
in the fall instead of the spring and ideas 
must change, also, to keep up with a new 
way of life. But if someone came un- 
expectedly on an Akee tree in full bear- 
ing in midsummer, looking like a decorated § 
Christmas tree, he might think that things 
were going too far! 
Here is a tree which has great ornamental 
value for its glossy, stiffish leaves, fragrant 
although inconspicuous flowers, and really 
sensational fruits. It is also widely used as 
a food in many places of the world. 
The name Akee came to the New World 
with the tree, from its native West Africa. 
You probably remember the amazing true 
story of the mutiny on the Bounty, which 
reads like a sensational novel. But, perhaps, 
you have forgotten why HMS Bounty was 
sent from England to Tahiti in the first 
place. 
some of the foods which grow so well in the 
Pacific islands, to help feed African slaves 
who the English had imported to work in 
the cane fields. : 
Capt. Bligh and the Bounty 
After the unsuccessful voyage in which 
the mutiny occurred, and after Captain 
Bligh had sailed the unbelievable distance, 
of three thousand miles in an open boat 
with the few men who remained loyal to 
him, he returned to the Pacific and accom- 
plished his mission, bringing the lovely and 
valuable breadfruit tree (Artocarpus com- 
munis), to Jamaica and other West Indian 
islands. The Africans did not care especially 
for the breadfruit, however, so the Akee was 
introduced from Africa for their use. The 
botanists honored the dauntless captain by 
naming the tree Blighia sapida. 
The Akee has been grown in Florida for 
quite a few years, but it is not planted as 
much as it deserves. It germinates readily 
from seed and comes fairly true to type — 
there is not as much yariation in the various 
seedlings as one finds in other fruit, the 
mango, for instance. It makes a tree of 
medium size, with a stiff trunk and rounded 
head. When only a few years old it begins 
to bloom. The dainty sprays of tiny greenish 
white flowers appear all over the tree and the 
air is filled with the delicious odor of 
cloves. 
Vhe Edible Fruit 
But it is when the pear-shaped fruits, about 
three inches long, hang on slender, flexible 
stems all through the tree, ripening where 
the sun strikes them to a rich sealing-wax 
red, that it attracts all eyes. These fruits 
are divided into three sections, with a thin 
seam marking each division. When the 
fruit reaches maturity it splits along these 
seams, Opening wide at the base and expos- 
ing the shiny black seeds as large as marbles 
and the creamy meat or aril. This aril is 
the edible part of the fruit; it looks rather 
like the brain of some small creature, and in 
Spanish-speaking countries it is called seso 
vegetal, vegetable brains. When the seed 
and aril are removed from the husk one can 
see that they have been comfortably lying on 
a velvet couch, for the inner surface of the 
husk is lined with coral or apricot colored 
hairs soft to the touch. 
After removing the seed nad the papery 
red membrane which is tucked into the cent- 
er of the “meat’’, each little brain should be 
examined carefully. If any soft or bad spots 
are found, that piece should be discarded. 
The firm, ivory colored pieces are then cook- 
It was to bring to the West Indies Fa 
This article was sent in by the Fairchild 
Tropical Gardens at Coral Gables, Florida. 
Readers visiting Florida during the wint- 
er month should pay a visit to this garden 
where you will find some 1,090 species in 
469 genera growing and all labeled. 
with plenty of humus. Unfortunately, deep 
soil with lots of rotted vegetable matter is 
hard to find in the limestone areas of South 
Florida and one only too often sees a young 
Blighia set out in a small hole dug out of 
the rock with a pick. It will struggle along, 
root-bound and miserable from too much 
Golden Feather or Butterfly Palm — Chrysaledocarpus madagascariensis (Areca) 
ed and served as a vegetable. The preferred 
method of cooking is too melt a generous 
portion of butter in a pan, put in the Akee 
meats, brown them slightly, then lower the 
heat. Put on a top and allow them to cook 
very slowly until tender. They will look, 
like a dish of scrambled eggs but will have a 
distinctive nutty flavor which most people 
enjoy. 
Through a number of years of personal 
experience in growing the Akee, and a good 
deal of observation, I have come to the con- 
clusion that there is one important point to 
remember in planting this tree, if one wants 
a fine specimen; give it lots of root room, 
lime, the fohage yellow and _ unattractive, 
until its owner in disgust says, ‘““That tree is 
no good; take it out,’ and there goes what 
might have been a gorgeous sight if only 
enough dynamite and rotted manure or com- 
post had been used in the beginning. 
The Akee has a reputation for being quite 
poisonous, but this quality is largely overrat- 
ed No one with goodsense will eat unripe 
fruit, nor are they likely to eat it when rotten. 
So a little care, that is, waiting until the 
fruits open of their own accord, and throw- 
ing away any meats that have begun to spoil, 
will be safeguard enough. J. J. Bowrey, an- 
(Cont. on Page 386) 
