The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1896-08-12
FAMOUS FRUIT TREES.

The beautiful date palm OF the
tropics is indigenous to Asia and
Africa, but hourishes in all hot coun-
tries. There are nearly 1000 species,
some eighty feet high and living 200
years. Each tree yields about 200
pounds of fruit season. This invalu-
able tree has no less than 800 different
uses. The trunk furnishes building
timber, cooking utensils, bows and
arrows; the roots are used for fenc-
ing and ropes, as well as articles of
clothing.
The fruit of the date palm is the
principal food for a greater part of
the year of many peoples. Pounded
into solid cakes, it is carried on trips
over the desert, the stones being fed
the camels. Roasted and ground, the
kernels make a good substitute for
coffee and also yield oil.
The graceful banana tree is a rela-
tive of the plantain. The rapidly
growing suckers produce at any time
of the year. After couple of years
the tree dies after producing several
punches, some of which weigh eighty
pounds. The handsome leaves are
usually torn to ribbons by the trade
winds and are ten feet long. A flax
produced from the fbres is woven into
a thin muslin. Green bananas are
dried and ground into flour, which is
baked into cakes. This fruit is so
common. that one of the huge lunches
we see in the grocery stores may be
purchased in the tropics for twenty
five cents and in the planters homes
a bunch always hangs.
1t is claimed that plantain trees
grew in the garden of Eden. The
fruit is much the same as the banana,
but larger. The breadfluit tree,
another tropical plant. is native of
the Pacific and grows wild in the
forests. 1t has large glossy leaves and
the fruit looks like a muskmelon, the
interior of which tastes like new bread
or batter pudding. 1t is fried in slices
or baked like scalloped oysters.
The jackfruit is from the South Seas
and is long gourd-like growth,
weighing from twenty to sixty pounds.
It's popularity is that often the fruit
grows directly from the trunk a foot
or two from the ground. The numer'
GUS seeds are nutritious and eaten like
chestnuts.
A tree of great beauty is the IndiaI
tamarind, which has a thick trunk
J clusters of purple-yellow flowers ant
J such fine, goLsamer leaves that one o
the punishments spoken of in the
koran was that lost souls should havt
q thousand years to quench their thirs
} as much water as one of these leave
| would contain.
The papaw fruit suggests pumpkin
! in appearance and taste and a cluster o
/ of dozen are attached in mass f
the naked stem beneath the crown o
| leaves. They contain much pepsin
} while the leaves, if wrapped abou
, tough meat, will in short. time rem
der it exceedingly tender.
/ The mango originally came from
( Hindostan and is fine tree forty fee
1 high, with leaves like those of tn
/ peach tree and quantities of iuic
i yellow plums hanging by long stem
from the branches. The wild varit
r ties have an unpleasant flavor llk
S turpentine, but the cultivated kind
= picked, are good.
Q The cleaning emerald leaves an
:, brilliant scarlet flowers of the pomC
e granate are pleasant sight. Thes
IS flowers have always been highly ei
: teemed; Moses was commanded
make golden pomegranates and the
% blossoms alternate on the hem of I'll
'e priestly garment. Various parts (
.e the shrub used to be used as mediciI
o and the juice makes light but il
y delible stain. Home and Farm.