Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-09-27

nourishing. The lechosa. is another fruit
quite popular 1t grows wild on a tree.
sometimes over twenty feet in height IN
appearance and size it is very much like
the muskmelon of the North. The fruit Is
supposed to possess great medicinal viz
tues, and, in fact, every kind of fruit, Is
n panacea. according to the belief of the
people. The camille finds many uses in
the domestic economy of the natives.
One of the many dulceS or sweets the
tropics are famous for is made from it.
and the wine pressed from it, resembling
claret in taste and color. has a sale in
Europe. The tree resembles the apple
tree. A popularity of the fruit is that
the seed is on the outside of the end. The
juice makes deep stain. hard to remove.
The natives say it will not go away un-
til the leaves fall from the tree. The
mamorl. ia one of the most delicious of
fruits. 1t is pear-shaped, of the size of
the largest apple. When ripe ii decays
quickly. and it will not ripen if picked
green For that reason it would not stand
shipment. 1t is called by the English
and favor of vanilla cream. When thor
oughly cooled it is quite refreshing.
The gunabana resembles the mamon. but
is larger and has a prickly exterior.
1t is generally made into an zen salado
with sugar and rum.
THE nispero is palatable The sapotie
is of the same family, but large The
seed is large and very rich in vegetable
Many of these fruits mature i'll February
or March, but nature is so kind there that
every month has its ripe edible fruits.
The jagua resembles the sapotie and may
be nutritious. but as it is almost tasteless
il is seldom eaten. The caimta resembles
the orange in shape, though 1t does not
its green exterior when ripe. The tree Is
one OF luXuriant foliage, dense and wide
spreading. The leaf is small and peculiar.
in that the top is a bright green while
the lower side is a dark brown.
''The guayava is a tropical fruit famous
for the dulces and jellies of that name
The fruit is sometimes eaten raw, but it
has more seeds TO the square inch than a
dried blackberry. and for that reason is
not popular in that shape. The dulces
are found on every table with the cheese
and coffee, and every street corner has ITS
vendor or guayava dulces. The tanarin-
do is the tamarind of American con-
merce. 1t can hardly be called a foou,
yet il is much used in a pu1py drink.
They have one fruit called the hobo. the
name rather suggestive, that IS mucn
eaten raw, but never cooked. The plan
tain. a species of banana, or rather the
reverse is true. is an important article of
food 1t contains much more nutriment
than -four and is ahead Of the potato in
this respect. 1t is very delicious fried
and baked dry it liz the bread of the in
terror 1t is remarkable how quickly a
European will come to prefer 1T to good
bread with his coffee. No butter Is used
with it, and, in TACT very little IS USED
There are dozens Of these comparative
~ unknown fruits. Besides, the earth
Yields up her wealth Of roots. The best
friend Of the native Is the palm, whose
firm, white pith has the taste and APP
pearance of cabbage. 1t is called palm
cabbage. The bark furnishes the walls
| Of the houses and the leaves the roofs.
| the hats and some of the garments. The
| eassava bread comes from a root rich in
starch, and the round large cakes. about
| the size of barrel top. are found In
every home The caSsava flour is poison
Gus as a dough, as it contains much hy-
drocyanic acid. This is very volatile and
| the heat of baking expels it.
| 1T is not surprising that foreigners fall
| into a life of idle luxury in a few years
when compelled to live in the tropics. and
| there are many of them there without
ambition to break away from the enervat-
| ing temptations. who would not give NJ
| the dreamy. careless life If they could
| Consider the effect of 100 or more years OF
heredity on people who themselves be.
| long to a tropical race in great part and
1 you will conclude that you have dis
| tinct and new set of questions to meet In
your tropical possessions.