Plantain, or Banana.— This is the pulpy
fruit of the Musa paradisiaca, an herbaceous
plant extensively grown in most tropical coun-
tries. It is especially cultivated in Mexico.
It is used in these regions as an established
article of diet, and not like most other fruits,
as an occasional luxury. There are many
varieties of plantain, the fruit of each possess-
ing considerable variations of size, flavour, and
shape. In some cases the plantain is not above
two or three inches long; in others it is not
far short of a foot ; some kinds are sweet, and
in flavour reminds one of a good mellow pear;
the larger kinds, however, are for the most part
coarse and farinaceous. "The banana," says
McCuUoch, " forms a principal part of the food
of the people of Mexico, and the apathy and
PLANTAIN.
indolence of the natives of the f terras calicntes,
or hot regions, have been ascribed, and pro-
bably with good reason, to the facility with
which it supplies them with subsistence. It
is by no means in such extensive use in tropical
Asia, and in that part of the globe comes no-
where into competition with com as an article
of food."
Gerard says that the pulp of the plantain
eats something like that of a musk melon : he
calls the plant Adam's apple-tree, from a notion
that it was the forbidden fruit of the garden of
Eden. Others suppose that the plantain was
the grape brought out of the Promised Land to
Moses. Dampier says it is the king of all fruit,
not excepting the cocoa-nut itself.
Of the ease with which the banana is culti-
vated in its native region, M. Humboldt, in
his Essai sur la Nouvellc-EsjJagne, gives some
interesting particulars. "I doubt," he says,
" whether there be any other plant that pro-
duces so great a quantity of nutritive substance
in so small a space. Eight or nine months
after the sucker is planted it begins to devcloij
its cluster. The fruit may be gathered in the
tenth or eleventh month. Wlien the stalk is
cut there is always found, among the numerous
shoots that have taken root, a sj)rout {pimpoUo),
which, being two-thirds the height of its parent
plant, bears fruit two months later. Thus a
plantation of bananas perpetuates itself, with-
out requiring any care on the part of m.an,
further than to cut the stalks when the fruit
has ripened, and to stir the earth gently oncb
or twice a j'ear about the roots."
Plants,Wild, Edible, and Poisonous.
— In the olden time many vegetables and
leaves were eaten which arc now neglected,
and our ancestors were content to season their
homely dishes with wild herbs and plants
which we despise. Commerce and horticulture
have made us to a certain extent independent
of the woods and fields. The subject of edible
■ttdld plants, however, ought not to be neglected.
By the study of it we may not only upon an
occasion increase our own resources, but be of
service to the poor by pointing out what plants
they may make use of in seasons of scarcity.
All vegetables not absolutely poisonous may
be rendered edible by proper preparation.
Many sorts, for example, are unpalatable from
their bitter and acrid taste ; but this may to a
great degree be removed by maceration in cold
or hot water.
Page 1235
Presented as published in 1892. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Plantain, or Banana.— This is the pulpy fruit of the Musa paradisiaca, an herbaceous plant extensively grown in most tropical countries. It is especially cultivated in Mexico. It is used in these regions as an established article of diet, and not like most other fruits, as an occasional luxury. There are many varieties of plantain, the fruit of each possessing considerable variations of size, flavour, and shape. In some cases the plantain is not above two or three inches long; in others it is not far short of a foot ; some kinds are sweet, and in flavour reminds one of a good mellow pear; the larger kinds, however, are for the most part coarse and farinaceous. "The banana," says McCuUoch, " forms a principal part of the food of the people of Mexico, and the apathy and
PLANTAIN.
indolence of the natives of the tierras calientes, or hot regions, have been ascribed, and probably with good reason, to the facility with which it supplies them with subsistence. It is by no means in such extensive use in tropical Asia, and in that part of the globe comes nowhere into competition with com as an article of food."
Gerard says that the pulp of the plantain eats something like that of a musk melon : he calls the plant Adam's apple-tree, from a notion that it was the forbidden fruit of the garden of Eden. Others suppose that the plantain was the grape brought out of the Promised Land to Moses. Dampier says it is the king of all fruit, not excepting the cocoa-nut itself.
Of the ease with which the banana is cultivated in its native region, M. Humboldt, in his Essai sur la Nouvelle-Espagne, gives some interesting particulars. "I doubt," he says, " whether there be any other plant that produces so great a quantity of nutritive substance in so small a space. Eight or nine months after the sucker is planted it begins to develop its cluster. The fruit may be gathered in the tenth or eleventh month. When the stalk is cut there is always found, among the numerous shoots that have taken root, a sprout (pimpollo), which, being two-thirds the height of its parent plant, bears fruit two months later. Thus a plantation of bananas perpetuates itself, without requiring any care on the part of m.an, further than to cut the stalks when the fruit has ripened, and to stir the earth gently once or twice a year about the roots."
Plants,Wild, Edible, and Poisonous.
— In the olden time many vegetables and leaves were eaten which arc now neglected, and our ancestors were content to season their homely dishes with wild herbs and plants which we despise. Commerce and horticulture have made us to a certain extent independent of the woods and fields. The subject of edible wild plants, however, ought not to be neglected. By the study of it we may not only upon an occasion increase our own resources, but be of service to the poor by pointing out what plants they may make use of in seasons of scarcity. All vegetables not absolutely poisonous may be rendered edible by proper preparation. Many sorts, for example, are unpalatable from their bitter and acrid taste ; but this may to a great degree be removed by maceration in cold or hot water.