Page:Tales in Political Economy by Millicent Garrett Fawcett.djvu/42

 Not knowing what these trees were, the sailors were afraid to eat the fruit, but they pulled some down, and wrapping it round with its leaves, they returned to their own island. When they showed it to the captain, he recognized it directly as the fruit of one of the most valuable kinds of plantain trees. Every part of this tree serves some useful purpose in providing food and clothing for man. The fruit can be eaten either ripe or unripe: if it is gathered before it is ripe, it can be peeled, sliced, dried in the sun, and ground to a powder; prepared in this way an excellent flour is obtained, which serves all the purposes of wheat-flour. The ripe fruit is very good raw; and it may also be eaten boiled or roasted, or fried with butter. A very wholesome drink is also made by soaking the fruit in water, something after the manner in which malt is converted into beer. Wine can also be made by fermenting the juice of the fruit. The top of the stalk boiled is a good vegetable; and the fibre of the leaves can be made into strong cloth. It has been calculated that the