Antigua and the Antiguans Volume II Part 18

The Custard Apple, _annona reticulata,_ is a genus of the polygynia order, cla.s.s polyandria. This tree rises to about the height of a common apple. The cup of the flower is three-leaved, from whence start six petals of the heart-shaped kind, and antherae are numerous. The pointal becomes a large roundish fruit, of a pulpy consistence, and containing a great number of black seeds; it is not held in much repute, and is scarcely eaten except by the negroes, although Ligon speaks of it as being very delicious.

Star-apple, _chrysophyllum cainito,_ belongs to the monogynia order, and petandria cla.s.s of plants. It rises to the height of thirty-five or forty feet, with a smooth straight trunk, from which shoot several branches at regular distances. The foliage is of a deep green on the upper side, with the underneath of a russet colour. The flower is campaniform, divided into ten segments, but of no great beauty; from the calyx rises the pointal, which afterwards becomes the fruit, of a globular shape, and divided into ten cells, in each of which is a flattish glossy seed. It derives its name from its internal arrangement, which, when cut transversely, presents the form of a star.

Papaw, _carica papaya,_ a genus of the decandria order, cla.s.s dicia. The trunk rises in a simple hollow stem, marked in lozenges, to the height of eighteen or twenty feet; the trees are male and female; the leaves are large, and divided into several lobes, and come out upon very long, hollow footstalks, from the acros or summit of the tree. The male flowers are tubelous, and divided into five segments; the calyx small, and the filaments short and long alternately. The colour is a bright primrose, and, seated as they are upon their pale green flower-stalk, they present a very beautiful appearance. The female flowers are also primrose colour, and expand in form of a star, so deeply cut into six segments, that they appear to consist of so many distinct leaves. The calyx is quinquedentated; and from the centre rises the pointal, surmounted by a crest of four leaves. This pointal afterwards becomes a fleshy fruit, of an oblong or globular form, covered with a thin rind, and containing, as in a melon, numerous small black seeds of the pungent flavour of pepper. The fruit, when good, has the colour, and something of the taste, of an apricot; when unripe, the internal part is quite white, and in such state is boiled and dished up in the manner of turnip. It is also cut into various forms, and, mixed with peppers, cuc.u.mbers, &c., forms the West Indian pickles. The milk which exudes from it is said to be efficient in making meats tender; and, accordingly, its good qualities are often put to the test by notable housewives, who wish to pa.s.s off their old fowls, of five or six generations, for young chickens. From all parts of the tree flows this acrid milky juice, or _alb.u.men,_ which may be used instead of egg in clarifying sugar or liquors. It is also said to be a specific for the toothache.

Soursop, _annona muricata,_ of the polygynia order, polyandria cla.s.s. It is a richly foliaged tree, rising to the height of about twenty feet. The flowers have a grateful but rather heavy odour. The calyx is three-leaved; the corolla is large, composed of six petals-the three outer ones concave and coriaceous, and of a yellow colour; the three inner ones somewhat smaller and spherical. The flowers are deciduous, and when they open they make so loud a report as to occasion a start from those who stand beneath the tree. The fruit is pulpy, and covered with a thick green rind, of the consistence of leather, studded over with green p.r.i.c.kles, cone-shaped, and attains a great size; the interior is cellular, and furnished with oblong glossy seeds, which spring from the spear-shaped core. The juice makes an excellent transparent jelly; but in its crude form the fruit is never introduced at genteel tables, although of a very grateful flavour: all manner of stock are fond of it, and the little negroes luxuriate most freely upon it when in season.

Mamma Sapota, _achras mammosa,_ is a splendid lofty tree, belonging to the monogynia order, cla.s.s pentandria. The pistil of the flower is rather long, and is surrounded by six stamens. The fruit is globular, and is covered with a thick brown rind; the eatable part lies between that and the large round seed, which is covered with a fine thin skin. It is very indigestible when eaten in its crude state, but makes a luscious sweetmeat, which is generally esteemed.

Bread Fruit, _artocarpus,_ belongs to the order monandria, and the moncia cla.s.s of plants. It was brought from Otaheite to these islands by Captain Bligh, a gentleman well known for his trials in the "Mutiny of the Bounty." This tree rises to the height of about forty feet, and is covered with a thick foliage; the leaves are sometimes a foot and a half long, of an oblong shape, and when broken, exude a milky juice. The trunk is of a pale ash colour, with a smoothish bark; the catkins, or male flowers, have no calyx, but are formed of valves hanging down in the form of ropes; the corolla has two petals, and concave; the female flower has neither corolla nor calyx, but the germs are numerous, connected into a globe. The fruit is globular, and about the size of a melon; the rind is thick and green, and is divided hexagonally in the form of net-work; the internal part is covered with a substance like thick wool. The edible part of the fruit lies between the skin and the core; it is perfectly white, and something like new bread, but it must be roasted before eaten. The taste is insipid, but is said to afford great nourishment. The milk which oozes from the trunk, when boiled with cocoa-nut oil, makes an excellent bird-lime, and the wood is useful for building.

Sappadilla, _achras sapota,_ of the monogynia order, cla.s.s pentandria. The calyx is a perianthum, with six erect concave leaves; the corolla bears one petal, the full length of the cup; the germen is globular, and becomes a pulpy fruit of a similar form, having twelve cells, each containing a glossy oblong black seed. The fruit is very luscious to the taste, and ranks among one of the first at an Antiguan table. The tree is about the size of the oak, and continues to bud and blossom throughout the year: there are three species of this tree.

Sugar Apple, _annona squamosa,_ another genus of the polygynia order, polyandria cla.s.s. The flower is insignificant, and nearly scentless; the pointal changes to a cone-shaped fruit of a dead green colour, divided into oblong compartments, each one cellular, and furnished with a flat glossy seed. The fruit abounds in saccharine juice, from whence its name. It grows to the height of about fifteen feet, and is thickly covered with oblong leaves, the upper part of a dead green, the underneath approaching to white.

Sea-side Grape, _coccoloba uvifera;_ of the order trigynia, and octandria cla.s.s of plants. The calyx is divided into five segments, of a velvety texture; there is no corolla, but the berry, containing one seed, is formed from the calyx. It luxuriates most freely in a sandy soil, where it sometimes attains the height of from eight to fifteen feet. The trunk, or rather trunks, for it sends up from the root several stems, is covered with a smooth brown bark. The leaves are orbicular, and are from five to six inches in circ.u.mference; they are of a bottle-green, and deeply veined, and stand upon short, thick foot-stalks. The fruit is of a red colour, but when quite ripe, approaches to black; it contains one seed, in form, like a cocoa-nut. There are fourteen species of this shrub, of which the chigery grape, _coccoloba nivea,_ is another denizen of Antigua.

It is not, however, much esteemed for the flavour. The flowers, which afterwards turn to the fruit, come out at the wing of the stalk, in racemi of about the length and appearance of white currants.

The Shaddock, _citrus dec.u.mana,_ order polyandria, cla.s.s polyadelphia, is a native of China; it was brought first to the West Indies by Captain Shaddock; hence its name. It is another species of the tribe _citrus,_ belonging to the same cla.s.s and order as its sister shrubs, the lime and orange. The fruit is of two kinds-the one with a white pulp, the other of a reddish colour; the latter is the most esteemed. The fruit is of much larger dimensions than the orange, with a thick rough rind, which is capable of being manufactured into a very superior kind of _bitters_. This tree grows to the height of from eight to twelve feet, with thick broad leaves, slightly serrated.

Lime-tree, _citrus limonum,_ of the polyadelphia order, cla.s.s polyandria. The calyx is divided into five segments, the corolla is quinquefid, and of the most delicate white, and with numerous antherae tipped with yellow farina. The scent of the flowers is most delicious; and their silvery whiteness, contrasted with the glossy green of the foliage, renders it one of the most beautiful of shrubs. The lime-tree is said to resemble the holly of England in appearance; it sometimes attains the height of fifteen feet.

Oldmixon, speaking of this shrub, says-"Fifty years ago, the planters made hedges of them about their houses; their p.r.i.c.kles served for a fortification against the naked negroes." The fruit is very fragrant, of the colour and shape of a lemon, and about the size of a hen's egg; the juice is a strong acid. Galisco mentions that it was the lime-tree and the box which Harpalus found so much difficulty in cultivating at Babylon.

The Orange, _citrus aurantium,_ is of the same cla.s.s and order as the foregoing. The trunk rises smooth and straight, from six to ten feet in height, when it divides into several branches, forming a green canopy. The leaves are oval-shaped, and of a glossy green; and its beautiful and fragrant flowers spring forth from numerous flower-stalks at the side of the branches. The fruit, when gathered, is in a green state, which afterwards attains a yellow colour. An orange-bough just severed from the tree, bending gracefully from the weight of its fruit, and shewing its cl.u.s.ters of pearly blossoms, is a very lovely picture.

Avocada Pear, _persea gratissima,_ order trigynia, cla.s.s Enneandria, is a lofty tree, crowned with a dense foliage, and bearing one of the best fruits the island produces. The shape is that of a quince, covered with a tough, ligneous rind, and containing one large, compressed globular seed. In flavour, it somewhat resembles a broiled _vegetable marrow_. It is sometimes eaten with wine and sugar, but more generally with pepper and salt.

Black Cherry, _cerasus occidentalis,_ is a genus of the natural order rosaceae. It rises to about the height of 20 or 30 feet. The wood is much used by the negroes in their wattled houses, as it is of a flexible nature. The leaves are obovated, and the delicate-looking flowers hang from every branch.

The Acacia rises to about twenty feet in branching stems, armed with long and sharp thorns. The flowers are globular, and of a bright yellow; they hang from every spray, and load the air with their fragrant odours. The pointal afterwards becomes a legume, containing several flat brown seeds, like those of lupins; these seeds have been found useful in setting dyes, and the gum produced from the trees is the best that can be used in calico printing; formerly the flowers were made use of in the materia medica, but this age of wisdom has expelled those various conserves which once loaded the shelves of an apothecary's shop.

Lignum Vitae, _guaiac.u.m,_ or pack wood, as it is sometimes called, is another beautiful forest tree of Antigua. It attains the size of a large oak; the trunk is covered with a hard, brown bark, although the branches are of a greyish-ash colour. The foliage is magnificent, and of the sweetest green, while the beauty of the tree is enhanced by the cl.u.s.ters of cerulean flowers, which hang in loose umbels from almost every spray.

Perhaps the most beautiful and fragrant flower which grows in Antigua is the _frangepanier,_ or _plumeria_. It rises to the height of from ten to fifteen feet, with a rough, greyish trunk, from whence start numerous fantastic-shaped branches, convolving and wreathing their long, naked arms on all sides. From the end of these branches start large, oblong leaves, standing upon three-inch footstalks, and forming a beautiful cl.u.s.ter. These leaves are deciduous, and as they fall off, are succeeded by bunches of flowers, which grow in umbels, rising from one centre stem, of about three or four inches in length. These flowers are of the most delicate pink, shaded off to white, and of a velvety surface, the lower part of the petals being yellow. They are divided into five or six segments, and the scent of them is so delicious, that it ravishes the senses while inhaling its odour.

All parts of this tree abounds in a milky, acrid juice, which drops freely upon breaking off the least part, or making the slightest incision.

Guava Tree, _psidium pomiferum,_ order monogynia, cla.s.s icosandria, rises in the manner of a shrub, to the height of from two to twelve feet. The leaves are ovate, and of a dusky green; the flowers consist of five segments, produced in a circular form, with numerous stamens surrounding an ovary of an oblong form. This becomes a fleshy fruit, of the shape and colour of a lemon, surmounted by a crest of small leaves. The interior of the fruit is of a rose-colour, or a pure white, containing numerous small, yellow seeds; the flavour is exquisite, and the jelly made from it surpa.s.ses the whole world of confectionary. The celebrated Sir Hans Sloane is said to have been particularly fond of it; indeed, it is a universal favourite, and cattle and birds greedily eat the fruit in its crude form.

Bamboo, _bambusa arundinacea,_ belongs to the order monogynia, cla.s.s hexandria. It rises to a great height, sometimes fifty or sixty feet. The young stalks are almost solid, and are filled with a sweetish kind of liquid, which, as they progress in age and become hollow, falls to the bottom of the joint, where it is stopped by a woody membrane, and concretes into a kind of sugar, called _tabaxir_. This tabaxir is said to possess strong medicinal qualities, and was held in such esteem by the ancients, that it was often sold for its weight in silver. The bamboo is used in Antigua for spouts, fish-pots, or as posts for fences: it forms a pretty screen, and as the wind wantons through its lanceolated leaves, a pleasing melody ensues.

Physic Nut, _jatropha curcas,_ belongs to the same order and cla.s.s as the ca.s.sada, &c. It grows to the height of ten or twelve feet, with a knotty stem, and the leaves (cordate and angular) starting from the ends of the branches. The flowers are green, and hang in umbels; they are succeeded by nuts, with the outward covering green, and containing an oblong kernel, separated by two milk-white leaves, of a perfect shape. This plant is often used for fences, and according to old Ligon, is "of so poisonous a nature that no animal will approach it." This is not correct in every point, for it produces no ill-consequences, unless taken to excess, when it acts as a violent cathartic.

The French Physic Nut, _jatropha multifida,_ is another species of this tribe. It rises in a shrubby manner, from eight to ten feet in height, the main stem being covered with a silver-grey bark, and dividing into several branches at the top. The leaves are large and lobed, and the flowers, of a purple colour, grow from the extremity of the branches, in groups. They are succeeded by nuts, of the same size and appearance as those of the _jatropha curcas_.

Peppers, _capsic.u.ms,_ genus of the monogynia order, cla.s.s pentandria. There are twenty species of this tribe, the princ.i.p.al of which known in Antigua is the bonnet or bonny pepper, _capsic.u.m angulosum,_ of a bright yellow; the goat-pepper, or _capsic.u.m annuum,_ of an oblong figure, and red colour, not much esteemed for flavour; the cherry-pepper, or _capsic.u.m cerasiforme,_ also red, in form like a large Kentish cherry-from whence its name; and the bird-pepper, the most esteemed of all capsic.u.ms. This last is a most beautiful shrub; the leaves are of the deepest green, and the fruit, with all the rich glow of the coral, bursting from their light green cups, cl.u.s.ter upon every bough. It is from the bird-pepper the best cayenne is produced; when mixed with the yellow bonny, the colour becomes paler, and is less esteemed. The London adulterators, in order to keep up that bright red tinge, are in the habit of colouring their cayenne with red lead.

The Jasmines are of great beauty and variety in Antigua. The princ.i.p.al among them are the Arabian jasmine, _jasminum sambac,_ and the Cape jasmine, _jasminum fragrans_. The leaves are large, and of a beautiful green, while the silvery blossoms, of a rose-like form, fill the air with their delicious fragrance. This shrub is a genus of the monogynia order, belonging to the diandria cla.s.s of plants.

King of Flowers, _lagerstrmia indica,_ is a genus of the monogynia order, belonging to the polyandria cla.s.s of plants. It is one of the ornaments of the Antiguan flower-garden-its rosy corolla peeping from its bright green leaves; still it is not near so worthy of praise as its fair consort, the lovely

Queen of Flowers, _lagerstrmia regina,_ which does not throw out her delicate pink petals until her slight limbs are bent down beneath her flowing burden.

"Lady of the Night," _cestrum nocturnum,_ of the monogynia order, and pentandria cla.s.s of plants, one of the sweetest and most poetical of all the Antiguan flowering shrubs. The flowers are of a delicate white, and elegantly shaped. As the day draws to a close, they unfold their lovely petals, which emit the most delicious odour, and that so powerful, that a single flower will perfume an entire suite of apartments. It is not "_labour lost_"

to sit up until midnight, to watch the unfolding of this darling child of Flora's in all her glory; for, in the words of the poet,

"Her beauty hangs upon the cheek of night, Like a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear."

The Flower Fence, or Barbados pride, _poinciana pulcherrima,_ is a very beautiful aculeated shrub, of the order monogynia; the flowers, of a bright red and yellow, are papilionaceous; the pistilum is long, and the stamens numerous; the seeds are oblong and glossy, and when beaten up with borax and water are said to form an excellent cement. There are two species, the red and the yellow, each equally admired, and which form a most beautiful garden fence, from whence the name. The leaves of the shrub are supposed to contain some medicinal qualities, and are consequently much esteemed by "old women."

Trumpet Flower, _bignonia unguis,_ is a genus of the angiospermia order, cla.s.s didynamia; the calyx is quinquefid, the corolla of an elegant bell-shape, and is also quinquefoliated. It is one of the most glowing beauties of the West Indian florist's world. By some it is called the scarlet jessamin, from its colour.

The Noyeau-vine, _convolvulus dissectus,_ belongs to the order monogynia, cla.s.s pentandria; the flower is campiform, but expands beneath the influence of the light into the figure of a star. The petals are of a delicate pearly white, the lower parts of a deep purple, the leaves of a deep green; and the seeds, black and very hard, are contained in a three-celled capsule. Noyeau is said to be extracted from this plant, from whence its name; but setting aside this doubtful good quality, it is one of the most admired parasites Antigua produces, and forms a great ornament to a verandah or balcony.

Among the other beautiful vines to be met with, are the pa.s.siflora tribe; they are-

1st. The Granadilla, _pa.s.siflora quadrangularis._

2nd. The Water Lemon, _pa.s.siflora maliformis,_ and

3rd. The Conch Nut, _pa.s.siflora maliformis._

The granadilla bears a large, oblong fruit, with a thick, fleshy covering, and containing a most delicious pulpy consistence, of a slightly-acid flavour, with numerous flat seeds.

The fruit of the water lemon is of a similar flavour, but of smaller growth, in size and shape more resembling a lemon-from whence its name-and with a covering more ligneous. The conch nut is the most acid, and of an inferior quality. It is of a globular form, with a smooth woody sh.e.l.l. All these varieties form an elegant arbour, with their glossy green leaves, and their lovely blossoms, of the same fair form and colour as the pa.s.sion-flower- a genus of their own tribe.

Aloe, a genus of the order monogynia, cla.s.s hexandria: there are thirteen species of aloes, the most common of which found in Antigua is the aloe plant, _aloe vulgaris._ The leaves are broad and thick, and about from two to three feet long; they are full of strong fibres, which can be manufactured into cordage, &c. The aloe plant is commonly used for fences, its long sharp-pointed leaves proving an excellent repellant to any intruder. From the centre of the plant rises a smooth green stem, or column, of about twenty or thirty feet high, broad at the base, and tapering to the top, where it branches out into numerous pedunculuses, or flower stalks. This plant has no calyx; the corolla is monopetalous, and of the colour of the brightest gold, which produces a splendid appearance when in bloom. They are very hardy plants, and can scarcely be destroyed even if wished.

Spanish Needle, _bindens leucantha;_ of the natural order, compositiae oppositifoliae. The leaves are composed of strong fibres, which are capable of being manufactured into a ship's cable or a skein of lace thread, a sail for a man-of-war or the finest cambric handkerchiefs.

Cactus, _cacteae_, is an order of plants that abounds in all parts of the island. They consist of a calyx adhering to the ovary, the corolla divided into several segments, and the petals variously coloured. The fruit is a succulent seedy berry, in some species of a beautiful red colour. The stems are covered with small tubercles, containing tufts of sharp spines, varying in size. The "Turk's cap," _melocactus communis,_ is one of the handsomest of its tribe. It rises in a globular-shaped stem, deeply channelled, of a green colour, and covered with long spines. The top is surmounted by a spherical spinal crest, of a beautiful rose colour, with fleshy seeds of the same glowing tinge. It grows wild in all the sun-dried plains of Antigua, and forms a singular contrast to the withered-looking herbage. The p.r.i.c.kly pear is another member of this family; the leaves are thick and oblong, covered with long spines, and filled with a muculent substance.

The fruit is in form like an English pear, and of a slightly acid flavour; the rind is thick, and of a red colour, marked near the base with streaks of yellow; the pulpy interior is of the finest crimson, and of the consistence of syrup, which is sometimes used to colour sweetmeats, and affords at times a rich treat to the little negroes. The fruit starts from the leaves without any footstalks, and leaf succeeds to leaf, until it attains the height of from five to six feet. It loves a sandy soil, but on every bank, or in every pasture, it may be met with; while from its formidable spines, and thick fleshy leaves, it forms an excellent fence. There is another species, called the French p.r.i.c.kly pear, the succulent leaf of which is sometimes used as a vegetable.

The Egg-Plant, _solanum melongena,_ or _ovigerum,_ is a curiosity in the vegetable kingdom. It attains the height of from two to three feet, and is covered with downy leaves of an ovate form.

The fruit is of a globose fleshy berry, of the size, shape, and colour of a hen's egg, from whence its name.

There are three species of lilies indigenous to the country, the most common of which is the Lily-asphodel, _amaryllis equestris,_ a genus of the monogynia order, hexandria cla.s.s of plants. The flower rises from an oblong emarginated spatha; the corolla consists of six lance-like petals, of a clear white, with long slender stamens. The seed-bag, or _capsule,_ is composed of three valves, and contains numerous seeds.

Cotton Shrub, or _gossypium,_ rises to the height of six or seven feet. The flower is bell-shaped, and consists of one leaf deeply cut into several segments, enfolding one another, and of a pale primrose. From the centre of the flower rises a kind of hollow cylinder, adorned with chives or filaments. The pointal becomes a globular fruit, or pod, composed of five cells, containing small, hard, black seeds, closely enwrapped in the wool, (or cotton, as it is more generally termed,) which, when ripe, bursts open at the apex, and discloses the snowy interior.

Castor Plant, or _palma Christi,_ is a very pretty shrub, rising to the height of about fifteen feet. It expands into numerous branches, from which spring dark green leaves, deeply lobed, and standing upon long footstalks. The flowers are insignificant in appearance; the germen becomes a three-celled, globular pod, covered with slender spines, and contains three beautifully-polished, oblong seeds, of a black and silver-grey colour. The best castor oil is obtained from these seeds, by pressure; but the common practice in use among the negroes is to boil them in water, and skim off the unctuous matter as it rises to the top.

Ca.s.sada, or ca.s.sava, is made from the roots _jatropha,_ or _janipha manihot_. This plant belongs to the natural order _euphorbiaceae,_ and abounds in a juice, the smallest dose of which is highly dangerous from its poisonous qualities. It, however, forms a nutritious food after the juice is well expressed, when it is baked in the form of thin cakes, and supplies the want of bread. _Farina_ and tapioca are other preparations from this root, half a pound of which, per diem, is said to be sufficient to support the strongest man.

Arrow-root, and _tout-les-mois,_ is the fecula obtained by a similar process from those several roots, the nutritious qualities of which are too well known in the sick chamber to call for further mention. The petals of the arrow-root are of a clear white, while those of the _tout-les-mois_ are of a fine crimson, and start from long sheath-like leaves. The French gave the name to this latter plant, from the fact of its flowering every month.

There are a great variety of gra.s.ses to be met with in Antigua, the princ.i.p.al of which are-the Guinea-gra.s.s, cent. per cent.

gra.s.s, (_panic.u.m colonum,_) devil-gra.s.s, (_cynodon dactylon,_) and nut-gra.s.s, (_cyperus hydra._) The Guinea-gra.s.s was introduced into the West Indies, from the coast of Guinea, as its name declares. Jamaica was the first island in which it was propagated, and that by mere accident. The seed of this species of herbage was brought from Africa, as food for some curious birds, natives of that clime, which the captain of a slaver intended to convey to Jamaica as a present. Soon after their arrival, the birds died, and the seed was thrown away as useless.

It, however, took root, and flourished surprisingly. The cattle grazing in that part of the island found it out, and eagerly feasted upon it, which being perceived by the planters, the remaining roots were protected for seedlings, and thus the growth of this species was established, and finally distributed throughout the other islands, where it now ranks among the most esteemed of gra.s.ses.