DURIAN.

The durian (Durio zibethinus) is also peculiar to the Malayan countries.  It is a rich fruit but strong and even offensive in taste as well as smell, to those who are not accustomed to it, and of a very heating quality; yet the natives (and others who fall into their habits) are passionately addicted to it, and during the time of its continuing in season live almost wholly upon its luscious and cream-like pulp; whilst the rinds, thrown about in the bazaars, communicate their scent to the surrounding atmosphere.  The tree is large and lofty; the leaves are small in proportion, but in themselves long and pointed.  The blossoms grow in clusters on the stem and larger branches.  The petals are five, of a yellowish-white, surrounding five branches of stamina, each bunch containing about twelve, and each stamen having four antherae.  The pointal is knobbed at top.  When the stamina and petal fall, the empalement resembles a fungus, and nearly in shape a Scot’s bonnet.  The fruit is in its general appearance not unlike the bread-fruit, but larger, and its coat is rougher.

BREAD-FRUIT.

The sutun kapas, and sukun biji or kalawi, are two species of the bread-fruit-tree (Artocarpus incisa).  The former is the genuine, edible kind, without kernels, and propagated by cuttings of the roots.  Though by no means uncommon, it is said not to be properly a native of Sumatra.  The kalawi, on the contrary, is in great abundance, and its bark supplies the country people with a sort of cloth for their working dresses.  The leaves of both species are deeply indented, like those of the fig, but considerably longer.  The bread-fruit is cut in slices, and, being boiled or broiled on the fire, is eaten with sugar, and much esteemed.  It cannot however be considered as an article of food, and I suspect that in quality it is inferior to the bread-fruit of the South-Sea Islands.

JACK-FRUIT.

The Malabaric name of jacca, or the jack-fruit, is applied both to the champadak or chapada (Artocarpus integrifolia, L. and Polyphema jaca, Lour.) and to the nangka (Artocarpus integrifolia, L. and Polyphema champeden, Lour).  Of the former the leaves are smooth and pointed; of the latter they are roundish, resembling those of the cashew.  This is the more common, less esteemed, and larger fruit, weighing, in some instances, fifty or sixty pounds.  Both grow in a peculiar manner from the stem of the tree.  The outer coat is rough, containing a number of seeds or kernels (which, when roasted, have the taste of chestnuts) inclosed in a fleshy substance of a rich, and, to strangers, too strong smell and flavour, but which gains upon the palate.  When the fruit ripens the natives cover it with mats or the like to preserve it from injury by the birds.  Of the viscous juice of this tree they make a kind of bird-lime:  the yellow wood is employed for various purposes, and the root yields a dye-stuff.

MANGO.