312
An.1686
The Plantain-tree.
Soil they will bear in 12 months. As soon as the Fruit is ripe the Tree decays, but then there are many young ones growing up to supply its place. When this Tree first springs out of the ground, it comes up with 2 leaves, and by that time it is a foot high, two more springs up in the inside of them; and in a short time after two more within them, and so on. By that time the Tree is a month old you may perceive a small body almost as big as ones Arm, and then there are 8 or 10 leaves, some of them 4 or 5 foot high. The first leaves that it shoots forth are not above a foot long, and half a foot broad; and the stem that bears them no bigger than ones finger; but as the Tree grows higher the leaves are larger. As the young leaves spring up in the inside, so the old leaves spread off, and their tops droop downward, being of a greater length and breadth by how much they are nearer the root, and at last decay and rot off; but still there are young leaves spring up out of the top, which makes the Tree look always green and flourishing. When the Tree is full grown the leaves are 7 or 8 foot long, and a foot and half broad; towards the end they are smaller and end with a round point. The stem of the leaf is as big as a mans Arm, almost round, and about a foot in length, between the leaf and the body of the Tree. That part of the stem which comes from the Tree, if it be the outside leaf, seems to inclose half the body as it were with a thick hide, and right against it on the other side of the Tree, is another such answering to it. The next two leaves in the inside of these grow opposite to each other, in the same manner, but so that if the 2 outward grow North and South, these grow East and West, and those still within them, keep the same order. Thus the body of this Tree seems to be made up of many thick skins, growing one over another, and when it is full grown, there springs