Mammones, fruit about the size of a quince, sometimes larger, and when ripe of a greenish yellow, grow upon the trunk of the tree, and hanging by short stems, have the appearance of teats, whence they are named. Their pulp resembles that of melons, in its taste and yellow colour, and is sometimes eaten raw, or boiled with meat. The tree is of middling height and thickness, and resembles a walnut, in its dusky bark, and a fig-tree, in its large, angular leaves. Its weak wood swells with a milky, insipid liquor, which is an additional reason for the name of mammones being given it. This tree bears flowers, and fruit, at all seasons of the year, but is so much exhausted by this exceeding fertility that it scarce ever lasts above four years. When fresh planted it bears fruit the first year. There are two species of this tree, whereof the one is called the male, the other the female. In some respects they differ, but it is not true that one would be barren without the other. Mammones, though abundant in Brazil, and other parts of America, are very rare in Paraguay, and scarce ever seen there except in gardens.
THE ALABAS.
A shrub, or more properly, a low thorny thistle, delighting in a sandy soil, produces the alabas, round apples, about the size of a hen's egg, concealing beneath a thick, pliant bark, defended by sharp, but very slender thorns, a liquid pulp, which is sometimes redder than blood, sometimes whiter than milk; abounds in soft black seeds; delights the palate with its delicious flavour; and greatly refreshes the body, when heated by the sun. Assuredly this fruit, were it found in Europe, would be ranked amongst the delicacies of the desert. It grows very common in some parts of Paraguay, but is rarely seen in others.
THE AGUAỸ.
The aguaỹ, an immense tree, produces fruit like plums, which on account of the acidity of their juice, are oftener, and more safely eaten, after being boiled in water. There is another tree which resembles this in name, but is totally different in form and other respects.
THE ANGUAỸ, or YBIR̂APAYÈ.
The anguaỹ, a tree of uncommon height, and thickness, affords wood fit for carpenters work, hard, red, and remarkably fragrant. By way of fruit, it bears hard seeds, like almonds, which are also used in medicine. The stones of this fruit are triangular-shaped, of a violet colour, and so bright that the Indian women make necklaces of them. The rosin which distils from the anguaỹ is exceedingly fragrant, and of sovereign virtue. The famous Peruvian and Brazilian balsam is made of this rosin mixed with the oil of the cupaỹ tree, and others; it is also used in churches instead of frankincense, which it greatly exceeds in sweetness. The bark of the tree, being impregnated with rosin, is used for the same purpose. The tree is named anguaỹ, because mortars are generally made of it by the Guaranies, in whose language it is also called ybir̂apayè, the conjuror's tree; for the savage jugglers, whenever they expected to be visited, and consulted by their countrymen, used to perfume their huts, by burning this rosin, that they might seem to breathe of something divine.
THE ỸBA POROYTỸ.
The ỹba poroytỹ is a small pome, resembling a cherry, with a pleasant, but rather acid flavour. Of the tree balsam is made.