BREAD-TREE

BREAD-TREE, the English name of the artocarpus (s); the fruit of which not only serves as a substitute for bread among the inhabitants of O-Taheite‡ and the neighbouring islands, but also, variously dressed, composes the principal part of their food. It grows on a tree that is about the size of a middling oak; its leaves are frequently a foot and an half long, of an oblong shape, deeply sinuated like those of the fig-tree, which they resemble in colour and consistence, and in the exuding of a milky juice upon being broken. The fruit is about the size and shape of a new-born child's head; and the surface is reticulated*, not much unlike a truffle; it is covered with a thin skin, and has a core about as big as the handle of a small knife. The eatable part lies between the skin and the core; it is as white as snow, and somewhat of the consistence of new bread; it must be roasted before it is eaten, being first divided into three or four parts; its taste is insipid, with a slight sweetness somewhat resembling that of the crumb of wheaten bread

mixed with a Jerusalem artichoke. This fruit is also cooked in a kind of oven, which renders it soft, and something like a boiled potatoe; not quite so farinaceous as a good one, but more so than those of the middling sort. Of the bread-fruit they also make three dishes, by putting either water or the milk of the cocoa nut to it, then beating it to a paste with a stone pestle, and afterwards mixing it with ripe plantains, bananas, or the four paste which they call mahie.

The mahie, which is likewise made to serve as a succedaneum for ripe bread-fruit before the season comes on, is thus made: The fruit of the bread-tree is gathered just before it is perfectly ripe; and being laid in heaps, is closely covered with leaves: in this state it undergoes a fermentation, and becomes disagreeably sweet; the core is then taken out entire, which is done by gently pulling out the stalk, and the rest of the fruit is thrown into a hole which is dug for that purpose generally in the houses, and neatly lined in the bottom and sides with grass: the whole is then covered with leaves and heavy stones laid upon them; in this state it undergoes a second fermentation, and becomes sour, after which it will suffer no change for many months. It is taken out of the hole as it is wanted for use; and being made into balls, it is wrapped up in leaves and baked: after it is dressed, it will keep five or six weeks. It is eaten both cold and hot; and the natives seldom make a meal without it, though to Europeans the taste is as disagreeable as that of a pickled olive generally is the first time it is eaten.

To procure this principal article of their food, (the bread-fruit), costs these happy people no trouble or labour except climbing up a tree: the tree which produces it does not indeed grow spontaneously; but if a man plants ten of them in his life-time, which he may do in about an hour, he will as completely fulfil his duty to his own and future generations, as the native of our less temperate climate can do by ploughing in the cold of winter, and reaping in the summer's heat, as often as these seasons return; even if, after he has procured bread for his present household, he should convert a surplus into money, and lay it up for his children.

Bees-BREAD. See Apis, n° 12. par. ult.

Cassada-BREAD. See Jatropha.

Earth BREAD*. "In the lordship of Moscow in the Upper Lusatia, a sort of white earth is found, of which the poor, urged by the calamities of the wars which raged in those parts, make bread. It is taken out of a hill where they formerly worked at salt-petre. When the sun has somewhat warmed this earth it cracks, and small white globules proceed from it as meal; it does not ferment alone, but only when mixed with meal. Mr Satlitz, a Saxon gentleman, was pleased to inform us, that he has seen persons who in a great measure lived upon it for some time. He assures us that he procured bread to be made of this earth alone, and of different mixtures of earth and meal; and that he even kept some of this bread by him upwards of six years: he further says, a Spaniard told him, that this earth is also found near Geronne in Catalonia."

Eucharist or Sacramental BREAD, in the Protestant churches, is common leavened bread, in conformity to the ancient practice. In the Romish mass, azymous or unleavened

(E) A new genus of plants; so named from apto (panis) "bread," and carpos (fructus) "fruit," and referred to the monococia monogynia of Linnæus. [Forsteri Characters, 51].

unleavened bread is used, particularly in the Gallican church, where a sort is provided for this purpose called pain a chanter, made of the purest wheaten flour pressed between two iron plates graven like wafer-moulds, being first rubbed with white wax to prevent the paste from sticking. The Greeks observe divers ceremonies in their making the eucharist bread. It is necessary the person who bakes it have not lain with his wife the day before; or, if it be a woman, that she have not conversed with her husband. The Abyssinians have an apartment in their churches for this service, being a kind of sacristy. F. Simond, in his disquisition on azymous bread, shews from the council of Toledo, that anciently there were as many ceremonies used in the Latin church in the preparation of their unleavened bread as are still retained in the eastern churches. He cites the example of Queen Radegonda, who distributed with her own hands, in the church, the bread which she herself had made. It appears also from the dispute of cardinal Humbert against the Greeks, that in the Latin church no bread was used for the eucharist, but what was taken out of the sacristy, and had been made by the deacons, subdeacons, and even priests, who rehearsed several psalms during the process.

Ecclesiastical writers enumerate other species of bread allotted for purposes of religion; as, 1. Calendarius, that anciently offered to the priest at the calendes. 2. Prebendarius, the same with capitularis, that distributed daily to each prebendary or canon. 3. Benedictus, that usually given to catechumens before baptism, in lieu of the eucharistic bread, which they were incapable of partaking of. The panis benedictus was called also panagium and eulogium, being a sort of bread blessed and consecrated by the priest, whereby to prepare the catechumens for the reception of the body of Christ. The same was used afterwards, not only by catechumens, but by believers themselves, as a token of their mutual communion and friendship. Its origin is dated from the 7th century, at the council of Nantz. In the Gallican church we still find panis benedictus, pain benit, used for that offered for benediction, and afterwards distributed to pious persons who attend divine service in chapels. 4. Consecrated bread is a piece of wax, paste, or even earth, over which several ceremonies have been performed with benedictions, &c. to be set in an Agnus Dei, or relic-box, and presented for veneration.

5. Unleavened bread, panis azymus†. The Jews eat no other bread during their passover; and exact search was made in every house, to see that no leavened bread was left. The usage was introduced in memory of their hasty departure from Egypt, when they had not leisure to bake leavened. 6. Shew-bread was that offered to God every sabbath-day, being placed on the golden table in the holy of holies.

Horse Bread is made of wheat, oats, and beans; to which sometimes are added aniseed, gentian, liquorice, fenugreek, eggs, and ale; and sometimes rye and white wine are used.

For race-horses three sorts of bread are usually given with success, for the second, third, and fourth nights feeding: they are all made of beans and wheat worked with barm; the difference consisting chiefly in the proportion of the two former. In the first kind, three times the quantity of beans is used to one of wheat; in the second, equal quantities of both; in the third, three

times the quantity of wheat to one of beans.

Sago Bread. See SAGO.

Assize† of BREAD. The price and weight of bread is regulated by the magistrates according to the price of wheat. We have divers tables of the weights of the loaves both of white, wheaten, and household bread, at every price of wheat. If bread want one ounce in 36, the baker formerly was to suffer the pillory: now, to forfeit 5 s. for every ounce wanting; and for every defect less than an ounce, 2 s. 6 d.; such bread being complained of and weighed before a magistrate within 24 hours after it is baked or exposed to sale within the bills of mortality, or within three days in any other place. It is to be observed, bread loses weight by keeping: in some experiments recited by Bartholine, the diminution was near one fourth in six months. The same author assures us, that in Norway they make bread which keeps 30 or 40 years; and that they are there fonder of their old hard bread, than elsewhere of new or soft; since the older it is, the more agreeable it grows. For their great feasts, particular care is taken to have the oldest bread; so that, at the christening of a child, they have usually bread which had been baked perhaps at the christening of his grandfather. It is made of barley and oat-meal baked between two hollow stones.