a i ne ee eee 
104. The Natural Hiftory of Jamaica 
There is alfo made of it a Drink or Wine, for which it is boiled, and 
then fet aworking, and from thence is diftilled a vinous inflammable incbri- 
ating Spirit, called Arack, as aifo of it is made a Vinegar, as many Writers 
tell us. 
To make Leven for this Rice Drink, in Japan they chaw Rice-Meal and 
Spit it intoa Pot, Mandelflo p. 166. who likewife adds, that to make the 
Wine they add to the Rice fome Honey or Sugar. /d. p. 156. 
Rice, either in Subftance or Decoction, is thought to bean extraordinary 
Aadftringent or Binder. 
The Meal of it ftrowed on the marks left by the Small-pox, helps 
them. C B. 
The Decogtion is good againft the Poifon of Ar{nick, Quick-Lime, or 
Cantharides. ld. , 
Riolan {ays the Husk of it is poifonous, and the Flower very ill {mell’d. 
Fi Bi 
Il. Milinm Indicum arundinaceo caule granis flavefcentibus Herm. Cat. p. 425. 
An Ampembe de Flacourt. p. 1182 Mengrelie milium Tezzag. p. 68 ? Guinea 
Corn of Dampier. cap.3. An Milium Indicum facchariferum altifimum femine 
ferrugineo Breyn, prod.z. p.722 An Milium Indicum arundinaceo Caule femine 
fufco glumis [plendentibus atris. Plukenet. Almaz. p.r502 Milinm Indicum, 
panicula [parfa erecta. Tournef. Lnft. p.51§ ? 
This rifes toeight or nine Foor high, has a hollow reddith coloured Cyl 
mus, or Stalk, jointed at every nine Inches diftance, every joint having a Leaf 
by its Foot-Stalk inclofing the internodium to the next joint, being graffie. 
a Foot long, and Inch broad near the joint, whence it decreafes, ending ina 
peint, having a white middle Rib. Sometimes fome fmaller Spikes come 
out, ex alis foliorum, near the top 3 but that onthe top is an oblong, round- 
ifh Head, feven Inches long, and three broad, near as big as ones Fift, 
having many finall Branches, or Strings very clofe compacted together, on the 
Tops of which come in Follicles, yellow Stamina, asin others of this Kind, 
and to them follows in two brown Follicles, a round Seed of a whith 
yellow colour, not fo big as that fort of Barley call’d commonly Pearl Barley. 
It is planted every where in Famaica for Provifion, yielding very great in- 
creafe. 
It isthought to Nourifh little, and to be Adftringent as Rice. ; 
It is dry, and is good in Dyf{enteries... Cakes are made of its Flour.’ In 
Corcyra it feeds Pigeons, and in Sicilia Fire-wood is made of its Stalks. C. B. 
Ic isfown ata Foot diftance, three or four Grains into a hole. 
The Figures and Defcriptions of Sorgum in moft Authors, agreeing with 
this, was the occafion of my putting that in my Catalogue for a Synonimous 
name, although I am fure that one fort of the /talian Sorgum, (which has a 
white Seed that is flat, and the Panicle as it were comprefied or flat, 
whereas that of this has a Panicle ftanding out on all fides,) is really diffe- 
rent from this. : 
Il. Panicum Indicum {pica longiffima C. B. Theat. Bot. p.523. pit. p. 27. Cat. 
- 26. 
: This differs not from the precedent, fave in that the Head or Spike is a- 
bove a Foot long, being largeft at bottom, where it may be about three 
quarters of an Inch Diameter, tapering to the top. It has lefler Grains or 
Seeds than the former, many of them being fet on the fame common Foot- 
Stalk inclofed in glume, and thofe fet fo clofe together, that it makes an 
even Surface, and appears like the common 7ypha Paluftris. 
It 
