oben 
a __ aba ninth 
68 The Natural Fiiftory of yA MAICA. 
lib. 4. cap. 23: An Goffipiam frutefcens pentaphyllos, ex tnfula Barbouthenji, 
fegmemtis foltorum ad latera rotundioribus, ex quo cotonum optimum/eu bombax 
ferici inftar candidiffima, Plakenet, Alm. p. 172. phyt. Tab. 299. Fig. . ? Gof- 
fipium vulgare, Swammerd. Muf.p. 148 Cotton of the {maller Plant found 
on the Bapbee Tfles of Dampier. cap. 15 ? Gofipinm herbs femine albo Bob. Hift. 
Ox part 3. p> 5175 
The Cotton Tree: 
I can add nothing to the Defcriptions of this extant in moft natural 
Hiftoriars, but only that there is great Variety in it, as to its Large- 
nels, cc. otherwife it agreesexaCtly. 
It is planted in famaica and the Cartoes: . ; 
Cotton is us’d-for Pledgets in place of Linen, and to ftop Hemorha- 
es. Alp. It is perennial, as is not that of Cyprus. Id. | 
The Shoots being ftamp’d and drunk with Water, cure the Stinging of 
Scorpions, Vipers, arid other.venemous Creatures. Tlie Stalk is cold; dry, 
and aditringent, powder’d and ftrew’d on) Ulcers, it heals them. The 
Leaves are alfo healing. Hernandez. Maregr. | srl \ 
The Seeds and Tops of the Twigs, ewher by themfelves, or given 
with other Things, are good againft the bloody Flux. A Mucilage of 
them is _us’d by the Indians againft ‘Fevers, Difeafes of the Breaft aad 
Poifons corroding the Stomach and Guts. Pi/o. Alp. : | 
The Seeds are Venereal, and ftop Coughs, the Afhes : of» the 
Cotton-Wooll ftop Hxemorhages, and the Oyl of the Seed takes away 
Freckles. Ger.) 2. > ool aeaidsm 4i : 
The Cotton Tree has fmooth Leaves: .J. B. That of Braj? has many 
Seeds conglomerated, the other its Seeds feparated. Ff. B. | 
‘The Inftrument..by which they feparate the Seeds ‘and Filth from. the 
Cotton, ftands as a turning Loom, and is made of two, long, fmall, round, 
Cilinders of Wood,, on which are three or four {mall Furrows ; thefe have 
more or lefS Space between them, as the Mafter defires, but generally 
are fo clofe, asonly to fuffer the fine Cotton to go thro’, whereas the 
Seeds are kept back, and the Cotton is drawn in by one of thefe Cilin- 
ders, and thruft by the other, they being ‘turn’d by the Feet two contra- 
ry Ways, the one from the other, which 1s explain’d, Td. 190. 
Xanomt was miftaken when he defcrib’d from Lery thefe Flowers to be 
the fame with thofe of Campagala’s, for he writes feveral Things con- 
cradicting himfelf, as when he. fays, that, they were Bell Flowers like 
thofe of Citralls, or Gourds, Itake this of Jamaica to be the fame, tho’ 
varying in fome Things from,that of the Levawss. ”Tis certain they differ 
not fo much as the Ricini, Peter Martyrs Cotton, of which he fpeaks, 
was not this, but the filk one. | : 
It was not known to Diofcorides or Galen, unlefs under the Name of 
Elychnium Tarfenfe by the laft ; but to Pliny, | 
Authors tell us; that in Egypt tis a Tree, artl ia Cyprus and Crete Her- 
baceous ; Thevet, who faw them both, fays they are different ; this grows 
in Brafile. Thevet. novi - | - : 
Sixty three Arroba’s of Cotton came in the Flota 1547. Acoffa. who 
fays, that it was ‘us’d very much in the Iadies for Cloathing, Sails, Map- 
kins, ec. and that it grows in Pern and Tucuman. Ia. 
Very, good Cotton grew in Famaica, Lop. de Gom. cap. 48. 
If Cotton be burnt, the Afhes {top Blood like Paper. Dod. - 
Cotton Cloth is whiteft before us’d\ or, wafh’d, contrary to. other 
Cloths, It rancles Sores laid to it, oocafioning Matter. F.Be 5.0, - 
. SO The 
