I¥2 
The Natural Hiftory of JAMAICA. 
be eat alone, in Cheefes, and to make Sherbett ; Frames to lay Becs on 
are made of the Branches Stalks, or middle Ribs, and the fame are ufed 
to inclofe Bails of Goods inftead of Chefts ; for Baskets, Fans, Mats, 
Hoops and Cords. 1b. p. 16, 17. 
In Chiapo in eight Years Time after planting they bore Dates, Laer. 
Dates are a principal Part of their Suftenance in Socotora, and are 
when thorough ripe laid on a Heap on a Skin lying floping, whence 
the Liquor diftilling is their Wine, it 1s received in earthen Pots in 
the Ground, therewith they will be drunk; the Dates are then ftoned 
and pack’d in Skins, they are cut and ftoned before they are ripe, and 
preferved, and they likewileare gather’d by the Deputy’s Orders for the 
King. William Finch, 
Sit Tho. Roe, lib 4, cap. 16. §.1. p.§39, obferved them at Socotera. 
Don Jo. de Caftro, lib. 6. cap. i. §.1. p 1123. at the fame Place, where 
they are fed on, being moft Part of their Sultenance. And at Toro, 46. 
¥I41. 
ana) ib, lib. 9, cap, 3.p- 1141, found them at Amma. Ej. p, 1413.and 
at Shiche an Iflein the Red-Sea. Cartwright, ib, lib,g. cap. 4, §. 2. ps 1431. 
at Casbin and at Old-Babylon. 
Date-Trees were found by Balbi ap. Parchas.lib. 10. cap. §. ps 4722. in 
Beggian, an Iflein the Eaphrates. : 
Date-Trees were found in St. Helena. Pretty. ap. Haks. and by Ligon, p. 
42 in Barbados. by Ma» detflo, p. 200. in Madagafcar, and p. 216 in Coxgo. 
Dates are hard of Digeltion, caufe the Headach and Obftructions 
of the Liver and Spleen, from grofs Blood they breed; they are good 
for thofe who fpit Blood or have the Dyfentery; they promote Venery 
and are good againft a Confumption, Ger. 
The tender Tops of this Tree were eaten by the Ancients as Xes 
nophon,T heophrafius, crc. tell_us. 
The under Part of the Trunc is flenderer than the upper, whence 
tis faid to be nourifhed by the Top; the Powder of the Spatha and 
its Decoétion is good againft all Hamorhages and Fluxes. The white 
Powder inthe Involucra gather’d inthe Spring-Time, when beginning 
to flower, is ufed for Hoarfenefs, Coughs, and Inflammations of the 
Eyes; it is adftringent, ftopping the Meafes, and hindring Abortion; the 
fame doth the unripe Dates, which are likewife vulnerary, and Syrup 
of unripe Dates is ufed for the fame Purpofes. The Dates are a little 
adftringent likewife when ripe, and in Ufe for Coughs, gc. their De- 
coction expels the Small- Pox, ap 
The Females do not bring forth if not in the Neighbourhood or 
Sight of the Males, Boyw. The Inhabitants make Honey, Wine and Sue 
gar of them, and eat abundantly, of them. 
It bears no Dates in India, but only yields Wine or Sara, in Africa 
they are beft, the Stone beaten and drunk in Water is good for Wo- 
men in ftrong Labour, to eafe their Pains and facilitate their Deli- 
very, which comes, as fome believe, from the Letter O, on its Side, 
imprinted by the Virgin Mary. 
They make a Hole in the Truncs of Trees feeming Dates, to draw 
= Liquor Sara, and then no Fruit comes on them, Héeronymo de Lobos, 
p: 8. 
The Coverings of the Flowers, were ufed by the Ancients for infpiffa- 
ting Ointments, but is now out of Ufe, Cord. 3 
The Fruit is hot and moift in the fecond Degree, breeding Obftruc- 
tions in the Liver and Spleen, it ftops. Loofenefles, Dorft. , 
Diaphenicon is made of thefe Dates, the. Fruit is good againit {pitting 
Blood, evc. Lonicers. The 
