The Natural Hiftory of JAM AICA. 
Jo de Lact. lib. 1. cap. 11. takes Notice of this Tree in Cuba where the 
Trunc makes Canoas able to hold fifty Men. 
Oviedo in lis Coron. lib. 9. cap. 7. tells us that the Worms eat it as well 
as other Timber, fometimes, tho? more rarely, and that it has its Name 
from its Scent. 
Ligon, p. 14.0bferved it in Cape Verd Iftes & p.4t. that it works fmooth, 
p. 73- that itis ftrong, lafting, and nor very heavy ; and by Reafon of the 
Smoothnefs and FairnefS of the Grain is good for Wainfcot, and that it 
hath Afh-Leaves. 
Ic grows in Barbados and Jamaica in ftony Grotinds, in Sta. Maria 
St. Avdreas, Bermudas and Virginia, Dampier.as well as in the Ifthmus of 
Darien, 
When the Parrots feed on this Fruit, which is like an Acorn chan- 
nell’d, they talte of Garlick ; a great Quantity of Gum, like Arabic, comes 
Out of its wounded Bark; Canoas are made of it forty Foot long 
and five or fix Foot broad ; good Shingles or Tiles are made of it, Da Tertre. 
Ships are fheath’d with it, Viols and Cofres are made of it tokeep away 
Vermin, td. Pyraugues are made of it, Rosh. 
It gives Victuals laid inita bitter Tafte, Laer. 
It grows in Barbados, Smiths Ob{f. 
pureo. Cats Fam. po183. Tab. 220. Fig. 3,4, & 5. Raij. Hit. Vol. 3: 
Dendr. p. 40. Nhaloubonon, Icacoa altera, arbor matitima fruttu mayr abolano 
rubro piftatie, latiore e carnofiore folio, Surian. 
XX. Prunus rbgritima racemofa, folio rotundo glabro, fruttw minore pur- 
The Manerove Grape-Tree, 
This has feveral ten or twelve Foot high Truncs, of about the Thick- 
nefs of one’s Leg, cover’d witha reddith brown, almoft {mooth Bark, 
having feveral Branches and Twigs with Leaves on them placed alter- 
natively, {tanding on a quarter of an Inch long, red Footftalks, being al- 
moft perfectly round, about fix Inches diameter, thick, of a grafs green 
Colour, having one middle Vein and feveral tranfverfe Ones branch’d 
from it. The Flowers ftand un Strings or Stalks two or three Inches 
long, without any Pootftalk ; they are hexapetalous, the Petala bein 
long and white. After the Flowers follow fevera] Berries, {mall Plumbs 
or Myrabolans of the BignefS of an ordinary Raifin of a Bunch of 
Grapes, having under an outward reddifh brown or purplifh Membrane, 
a foft, not unpleafantly adftringent, very thin Pulp, covering one large, 
round Stone, containing a Kernel. | 
It grows on the fandy Shores about Port-Royal, in the North fide of 
the I{land, and all the Caribes. 
The Fruit being pleafant, is gather’d and brought to Market in Bar- 
badoes: | 
mn he Stones, being very aditringent, are ufed in Fluxes with great Suc- 
cefs. 
The Spaniards ufed to write on both Sides of thefe Leaves with a 
Bodkin’s Eud, when they were in Want of Pen, Ink and Paper, Oviedo, 
Gomar. 
This feems to agree in every thing with Lobel’s Defcription and Icon 
of his American Poplar ; he took the String on which hangs the Fruit, 
for a Julus, like that of a Popalus. g | 
K k Benzo 
