The Natural Fifiory of JAM AICA. 
_ Some are of Opinion that this was the Apple wherewith Eve tempted 
‘Adam. Others doubt whether "twas not the Fruit that was brought by 
the Spies to Mofes from the Holy-Land. Pine 
The Fruit not fully ripe, roafted and eaten as Bread, is fomewhat ad- 
ftringent. 
The Liquor or Juice of this is given in Fluxes, the Trunc of the Tree 
or Leaves Foorftalks, being firft wounded. 
Ln Fruit is very good Nourifhment, Venereal and good for the 
realt. 
The Leaves ferve to convey any thing or to wrap it up in, for Nap- 
kins and Table-Cloaths, as well as Beds, when dry, to lie on, or wind- 
ing Sheets for the Dead. 
The Fruit is hard to digeft and apt to beget grofs Humours and Ob- 
ftructions cf the Liver, bur it is good for hor Difeafes of the Breaft and 
Kidneys if the Decodion be drank. | 
The Decoction of the Rind of the Fruit, or the fame in Powder 
is corroborating and {trengthening of the Heart. It is thought that it 
firft was produc’d by grafting a Sugar-Cane on Colocafia, to which 
Plants “tis like, A/p. | 
Its Leaves are made ufe of to lie on, and for Victuals for Elephants. 
The Young Leaves and Flowers or Bunches candied, eat like Capers, 
Chr. Acofta. ee oes 
Yhere are feveral Varieties of this Fruit, occafion’d by the Soil, 
ec. or, Age of the Tree, vz, | mere 
The greatelt Sort which is rank, is called Horfe-Plantain. 
The larger Plea‘ant- Plantain. 
The lealt Sort called Maiden-Plantain, is reckon’d the moft pleafant of 
any, atid hath the Colour of the Footftalks of a faint Carnation 
Colour. | 
One may almoft fee the Plantain-Tree grow : Icuta young Tree, even 
atthe Top with a Knife, immediately it grew up difearnibey, and inan 
Hour’s Time the inward Leaves, which had been wrapt one within ano- 
ther, were advanc’d above the others, half an Inch. , 
If one cut or wound the outward Bark, or Leaves Footftalks, there 
fpurts out much Water, which to the Tafte is very adftringent, and 
turns black on the Knife, ftains Linen, of a brown Colour, and is 
commended in Fluxes. late ages ic oo ae 
It is called Plain from the Largenefs of the Leaf like Platanus, but 
is not that Tree, becaufe it has a Fruit. Péézy tells us of a Plain 
fo large as that eighteen Perfons fat in one of their Truncs, and Caéi- 
gula with eleven more on the Branches of another; nor aré the Plan- 
tain-Trees found in Italy or Spaia, nor are their Leaves like Vine or 
Fig-Leaves.. There are three hundred Plantains in fome Bunches ; they 
are rather cold than hor; they dung the Tree with Afhes, it came 
firft from Erhiopia; the Negroes love the Fruit; it’s nourifhing and 
they make Wine of it; it’s cat raw, roafted, in Potage or aS, a 
and the Leaves are made Ufe of by fome for Paper, Acofta, — 
This Tree was no Native in the Welt-Indics, but brought thither 
from the Canary-Ifles, by one Thomas di Berlanga, a Fryar, to Santo 
Domingo in the Year 1516, from. whence they were fent to the other 
Ifles and Main, and they being very ufeful and taking extremely, 
were planted every where. Oviedo, lib. 8. Cap. 1, but imal! Probability 
this Plant came firft from Gaines to the Canarics.; 
It 
