The Natural Fiiftory of JAMAICA. 
and ftrong holiow Footftalks, and have Leaves fomewhat refembling 
thofe of Acer majus, only much larger, more deeply laciniated and {nipt 
about the Edges. Ex alis foliorum come the Flowers, on none, or very 
{mall Footftalks, they are yellow, hexapetalous, and pretty large: Af 
ter them follows a Fruit about the Bignefs of an ordinary Muskmelon, 
{maller towards the Footftalk, like a Pear in fome, tho’ in others of 
another Figure; the outward Skin is fmooth, before it is ripe very 
green, when ripe, yellow, and containing within a yellow, fweer Pulp, 
a pretty large Cavity, in which, to the Infide of the Pulp, ftick the 
Seeds all round, each Seed being as big as a Pea, black, having feveral 
Rifings and Impreffions on its Surface, and being inclos’d in a whitifh 
clear. Bladder. ‘he Fruit when noe fully ripe, cut athwart, yields in 
feveral Places a Milky Juice, which is thought very unwholefome if be- 
fore being drefs’d, the Fruit be not fteep’d in Water. 
_ This is propagated in China by the Leafy Boym. Prafat. 
i This Tree has always Flowers, young and ripe Fruit, the ripeft being 
owett. 
It is planted and grows very fwiftly, a Seed being dropt any where 
into the Ground, and that whether it be near the Male or nor, brings 
Fruit. 
oIt iseaten when-ripe as a Melon, tho’ ia my Opinion it is not a very 
pleafant Fruit, even when help’d\with Pepper and.Sugar. 
The more ordinary Ufe of this Fruit, is before it is ripe, when as 
large as one’s Fift, it is: cut.anto\ Slices, ‘foak’d in Water till the 
milky Juice is out, and then boil’d and eat as Turneps, or bak’d as 
Apples). ft) > ocfs fs: nove nie soit ear 
| The Milk of the unripe Fruit is by Hernzardez commended in the 
Ring-Worm. sate Ry . +i 
It is thought to be natural to the West-Indies and a Stranger in the 
East-Indies by Peter dela Valle, and I believe it may be‘ fo, there being a 
leffer Sort wild in the Woods of “Jamaica, which by Culture may have been 
improved to what we fee. Lin/chotew fays it came from the Weft-Indies 
to the Philippine Mes, and from thence to Gos. cos 8 
’Tis Called Mamoera by the Portugue/e, from its Refemblance to the 
Breafts of a Woman, and from: its’ Milk. s\o'v 86 
The Stalks and Fruit are both preferv’d and fent over as a Sweetmeat 
to. Ewyopt, and are, {aid by| Ximenes to be. very cooling’’and ‘Cordial, and 
ufed for that Purpofe in thé) Hofpitals of Wew-Spain. i001 ©) 2lisitio 
Rochfort’s fecond Figure is the belt, his firft is fabulous: 
Clufius fays this Fruit loofensthe Belly: (00 2 Annes ep S 
Saris ap. Purchas, lib. 4.,caport.p. 336. met with ‘this: Trée at Gomorrba. 
Pyrard, p-3- p30. 1a the Maldives, where.they eat\the Fruitias® Citruls 
in Rotage, being green.\ Wycol; 4p. Purchas, lib. 6s cape 13. p. 125 5esin 
Sha DNs, « wh || asi cotsslaaa  wivlous ajsinl this 9 Why 
dU take thefe Trees to. .be the Fig:Thees:which. bear i Figs\‘as’ big: as 
ones, Rift, yellow withinand \of, {mall Tafte, | obferved by.) an: wyonymus 
Portugal of Elvas, tap. 5. p. 9, and ap. Purchasy\p. 1 S2goat St, Jago.in Cuba. 
Layfield ap. Purchas. lid, 4. p. 1172. tells us that they were good apaintt 
Fluxes in Porto Rico, 
Wulfon faw them 7b. p. 1264.10 Guiana? «\\ 
Smithin the Summer-Ifles, p.t71. planted there, being brought at firlt 
from the Wefl-Indies, 1b. 183,.& p- 55. 0f his Ob/f. hie takkeS Notice of them 
an St: Chriftophers CO p. §6.,in Barbados.) 390% d deities od yao: 
 Ligos, p..14. faw them in, Cape-Verd-Sfless pogo. in Barbados, where 
the ‘Tree was branch’d, and the Fruit was eaten as Turneps, : bo ° 
Te XXYI. 
