The Natural liftory of JAMAICA. 
173 
Choyne, Steerbeck. citric. p. 294. An Cucurbitifera arbor Americana folio 
longo mucronato frutta orbiculart, grauts cordiformibus, pulpa nigra involus 
tiss, Plukenet. Tab. 171. Fig. 1? A great Maracaa Fruit of India of Ha- 
berts p..37- Az another Sore of Maraca. Ej. ib. p. 38 ¢ | 
The Calabafh-Tree. 
This Tree rifeth to twenty, of, twenty five Foot high, having a Trunc 
as thick as one’s Thigh, cover’d with a whitifh fmooth Bark, with 
{ome Knots here and there, and many Branches going out on every 
Hand towards the Top, in a pleafant and regular Manner.. The 
Leaves come’ out on the Branches by Tufts, at about an Inch’s Di- 
ftance one from the other, the Twigs being there fomewhat knot- 
ty, or having a Protuberance, our of which go feven or eight Leaves 
without any Footftalks ; they begin narrow and enlarge by Degrees gill 
within an Inch of the Top, and then ftreighten till they end in a blunt 
Point; being three Inches long, and one and a third broad near the 
Top, where broadeft, having one Middle Rib and feveral tranfverfe 
ones, being of a very dark green Colour, fmooth and fhining: The 
Flowers come out cither trom the Body of the Tree or from the Branches, 
having an Inch long, green, round Foorftalks, and two capfular Leaves, 
inclofing a greenifh yellow, dirty coloured, monopetalous, difform 
Flower, an Inch and a half. long, the Edges of which are very much 
laciniated and fpeckled, with | brownifh Streaks, .or.Veins, containing 
within it four Stamina and one Stylus, of the) fame, Colours, with. the 
Flower. The Fruit. varies: in. Bignefs.and' Figure, being fometimes 
perfectly fpherical, at other Times oval, for the moft Part as big. as 
one’s two. Fifts,. having an outward, almoft {mooth, greenifh,. pale 
ellow Skin, under which. is a very hard Shell, thicker than a new 
mill’d Shilling, which is full of a white, or pale yellowifh colour’d 
Pulp, ;'foft, of a tartifh fweet and unfavory Tatte, fmelling not 
unpleafantly, through which lie every where interfperfed, a_ great 
many. Seeds fhaped like a Heart, brownifh, flatter and lefs: than 
thofe of the Citra Seeds, containing within its Skins, a thin Pulp or 
Kernel. 3 1 9V199 d3 unifies .ensil 
It grows every, where in, the Savanna’s and Woods.of Famaica, and 
the Garibes. 255° y sd lo albusti cil vd; vent 
In Scarcity of Grafs by Drought, Cattle feed on, this Fruit fallen 
off; the Boughs;. or the Trees are then: cut down. on., Purpofe 
that. they may feed on both the Fruit and the Leaves, in which 
Time it is thought they’ give a Tafte to the Milk, nay, even 
to the Flefh of every Creature feeding on them;) from thence ’tis 
ai common Phrafe, that fuch»Milk or Flefh taftes.of the Calabafh ; 
but this is a Miftake, for that Tafte comes from. another Plant, 
viz. Guiney Hen-weed, on which, being green, and nourifh’d by its deep 
and long Roots, Cattle feed jin the like Seafons. |... » 
A Gentleman related to me that he once, faw.a Horfe, which biting this 
Fruit in Order to eat it, had fo faften’d his Jaws in it, that he could 
never open.them,. but died .ia.the Woods, for Hunger. | 
This Fruit roafted and apply’d, being fplit, to any Apofteme, is 
thought to ripemic very fpeedily.  . bosuto ee | 
The great red Wood-Ants.eat Holes.iato.this Fruit, when ripe, and 
fallen, feeding on the Pulp, and. laying, therein. their long yellowifh ot 
reddifh white colour’d, Eggs. | 
of T Xx wire 
