It isa native of South America and the West Indies * ; whence it 
was brought by the Spaniards and Portuguese to the Philippinés 
and Moluccas ; and from these islands, being of very quick growth, 
it spread rapidly to all the other countries of India. It has long 
been cultivated in every quarter’ of Hindostan, and is in flower 
and in fruit during the greatest part of the year.” : 
The Papaw Tree is of rapid growth. Sr. Pierre probably 
spoke from his own knowledge, when he described Virgin1A as 
having planted a seed, which, in three years’ time, produced a 
trunk twenty feet high, with its upper part loaded with ripe fruit. 
It is for the sake of this fruit, mainly, that the plant is cultivated ; 
but if the flavor were not better than that yielded by what ripened 
m our stove, I cannot recommend it as at all agreeable. Brown 
in his Natural History of Jamaica tells us, that “ it has a pleasant 
Sweetish taste, and is much liked by many people; that, while 
young, it is commonly used for sauce ; and when boiled and mixed 
with lime juice and sugar, is not unlike, or much inferior to that 
made of real apples, for which it is commonly substituted.” In 
the opinion of Sioane it is notea very pleasant fruit, even when 
a with pepper and sugar; and the more ordinary use, he 
adds, of this fruit, is before it is ripe, when, as large as one’s fist, 
it is cut into slices, soaked in water till the milky juice is out, and 
then boiled and eaten as turnips, or baked as apples. 
The juice of the pulp, according to Descourtitz, in the Flore 
Medicale des Antilles, is used as a cosmetic, to remove freckles on 
the skin, caused by the sun; and the negroes in the French colo- 
nies employ the leayes to wash their linen instead ofsoap. 
_ As a medicinal plant, the Papaw Tree is particularly deserving 
of notice. H&rnANDEZ long ago spoke of the milky juice of the 
ve fruit as a powerful vermifuge ; which has been confirmed 
by M. Cuarpentier CossigNi, as mentioned in the Asiatic 
Researches, by Dr. Fremine (vol. ii. p. 162.). A single dose, 
that gentleman says, is sufficient to cure the disease, however 
abundant the worms may be. Another French writer (Pourer 
ESPORTEs) recommends the use of the powder of the seed in- 
stead ‘of the juice. ? ; pi 
_ _ But the most extraordinary property of the Papaw Tree, is 
that which is related, first I believe by Browne, in his Natural 
istory of Jamaica; namely, that ‘ water impregnated with the 
milky juice of this tree is thought to make all sorts of meat washed 
m it very tender; but eight or ten minutes steeping, it 1s said, 
. 
Will make it so soft that it will-drop in pieces from the spit before 
it is well roasted, or turn soon to rags in the boiling. Mr. 
EILL mentioned this circumstance more fully in his interesting 
Horticultural Tour through Holland and the Netherlands; and 
it hae repeatedly been confirmed to me by gentlemen of this coun- 
try who have been long resident in the West Indies, and who 
Speak of the employment of the juice for such a purpose as of mae , 
8eneral occurrence ; and more, that old hogs and old poe ick 
. Stoanz. mentions, that there isa lesser sort of Papaw Tree growing 
wild i the woods of Jamaica, which he guesses by culture may be improved, 
“nd brought to the state in which it is now so generally known, 
7 
