.28 11 OUT US JAMA IC EN SIS, auxotto 



passed the germon becoincs a heart-shaped, or rather a mitre-shaped, vessel, covered 

 Oil the outside with bristles, openinj^ with two valves and tilled with angular seeds, co- 

 vered with a re<l waxen pulj) or pellicle, from which the c(jiour called arnotto is prc- 

 ])ared. These plants thrive best in a cool rich soil, ajid shoot most luxuriantly near 

 springs and rivulets. They are easily propagated from seed. 



This plant hath many names, as vrucii, mucou, rocavr, orleana sen o-rellana, our' 

 oucoii. Tournefort calls it mitellu ^Imcricuna maxima linctoria, and so doth Piumicr. 

 Hernandez and the Indians call it achhtl, seu vicdicina tingendo upta. 



The figure of the plant, w ith Us flower and fruit, is extraordinary well desigited in Piso. 



The leaves are cordatcd, or in the figure of an heart, about four inches long and about 

 two broad, coming out alternately from the stalks and branches, having a sort of foot- 

 stalk, and a nerve running through the whole leaf, with transverse or oblique veins on 

 each side ; at the ends of the branches come out, upon a short foot-stalk, many flowers 

 in clusters, every flower the bignes.; of a small rose, with five leaves of a carnation co- 

 lour, with a great many yellow stamina, or thrums, with purple tips ; after the flower 

 follows the fruit, or cotl, which is in the shape of the leaf, but not so broad, covered 

 with a very rough coat, like the chesmit, which is first green, and, as it ripens, grows 

 of a dark brown, and then opens of itself. Every cod contains about thuty or forty 

 seeds, about the bigness and shape of buck wheat, having a splendid red colour, and a 

 little oily ; so that it tinges or paints the fingers of a reddish colour, not easily got out 

 with washing ; and it is what sticks to the outside of the seed which makes the paste 

 called anotto ; which the}- get hy washing it off with water, and after separate the water 

 a.nd make the paste up into balls. This the dyers use to make a colour they call aurora. 

 I have known it sold in America for nine shilhngs per pound, but now of low price, and 

 much out of use. 



There is a magisterj' prepared with the paste, as foUoweth : Take fine flour of cas- 

 sada, orange-flower water, white sugar, Brazil pepper, and the flowers of nhambi, all 

 finely mixed. (See more of the preparation in Piso, p. 116.) This uiagistery is given 

 to persons that are poisoned, in wastings and consumptions, hectic fevers, and imfno- 

 derate sweatings ; it stops bloody fluxes, strengthens the stomach, and provokes urine 

 and the gravel ; there is also an extract to be m.ade out of the roots, which is of the 

 same nature as the paste. Anotto is commonly put in chocolate; and the Spaniards 

 mix it with their sauces, and broths, or soups, which gives them a saffron colour, and 

 a pleasant taste. Barhani, p. 4, 5. 



When a sufficient number of seeds are collected they are thrown into any convenient 

 vessel, and as much hot water poured upon them as is necessary to suspend the red fa- 

 rina, which is gradually washed olf the seeds by the hand or a spoon. When the seeds 

 appear quite naked, they are taken out, an 1 the wash left to settle ; after which the 

 water is gently poured away, and the sediment put into shallow vessels, to be dried by 

 degrees in tlie shade ; . and, after acquiring, by this means, a due consistence, it is 

 made into balls or calies, and set to dry thoroughly in any airy place, until it is joer- 

 fectly firm, in which state it is fit for market. Long, p. 7 14. 



Another mode is to pound the contents of the fruit vnth wooden pestles ; thert cover 

 them with water and leave them to steep for six days. This liquor being passed 

 Shroagh a coarse sieve, and afterwards through three finer ones ; it is again put into 

 tii^ yittor wooden vessel, and left to fenacutti week. It is then boiled uutii it becomes 



pretty 



