?C HORTUS JAMAICENSIS. bastard 



Eowcr at both ends, entire, marked uitli parallel lines, erect, thick, and very smooth ; 

 pctiolts the length ol' the leaves, or more, round, thick, channelled above ; sca})e up- 

 right, the length of the petioles, ronnd,- thick, smooth; the spadix simple, ujjrii^ht. 

 Tile cainmon spathes several, (eight to ten) rigid, cordate, embracing, erect, spread-. 

 i'.ig, acuminate, distich, yellowish, yellowish green below, and purple in their upper 

 brims. Flowers in bundles, concealed within each spathe ; partial spathes membrana- 

 ceous, whitish, the length oi the (lowers, which are distinct, subsest'Ue, pale or green- 

 ish yellow. Corolla cohering to the base, unequal, curved and- recurved, as it were 

 two-lipped; the two upper petals lanceolate, acute, a liitle reflex at tiie tip, below 

 the middle converging, and towards the base coalesccut with the lower petal, whitisn 

 at the base : lower petal scar-cely longer than the upjier ones, lanceolate, concave, a 

 little rcttirved, entire and acuminate at the tip, with its base embracing the nectary 

 behind ; the nectary is two-leaved, inclosing the lilament^, and filled ith nectareous 

 juice.at tlie base ; the leaflet in front is veiy minute, Umceulate, and fastened to the 

 antfrior petal of the corolla. 



This beautifaljilant gro.wsvvild in most of the cooler -mountains of'Jamaica, and 

 thrives very luxuriantly in every rich and well-shaded gully among the woods. Ixi its 

 growth and leaves it perfectly resem!)les tl.e plantain and banana, but ddTers very 

 wi.lelj' from them in the more essential jiurts. In the blossoms of this plant we fin J 

 five perfect fdaments shooting fr.)m the bottom of the real flowe: leaf, and one imper- 

 fect fdament from the ncctarium ; but, in the (jthers, it is quue contrary, f(jr five of 

 the filaments are imperfect, and the only one that is otherwise rises from the nectarium. 

 JJroxiHc. The seeds of the bastard plantain are greedily devoured by hogs. 



The stODtt or body of this plant is somewhat- smaller, but equally SBCcnlent, . witli the 

 plantain. I have seen, in this island, very large tracts (jf land, which onc^ were-coji - 

 siderable sugar plantations, but, in length of time, "became so exhansted, as not to 

 make any projiortionate return to the labour bestowed on tlumi, and have therefore 

 l>een thrown up and deserted. Where this has happened from -a changs of seasons, 

 and the want of shcuvers, the disaster is incurable ; ami siich land cannot be restored to 

 fertility, except by the reiurnof favourable weather, or by rtificial waterings; the 

 first is scarcely to be hoped foi-, the second is not always practicable. But -there, are 

 . other lands, whicli have been worn out with incessant cultivation, and not so destitute 

 of sliowers. In man \' places, it is usual to let them lie fallow for-two or three years, 

 nf'glecting what is absolutely- requisite during this inten'al of time ; which is to hoe- 

 plough them, once a 3"ear at le.isi, before the weeds-seed and ri|>en ; so that the rains 

 and dews falling upon them, have onlv assisted the growth and multiplication of weeds 

 in such manner that they cannot afterwards be exterminated. It has been demon- 

 strated, that water {.i.ore particularly rain) is the principal support and pahuiuin of all 

 vegetables. In their state of dissolution, the more la.rified particles of the fl'jid they 

 have imbibed re-ascend into the atrnosjihere ; but much of the remainder becomes 

 earth, affording a solid and actual siistentation and addition to the surface on which it 

 j'alls. For this reason, jjrobablv, in the modem, in.proved state of hu-ibandry in En<-- 

 lund, turnips are applied as an excelJent manure for impoverished lands. In Jamaica, 

 the same root is not equally fit for the purpose, iiecanse it docs not giow here to an^ 

 considerable bulk, nor is it so succulent iis in England. I would propose, therefore, 

 to substitute in its room the vvilj plantain tree, wherever it can be breuoht to orow. A 



Thi. 



