tfHOtO!\Ta HORTUS J A Mx\I C E N SIS. -tti 



the trees and dcstroyecl them all, and few or none cauld ever he got to grow there since . 

 what do grow are generally in plantaiii wa'.ks, or amijni^ sliady trees, and in bottoms or 

 rallies siieltered from the nortii winds. Tiiis tree grows in bigness and much resemb- 

 ling the heart-cherry tree, the boughs ?.nd branohes beautifully extending themselves 

 on every side, -their ieaves.being mucii of the same shape ; the flower is very beantifnl, 

 andpdmost of asaffron colour ; the fruit proceeds from the body fas in the calabasii), 

 and shall be full .almost all the way from the bottom iip to the brandies, which are also 

 . iiiil of fruit, whiclvis first green, and, as it increaseth its bigness, changes its shape 

 and colour^ until they are thoroaghly rip.e. I have seeq two sorts ; one very large, as 

 big and almost in shape of a.cuctmiber, but pointed at the end, and of a raoSt delicate 

 vcilow or lemon colour, with a httle red blush of ne side wheB ripe ; another sbrt, not 

 "so big, of a fine blueish red, almost purple, with rcdvlish or pink colour veins, especi- 

 ally on that side-nest the sun; they hnve on the outside ridges and fm-rows, with 

 smooth bunches or knobs, as cucumbers huve^ They are ripe and f>t to g;ither in .Ja- 

 nuary and in May, having' two ci-oiw or bearings in a year. The external husk or rind, 

 which is pretty thick, being broke or cut, there appear' the kernels adhering to one- 

 anothsr by soft filaments, an^l inclosed jn a white pulpy substance, so/t and sweet, 

 which some suck when tiiey taJie.thera out of their shells, which contain ten, twenty, 

 and sometimes thirty nuts, almost like almonds. There is much difference in theit 

 largeness and goodnea? ; those at Carpenter's River are the largest, those brought frorn 

 the coast of Caraccas next, the smallest are those of Martinico, Tlicy are cured in the 

 sun upon cloths or blankets. Tiiat which vve naake our chocolate of is the inside of the 

 nut, encomjiassed with a thin shell or case, which, when tj^ken off, the dry and hard 

 -sui)slance looks of the colour of a kidney bean, with crannies or crevices between them. 

 The^y are very apt to mould and decay, if they are not well cured ; and, if right good, 

 they are ptump, smooth, and oily, and of a bitterish taste when raw. The oil of tiiis 

 nut ia the liottestrf any thing known, and is said to recover cold, weak, and paralytic 

 limbs, and to smooth the skin. This nut is very nourishing, as is tlailv experienced in 

 ;the West Indies. wu!re many Creoles live in a manner wholly upon chocolate. The 

 ..way of making it is so -well known that 1 need not describe it. Barluim, p. 26. 



This tree grew once so plentifully in Jamaica, that the inhabitants flattered them- 

 selves it would become the sour-ce of inexhaustible wealth to them. In 1671 there were 

 eixty fine walks in Ijearing, and many new ones in cultivation; Iwit some years after- 

 wards they vere all destroyed at once, as it is said, by a blast which pervaded the whole 

 island ; so tiiat thev were never afterwards recovered ; and at present there are but very 

 few ; the greatest discouragement in going upon this article being the extreme tender- 

 ness of the young plants, and the length of time they require to come to maturity ; 

 vvhich most settlerivf-re too sanguine and impatient to wait for, but rather apply to other 

 comm idities, which make a quicker return, although it is certain that a good cacao 

 walk, once e^^tablished, is far more profitii)le, and demands fewer labouring hands than 

 almost any other marketal>le West India product. Tliere are many trees still in the 

 island, scattered about in the woods, and found chiefly in rich cool bottoms, that are 

 sheltered from the winds. As the cacao is a very capital article in trade, and may i)e 

 pro luce I as such in this island, T shall lay dawn the best rules for the culture of it'that 

 'J.have been able to meet with. 



The most proper soil for the plants is a moist, rich, and deep earth ; for they gene- 

 rally send fortli one- tap root, n-hich runs very deep into the ground ; so that, whenever 



3h the;,' 



