Rja HDRTUS JAMAICENSIS. 3';^ 



meat ; the other small red peppers, v\hen ripe, tsken and dried in the sun, and thera 

 ground with salt and pepper, close stopped in a bottle, are an excellent relisher to 

 siiuce for tish or flesh, and commonly called kyun butter. All these sorts of pepper are 

 iijiicli more of a burning heat tiian wliiie or black pepper. Some pnnish tlieir slaves 

 by putting tiia juice of these peppers into their eyes, which is an unspeakable pain for 

 a little wliile ; and yet, it is said thatsomelndians wilLput it into their ey-ea before they 

 g<j to strike hsh, to make iheiu see clearer. 



These peppeis stop voHiiting, create an appetite, and strengthen the stomach, if 

 rigbtiy prepared ; some I lurvc known to swallow a certain number of ibem whcjle, as 

 some do cudt^bs, for tlie"pain in the stomach and cholic ; theypowerfully provoke the 

 terms, facilitate birth and after-birth, and are good against -gravel, or tar arous slimy 

 matter that l)reeds the stone in the kitlnies or bladder. Bnt 1 u<uild not advise any 

 person tnat lal)ours uniler venereal symptoms, or those who aie hectieal, to meddle 

 with them. \Vhen infused or digested in spirits of wine, it tai<.es off much of theif 

 violent heating and inflaming quality, and they are then great provokers of urine, curb- 

 ing dropsies. -Infused in oi-l, they take away the nuajb pals\', or loss of the use of thu 

 limbs; and, mixed with goose grease, resolve impijsthumes that came from cold, &c. 



Near St. Miciiael de Sapa, m the Vale of Arica, they cultivate the aai, that in 

 Guinea pepper ; where tbere-'are several farms which have no other product but this 

 pepper. The Spaniards of Peru are so generally addicted to that sort of spice, that 

 tliey can dress no meat without it, thougli so very hot and bituig, that thsrc ib no eu- 

 'dui'Ing it, unless well used to it. Barliam, p. 30. 



GUM ARABIC TREE. MIMOSA. 



Cl. 23, OK. 1. Poli/gamia monoecia. Nat. or. Lomcntaccce. 

 Gen. char. Sec Cacoon, p. 137. 



NILOTICA. NILE. 



Spines stipulary, spreading ; leaves bi-pinnate, the outer partial ones seperated 

 b}' a gland ; spikes globular, peduncled. 



Th'y i^'ant is a native of Arabia and Egypt, and since its introduction has thriven 

 "very well in UjOsi parts oi this island, where, like many otlter plants, it deserves more at- 

 ttiiii . I h-.u it Uas niet with. It grows with an upright branching stem, armed with 

 spreading spines ; the bark of the trunk is smooth and of a grey colour, that of the 

 branches has coinmonly a purplish tinge. The leaves are delicate, bi-piimated, and 

 placed aiteruate.y ; the partial pinnas are opp.)site, fllrni^hed with a small gland be- 

 tween the OHtermost pair, and l)eset with numerous pairs of narrow ellijiHcal pinnuliP, 

 or leaflets. The spmes are long, white, spreading, anti proceed from each side of the 

 base of the leaves ; the flowers are hermaphrodite and male ; they assume a gifjbular 

 shape, are ,eliow, and stand four or five together upon slen-der peduncles, which arise 

 frou the axillte of the leaves. 



The various uses of the gum of this tree are well known. It exudes in a liquid state 

 from the bar': of the trunk and brandies, and, by exposure to the air, soon acquires 

 hardness and consistency. 



Tle luedicdl character of the gum arable is its glutinous quality, in consequence of 



whidi 



