The Ufeful Family Herbal. 17 
which particular Kind of Grafs was really accufed - 
of poffefling thefe bad Qualities: But it is ‘moft 
probable that they belong to neither; and that 
Fancy, rather than any thing really known, gave 
Birth to the Opinion. : 
The DaTe TREE. 
PALMA DACTYLIFERA. 
Tree of the warmer Countries, very unlike 
= thofe of our Part of the World. The Trunk 
is thick and tall, and is all the way up of the 
_ fame Bignefs ; it has no Bark but is covered with 
3 the Rudiments of Leaves, and the inner Part of 
_ the Trunk when it is young is eatable. At the 
Top of the Trunk ftand a vaft Quantity of 
__ Leaves, fome ereét and fome droo ing, and from 
_ the Bofoms of thefe grow die: Flonase . 
Fruit; but it is remarkable, that the: : 
grow upon the Trees only, and the Fruit on fome 
‘Others, Ifthere be not a Tree of the Male Kir id; 
that is a flowering Tree near the Fruit of the Fe- 
‘Male, it will never naturally ripen. In this cafe 
they cut off Bunches of the Flowers, and fhake _ 
- them over the Head of the Female ree, andthis 
 anfwers the Purpofe. ~~ *.2 4a Aes S. 
All Plants have what may be called Male | 
_ Female Parts in their Flowers. The Aale Parts ~ 
fe certain dufty Particles: The Female Parts are 
> Rudiments ‘of the Fruits. In fome Plants 
thefe ‘are in the fame Flowers as in the Tulir 
hole black Grains which duft the 
are the Male Part, and the green Thing in 
_ Middle of them is the Female: It becomes 2 
-_ wards the F “Tn othe 
Sees 
