PHARMACOPGIAL VEGETABLE DRUGS. 
Samuel Purchas (1625) (527), however, in his important collec- 
tion of travels, gives prominence to Socotrine aloes, and places on 
record the commercial transactions of British merchants with the 
king of Socotra. One of his contributors (William Finch, merchant) 
gives the following interesting information which he gathered about 
A. D. 1607, concernng the occurrence and preparation of aloes in the 
island of Socotra: 
“I could learne of no merchandise the iland yeeldeth, but Aloes, 
Sanguis Draconis, and Dates and, as they say on the shore of Aba del 
Curia, Blacke Ambergreese. Of Aloes I suppose they could make 
yearly more then Christendome can spend, the herbe growing in great 
abundance, being no other than Semper vivum, in all things agreeing 
to that description of Dioscorides in seed, stalke, etc. It is yet all of a 
red pricklie sort, and much chamfered* in the leaves, so full of a rosin- 
iuyce that it is ready to breake with it. The chiefe time to make it, is 
when the winds blowe northerly, that is, about September, and that 
after the fall of some raine, which being then gathered, they cut in 
small pieces, and cast into a pit made in the ground, well cleansed from 
filth and paved; there it lieth to ferment in the heat of the sunne, 
whereby it floweth forth. Thence they take and put it in skinnes, 
which they hang up in the wind to dry, where it becommeth hard. 
They sold us for 20 Rials a Quintall which is 103 pounds English, but 
we were after told that they sold to others for 12, which considering 
the abundance and easie making, may be credible.” Elsewhere the 
statement is made that “the Aloe of Socotra exceedeth in goodnesse 
that which is gathered in Hadhramut of the land of Jaman, Arabia, or 
anywhere else.’’ 1800 lbs. of Socotrine aloes were bought at one time 
and 2,722 Ibs. at another. 
The ancient trade of the island has never increased, and in 1833, 
we are informed, only two tons were exported, while at present the 
manufacture and export seem to have ceased altogether. No doubt 
this results from unfavorable local conditions as well as the intrusive 
competition of other countries. In the sixteenth century or perhaps 
before, the aloe plant was introduced into the West Indies and was 
especially dwelt on by Ligon (1763) (383) as having occurred in Bar- 
badoes as early as 1647-1650, which is only about twenty years after 
the English came into possession of this island (365). It soon became 
an article of export, appearing in the London market in 1693 (239). 
In this connection, however, it is strange that J. B. Labat, a French 
monk and careful student of nature, having visited the island of Bar- 
badoes in 1700, fails to mention Barbadoes aloes among the staples 
(365). He says on this point: ‘Formerly much tobacco was planted, 
and subsequently ginger and indigo; cotton is now grown up in some 
parts of the island, but sugar is at present the only article to which 
attention is devoted.” That his omission could not be from ignorance 
is shown by his careful reference to aloes when twenty-eight years aft-_ 
erwards (1728) he refreshingly describes the resources and the people 
of Senegambia on the west coast of Africa (365), and strongly advo- 
cates the use of aloes that may be made from aloe plants grown in 
* Grooved. & : : 
3 
