3 o 7Z^ Upfi^^ Family Herhal. 



The West-India-Bean, or Cashew 



Nut-Tree, 

 ARBOR ACAJOU VULGO CAJOU. 



T appears by the Defcription of the Anacar- 

 diiim how very improperly it is called a Nut, 

 for it is the Kernel of a large Fruit, though 

 growing in a fingular Manner. The Cafe isjuft 

 the fame with RefpecH: to the Cafhew Nut, for it 

 is neither a Nut nor a Bean, any more than the 

 other: But it is neceffary to keep to the common 



Names, and it is proper they ihould be mentioned 

 together. 



The Tree which produces it is large and fp read- 

 ing; the Bark is of a pale Colour, rough and 

 cracked, and the Wood is brittle. The Leaves 

 are half a Foot long, and two or three Inches 

 broad, blunt at the End, and of a fine green 

 Colour. The Flowei-s are fmall, but they grow 

 in Tufts together. The Fruit is of the Bignefs 

 and Shape of a Pear, and of an Orange and Pur- 

 ple Colour mixt together; the Cafliew Nut or 

 Bean, as it is called, hangs naked from the 

 Bottom of this Fruit. It is of the Bignefs of a 

 Garden -Bean, and indented in the Manner of a 

 Kidney ; it is of a greyifh Colour, and confifts of 

 a Ihelly Covering, and a fine white flefhy Sub- 

 ftance within, as fweet as an Almond. Between 

 the two Coats of this Shell, as between thofe of 

 the Anacardium, there is a Iharp and cauftic 

 Oils which ferves in the fame Manner as the other 

 to take off Freckles, but it muft be ufed with 

 peat Caution. It actually burns the Skin, fo that 

 it muft be fuffered to lie on only a few Moments j 

 and, even when ufed ever fo cautioufly, it fome- 

 times caufes Mifchief, 



The 



