"The Ufeful Tamily Herbal. 117 





which particular Kind of Grafs was really accufed 

 of poffeflin^ thefe bad Qualities : But it is moft 

 probable, that they belong to neither j and that 

 Fancy, rather than any thing really known, gave 

 Birth to the Opinion. 



A 



The DateTree. 



PALMA bACTYLIFERA. 



r 

 I 



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 j it has no Bark but is covered with 

 the Rudiments of Leaves, and the inner Part of 

 the Trunk when it is young is eatable. At the 

 Top of the Trunk (land a va(l Quantity of 



Leaves, fome cred and fome drooping, and from 

 the Bofoms of th^fe grow the Flowers and the 

 Fruit i but it is remarkable, that the Flowers 

 grow upon the Trees only, and the Fruit on fome 

 others. If there be not a Tree of the Male Kind, 

 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 ihake 

 them over the Head of the Female Tree, and this 

 anfwers the Purpofe. 



All Plants have what may be called Male and 

 Female Parts in their Flowers. The Male Parts 

 are certain dufly Particles : The Female Parts are 

 the Rudiments of the Fruits. In fome Plants 

 thefe are in the fame Flowers as in the Tulip. 

 Thofe black Grains which dull the Hands 

 are the Male Part, and the green Thing in the 

 middle of them is the Female : It becomes after- 

 wards the Fruit or Seed Veffel. In other Plants, 



Melons, and many more, the Male Parts grow 



fome Flowers, and the Female P 



13 



on 



