Ch. VIIÍ. south AMERICA. 71 



nerally roündiíTi and uneven. They are both pickled 

 and ufed as roots with the meat ; but, conñdering 

 the goodnels and plenty of this root, they do not im- 

 prove ii as tliey rni¿;ht. 



Plantations of uisar- canes abound to such a de- 

 gree, as extremeiy to lower tiie price of honey ; and 

 a great part of iUe juice of íhcíe canes is eonvc ted 

 into fplrit for the diípoíing of it. They grow fo quick 

 as to be cut twice in a year. The variety of their ver- 

 dure is abeauiifui ornament to the country. 



Here are alfo great numbers of cotton-trees, fome 

 planted and cultivated, and thele are the belt ; olhers 

 ipontaneoufly produced by the great fertility t)f thó 

 country. Tht cotton of both is fpun, and made into 

 feveral forts of liuft's, v»/hich are worn by the Negroes 

 of the Haciendas, and the country Indians. 



Cacao trees alio grow in great plenty on the banks 

 of the river Magdalena, and in other iituations which 

 that tree delights in ; but thofe in the jurifdic^ion of 

 Carthagena excel thofe of tiie Caracas, Maracaybo, 

 Guayaquil, and other parts, both in iize and the good- 

 nefs of the fruit. The Canha^^'ena cacao or i hocolate 

 is little known in Spain, being only lent as prefents ; 

 for, as it is more eíieemed than that of oiher coun- 

 tries, the greater part of it is confumed in this jurilllic- 

 tion. or fent to other parts of Am; rica. It is alfo im- 

 ported from the Caracas, and IcMit up tlic country, that 

 of the Maadaicna not hcinir fuihcient to anfvver the 

 great demand there is for it in tliefe ¡rarts. Nor is it 

 amifs to mix the former witii the laaer, as correóting 

 the extreme oilinefs of the chocolate, wh.en made 

 only with the cacao of the Magdalena. ^J he latter, 

 byway of diftinótion from the former, is loid at Car- 

 thagena by millares, -whereas the former "is difpofed 

 of by the bufhel, each weighing i lo pownds : but 

 that of Maracaybo weighs oiriy 96 pounds. This is 

 the m.oft valuable treafure which nature could have 

 beñowed on this country ; though it has carried its 



F 4 bouDiy 



