Ch. VflT. SOUTH AMERICA. 73 



expand themfelves to make room for it, and fecure it 

 both as a bale and ornarnent. On the top of the 

 apple itfelf, is a crown or tuft of leaves, like thole of the 

 plant, and of a very.lively green. This crown grows 

 in proportion with the fruit, till both have attained 

 their utmoft magnitude, and hitherto they differ very 

 little in colour. But as foon as the crown ceafes to 

 grow, the fruit begins to ripen, and its green changes 

 to a bright flrraw colour: during this gradual altera- 

 tion of colour, the fruit exhales fuch a fragrancy as 

 .difcovcrs it, though concealed from iight. While it 

 continues to grow, it Ihoots forth on all fid^s little 

 thorns, vyhich, as it approaches towards maturity, dry 

 and foften, fo that the fruit is gathered without the 

 leaft inconvenience. The iingularities which con- 

 centre in this produit of nature, cannot fail of flrik- 

 ing a contemplative mind with admiration. The 

 crown, which was to it a kind of apex, while growing 

 in the woods, becomes itfelt, when Town, a new plant ; 

 and the ilem, after the fruit is cut, dies away, as if fa- 

 tisfied with having anfwered the intention of nature in 

 luch a produ6l ; but the roots fhoot forth frefh Italks, 

 for the farther increafe of fo valuable a fpecies. 



The pine-apple, though feparated from the plant, 

 retains its fragrancy for a coniiderable time, when it 

 begins to decay. The odour of it not only fills the 

 apartment where the fruit is kept, but even extends 

 to the contiguous rooms. The general length of this 

 delicious fruit is from five to ieven inches, and the 

 diameter near its bafis three or four, diininifhing rq- 

 gularly, as it approaches to its apex. For eating, it 

 is peeled and cut into round flices, and is fo full of 

 juice, that it entirely diflblves in the mouth. Its 

 flavour is fweet, blended with a deliginful acidity. 

 The rind, infufed in water, after a proper fermenta- 

 tion, produces a very cooling lic|Uor, and üiil retains 

 all the properties of the fruit, ' 



The 



