278 ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



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I, "It is pretended, (fays that reve- 

 rend father,) that the date-tree is male 

 and female ; that the male bears bloffoms, 

 Jbut no fruit, that being left to the care 

 of the female ; but that flie would carry 

 jione, if file had not the male by her, or 

 at lead within fight of her. I am for- 

 ry that I cannot fubfcribe to this opinion 

 of the naturalifls ; but it is a raoft certain 

 experiment, diredlly oppoiitc :o their 

 fentiments, that hinders me ; for we have 

 'a date-tree befide our mona-lery in Mar« 

 tinico, which carries fruit, though fingie : 

 Whether it is male or female, I know not; 

 but this I know tor certain, that there 

 ■was not another of the kind within two 

 leagues of it. Whence we may conclude, 

 that the prefence of the male is not nccef- 

 fary to render this tree fruitful, as natu« 

 ralifts pretend." He fays indeed alfo, 

 that the ftones of the dates of the iflands 

 ■will not grov7 ; fo that thofe who would 

 raife palm trees are obliged to plant the 

 Barbary dates ; and that dates do not ripen 

 fo perfectly in Martinico and Guadaloupe, 

 as they do in Africa, in Alia, or even in 



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