H&orie of the Indies lil>4. 



dation, it may be, more, byreafon of the profitable 

 qualities it hath. It is a plant that makes a ftocke within 

 theearth , out of the which fpriqgs many and fundric 

 fiens and fprigges , divided, and not ioy ned together. 

 Thefc fprigges grow bigge, every one making a (mall. 

 tree apart," and in growing they .caft forth thefe leaves, 

 which are of a fine grecne iinooth, and great as I have 

 faid. When itisgrownetothcheightofa ftadeanda 

 halfe, or two, it ptutes forth one only bough of fruite, 

 whereon Ibmetimes there are great numbers of this 

 fruite, and (bmetimes lefte. I have tokbvponfbmeof 

 theft boughs three hundred, whereofevery one was a 

 (panne long morcorlefle, and two or three fingers 

 bigge; yet is there much difference heerein , betwixt 

 fbme and others, they take away the rinde , and all the 

 reft isafirmekernelland tender, good toeate,and nou- 

 lifting. This fruite inclines more to cold then heate. 

 They are accuftomed to gather the boughs or clutters, 

 as I have faid,being greene, and put them into veffells, 

 where they ripen,being well covered, especially when 

 there is a certaine hearbe mingled with it, which ferves 

 for thiseffca. If they fuffer them to ripen on the tree, 

 they have a better tafle , and a very good fmell , like to 

 Camoiffcs or fweet apples.They laftalmoft all theyeere, 

 for that there arealwaicsyong ones that grow out of 

 this ftocke; fo as when one endes, another beginnes to 

 yeclde his fruite, the one is halfe ripe and the other be- 

 ginnes to bud anew , fo as one fucceedcs another, and 

 the fruite continues the whole yeer?. In gathering the 

 clufter, they cut the fprigge or ftalke , for that it beares 

 but one , and never but once : but as I have faide , the 

 ftalkeremaines, and cartes forth newfienesorftalkes, 

 vmill it growes olde and dies. This Pkne continues 



many 



