BOOK 117. CHAP. VII. 695 



The feeds are efteemed efficacious in the bloody flux ; and an oil 

 is obtained from them by expreffion, which fupplies the boiling houfe 

 lamps on fome plantations. 



5. Cacao. Thsobroma. 



This tree once grew fo plentifully in Jamaica, that the inhabit- 

 ants flattered themfelves, it would become the fource of inexhauftibls 

 wealth to them; in 1671 there were fixty fine walks in bearing, and 

 many new ones in cultivation j but fome years afterwards they were 

 all deftroyed at once, as it is faid, by a blaft, which pervaded the 

 whole iiland ; fo that they were never afterwards recovered ; and, at 

 prefent, there are but very few ; the greateft diicouragement in goins'- 

 tipcn this article being the extreme tendernefs of the young plants, and 

 the length of time they require to come to maturity ; which mo(t 

 fettlers are too fanguine and impatient to wait for, but rather ap^jly 

 to other commodities, which make a quicker return, akhou^^h it is 

 certain that a good cacao walk, once eftabliflied, is far more profit- 

 able, and demands fewer labouring hands, than almoft any other mar- 

 ketable Weft India product, 'i'licre are many trees ftill in ihe ifland, 

 fcattered about in the woods, and found chiefly in rich, cool bottoms, 

 that are fheltered. from the wijids. As the cacao is a very capital, 

 article in trade, and may be produced as fuch in this ifland,. I fliall lay 

 down the bell rules, for the culture of it, tliat I have been able to 

 meet with. 



The moft proper foil for the plants is a mold:, rich, and deep earth; 

 for they generally fend forth one tap-root, which runs very deep into 

 the ground ; fu that, whenever they meet with a rocky bottom near 

 the furface, they feldom thrive, nor are long-lived.. A rich glade of 

 brick-mould near water is perhaps the beft; fituation of any. Before 

 the plantation is begun, the ground ihould be well prepared, by dig- 

 ging it deep, and clearing it from the roots of trees and noxious 

 plants. When the ground has been thus prepared, the rows fhould 

 be marked out with a line. Some of die largcft, fineft cods, full ripe, 

 are then to be feledled ; and, after being kept two or three days from; 

 the time of their gathering, they are opened, the nuts taken out, and 

 thrown in a fmall veflel of water ; fuch as Ivvim are to be rejeded j 

 the Qthers are wafiied clean from the pulp, the putct (kin taken ofF,, 



aiid 



