698 J A M A I C A. 



better nourifiicd fruit, and hold their vigour much longer. In the 

 fourih year they nre permitted to bear a moderate crop, but fome 

 flowers are generally pulled off from thofe that appear too weak, in 

 order that they may recover their ftrength, before they are old. When 

 planted in a good foil, and properly managed, they will continue 

 vigorous and fruitful for thirty years. They bear two crops a year ; 

 the greateft in December or Junuary, the other in May ; and from 

 the time when the flowers drop off', to the maturity of the fruit, is 

 about four months. The time of maturity is known by the yellow- 

 nefs of the pods, and the rattling of the nuts, when the pods are 

 ftiaken. The latter are then plucked, the nuts picked out, and leaving 

 the pulp, if any remains upon them, they are expofed every day to the 

 fun, for a month, upon mats, blankets, or Ikins [?;]. It is beft not to 

 wafli off the pulp, as it makes tliem keep the longer. The pods con- 

 tain no certain number; they have from ten to twenty, and e\en 

 thirty nuts j but this depends chiefly on the right training them, during 

 the firfl: three or four years of the growth. When thoroughly cured, 

 or dried, they are ready for the market. 



After a wnlk is once efl:abliflied, it renews itfelf, the roots fending 

 out fuckers, to fupply the place of the old (locks, when decayed, or 

 cut down. 



The produce of one tree is generally eftimated at about 20 lb. 

 of nuts; which, at 5/, Jamaica currency ^er cwt. is worth i /. A 

 walk of ten thoufand trees will therefore yield a yearly profit of 

 10,000/. T^he produce ^^r acre in Jamaica has been rated at 1000 lb. 

 weight j^^r annum^ allowing for bad years. 



In poor foils, and imder bad management, the produce per tree 

 rarely exceeds 81b. wt. j and ten thoufand fuch trees will therefore 

 yield 4000/. When well cured, the iiuts are plump, fmooth, oily, 

 and of a bitterifli tafte, eaten raw. 



The chymical oil extraftcd from them is extremely hot, and 

 eftcemed a good embrocation in paralytic cafes ; the Mexicans are faid 

 to eat the nuts raw, to aflUage pains in the bowels. 



The chocolate, fo much and fo juftly preferred by the Weft Indian 

 natives to moft other aliments, is highly refl;orative, inlomuch, that 

 one ounce of it is laid to nourifti as much as a pound of beef. It is 



[«] It is ufual firft to l;i) ihc j^oils in heaps to fwcat for thiee or four days before they are 

 •ipcncd. 



efteemcd 



