7o6 JAMAICA. 



tafte, fomewhat like that of cloves, not glutinous like cinnamon, but drjc- 

 and crumbling between the teeth. 



All the parts of this tree when frefh are very hot, aromatic, and pun- 

 gent to the tafte, refembling cloves. 



It is cured without any difficulty by drying in the fhadej what is 

 taken from the branches is thinner, and rather milder than from the 

 body of the tree, more nearly approaching to the true cinnamon. 



The bark yields by diftillation a warm, aromatic oil, which is often 

 fold for, and generally mixed with, oil of cloves ; nor is the adultera- 

 tion thought of any prejudice to the medicine. 



It is reckoned a good remedy in fcorbutic habits; invigorates the 

 blood, is carminative, and flomachic. Powdered and fnuffed into the 

 nollrils, it is cephalic, and produces a copious difcharge of rheum. 



It is ufed by moft apothecaries inftead of the true cortex winteranus, 

 and may very well fupply its place. 



Four ounces of the bark, with fix ounces of cajjia Ugnea (which it 

 very much refembles), and one gallon of proof fpirit, (a handful of com- 

 mon fait being thrown in to dephlegmate the fpirit) makes a cinnamon 

 water ; and the greater part of what is vended in the fhops is com- 

 pounded in this manner. 



A quantity of the bark mixed with badly dlftilled rum, is faid to dif- 

 charge in part its naufeous empyreumatic tafte and fmell, probably by 

 promoting the union of the oil with the fpirit ; but what the propor- 

 tion is, I cannot direft, having never made the experiment. The ex- 

 port of this article is, at prefent, too inconfiderable to merit notice. 



9. Aloe. — Aloes fempervive. 

 This plant was firft brought into the ifland frona Bermudas,, as it is 

 laid ; but there are feveral fpecies, and the fort fi-om which the beft 

 aloes for the fiiops is produced, has very long narrow leaves, with 

 fpines on their edges [51]. 



[j] The fuctotrine aloe is iliiis dcfcrrbed. It has long, narrow, fucculcnt leaves, nhich comi; 

 cut wiihout any older, nud form hirge h«ads. The ftalks grow to the height ot three or ibiir feet, 

 and have two, three, ami fometimes tour ot tlicfe heads branehing out; the lower leaves fpread on 

 every fide, but the upper leaves turn inward towards the centre; the flowers grow in long I'pikes, 

 upon (lalks about two feet high, each flauding upon a pretty long foot ftalk; they arc of a briglit 

 red colour, tipt with green. This fpecies is not coinmon in Jamaica, but might cafily be procured 

 from the grecn-houfes in England. The more common fort here is, what is called the Barbadocs 

 liloe, which is very inferior to the fuccotrlne, in the opinion of tlie faculty; as being more iicrid in 

 its nature, and rough iu its opciaiion. 



It 



