720 JAMAICA. 



air from time to time, and fpread abroad. Thiii operation is re- 

 peated, till no more heat is perceived in the heaps; and the tobacco 

 is then flowed in cafks for exportation. 



The Spaniards have a method of fcenting their manufafturcd to- 

 bacco by wrapping it up in the leaves of a fhrub, called trebole, or 

 tribole^ which retains its odour for many years, and is a native of 

 Peru. 



The tobacco thrives beft in a rich, free foil ; but I have feen very 

 fine plants in gardens at Spanifli Town, and other parts of tlic 

 South-fide, in very dry and indifferent foils. 



The tribole of Peru is probably no other than the greater cal- 

 trops, or the field-tribukis (Sloane, cat. 93 ; Browne, p. 220), u 

 creeping plant, growing in all the pafture-lands of Jamaica, gar- 

 lulhed with winged leaves, placed by pairs, oppofite, fmooth, and 

 fet clofe to the foot-ftalk. The flowers come out from the wings 

 of the (lalk, compofed of five large, yellow petals, which fpread 

 open, and have an agreeable odour : thele are fucceeded by roundidi, 

 prickly fruit, ending in a long point. In fize and difpofition it is 

 fomething like the Turkey- bloflbm, fo common in the lowlands, 

 and which is another fpecies of the tribulus. 



In Turkey, the tobacco-leaves are foaked in falt-water before they 

 are dried, to extraft fome of their acrimony, and render them more 

 mild. The Negroes in fome parts of Africa are faid, for the fiime 

 intention, to fqueeze out the juice of the green leaves, and then dry 

 them before a fire. 



The juice of the green leaf deflroys maggots in fores, beyond 

 any other application ; and makes an excellent healing balfam, or 

 falve: when beaten into a cataplafm, with vinegar or brandy, it 

 will remove hard fwellings in the liver and fpleen. The oil, drawn 

 in a retort from the dried leaf, cleanfes the fouleft ulcers, takes 

 away their callous edges, and promotes their incarnation and heal- 

 ing. The alhes are an excellent dentrifice-powdcr, and correal a 

 putrid difpofition in the gums. 



Thefe, perhaps, are the mofl innocent ufes to which It is appli- 

 cable J though we find, that, in all hot countries throughout the 

 world, where it grows, the inhabitants have fmoaked it from time 

 immemorial. The odour has been thought to correct malignant 



rffltivht ; 



