BOOK III. C H A P. VIII. 731 



In the Weft-Indies, the fliell is obferved to be thicker, and the 

 pulp acrid; in which refpedl it differs from that of the Eaft-Indiesj 

 and perhaps this is owing to a difference in foil and culture; in 

 Jamaica the fineft fruit is produced from trees growing in rich deep 

 mould in fome bottom or vale, warm, and well {lieltered; it is not 

 wonderful that the quality fhould degenerate, when no pains arc 

 taken in the cultivation of it. 



The pulp of the horfe-cajjiu is likewife a purgative, but fo violent 



and griping in its operation, that it is rvever adminifter^d except to 



horfes. 



28. Prickly Pear, or Indian Fig. CaSlus. 



There are feveral varieties of this plant in Jamaica; but the fpe- 

 cies I fliall particularly refer to, are what is called the prickly pear, 

 with broad flefliy leaves dotted with fpikes ; and the cochineal-catfus', 

 whofe leaves are larger, more fucculent, and free from fpikes. The 

 former fort is abundant in all the South fide parts of the ifland, 

 growing in dry, hot, rocky fituations, and in very fferile foils ; the 

 other feems not to be a native, and requires a better foil ; but 

 although this is probably the Mexican plant, called by fome the 

 [/] opuntia maxima, it is certain that the cochineal is found upon 

 both fpecies indifferently. It is well known that thefe plants bear 

 a fucculent fruit or berry at the extremities of their leaves, filled 

 with a juice of delicate red colour, and agreeable tafte. This juice 

 is the natural food of the cochineal infed', which owes to it the 

 value and property it poffeffes, as a dye in fome of our principal 

 manufadlures. The exuvice and animal falts of the infedl are, from 

 the minutenefs of its parts, infeparable from the effential principles 

 of the dye ; whence it follows, that fuch an heterogeneous mixture 

 muft neceffarily deftroy the brilliancy of colour inherent to the juice 

 of this fruit ; and that the juice itfelf, which alone contains the dying 



• [/] Neither the leaf nor fruit of this fpecies have any prickle. The flowers are of a very 

 beautiful red or criinfon. This is generally called the true cochineal plant. The infect that feeds 

 upon it is of a filverj- colour, larger, more plump, and yields a greater quantity of the A'j^. The 

 difference in point of goodnefs, obfervable in the cochineal, is entirely ouing to the plant it 

 feeds upon. The prickly plants, fo abundant m Jamaica, are covered with the fame fpecies of in- 

 fc£t ; but not being the proper food for it, we find it in general diminutive, having very little red 

 tincture in its body. I have fcen feveral of the true cochineal plants growing in LongviHe 

 Garden, in the parilh of Clarendon, 



5 A 2 principle. 



