738 JAMAICA, 



ton of their trees into garments. This fpecies in South America is thus 

 diftinguifhed: 



Bombax,folus quinque- angular ibus^ viHofis, cattle genicidato, herbaceo. 

 Silk-cotton^ with five-cornered, hairy leav^es, and a jointed, herbaceous 

 flalk. — In Jamaica it bloflToms in the month of November. 



34. PiNGuiN. -^ Bromelice fpecies. 



This iifeful phmt has been clafled with the ana7iasov pine apple, from 

 the refemblance of the leaves, tho' it is fo diftindl from it in every other 

 refpeft, that it fecms rather to be a different ^<';wj. It is common in 

 every part of the ifland, being generally ufed for fencing pafture lands, 

 planted on banks, and anfwering this purpofe extremely well, as the 

 prickly edges of its leaves, arched backwards, are very formidable to 

 cattle. The leaves being flripped of their pulp, foaked in water, and 

 then beaten with a wooden mallet, until the exterior coat is difcharged, 

 yield a ftrong thready fubflance, or coUedion of fine fibres, not infe- 

 rior to hemp, which is commonly twilled by the Negroes into cattle- 

 ropes, and wain-whips. Among the Spaniards it is manufactured into 

 hammocks. An ingenious gentleman, of this ifland, fent a fmall quan- 

 tity, a few years fince, to North America for experiment, where it was 

 worked into linen cloth, of an excellent fubftance and texture. The 

 flower of this plant is exquilltely beautiful, being compofed of red, blue,. 

 and purple colours, varioufly intermingled, and furrounded with glofly 

 leaves of fcarlet, orange, and green, with fome mixture of white. The 

 fruit contains a very fharp, acid juice, a fmall quantity of which drop- 

 ped into water, makes an admirable cooling draught in fevers; a tea- 

 fpoonful of it,, correfted with fugar, dellroys worms in children, clean- 

 fes and heals the thrufh, and other ulcerations in the mouth and throat;, 

 it is extremely dim-etic, and in a large dofe is faid to caufe abortion.; it 

 raakes a very fine vinegar. 



35. Cocoa- Nut Tiiee. — Palma Indica coccifcra. 



This tree is planted in mofl parts of the ifland, both for its beauty 

 and produflions. It thrives equally well in the low-lands as in the 

 mountains, rifes to the height of 50 to 60 feet, and flourilhes remarka- 

 bly on the very margin of the fca, planted in the fand with a little 

 moulds It is produced from the nut, which bears tranlplanting ex- 

 tremely 



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