BOOK III. CHAP. VIII. 753 



59. Wild-cane. — Arundo Indka^ Bambu j^^c/Vj. 



This grows in all the river courfes throughout the ifland. It is 

 full of pith, and refembles the oriental bambu in every refpe^JV, but 

 dimenfions. The foliage, when dried, is iifed for thatch. The tender 

 tops of the young plants, gathered after they juft fpring out of the 

 ground, are boiled, and made into an agreeable pickle. The ftem 

 or cane is ufed for wattles or laths, for covering the walls, cieling, 

 and roofs of buildings ; and, if fmoak-dried over a fire, previous to 

 tlieir being employed for thefe purpofes, will lafl: undecayed fo long as 

 they are kept from rain. When fplit into flips, and cleared of the 

 pith, it makes exceeding good balket-work. The Negroes manufac- 

 ture it, and the bafkets ufed on plantations are generally made of it. 



An ingenious gentleman of this ifland, Mr. Wallen, has fome of 

 the oriental bambu cane growing upon his eftate, called Chifwick St. 

 Thomas in the Eaft, from which it is hoped this ufeful plant may be 

 propagated in other parts of the ifland [>v]. 



It is well known, that the bambu attains to a prodigious magnitude, 

 and is converted into a variety of utenfils by the Eaft: Indians. The 

 inner-bark of it is made into paper, extremely thin. It is faid, when 

 thefe plants are young, the Chinefe draw from them a juice of very 

 agreeable tafte, from which they prepare a delicious fauce, called achar. 

 The leaves are commonly put round the tea-chefls, imported into Great 

 Britain, faftened together, fo as to form a kind of mat. 



Some authors relate, that in China this cane grows fo large, that fmall 

 canoes or boats are made out of it. It is certain, it may be regarded as 

 a valuable acquifition to this ifland ; and, if it reaches but to moderate 

 bulk here, will be found extremely commodious for huts, and fmaller 

 buildings, various plantation utenfils, conduit pipes, and other necef- 

 fary ufes. 



60. Lilac, or Hoop-tree, — Syringa baccifera. 



There are feveral fpecies of the lilac ; what has been introduced into 



this ifland bears a beautiful flower, in which, white, purple, and crim- 



fon, are varioufly intermingled. It grows from the feed very rapidly 



in almofl every foil, but is moft luxuriant on the banks of rivers, or 



[a] I am informed, it was brought from Hifpaniola ; and, having been difperfed by this 

 gentleman, and Mr. Ellis ot Jamaica, fince its firll introdntlion, it is now flourifliing in many 

 different parts of our ifland; where, its growth is aftoniihingly rapid. 



Vol. III. 5 D running 



