756 JAMAICA. 



The ftalk Is very tough and flexile, and often made into hoops ; but 

 they are not In efteem for long voyages, as being not fo ftrong nor 

 durable as fome others. 



64. HoRSE-w^ooD, or Hoop-wooD. — Zygia. 



This fiirub is common at the North-fide, it grows generally in 

 low, moift lands; but is likewife found in the mountains : the wood 

 is pretty tough, and fometimes cut for hoops. 



65. Birch-tree, — TV/v^/w/j^wi, vel Piflacia fpecles. 



This is very common in all the Southern hills and lowlands. The 

 wood makes excellent cattle yoaks. The bark is thick, and tranfudes 

 a clear tranfparent reiin, very odoriferous, and refembling majlic ; but 

 it yields a confiderable quantity of a more fluid rcfin, by incifion ; 

 which has much of the fmell and appearance of turpentine, and may 

 be ufed for the fame purpofes. 



The bark of the root, has been conjeflured to be the^/?w rouha 

 ' of the fhops, the moft effeftual remedy hitherto known in bloody 



1 fluxes, given in decodion of one or two drachms to a quart of water. 



I It is certain they are very fimilar in appearance. 



i Thcjimi roiiba grows in Guiana, but has not yet been fufficiently 



'; defcribed, fo as to determine the analogy with more exaftnefs. 



\ 66. '^■E^v.-ifi-E.^.—- Adlanthum maximum^ ramofum, arhorefcens, 



\ There are near 100 varieties of the fern and maidenhair, fcattered 



I over this ifland, which are endued with the like qualities as thofe of 



; Europe. 



\ In many parts of England it is common to burn them, and make 



balls of the afhes for bucking or cleanfing coarfe linen ; before they 



' are ufed, they are made red hot in the fire, and readily fall into powder 



when thrown into water. The root of the female ferns, which are 

 diftlnguiflaed by the black colour of the lower part of the ftalk, powdered 

 and mixed with honey, has been given to a drachm or upwards with 

 great fuccefs for deftroying the tania^ or tape worm. 



The trunk of the fern tree is hard, and ligneous, often rlfing to the 

 height of fix or eight feet ; it is extremely durable, refifts all weathers, 

 and is frequently ufed for hog-ftie pofts, and other inclofures. 



64. Brancdhe 



