794 JAMAICA. 



ported by way of prefent, preferved in fyrup, as they form a very 

 elegant appearance with their crowns, at a defert. 



They are now fo well known in Europe, that more need not be 

 faid of them. 



141. Wild-pine. — T'dlandfia maxima. 



The plants of this clafs v/ere formerly ranged under the head of 

 the vifcus, or parafitical ; which, inftead of rooting in the earth like 

 other plants, fix themfelves, and take root on the bodies and branches 

 of trees. 



There is an infinite number of them in Jamaica, feme of which 

 may be made to grow upon a broom, or a mop flick, fixed upright 

 in the ground; which proves that they derive their fupport and 

 growth principally by abforption of moifture from the atmofphere. 



The wild pines, are by much the largeft of this clafs, and very' 

 frequent in this ifland, in the thick woods of the interior moun- 

 tains ; where they are feen growing in abundance between the 

 forks, and on the larger branches of the bigger trees ; and by the 

 eafy bend, and hollow bafe of the leaves, become natural refervoirs, 

 which catch water from every fhower that falls upon them, 

 fuflficient to lafl during the longed continued drougths, and at hand 

 to fupply the thirfly hunter, or to refrefh other animals. Nothing 

 can be more fignal than the benevolent and wife provifion which 

 the Deity has made in the example of the vine before mentioned, 

 and this plant, for remedying thole ill effefts which the inclemency 

 of weather may occafion in this climate to the inhabitants. In the 

 deep recefles of the forefl, and where the foil is rich, and the 

 trees of great magnitude, the wild-pine prefents its cooling bever- 

 age at every turn ; in the more flerile rocky fituations, where the 

 trees are ftunted, and the pine cannot vegetate fo luxuriantly, we 

 find its place fupplied with the wild-vine ; there is no end to our 

 admiration of the Divine benignity, nor ought we to fix any to our 

 gratitude. 



J42. Lime* 



