8oo JAMAICA. 



ther, which poflefs the exa3: liquorice taftc. The pods contain three 

 or four fcarlet peas, with a black fpot, which in the Eafl: Indies and 

 Africa are ftrung for necklaces, A ftrong decoftion of the leaves, 

 boiled afterwards into a thick fyrup with iugar, is frequently given for 

 a cough, and generally found to be a certain remedy. An infufion is 

 likewife made from the leaves and tops for the fame intention. It opens 

 •both the body and the (kin very mildly, and helps expectoration. 



The feeds are of a very deleterious nature j and, when bruifed, cannot 

 t)e taken inwardly without great danger; when fwallowed ivhole, 

 they commonly pafs intire, and are rarely attended with any of thofe 

 violent fymptoms that accompany the powder, which operates furioully 

 wards and downwards. 



An extraft may be made from the roots, no ways inferior to what 

 is obtained from the roots of liquorice. 



151. Melon. — Melo. 



There are feveral varieties of the melon kind here, where they thrive 

 exceedingly well, and with little trouble or attention. 



The varieties cGnfifl in the fliape, whether round, oval, comprcfled, 

 ,or long; the roughnefs or fmoothnefs of coat; the colour of the flefh, 

 whether white, red, greenifh, or yellowifh; and in fweetnefs and fla- 

 vour. A gentleman here, the moft curious in their cultivation, ufed 

 to prepare fome fine mould in fmall balkets, in which the feed was 

 fown; thefe balkets were fet in little hillocks of earth, and fuffered to 

 decay. I know not the particular reafons for this method, but his fruit 

 was of a fuperior quality to moft. The muik and cantelupe are high- 

 eft in efteem, grow to a large fize here, and arri^'e at the utmoft per- 

 fedlion, particularly the latter kind with a greenifh flefli, which (con- 

 trary to Mr. Miller's obfervation in regard to thofe raifed in England) 

 is by far the richeft, fineft flavoured, and diilblves in the mouth. The 

 mulk has no net work about it here as in England, and turns very 

 yellow. 



152. Water Mrlon. — Anguria fol'iis multl partitis. 



This fruit grows here to a monftrous fize; the fort which has the 



red pulp, is preferred to the other. It is more recommended by its good 



effeft in cooling the blood, than by its flavour, which much refembles 



Jthat of water, flightly fweetened with fugar. 



Dr. 



