BOOK III. CHAP. VIII. 831 



gate it in all the furrounding hedges. The leaves refcmble the Eng- 

 lifh hazel; the fruit feems to be of the mulberry kind; it is green at 

 firft, but turns black and hard in its ripe ftate. A little before it ri- 

 pens, it has a pleafant, fweet tafte, and is frequently eaten by the Ne- 

 groes, either raw or boiled, as a green in their broths. It is agreeable 

 to cattle, fheep, hogs, and goats, who are faid to fatten upon it. The 

 flowers are yellowifh, and very odoriferous, having much the fragrancy 

 of the Englifh hawthorn bloflbm. I'he wood is light, and fo eafily 

 wrought, that it is generally ufed here by coach and chaife- makers^ 

 for their lide pieces. 



215. Job's-Tears. — Coix feminibus ovatis. 



This plant grows wild every where in the woods, and is excellent 

 fodder for cattle. It has all the appearance of a reed, and rifes to the 

 height of four feet, or upwards. If it is the fame as that of the Archi- 

 pelago, and which is cultivated alfo in Spain and Portugal, the grain or 

 feeds may be ground to flour, and made into a coarfe, but nourifhing, 

 kind of bread ; to which ufe it is applied by poor people in thofe coun- 

 tries, when a fcarcity happens of other grain. Sloane calls it the larger 

 pannic grafs, claffing it with the Negroe Guiney corn, and Guiney 

 wheat. The other fpecies of the coix has angular feeds, but equally 

 applicable to the fame ufes in oeconomy. The feeds are ftrung in 

 necklaces for infants, in order to help dentition, but of their efficacy for 

 this purpofe I can fay nothing. 



216. Broad-leafed Broom-Weed. — Sida humlUor^foUis ovatis 



ferratis alternis. 



This is very common in all parts of the ifland, and grows in the 

 very pooreft foil. It is toxigh, and, being generally at hand, ferves 

 for brooms. It feems to be fomewhat of the malvaceous kind, the 

 leaves and lender buds containing a large quantity of mucilage; and 

 lathering with water, like foap. For this quality, it is fometimes ufed 

 in (having wafhes, by luch perfons as cannot conveniently bear the 

 fmell and acrimony of foap. The larger cap-roots ferve for tooth- 

 bruflTies, for cleanfing the teeth and gums. 



The Negroe women, when their children are fcabby, often make a 

 bath with the IcaveSji to cleanfe their ikins, and make them thrive. It 



has. 



