LOUISIANA. 347 



our correfpondence by fome obfervations on the 

 natural hiftory of this colony, of which you 

 could learn nothing from the fpecial relations 

 that are publifhed. You muft know then. Sir, 

 that all the fruit-trees which have been tranf- 

 ported thither from Europe fucceed very well 

 there. M. Fazende^ one of the fuperior council 

 of hoiiifiana^ has brought a fig-tree from Fro- 

 vence^ the ngs of which are excellent -, as this 

 tree is propagated by layers, it richly fupplies 

 all the habitations with them. Among the fruit 

 peculiar to this country, there is one called a 

 battledoe, it has the figure and tafte of a pickled 

 cucumber. This fruit is very common about 

 Mobile^ and it is very rcfrefliing. - 



The piakmjne is a kind of medlar, called ou- 

 goiifie by the Indians ; this fruit, which is no 

 bigger than the European medlar, is yellow and 

 red like an apricot •, it is a very good ailringent, 

 and an excellent remedy to flop the dyfentery 

 and bloody flux. The Indians make bread of 

 it, in the form of ginger-bread, and dry it for 

 their long voyages *. 



The 



- The piakmine has yet another virtue; take a quantity of 

 its feeds, pound .them, then infule frcfh water upon them, 



which 



