378 VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES. 



grows readily and abundantly in the West Indies, 

 both on the fertile savannahs and the mountains. 

 It is hardy, and is formidable with its spines, and 

 thus it answers well for hedges. The fibres of the 

 leaves, too, are very tough and strong; and, when 

 freed from the pulpy matter, they are made into 

 ropes. A small portion of the juice mixed with 

 water forms a very cooling draught; and some of 

 the varieties, which grow so plentifully about Cam- 

 peachy that it is hardly possible to move amongst 

 them, have their fruit in clusters, and are not un- 

 palatable. 



The Karata grows in woods, under trees, both in 

 the West Indies and on the continent of America. 

 The leaves are six oV seven feet long; the fruit of an 

 oval form, and from two to three hundred in number 

 upon a single plant. Before it is ripe the fruit is 

 sour and acrid, but when ripe it is not unpleasant. 

 Until the fruit is ripe it is defended by the spines of 

 the leaves, so as to be quite secure against injury. 



The tongue-leafed, the red-branched, and the 

 dwarf, are smaller species. The first and second 

 very much resemble some of the species of aloe in 

 their forms, and are found in most of the West India 

 islands. 



The Ananas, or pine-apple, properly so called, is 

 now so generally known in this country, (being culti- 

 vated in hot-houses and pits almost from Cornwall 

 to Caithness,) that no minute account of it is neces- 

 sary. When of a good sort and healthy, it is 

 accounted the best, at least the most luscious, fruit 

 that this country produces; and, with careful culti- 

 vation, is equal in quality to that of places where it 

 is a native. It is said even to be superior, because 

 the English gardeners may, by skilful treatment and 

 choice of sorts, more than make up for the want of 

 sun and the deficiency of natural temperature. 



