264 EXTRACTS FROM 



50. Agave Americana, L. — American Aloe. 



The American aloe grows spontaneously by the sea in 

 rocky places. 



If the thick leaves are pressed in the mill, and the juice in- 

 spissated in balneo mariae, till it acquires the consistence 

 of plaster, it becomes a vegetable soap : for the discovery of 

 this a person had one hundred pistoles from the Assembly. 

 But if clothes are not speedily rinsed in fresh water, they will 

 be rotted by the soap ; and on this account it is laid aside. 



If the leaves are well bruised, and the pulp washed and 

 cleaned by water, a strong filamentous substance like silk-grass 

 is obtained, which might be applied to several uses. 



This plant is of so enormous a size, that no part of it could 

 be laid down as a specimen. 



HEPTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 



51. Pisonia aculeata, L. — Fingrigo Bush. 



This shrub grows in thickets, and has many small trunks 

 from the same root. In appearance and prickles it resembles 

 the black thorn. The leaves are small and numerous ; the 

 blossoms white and globular. The fruit is a small bur, of 

 an oval shape, which sticks to the mouths of cattle, and is 

 disengaged with difficulty. 



It would seem that it might be made into fences. If it has 

 any medicinal virtues we are entirely ignorant of them. 



OCTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 

 52. Guabea trichilioides, L — Musk-Wood. 



This tree is frequently met with in most of our woodlands. 

 It grows to a middle size ; the outer bark is rough and grey ; 



