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CHAPTER III. 



NATURAL HISTORY VEGETABLE KINGDOM, TIMBER WOODS, USEFUL AND POISONOUS 

 PLANTS ANIMAL KINGDOM, MAMMIFERS, BIRDS, REPTILES, FISH AND INSECTS, VIZ., 

 THOSE WHICH MERIT ATTENTION FROM THEIR UTILITY AS FOOD, THEIR SINGULAR 

 HABITS, OR NOXIOUS AND DESTRUCTIVE PROPENSITIES. 



THE all-bountiful Creator has everywhere made an abundant 

 provision for the wants of his creatures ; and whithersoever man 

 directs his steps in search of a home, he is certain to find food for 

 his sustenance, materials for his clothing and lodging, as also 

 products naturally suited, or artificially adaptable, to commercial 

 purposes. Yet, wherever civilised man migrates and settles, he 

 carries with him, as a matter of necessity, not only those imple- 

 ments and conveniences which an advanced state of civilisation 

 has invented, but likewise those animals he has domesticated, 

 those plants or seeds he has reclaimed from nature, and which, he 

 knows, will be useful in contributing either to his support or com- 

 fort. Thus, the ox, the horse, the sheep, swine, and poultry, were 

 introduced and naturalised in the West Indies ; and the sugar- 

 cane, coffee, rice, and other growths, imported and propagated into 

 staples. But in these islands were also found building materials, 

 as well as articles of food and commerce. I have, in the preceding 

 chapter, mentioned the mineral productions which may be, or are 

 already, turned to useful purposes ; I shall hereafter fully notice 

 those which the vegetable kingdom supplies for trade and general 

 aliment ; but at present I only wish to point out those indigenous 

 plants and animals which have been rendered subservient to our 

 wants, together with those of the former which desire peculiar 

 mention on account of their noxious or curative properties ; and 

 those of the latter which merit attention, either from their singular 

 habits, or destructive propensities and venomous attributes. 



VEGETABLE KINGDOM. Under this division, such plants only 

 will form the objects of notice, as serve for building purposes, 

 cabinet-work, &c. ; for medicinal purposes, or such as are to be 

 avoided on account of their deleterious properties. 



