228 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1668, 



the bitter fruit of the acomas tree, have their flesh bitter also ?— 3. Whether 

 the wood of the acajou tree, being red, hght and well scented, never rots in 

 water, nor breeds any worms when cut in due season ? And whether the 

 chests and trunks made thereof, keep clothes placed therein from being worm- 

 eaten ? — 4. Whether the leaves of a certain tree, peculiarly called Indian wood, 

 give such a haut-gout to meat and sauces, as if it were a composition of several 

 sorts of spices ? — 5. Whether there be such two sorts of the wood called saponier 

 or soap- wood, of the one of which the fruit, of the other the root serves for 

 soap ? — 6. Whether the bark of the paretuvier-wood tans as well as oak-bark ? 

 — 7. Whether the root of the tree laitus, being brayed and cast into rivers, 

 makes fishes drunk ? — 8. Whether the root of the manioc is so fertile, that one 

 acre planted therewith, yields so plentiful a crop as shall feed more people than 

 six acres of the best wheat ? — g. What symptoms do usually follow on taking 

 the juice of manioc, or on eating the juice with the root, and what effects are 

 thereby produced on the body, that infer it to be accounted a rank poison ? 

 — 10. The palmetto royal being said, by Ligon, to be a very tall and straight 

 tree, and so tough that none of them have been seen blown down and hollow ; 

 in all which respects they may serve for special uses, and particularly for long 

 optic tubes ; it is much desired that the largest and longest pieces of them that 

 can be stowed in a ship may be sent over. — 1 1 . Whether the oil expressed out 

 of the plant ricinus or palma Christi, be used by the Indians to keep them from 

 vermin ? — 12. Whether in the passage of the isthmus from Nombre de Dios to 

 Panama, there is a whole wood full of sensitive trees, of which as soon as they 

 are touched, the leaves and branches move with a rattling noise, and wind 

 themselves together into a roundish figure? — 13. Whether there be certain 

 kernels of a fruit like a white pear plum, which are very purgative and emetic, 

 but having the thin film which parts them into halves taken out, they have no 

 such operation at all, and are as sweet as a Jordan almond ? — 14. To send over 

 some of the roots of the herb called by our French author I'herbe aux fleches, 

 (the dart-herb) which being stamped, is said to have the virtue of curing the 

 wounds made with poisoned darts. — 15. To send some of the grain of the herb 

 musk, putting it up carefully in a box, that it may keep its musk scent. — 

 l6. To send over a specimen of all medicinal herbs, with their respective vir- 

 tues, as they are reputed there : particularly the prickle-with at the Barbadoes, 

 macao, mastic-tree, locust, black-wood, yellow within^ five-sprig, tidle-wood, 

 white-wood, Barbadoes-cedar. — 17 . Whether the fruit mancenille of the man- 

 cenillier-tree, though admirably fair and fragrant, yet is fatal to the eater, 

 and falling into the water kills the fishes that eat of it, except crabs, which yet 

 are said to be dangerous to eat when they have fed upon this fruit ? Whether 



