302 A DESCRIPTION OF THE 



flowers begin to come in clutters of thirty, forty, or 

 fifty, from the extremity of every fmall branch ; and 

 from this period till the latter end of April, as the 

 flowers come to maturity, (for they never open or ex- 

 pand,) they continue falling off, with their anthers, in 

 the mornings, a little after fun-rife, when they are ga- 

 thered ; and afterwards dried by an expofure of a few 

 days in the fun. When thus prepared, they very much 

 refemble a dried grape, both in tafte and flavour. 



Immediately after the flowers drop off, frefh flioots 

 are made for the new leaves, which' foon make their 

 appearance, coming prefently to their full growth. 



The fruit (properly fo called) is of two forts in mape; 

 the one refembling a fmall walnut ; the other fomewhat 

 larger, and pointed. It is ripe towards the middle of 

 May, and continues dropping from the tree till the 

 whole fall; which is generally about the beginning, or 

 towards the middle, of June. The outer covering, or 

 pericarpium, which is of afoft texture, commonly burfts 

 in the fall, fo that the feeds are very eafily fqueezed out 

 of it. The feeds are fomewhat of the fhape, but longer 

 than an olive. 



Thefe feeds are replete with a thick oil, of the con- 

 fidence of butter or ghee, which is obtained by expref- 

 fion. 



From this defcription it may eafily be conceived 

 that the Mdhwah-tree, and its productions, are of An- 

 gular and general ufe, efpecially in thofe dry and barren 

 countries which, from the nature of their fituation, are 

 not fo well calculated for producing in plenty, or per- 

 fection, the other necefiaries of life. 



The 



