Paragreles, or Hail-Protectors. 159 



bearing, that the annual produce of two moringa trees would 

 fully equal this amount, especially were attention but paid to 

 its culture ; for, in every case in which I had an opportunity of 

 seeing it, this was wholly neglected. Neither can I speak as to 

 its longevity, though, from the facility with which it grows, and 

 its coming into bearing so soon, this point is not so material. 

 The cocoa nut tree does not come into bearing till its seventh 

 or tenth year, and rarely continues in full bearing after its 

 fortieth year, while, within a very few months after sowing 

 the seed, the moringa begins to yield its harvest, and from 

 that time till the period of its decay, which is not for many 

 years, it is never to be found without flowers and fruit in all 

 stages. Upon the whole, I have little hesitation in saying 

 that, upon a fair trial, the moringa tree will be found among 

 the most productive articles of West Indian agriculture next 

 to the sugar cane, and far less uncertain in its returns. The 

 oil, which is known in commerce by the name of Ben, or 

 Behen, is, I believe, imported into this country at a consider- 

 able expense from the Levant for the exclusive use of the per- 

 fumers, while our own islands could furnish it in sufficient 

 abundance to supply even the present deficiency of spermaceti 

 oil for burning, to which use it is applied in France, where the 

 usual charge by retail is fourteen sols per lb. 



The spermaceti whale having of late years, I understand, 

 become scarce in the Northern Seas, it becomes an object of 

 commercial importance to find a substitute which will prevent 

 an unreasonable advance in the price of so necessary an article, 

 and at the same time serve to give employment to our ship- 

 ping, both of which ends I look upon the moringa tree as 

 fully capable of answering. 



Should this commencement of my plan prove acceptable, I 

 shall continue from time to time to trouble you with further 

 suggestions on the uses to which other familiar, but neglected, 

 productions of the tropics are applicable, and remain in the 

 meantime, Sir, &c. 



Plymouth, March 10. 1827. William Hamilton. 



Art. XV. On Paragreles, or Hail-Protectors, and their Em- 

 ployment in Britain. By John Murray, Esq. F.A. S. 

 L.S. H.S. G.S. &c. 



Sir, 

 As you have been good enough to advert to my remarks 



on the paragr61e 3 introduced en passant, in my Observations on 



