TO4 The Natural Hiftory of the Book TV, 
foever they project ; and, if likewife they grow upon the Brink of a Pond, 
the Trunk of fuch Trees always bend. towards the Water. 
Some of them grow to Sixty Feet high. 
The Bark is more deeply pitted by the Vefligia of the fallen-off 
Branches, than that of the Cabbage-tree. 
There is likewife this very remarkable Difference: That this keeps its 
Afh-colour Bark to the very Place where the Branches begin ; the other, 
as hereafter defcribed, always difcovers the Space of near Five Feet, of a 
beautiful deep Green, between the Ath-coloured Bark, and the Part where 
the Branches begin: The lowermoft Branches likewife in a Cabbage-tree 
expand almoft horizontally ; whereas thofe of a Coco Nut-tree bend 
more wavingly and irregular. 
The Branches come to their full Growth in about Three Months, and 
are, in a flourifhing Tree, about Twenty-eight in Number. 
Every Branch hath a great Number of pennated Leaves : Thefe are 
of different Size, the largeft always near the Trunk, the reft growing lef 
towards the Extremity of the Branches: The former are often near Three 
Feet long, and refemble, in their Make, thofe of the Cabbage-tree, except 
that they want thofe ftrong Thread-like Filaments, which the Cabbage- 
leaves afford, neat 
And as the Branches of the Coco Nut-tree are often about Fifteen Feet 
long, they would be liable to be broken down by high Winds, efpecially 
thofe that are prefled upon by the Weight of the large Bunches of Coco 
Nuts. Indulgent Nature hath therefore fortified and wrapped the Foot- 
ftalks of every Branch with a ftrong, clofe-woven, reticulated, web-like 
Subftance arifing from the Tree. This Subftance is of a reddifh Colour. 
What is farther remarkable in: this is, that it becomes peculiarly 
adapted to the different Growth of the Branches ; for, as thefe increafe 
in their Growth, by eafy gentle Degrees, this Web, tho’ of a very ftrong 
Confiftence, is yet fo elaftic and pliable, that, growing with the Branch 
it never prevents its Growth by too clofe a Bandage, nor fuffers it to . 
liable to the Injuries of Storms by too lax a Stri@ure, 
This Contrivance of Nature (if I may ufe fo low an Expreffion) is not 
only curious in its web-like Make ; but, being often a Foot and an half 
long, may, where extreme Neceflity calls for fuch Shifts, be capable of 
being fewed together, and made into a kind of Garment, which would 
at leaft keep off the Heat of the Sun: And this is the moft probable 
Pretenfion the Writers of Wonders have, to fay that this Tree affords 
Cloaths. 
; As to its being fit for Mafts of Veflels; this is a moft prepofterous Sup- 
pofition, or rather an Impofition upon Mankind ; for, without being 
anna in Sea Affairs, every one is fenfible, that a Maft of any Veflel 
ee t to me and always is, made tapering from the Bottom to the Top; 
¥ eared iadk me for the moft part, almoft as thick at the fetting on 
of eaves, 4s near the Ground: And as the Infide is {oft and 
’ pithy, 
