Book IV. Tland of BARBADOS, on 
pithy, and its whole Strength confifting in the outward ftrong ligneous 
Part, which is not above ‘Iwo Inches thick; this prevents the Poffibility 
of its being made tapering by the Ufe of Tools. 
As to many other of its pretended Qualities, they are as groundlefs 
as this. 
But to return to my Subjeét : This Tree, if planted in a rich fandy 
Soil, will begin to bear Fruit in the Fourth or Fifth Year ; fometimes not 
fo foon, if the Soil and Situation are not indulgent to it. 
Its firft Appearance of bearing Fruit is a ligneous, pod-like, husky 
Spatha, of about Two Feet long, and about Three Inches broad, narrower 
towards its Footftalk than towards its Extremity. The Whole is of a 
brownifh Green on the Outfide, and white within: It comes to its full 
Growth in Three Months from its firft Appearance. 
As the Foot-ftalk is continued thro’ this husky Spatha, there it wreaths 
and twines itfelf, as well as its partitional furrounding Twigs, into man 
Bendings. When the Spatha comes to its Maturity, it burfts in the Middle, 
on the upper Side ; and the inclofed Twigs appear thick-fet with pale- 
white Flowers, inclinable to a yellow Colour. 
Each of thefe are compofed of Three rigid fharp-pointed Leaves. 
From the Middle of thefe rife Six yellow Stammia, with a fhort whitith 
Style, cleft at the Top into Three Parts: Thefe Flowers have a weak 
faint Smell ; and, in about Five Days from their firft Appearance, they 
fall to the Ground : Then the Nuts, by degrees, are formed : Thefe, when 
young, are round, and their Shell of a foft Texture. The outward husky 
_ Covering is of a fomewhat reddifh Colour ; each Nut round the Foot- 
ftalk being clofely embraced with the Calyx, which is compofed of many 
ftiff roundifh Leaves, which clofely ftick to the Nut, like fo many lami- 
nated. Scales. 
- The Cavity in the Nut, whilft thus young, is narrow and {mall, grow- 
ing both larger and rounder with Age. 4 
- Each Nut, on the Part next the Stem, hath in it Three Holes clofely 
{topped ; one of thefe being both wider, and more eafily penetrated, than 
the reft : From this, when the Nut is planted, rifes the Gerzmen, or youn 
Tree: Thro’ thefe Holes likewife is the Water copioufly diftilled into the 
Nut from the Roots of the Tree. This is evident from the Saltnef& of 
the Liquor in thefe Nuts, if the Tree grows near a brackith Spring ; but, 
if they are planted in an agreeable Soil, the more fandy and loofe, the 
better. The’Water in young Nuts, from fuch Trees, is very limpid, and 
extremely fweet. 
When the Kernel begins to grow, it incrufts the Infide of the Nut in 
a bluifh jelly-like Subftance : As this grows harder, the inclofed Liquid 
becomes fomewhat acid, but ftill of a f{weetifh agreeable Tafte, and far 
more palatable than any Mixture of thefe Two Ingredients from the beft 
of Artifts, 
As 
