118 | The Natural Hiftory of the Book IV, 
The Trunk of this Shrub, which often grows to above Five Feet high, 
is ftrong, and clofely jointed. ; 
The firft-mentioned hath a reddifh, and the other a greenith Stalk ; 
both generally clouded over with a glaucous Mealinefs. 
The Leaves are many, furrounding the main Stalks, as well as the 
Branches (efpecially towards the Top): Thefe are very large, often above 
Twenty Inches Diameter, being cut into feveral, feldom lefs than Eight, 
fharp-pointed Divifions : They are fupported upon Footftalks of about 
Thirteen Inches long, centring in almoft the Middle of the Leaf. 
The Flowers, which furround the Summits of the main Stalks, for 
about Seven Inches in Length, firft appear in the Form of {mall green 
Cap/ule, of a blunt conic Shape, which foon divide into Five fharp- 
pointed green Leaves ; and by deflecting towards the Footftalk, difcover 
innumerable {mall, pale, yellow, ftamineous Flowers, tipped with pices, 
Thefe Flowers, at firft, are fucceeded by greenifh Berries, thick-fet 
with harmlefs Spinule : As they grow riper, thefe drop almoft intirely off, 
and the foft brownifh Husk of the Nut is difcovered. 
This is of a triangular Shape, divided into Three Parts, touching one 
another at Right Angles, and compofing one Body, flightly rimmed with 
a brownifh Fur, the Nut ftanding upon a pendulous bluifh Footftalk. 
When the outward Skin is taken off, it difcovers a {potted Kernel. 
_ Thefe are fo oily, that Ten Pints of them, being bruifed, and 
then boiled, afford a Pint of Oil. 
This Plant, or rather Shrub, thrives beft in a fandy Soil, near the 
Sea; and as the Heat in fuch Places is intenfe, from the very ftrong 
Reflexion of the Sun from the Sand, I am of Opinion, that Nature in- 
tended it fuch a Situation, to ferve (as it were) inftead of an Alembic, to 
force up to the Extremities of the Branches, where the Berries are, fuch a 
great Quantity of Oil. 
The BLack NicKkER-TREE. 
pees grows to be a confiderable large Tree, covered with a Bark 
of a greyifh White. 
The fmaller Branches are thickly cloathed with feveral Pairs of pen- 
nated Leaves: Thefe are Four Inches long, and an Inch and an half 
broad, {mooth-edged and fharp-pointed. 
The Flowers are fucceeded by a round Snuff-coloured Fruit, fome- 
what bigger than a large Cherry, or rather of the Make of the {mall 
round white Plumb in England. 
The outward Subftance is tough, and very gummy: This, when ripe, 
feparates from the Nut within, which is black and round. 
When this dark-red fhelly Covering is broken, it difcovers a white bit- 
terifh Kernel. : 
If the outward Husk, which is no thicker than a Crown-piece, is put 
in Water, it will raife a Lather much fooner and ftronger, than an equal 
Quantity of any Soap would do. Lhe 
