Book VII. Land of BARBADOS, 183 
in Bulk to an equal Number of coarfe Bays. But to return to my Sub- 
je: From the Top of this Tree (iffuing from among the upper Leaves) 
at about ten Months Growth, rifes a tough ligneous Stalk, about three 
Feet long, bending downwards, and bearing onits Extremity a conic pur- 
ple Spatha. “ ‘The Flowers (which furround this in three or four Rows) 
“ are monopetalous, irregular, incomplete, © and Hermaphrodite, com- vice Péi- 
“ pofed of a Tube which fills the Ovary, and a Pavilion divided into four/ey, 
“ Lobes, and forming a kind of a Mouth. The Ovary, which adheres 
“ ftrongly to the Tube, is triangular, and crowned with five Chives, which 
“ grow from the Side of the Flower. The Style, which is alfo terminated 
“ by a little Head, afterwards becomes a foft fomewhat angular Fruit, 
“ whofe outward hufky Tegument is very {mooth, and yellow when Pipes: 
This is from five to nine Inches long, and near an Inch Diameter, grow- 
ing fmaller, and by Degrees a little crooked, at each End: The outward 
Coat or Rind eafily peels off when ripe. The infide eatable Part is of 
-agold Colour, and of a fweetifh Tafte. The whole Bunch, which gene- 
rally contains fome Scores of thefe Plantains, often weighs forty, fifty, 
or fixty Pounds Weight. The moft common Method of ufing this 
Fruit, when defigned to fupply the Place of Bread, is, to take them when 
green, though-full grown, and bake them in the Embers, or boil them. 
In a fhort time after the Plantain-Tree hath borne its Bunch, it decays 
near the Root, and falls proftrate to the Ground, and perifheth: How- 
ever, the Planter’s Hope perifheth not with it; for long before the Mother 
Tree decays, two or three large Suckers or young Trees grow up from the 
Root of the old one. The largeft of thefe, in about 4 Twelvemonth’s 
Time, bears fuch another Bunch of Plantains as the above deferib’d; and. 
as this Tree likewife dies, after it hath produced Fruit, there {pring up 
from the Root frefh young Shoots; fo that there is an annual Succeffion of 
_ Trees without any ‘Trouble to the Planter. However, it is thought the moft 
prudent Method is to replant them once in feven or eight Years; in doin 
this to the greateft Advantage, the Situation muft be rich, and fheltered 
from the Wind; and the Land intended for this Purpofe muft be dug in 
Holes two Feet deep, one and an half broad, and twelve Feet afunder: 
Thefe being well manur’d, large Roots of fuperfluous Plantain-Trees are 
cut through in two or three Pieces ; one of thefe put in every Hole, flight- 
ly covering it with Earth, in a fhort time {prings up. Another common 
Way of propagating thefe Trees is, to dig up other young ones, 
which in great Number are to be found growing about the Roots of old 
decaying Trees, and cutting off the Top of thefe within three Feet to’ the 
Root, and fo tranfplant them into Holes prepared for that Purpofe. Having 
cut one of thefe young Trees horizontally in the middle, the remaining 
Stump vegetated fo ftrong from the Centre, that it thruft out a fmall {lender 
Shoot near a Quarter, or above * an Inch long in feven Hours time. 
bs However furprizing this may appear, it is not more extraordinary than the quick Growth of Afparagus in Exgland, 
a far colder Climate, 
es The 
