The Natural Fiftory of the Book Viz 
The Wild PLANTAIN-T REE. 
TH IS hath a great Refemblance, in its Trunk and Leaves, with the 
Plantain-Tree already defcrib’d, ‘ differing chiefly, that’ though it 
bloffoms, it never bears any Fruit. — 
The BANANA-T REE, 
HIS differs in its general Make from the'Plantain-Tree, only by the 
greater Height of its Trunk, which is likewife here-and-there {potted 
with Black ; the Leaves, as well as the F ruit, are fomewhat fmaller than thofe 
-of the Plantain-Tree, the Fruit being not aboye five Inches long, of a fine 
_yellow Colour when ripe, and of a fragrant Smell, and fweet Tafte. Thefe 
are eaten raw by way of Deffert. The learned Door ‘Derbham obferves, 
that the fineft Needle, the Work of Art, appears, when viewed through 
a Microfeope, rough and unhewn, when compared to the Sting of a'Bee, 
or éven the meaneft Blade of Grafs, the Work of Nature: fo there is no lefs 
diftinguifhing Delicacy in the Tafte of thofe large. Drops of natural Honey 
found in the Bloffoms of this Tree, when compared -with what our Hive 
‘produces ; the former intirely void of that: Harfhnefs in-the Throat, from 
which the beft of the latter, by its effential Salts, is not-free. “This was a 
Aymbolical Tree in Egype ; for, among other Hieroglyphics, we cften find 
the Head of Ofris adorn’d with Banana Leaves, and the Child Oru fit- 
ting on her Lap. It grows beft under the Shelter of a Hill, or fome fuch 
fhady Place. As thefe are juftly reckoned among the moft delicious Fruits 
that Arabia produces, Ludolphus, in his Ethiopic Hiftory, conjeCtures that 
thefe Fruits were the Mandrakes which Facob’s Wives contended for. 
This Tree is defcribed in Plate XVI. 
ee The WATER LEMoN-VINE. 
HIS isa very large ligneous Vine, creeping, if fupported by neigh- 
‘*  bouring Trees, toa very great Length. The Leaves are of a dark Green, 
and fharp-pointed. The Flowers very much refemble thofe of the Grana- 
dilla Vine; thefe are facceeded by a Frui i 
of an irregular roundith Shape, the Outfide of a yellowifh fkinny Sub- 
ftance, the Infide much refembling that of a Goofeberry, being full of 
a {weet gelly-like Subftance, mixed with a great many {mall Acini: This 
juftly claims a Place among the moft delicious Fruits, 
The Witp WatTER Lemon-Vine, or Love In 4 Mist. 
HIS is a fort of a Paffion-Flower, and called by. BorrHaave 
Granadilla flore albo, Sruéiu reticulate. This is a trailing grami- 
neous hairy Vine, provided with a great many Tendrils, or Clafpers, 
which 
