Book VI. Slandof BARBADOS... 
The GINGER; Lat. Zinziper. 
INGER is rather of the Reed-kind, than of the Iris, as ne 
and others would have it. Its Stalk feldom exceeds eighteen Inches 
in Height, from whofe Side grow, in an alternate Order, four or five narrow 
fharp-pointed gramineous Leaves, of about five Inches long, the Extremity 
of the: Stalk ending in a foft-pointed Spire. When the Plant is dug up, its 
Roots are thofe flattith digitated Races called Ginger: Thefe Races are 
{craped clean, and Sun-dried. It would be needlefs to deferibe the Qualities 
of a Root fo well known: I hall therefore conclude the Defcription of ‘it 
with obferving, that the ufual time of planting it is in May and Fune; and of 
digging it up, in February and March. What is moft remarkable in this 
Plant is, that the {mall or Seed-Ginger, when planted, doth not decay in 
the Ground, as almoft all other Seeds or Plants do: For though it pro- 
duces the Plant, and the feveral Races at its Root, the firft Year ; yet it re+ 
mains itfelf uncorruptible, and may the next Year be planted again as a 
Mother-plant, and fo on the fucceeding Year. However, after fuch a time, 
it becomes fo far exhaufted of its prolific Virtue, that it bears but a poor 
Crop : Therefore the moft general Cuftom is to plant yearly with frefh Suckers, 
or the {malleft Races of Ginger. The Land intended for this Plant muft be 
very richly manured. 
The Sra-Stpe LaureEt. 
HIS beautiful Shrub grows generally near the Sea-fide, cloathed with 
numerous Leaves. The Edges of thefe are. remarkably indented. 
‘This is delineated in Plate XXII, 
: The Larce Ducx-WEED. 
7 dae always grows in Ponds of ftanding Water, and generally covers 
their Surface with its broad Leaves, and much refembles in Shape 
and Texture thofe of the Water-Lily in England. Their upper Side is 
of a fmooth fhining yellowifh Green, the under Side of a very dark Pur- 
_ ple: Their Veins and high Ribs are tinged with Yellow ; and their Footftalks 
are round, fmooth, and of the fame Colour. The Infide of this is perfo- 
rated into many longitudinal Pipes, and its Length is in proportion to 
the Depth of the Pond; for it always grows till its Roots penetrate 
the Mud, or other Sediment, in the Bottom. 
The Flower likewife, which is fimilar to thofe of the fame Kind in 
England, always opens at Break of Day, and clofes as {oon as the Sun appears. 
The 
{One 
