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fubftance of the leaves is & congeries 

 of ftrong, fmall, white fibres, or 

 threads, running longitudinally the 

 whole length of the leaf, and mixed 

 with a faponaceous pulpy fubftance, 

 which is ufed for wafhing by the Ne- 

 groes. The threads are feparated from 

 this fubftance by bruifing, macerating, 

 and beating. The Silk Grafs is chiefly 

 cultivated by the Indians, by whom it 

 is termed Curreta. 



The Aloe Vulgaris, or Aloes Plant, 

 confifts of feveral leaves, which diverge 

 from the ftalk, at the very furface of 

 the earth. Thefe leaves are about two 

 feet in length, and five inches in breadth 

 at their middle, from whence they di- 

 minilh, terminating in a point. They 

 are about fix or feven lines in thicknefs, 

 and are covered with a ftrong fmooth 

 green tegument, being laterally de- 

 E fended 



