P A 



P A 



Pchfal, which afterward becomes a 

 rough jointed Pod ; each Knot or "Joint 

 containing ofie kidney -Jb of 'd Seed. 



We know but one Species of this 

 Plant ; which is, 



Parkinsonia aculeata^foliis mir.u- 

 tis y uni cofi<e adnexis. Plum Hov.Gen. 

 Prickly Parkinfonia, with very fmall 

 Leaves, fattened to one middle PJb. 



This Plant was difcover'd by Fa- 

 ther Plunder in America ; who gave 

 it this Name, in Honour to the 

 Memory of Mr. John Pariin/ok,who 

 pubiinYd an univerfal Hiftory of 

 Plants in Englijh, in the Year 1640. 



It is very common in the Spanijh 

 W4 ft -Indies ; but of late Years it has 

 been introduced into the EngHJh 

 Settlements in America, for the Beau- 

 ty and Sweetnefs of its Flowers. 

 Jliis, in the Countries where it 

 grows, naturally riles to be a Tree 

 of twenty Feet high, or more; and 

 bears long llender Bunches of yel- 

 low Flowers, which hang down af- 

 ter the fame manner as the Labur- 

 num. Thefe Flowers have a moft 

 agreeable fweet Scent, fo as to per- 

 fume the Air to a confiderable Di- 

 fiance round about the Trees ; for 

 which Reafon the Inhabitants of the 

 Weft-Indies plant them near their 

 Habitations. And though this 

 Plant has not been introduced many 

 Years into the Englijh Settlements, 

 yet it is now become fo common in 

 all thelfiands, that but few Houfes 

 are without fome of the Trees near 

 it ; for it produces Flowers and 

 Seeds in plenty, in about two Years, 

 from Seed ; fo that it may foon be 

 made common in all hot Countries : 

 but in Europe it requires a Stove, 

 otherwife it will not live through 

 the W inter. 



This Plant is propagated bySeeds, 

 which mould be fown in fmall Pots 

 filled with light frefti Earth early in 

 tiic Spring ; and the Pots mult be 



plunged into an Hot bed of Tanner 1 



Bark, where, in about three Weeks 

 or a Month's time, the Plants will 

 come up ; when they fhould be kept 

 clear from Weeds, and frequently 

 refrefned with Water. In a little 

 time thefe Plants will be fit to tranf- 

 plant ; which mould be done very 

 carefully, fo as not to injure their 

 Roots. They muft be each planted 

 into a feparate Halfpeny Pot filled 

 with frefh light Earth, and then 

 plunged into the Hot-bed again, ob- 

 ferving to ftir up the Tan; and if 

 it hath loft its Heat, there mould be 

 fome frehh Tan added, to renew the 

 Heat again : then thePlants fhould be 

 fcreened from theHeat of theSun, un- 

 til they have a newRoot ; after which 

 time they mould have frem Airadmitt- 

 ed to them every Day,in proportion to 

 the Warmth of the Seafon ; and they 

 muft be conftantly fupplied with 

 W^ater every other Day, in warm 

 Weather. With this Management 

 the Plants will grow fo faft, as to fill 

 the Pots with their Roots by the Be- 

 ginning of July : at which time they 

 fhould be fhifted into Pots a little 

 larger than the former, and plunged 

 again into the Bark-bed, provided 

 the Plants are not too tall to remain 

 under the Frame, without Danger of 

 being fcorched by the GlafTes ; in 

 which Cafe they muft be plunged 

 into the Bark-bed in-the Stove, where 

 they may have room to grow. But 

 before the Weather becomes cold, 

 it will be the beft way to inure the 

 Plant? by degrees to bear the open 

 Air, that they may be harden'd be- 

 fore Winter ; for if they are kept 

 too warm in Winter, the Plan's will 

 decay before the next Spring. The 

 only Method by which I have fuc- 

 cee'ded in keeping thefe Plants thro' 

 theWinter, was by har: er^rg them 

 in July and Augujl to bear the open 

 Air ; and in September I placed them 



on 



