P A 



veralofthe old Inhabitants of thofe 

 Countries, that the Plants of fome of 

 thefe Kinds have not advanced two 

 Feet in Height in twenty Years ; fo 

 that when they are brought into 

 thefe Countries, it can't be expected 

 they fliould advance very fall, efpe- 

 cially where there is not due Care 

 taken to preferve them warm in 

 Winter : but however flow of 

 Growth thefe Plants are in their na- 

 tive Countries, yet they may be 

 with us greatly forwarded, by p!ace- 

 ing the Pots into an Hot bed of Tan- 

 ners Bark ; which mould be renew- 

 ed as often as is necefiary, and the 

 Plants always prefcrved therein both 

 Winter and Summer, obferving to 

 fliift them into larger Pots as they 

 advance in Growth, as alfo to fup- 

 ply them with Water : in which 

 Management I have had feveral of 

 them come on very fall; for I ob- 

 ferve the Roots of thefe Plants are 

 very apt to root into the Bark, if 

 their Pots 1 remain a considerable 

 time without fhifting, where they 

 meet with a gentle Warmth ; and 

 the Moifture anfing from the Fer- 

 mentation of the Bark doth preferve 

 their Fibres plump and vigorous. 



The Date-palm is of very flow 

 Growth with us ; but is cafily pro- 

 duced from Seeds taken out of the 

 Fruit, which are brought into Eng- 

 iand'm great Plenty ; but there are 

 very few of thefe Plants of any con- 

 fiderable Size at prefent in the Eng- 

 iijb Gardens. 



The Dwarf Palm, with prickly 

 •Footftalks, as alfo that with few 

 Prickles, are of humble Growth in 

 their native Countries, feldom rifing 

 above four or five Feet high; but 

 extend their Roots very far, and in- 

 creafe thereby in the fame manner as 

 the common Fern doth ; fo that the 

 wafte Ground, which is not culti- 

 vared, is over run with the Plants j 

 • Vol. nr. 



the Leaves of which the Inhabitant s 

 cut, and fend into thefe Countries t° 

 make Flag - brooms. Thefe grow 

 in Spain, Portugal, and Italy ; and 

 are much hardier than any of the 

 other Sorts. 



The Palmetto - tree is brought 

 from the Wefi-Indies, where it grows 

 to be a very large Tree ; the Leaves 

 of whicji the Inhabitants thatch 

 their Houfcs withal ; for which 

 Purpofe they are very ufeful in thofe 

 Countries. The Leaves, before 

 they are expanded, are cut, and 

 brought into England to make Wo- 

 mens plaited Hats, which were, a 

 few Years fmce, greatly in Fafliion ; 

 and the Berries of thefe Trees were 

 formerly much in Ufe in Eng'and 

 for Buttons. Thefe were fome of 

 the chief Commodities which the 

 Bermuda- IJlandi did afford for Ma- 

 nufactory ; but, at prefent, they are 

 both difus'd in England. 



The Cabbage-tree is very com- 

 mon in the Canbbes- ljlands, where it 

 grows to a prodigious Height : Li- 

 gon, in his HtJIory of Barbados, fays, 

 There are fome of thefe Trees above 

 two hundred Feet high, and that it 

 is commonly an hundred Years be- 

 fore they arrive at Maturity enough 

 to produce Fruit : the Leaves of 

 this Tree envelope each other; fo 

 that thofe which are inclos'd, being 

 deprived of the Air, are blanch'ci, 

 which is the Part the Inhabitants cut 

 for Plait for Hats, (Sc. and the Gem* 

 or young Shoots, are pickled, 

 and fent into England, by the Name 

 of Cabbage : but whenever this 

 Part is cut out, the Trees are de- 

 ftroyed ; nor do they rife again from 

 the old Roots ; fo tha: there are very 

 few Trees left remaining ne?.r Plan- 

 tations, except for Ornament ; for 

 their Stems being exceeding ftrait, 

 and their Leaves being produced ve- 

 ry regularly at Top, afford a moft 

 S { i beautif ul 



