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*vieri corallino. Plum. Nov. Gen. Va- 

 nilla with a white Flower, and a ftiort 

 coralline Fruit. 



The Fruit of thefe Plants is calPd 

 by the Spaniards, in America, Vanil- 

 la, or Vinello; and is much ufed by 

 them to fcent their Chocolate. It is 

 the nrll Species here mention'd, 

 which is chiefly efteem'd. This 

 grows plentifully in the Bay ofCam- 

 pecby, in the Weft-Indies ; where 

 they are ufually fold for about Three- 

 pence each Fruit, Englijb Money. 



The other two Sorts are found in 

 feveral Parts of America, where they 

 always grow in low marihy Places 

 under Trees, and fatten themfelves 

 to the Trunks of the Trees, and are 

 thereby fupported. The Fruit of 

 thefe Kinds are rarely ufed, being 

 of little Value ; but the other Sort 

 is often brought into Europe, and 

 fold by the- Druggifts. 



The Method of gathering and 

 preparing of this Fruit for Ufe is lit- 

 tle known to the Europeans, being 

 manufactur'd by the Indians, who 

 fell it very cheap to the Spaniards. 

 However, I (hall fubjoin an Account 

 which I received from an intelligent 

 Perfon, who had refided in the Spa- 

 nijb Weft Indies for fome time ; but 

 lhall firfc defcribe the Plant, with its 

 manner of Growth, and how it may 

 be propagated in the warm Parts of 

 America. 



The Pfant which produces the 

 Fruit called Vanilla, or Banilla, by 

 the Spaniards, hath a trailing Stem, 

 fomewhat like common Ivy ; which 

 fallens itfelf to whatever Tree grows 

 near it, by fmall Fibres, which are 

 produc'd at every Joint, and fallen 

 to the Bark of the Tree, by which 

 the Plants are often nourihYd, when 

 they are cut or broken off from the 

 Root a confiderablc Height from the 

 Ground, in like manner as the Ivy 

 is often feen in England. The Leaves 



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are as large as thofe of the common 

 Laurel, but are not quite fo thick. 

 Thefe are produc'd alternately at 

 every Joint (which are fix or feven 

 Inches afunder), and are of a lively 

 green Colour on the upper Side, but 

 are of a paler Green underneath. 

 The Stem of thefe Plants (hoots in- 

 to many Branches, which fallen 

 themfelves alfo to the Branches of 

 the Trees ; by which means they rife 

 to the Height of eighteen or twenty 

 Feet, and fpread quite over fome cf 

 the fmaller Trees, to which they are 

 joined. The Flowers are of a green- 

 ilh-yellow Colour, mixed with white; 

 which, when fallen, are fucteeded 

 by the Fruit, which are fix or feven 

 Inches long. 



This Sort, which is manufaclur'd, 

 grows not only in the Bay of Cam- 

 pcchy, but alio at Carthagena, at the 

 Caraccas, Honduras, Dan en, and 

 Cayan; at all which Places, the Fruit 

 are gather'd and preferv'd ; but is 

 rarely found in any of the EngVJJ? 

 Settlements in America at prefent ; 

 though it might be eafily carried thi- 

 ther, and propagated ; for the Shoots 

 of thefe Plants are full of Juice; fo 

 may be eafily tranfported ; becaufe 

 they will continue fredi out of the 

 Ground for feveral Months. I had 

 fome Branches of this Plant, which 

 were gather'd by Mr. Robert Millar 

 at Campecby, and fent over between 

 Papers by way of Sample: thefe 

 had been at leaft four Months ga- 

 ther'd, when I receiv'd them ; and 

 upon opening the Papers, I found 

 the Leaves rotten, with theMoifture 

 contain'd in them ; and the Paper 

 was alfo perifhed with it ; but the 

 Stems appear'd frem : upon which 

 I planted fome of thein in fmall 

 Pots, and plunged them into an 

 Hot bed of Tanners Bark ; where 

 they foon put out Leaves, and fent 

 forth P.oots from their Joints : but as 

 4*3 thefe 



