V E 



V E 



The Fruit which are brought to 

 Europe, are of a dark-brown Colour, 

 about fix Inches long, and fcarce an 

 Inch broad ; and wrinkled on the 

 Outfide, and full of a vaft Number 

 of black Seeds like Grains of Sand, 

 of a pleafant Smell, like Balfam of 

 Peru. 



This Fruit is only ufed in Eng- 

 land, as an Ingredient in Chocolate, 

 to which it gives a pleafant Flavour: 

 but the Spanijh Phyficians in Ameri- 

 ca ufe it in Medicine, and efteem it 

 grateful to the Stomach and Brain, 

 for expelling of Wind, to provoke 

 Urine, to rtfift Poifon, and cure the 

 Bite of venomous Animals. 



As this Plant is lb eafily pro- 

 pagated by Cuttings, it is very 

 ltrange, that the Inhabitants of 

 America mould neglect to culti- 

 vate it ; efpecially as it is an Ingre- 

 dient in Chocolate, which is fomuch 

 drunk all over America : but as the 

 Englijh have in a manner quite ne- 

 glected the Culture of the Cocoa, it 

 is no wonder they fhould neglect 

 this ; fince the former was cultivated 

 in great Plenty by the Spaniards in 

 Jamaica, while that Ifland remain'd 

 in their PofTemon ; fo that the Eng- 

 lijh had an Example before them, if 

 they would have followed it ; where- 

 as the Vanil was not found growing 

 there ; and therefore it is not to be 

 fuppofed, that the Perfons who were 

 fo indolent, as to quit the Culture 

 of many valuable Plants then grow- 

 ing on the Spot, mould be at the 

 Trouble of introducing any new 

 Plants. 



VELLA, Spanijh Crefs. 

 The Characters are ; 



// is a Plant with a crofs Flower, 

 eon fifing of four Petals, included in a 

 cylindrical four-leaved Empalement : 

 in the Centre of the Flo<wer is fituat'd 

 the Point al, attended by fix Stamina, 

 four of which are longer than the other 



two : the Pointal afterward becomes 

 a globular Pod, ere fed at the Top, 

 and opening in two Valves, having 

 round Seeds inclofed. 



We have but one Species of this 

 Plant; viz.. 



Vella. Lin. Hort. Cliff. Wild 

 Spanijh Crefs, or, by fome, Spanifn 

 wild Muftard. 



This is an annua] Plant, which 

 feldom grows more than one Foot 

 high : the Stalk divides toward the 

 Top into feveral Branches, each end- 

 ing in a loofe Spike of Flowers, 

 which are follow'd by round fwell- 

 ing Pods, having a leafy Border or 

 Creft on the Top, which is hcllovv'd 

 like an Helmet : the Pod opens with 

 Valves, and has two Cells, which 

 contain roundiih Seeds, like thofe 

 of Muftard. 



It is a Native of Spain and Por- 

 tugal-, and by thofe who are curious 

 in Botany, is prcferv'd in Gardens 

 for the fake of Variety ; but as it is 

 not beautiful, nor of any Ufe, it is 

 feldom cultivated. If the Seeds of 

 this Plant are permitted to fcatter, 

 the Plants will come up, and thrive 

 very well ; or if the Steds are fown 

 intheAutumn,theywill fucceed much 

 better than thofe which are fown in 

 the Spring: for when the Scafon 

 proves dry, thofe Seeds which are 

 lbwn in the Spring frequently lie in 

 the Ground till the following Au- 

 tumn, before the Piants appear ; 

 whereas thofe which are fown in the 

 Autumn, always come up foon af- 

 ter, or early in the Spring; fo will 

 more certainly produce ripe Seeds. 

 Thefe Plants fhouid rot be tranf- 

 planted ; therefore the Seeds fhould 

 be fown where the Plants are to re- 

 main. 



VERATRUM, White Helle- 

 bore. 



The Characters are ; 

 The Flower it naked, confijling of 

 4X4 fix 



