M A 



M A 



ed into the Trench again, and gen- 

 t ! y preffed with the Feet about 

 each Cutting, to prevent the Sun 

 and Air from penetrating of the 

 Ground, which would dry the Cut- 

 tings too much, and fo prevent their 

 taking Root. Thefe Trenches mould 

 be made about three Feet afunder, 

 that there may be room to hoe be- 

 tween the Rows to deltroy the 

 Weeds ; which, if permitted to grow, 

 ■will foon overbear the Plants, and 

 cteftroy them. The Cuttings mould 

 not be planted immediately after 

 they are taken from the old Plants, 

 but mould be laid to dry in a fhady 

 Place for two Days; for as they 

 abound with a milky Juice, if the 

 Part where they are cut be not healed 

 over, they will be fubjec~t to rot, as 

 is the Cafe with moft milky Plants. 



When the Cuttings have taken 

 Root, they require no farther Care, 

 but to keep them clear from Weeds; 

 and in about eight or nine Months 

 time the Roots will have grown to 

 Maturity ; which, in good Ground, 

 will be as large as the Calf of a 

 Man's Leg, but commonly as large 

 as good Parfneps, if the Ground be 

 tolerably good. Then the Ground 

 mull be opened about each Plant, 

 to take up the Roots intire, and 

 pare off their Skins ; then they throw 

 them into a Tub of Water, and 

 warn them well ; after which they 

 rafp them on a coarfe Rafp, to re- 

 duce them to a rough Flour like Saw- 

 daft ; then they prefs out all the 

 Juice with a Prefs, and afterward it 

 as fit for Ufe. 



In Europe thefe Plants are preserv- 

 ed by many Perions who are curious 

 m colle&ing of rare Plants : but they 

 will not thrive, unlefs they are kept 

 in Stoves ; for they are all of them 

 very tender Plants. The fecond Sort 

 is only propagated by Seeds which 

 mull be procured from the Places of 



its natural Growth ; for it neve* 

 produces good Seeds in this Coun- 

 try. 



The Seeds of this Sort were fent 

 into England by the late Dr. William 

 Houftoun, who gathered them on 

 the Sands near Vera Cruz, in the 

 Spanijb Weft -In dies, where it grows 

 in great Plenty : it was alfo found 

 at Campechy by Mr. Robert Millar, 

 Surgeon. This Kind feldom rifes 

 above eighteen Inches or two Feet 

 high ; and the Stalks, Leaves, and 

 every Part of it, are clofely befet 

 with ftrong Prickles ; fo that it is 

 difficult to touch them, without re- 

 ceiving an Injury from the Spines. 

 At the Top of the Shoots there are 

 fome white Flowers, which are pro- 

 duced in an Umbel, fome of which 

 are Male, having many Stamina or 

 Threads in each ; but the Female 

 Flowers reft on the Embryoes, which 

 afterward* become the Fruit. 



The third Sort was alfo difcovered 

 by the late Dr. William Houftoun, 

 near La Vera Cruz, : this grows to 

 the Height of twelve or fourteen 

 Feet : the Trunk of this becomes 

 woody, and divides at the Top into 

 many Branches, which are befet 

 with Leaves, in Shape like thofe of 

 Wolfsbane : thefe are armed with 

 fmall Spines, which fting like thofe 

 of the Nettle. The Flowers of 

 this Kind are white, and grow in 

 an Umbel on the Top of the Branch- 

 es, and are produced throughout 

 the whole Year. This Sort may be 

 propagated by Cuttings, in the fame 

 manner as the firft. 



The fourth Sort is fomewhat like 

 the wholfome Kind ; but is not met 

 with in any of our Settlements: this 

 was found in the Jfland of Cuba, by 

 the late Dr. Houftoun. All thefe 

 Sorts have large tuberofe Roots, 

 which abide fome Years ; and may 

 therefore be preferved by the Cu- 

 rious. 



