M U 



M U 



perfectly ripe in England: but this 

 is not fo good a Fruit, as to tempt 

 any Perfon to be at the Expence of 

 tailing them in England : the fecond 

 Sbrt is preferr'd to the firft, for the 

 Flavour of its Fruit, in all thofe hct 

 Countries where thefe Plants abound: 

 the Bunches of thefe are not near fo 

 large as thofe of the firft Sort ; nor 

 are the fingle Fruit near fo long : 

 thefe change to a deeper yellow Co- 

 lour, as they ripen ; but their Tafte 

 is fomewhat like that of mealy Figs. 

 Some Perfons who have refidedin the 

 Weft ■ Indies, having eaten fome of 

 thefe Fruit, which were produced 

 in England, have thought them lit- 

 tle inferior to thofe which grew in 

 America* \ and I imagine, that the 

 Inhabitants of thofe Countries would 

 not efteem thefe Fruits fo much, had 

 they Variety of other Sorts : but, 

 for want of better, they eat many 

 Kinds of Fruit, which would not be 

 valued in Europe, could they be ob- 

 tained in Perfection. 



Thefe Plants are eanly propaga- 

 ted, by cutting off an old Plant near 

 the Ground, which will occafion 

 their mooting out feveral young ones 

 from the Root ; which is the Man- 

 ner they are propagated in the hot 

 Countries: fo that after a Spot of 

 Ground is once planted with them, 

 they will continue feveral Years ; 

 for the old Plant producing one large 

 Bunch of Fruit from the Centre, 

 when that is ripe, and cut off, the 

 whole Plant decays, and feveral 

 young ones fpring up from the 

 Roots, which, being produced one 

 after another fucceiTiveJy, afford the 

 Inhabitants Plants of various Size 

 and Age, which produce their Fruit 

 fucceffively in like manner. 



It is the firft of thefe Species 

 which is chiefly cultivated in the 

 Weft- Indies ; that, producing a much 

 larger Bunch of Fruit, is by the In- 



habitants greatly preferr'd to the 

 other, which is accounted a very 

 pleafant Fruit when ripe, and is by 

 many Perfons greatly coveted by 

 way of Deffert, being fofter and 

 more lufcious to the Tafte; but is 

 not fo much efteemed for Food. 



Thefe Plants rife to be fifteen or 

 twenty Feet high in the Weft-Indies \ 

 to which Height they generally ar- 

 rive in about ten Months from their 

 firft planting ; foon after which they 

 produce their Fruit, and then de : 

 cay : they are of the quickeft Growth 

 of any Vegetable yet known. Sir 

 Hans Sloane fays, one may almoft fee 

 them grow ; he cut a young Tree 

 even at the Top with a Knife, which 

 immediately grew up difcernibly ; 

 and in an Hour's time the middle 

 Leaves, which were wrapped up with- 

 in the others, were advanced above 

 them half an Inch. 



MUSCARI, Mufc, or Grape 

 Hyacinth, vulgo. 



The Chambers are ; 



It hath a bulbous Root : the Leives 

 are long and narrow : the Flovjtr is 

 hermaphrodiiical, conftfting of one 

 Leaf, and ' ft: aped like a Pitcher, and 

 cut at Top into ftx Segments, which 

 are reftexed : the Ovary becomes a 

 triangular Fruit, divided into three 

 Cells, which are full of round Seeds. 

 The Species are ; 



1. Muscari arnenfe j unci folium 

 minus cceruleum. Toum. Common 

 letter blue Grape-flower, or Muf- 

 cary. 



2. Muscari awenfe juncifolium 

 ex oilbidum minus . lourn. LeiTerwhi- 

 tim Grape-flower, or Mufcary. 



3. Muscari obfoletiore Jlore ex 

 purpura rjirente. Cluf. Muik Hya- 

 cinth, or Grape- flower, of a worn- 

 out purple-greenilh Colour. 



4. Muscari ca:ruleum 711 ay n. 

 Toum. Grrater blue Mufcary, or 

 Grape-flcvver. 



5. Muscari 



