Ch. VIIL SOUTH AMERICA. 73 



expand themfelves to make room for it, and fecure it 

 both as a bafe and ornament. On the top^ of the ap- 

 ple itlelf, IS a crown or tuft of leaves, like thofe of the 

 plant, and of a very lively green. This crown grows 

 in proportion with the fruit, till both have attained 

 their utmoft magnitude, and hitherto they differ very 

 little in colour. But as foon as the crown ceafes to 

 grow, the fruit begins to ripen, and its green changCvS 

 to a bright ftraw colour-, during this gradual altera- 

 tion of colour, the fruit exhales fuch a fragrancy as 

 difcovers it, though concealed from fight. While it 

 continues to grow, it (hoots forth on all fides little 

 thorns, which, as it approaches towards maturity, dry 

 and foften, fo that the fruit is gathered without the 

 leaft inconvenience. The fingularities which con- 

 center in this product of nature, cannot fail of ftrik- 

 ing a contemplative mind with admiration. The 

 crown, which was to it a kind of apex, while growing 

 in the woods, becomes itfelf, when fown, a new plant; 

 and the ftem, after the fruit is cut, dies away, as if fatif- 

 fied with having anfwered the intention of nature in 

 . fuch a produd but the roots fhoot forth frefh ftalks, 

 for the farther increafe of fo valuable a fpecies. 



The pine-apple, though feparated from the plant, 

 retains its fragrancy for a confiderable time, wh^n it 

 begins to decay. The odour of it not only fills the 

 apartment where the fruit is kept, but even extends 

 to the contiguous rooms. The general length of this 

 delicious fruit is from five to feven inches, and the 

 diameter near its bafis three or four, diminifhing re- 

 gularly, as it approaches to its apex. For eating, it 

 is peeled and cut into round Dices, and is fo full of 

 jui^e, that it entirely difiolves in the mouth. Its 

 flavour is fweet, blended with a delightful acidity. 

 The rind, infufed in water, after a proper fermenta- 

 tion, produces a very cooling liquor, and ftill retains 

 all the properties of the fruit. 



The 



