A Voyage to 



but very imperfe&ly : They are yellow at the top, and 

 ftreak'd with red below. 



The Flower or Bloffom is fucceeded by a green Fruit 

 like a Rofe-bud, which, when foil ripe, grows as big as a 

 little Egg, and divides into three or four Cells, each of 

 them fiird up with between eight and twelve Seeds, almoft 

 as big as Peafe, which are wrapp'd up in a filaminous or 

 thready Subftance, known by the Name of Cotton, which 

 proceeds from all their Surface, grows white, and caufes 

 thofe Cells to open as it ripens, fo that at laft the Tufts of 

 it break loofe, and drop of themfelves. The Seeds are 

 then quite black, and full of an oily Subftance of an indif- 

 ferent good Tafte, faid to be very good againft the 

 Bloody-flux. 



This Cotton-tree differs very much from that which 

 they cultivate at Malta, and throughout the Levant, and 

 which is only a little annual Plant j that is, it muft be 

 fown and renew'd every Year, for which Reafon it is call'd 

 Xilon herbaceum: Befides, its Leaves are roundifh, and 

 notch'd, and much about the Bignefs of thofe of Mallows. 



To part the Seeds from the Cotton, they have a little 

 Inftrument confiding of twoRowlers, as thick as a Finger^ 

 which turning contrary Ways, pinch the Cotton and draw 

 it away by Degrees. The Seed, which is round and thick, 

 cannot pals between theRowlers, fo that it is ftripj/d, and 

 drops down as foon as the Cotton is pafs'd thro'. 



They fay, thofe Cotton-trees are of the leffer Sort, be- 

 caufe on the Continent there are fome taller and thicker 

 than our Oaks, which bear a Leaf like the former. They 

 bear the Silk Cotton, which is very fhort ; but it is a Sort 

 they call Houatte. 



Damper has drawn another Sort there is in Brafil, call'd 

 Momou. This is what he fays of it : cc The Flower or 

 cc Bloffom is compos'd of little FiLtments, almoft as fine as 

 cc Hairs, three or four Inches long, and of a dark Red ; 

 " but the Tops of them are of an Afh Colour : At tjie 



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