29 1 Sir Hans Sloane toMr.lKgy. 



fometimes appears frofted over with a Salt, which for 

 the moftpart falls off again in handling it, knd is pro- 

 bably nothing elfe but the Particles of Salt remaining 

 after the Sun has exhal'd the Sea Water that ftuck to 

 it. When throughly dry, 'tis fit for ufe, and may 

 be kept feven Years, if hung up in a Net or the like. 

 They eat it at all times when no] other Food is to be 

 had, but chiefly in the Morning, and efteem it good 

 againft Worms and the Scurvy* and to caufe a fweet 

 Breath. And now, Sir, if it were neceflary, I 

 I could mufter up feveral Arguments to prefs you to 

 what myfelf, and Friend, and College has urg'd a- 

 bout the Icons i but you know well the neceflity and 

 ufefulnefs of fuch a Work : I would therefore at pre- 

 fent only hint one thing, that 'tis pity that fo benefi- 

 cial a Work is not promoted by publick Authority 5 

 and what if a Motion were made, and effe£hially 

 back'd, next Sefiion of Parliament, that it be carry 'd 

 on at a publick Charge ? If it be obje£ted, that our 

 Treafure is exhaufted by a War, I would anfwer, 

 that (not to mention the hopes we have of a general 

 Peace) the French King, notwithftanding the tedious 

 and expenfive War he is engag'd in, thinks it yet fit 

 to encourage all Arts and Sciences. Fas eft £5? ab hofie 

 doceri. 



Sir Hans Sloane to Mr. Ray. 



SIR) London^ Sept. 1 1 . 1696. 



I Have receiv'd , after much fearch ,• three forts of 

 Beans from the North IVefl IJlands of Scotland*, 

 which are thrown up by the Sea from the North JVeft 

 great Ocean, and gather'd in plenty on thofe North 

 Weft Shores , and are fuch as grow in Jamaica 9 viz. 

 the Bean calPd there Cocoons , that cali'd Horfe Eye 



Bcan^ 



