MANCHINEEL. 55 
Mcincanilla pyrifacie. Plumier. Gen. p. 49. tab. 3. MSS. 
vol. 6 . t. 109. Catesby’s Carol., vol. 2 . p. 95. t. 95. 
Arbor americana Mancinello dicta , fructu pomi venenato, 
nucleis septenis et pluribus, in ossiculo muricato, totidem 
loculis dispertito , inclusis. Peuken. Almag., p. 44. Phytog. 
tab. 142. fig. 4. 
Hippomane arboreum lactescens, ramulis ternatis; petiolis 
glanduld notatis; Jloribus spicatis, mixtis. Brown, Jam. 
p. 351. 
The Manchineel Tree attains a great size on the sea 
coast in various parts of the West India Islands and the 
neighbouring continent. It has also been found growing 
very common at Key West, in low places, where it at- 
tains the height of 30 to 40 feet. It has much the 
aspect of a pear tree at a distance, while the fruit re- 
sembles in appearance and scent a small apple, and is 
produced in such abundance that the ground, when they 
fall, appears as it were paved with them; they possess, 
however, very little pulp, being internally occupied by a 
deeply grooved nut as large as a chestnut. No animal, 
except goats and maccaws, chooses to feed on them, 
and they become dry, brown and spongy, and as useless 
as they are deleterious. The wood, on the contrary, is 
in great esteem for tables, cabinets, and other articles of 
furniture, being close grained, heavy, durable, finely 
variegated with brown, white, and shades of yellow, and 
susceptible of a high polish. Tables made of it almost 
resemble marble, and are equally smooth and shining. 
Great caution, however, is necessary in felling the tree; 
and before they begin, it is the usual practice of the 
workmen, first to kindle a fire round the stem, by which 
means the milky sap becomes so much inspissated as 
not to follow the blows of the axe. They also take the 
further precaution to cover the face with a net of gauze, 
to prevent the access both of the juice and the particles 
of sap wood, which might be deleterious. 
