I 
M A L 
M A L 
fcveral fmaller branches, garnifhed with narrow fpear- 
iliaped leaves, about two inches long and a quarter 
of an inch broad, of a lucid green on their upper fide, 
but of a ruiTet brown on their under, where they are 
clofeiy armed with ranging brifcles, which fallen 
themlelves into the fiefh or clothes of thofe who touch 
them; thefe leaves are placed oppofite. The flowers 
are produced from the fide and at the end of the 
branches in fmall umbels ; they are of a pale purple 
colour, of the fame form of the other fpecies, but 
fmaller ; and are fucceeded by fmall, oval, furrowed 
fruit, of a dark purple colour when ripe. 
The eighth fort was lent me from the ifland Berbuda 
in the Weft-Indies, where it grows naturally. This 
rifes with a ftrong woody ftem from fifteen to twenty 
feet high, dividing into many fpreading branches, 
covered with a gray bark, garnifhed with oblong oval 
leaves of a firm confidence ; they are about an inch 
long, and half an inch broad, rounded at their ends, 
of a lucid green, and placed oppofite. The flowers 
come out from the fide, and alfo at the end of the 
branches, upon pretty long foot-ftalks, which branch 
in form of a racemus, or long bunch. They are of 
the fame form with thofe of the other fpecies, but va- 
ry in their colour, fome of them being of a bright 
red, and others of an Orange colour in the fame 
bunch; thefe are fucceeded by fmall oval berries, 
which are lefs furrowed than thofe of the other 
fpecies, and, when ripe, change to a dark purple 
colour. 
The ninth fort grows naturally in the ifland of Cuba, 
where the late Dr. Houftoun found it in plenty. This 
rifes with a fhrubby {talk to the height of (even or 
eight feet, fending out branches the whole length, 
which are covered with a gray bark, garnifhed with 
narrow prickly leaves like thofe of the Holly, which 
have many flinging briftles on their under fide. The 
flowers are produced in fmall clufters from the fide 
of the branches, they are of a pale blufn colour, and 
fhaped like thofe of the other fpecies, but fmaller ; 
the fruit is more pointed than thofe of the common 
fort, and turns to a dark purple colour when ripe. 
The tenth fort grows naturally near the Havanna, 
from whence the late Dr. Houftoun fent the feeds. 
This is a very low fhrub, feldom rifing more than two 
or three feet high ; the ftalk is thick and woody, as 
are alfo the branches, which come out on every fide 
from the root upward ; they are covered with a 
rough gray bark, garniflied with lucid leaves half an 
inch long, and almoft as much broad ; they appear 
as if cut at their ends, where they are hollowed in, 
and the two corners rife like horns ending in a ftiarp 
thorn, as do alfo the indentures on the Tides. The 
flowers come out from the fide of the branches, 
upon foot-ftalks an inch long, each luftaining one 
fmall pale blufh flower, of the fame form with thofe 
of the other fpecies ; the fruit is fmall, conical, 
and furrowed, changing to a purple red colour 
when ripe. , , 
There are two other fpecies of this genus, which have 
been lately introduced from America, but as neither 
of them have yet flowered here, fo I have not enu- 
merated them ; and if thofe warm parts of America 
were learched by perfons of Ikill, there might be ma- 
ny more fpecies difcovered ; for from a large number 
of imperfed fpecimens which were fent me from the 
Spanifh Weft-Indies, I have feleded many which have 
the appearance of the other fpecies of this genus, but 
as they are without flowers or fruit, they "cannot be 
afcertained. 
The fruit of feveral of the fpecies here mentioned, 
are prornifcuoully gathered and eaten by the inhabi- 
tants of the countries where they naturally grow ; but 
the firft fort is cultivated in fome of the illands for 
its fruit, though that is but indifferent : the pulp 
which furrounds the ftones is very thin, but has a 
pieafant acid flavour, which renders it agreeable to 
the inhabitants of thofe warm countries, where, to 
fupply the want of thofe Cherries which are cuiti- 
4 
vated in Europe, they are obliged to eat the fruit of 
- thefe fhrubs. 
Thefe plants are preferved in the gardens of thofe 
perfons who are lb curious in botanical ftudies, as to 
ered hot-houfes for maintaining foreign plants : and 
where there are inch conveniencies, thefe plants de r 
ferve a place ; became they retain their leaves ail the 
year, and commonly continue flowering from Decem- 
ber to the end of March, When they make a fine ap- 
pearance at a feafon, when there is a fcarcity- of other 
flowers, and many times they produce ripe fruit- here. 
Thofe forts whole leaves are armed with Hinging 
briftles, like the Cowitch, are the leaf; worthy of a 
place in (loves, becaufe they are fo troublefo md to 
handle, nor do their flowers make fo good an appear- 
ance as many of the other forts. The tenth fort is the 
moil valuable for its flowers, which are produced in 
larger bunches than thofe of any of the other, 
and there being flowers of different colours in the 
fame bunches, they make a fine variety ; and this 
fort grows more like a tree than the others, the 
leaves are alfo of a ftronger confiftence and of a 
lucid green. 
As thefe plants are natives of the warmeft parts of 
America, they will not live through the winter in 
England, unlefs they are preferved in a warm Hove ; 
but when the plants have obtained fcrength, they 
may be expofed in the open air in a warm lituation, 
from the middle or latter end of June, till the begin- 
ning of Odober, provided the weather continues fo 
long mild ; and the plants fo treated, will flower 
much better than thofe which are conftantly kept in 
a Hove. 
They are all propagated by feeds, which muft be 
fown upon a good hot-bed in the fpring ; and when 
the plants are fit to tranfplant, they muft be each put 
into a feparate fmall pot filled with rich earth, and 
plunged into a hot-bed of tanners bark, and muft 
be treated in the fame manner as hath been direded 
for other tender plants of the fame country ; and for 
the two firft winters, it will be proper to keep them 
in the bark-bed in the ftove ; but afterward they may 
be placed upon (lands in the dry ftove in winter, 
where they may be kept in a temperate warmth, in 
which they will thrive much better than in a greater 
heat; thefe muft be watered two or three times a 
week, when they are placed in the dry ftove, but it 
muft not be given to them in large quantities. 
M A L T-D U S T is accounted a great enricher of bar- 
ren ground ; it contains in it a natural heat and fweet- 
nefs, which gives the earth wheteon it is laid a proper 
fermentation, as thofe who live in malting countries 
have found by experience. 
Some are of opinion, that there is not a greater fweet- 
ener than Malt-dull, where the grounds are natural 
clay, and have contraded a fournefs and aufterity, 
whether by reafon of its having lain long untilled and 
unexpofed to the air, or by reafon of water havjno- 
ftood long thereon. 
M A L V A. Tourn. Lift. R. H. 94. tab. -23. Lin. Gen. 
x lant. 751. [fo Called 01 or f/>aXd,iyiTU, to 
foften, becaufe it is good to laden the belly.] Mal- 
lows ; in French, Mauve. 
The Characters are, 
'The flower has a double empcdement ; the outer is com- 
pofed of three fpear-Jhaped leaves, and is permanent ; the 
inner is of one leaf . , cut into five broad fegments at the 
brim. The flower is , according to Tcurnefort , Ray, &c- 
of one petal ; but according toLinnaus , it has five-, they are 
joined at the bafe , and fpread open , and fall of joined. It has 
a great number of flamina which coalefce at bottom in a cylin- 
der, but fpread open above,' and are infer ted in the petal, ter- 
minated by kidney -fhaped fummits. In the center is fitu- 
ated an orbicular grnnen fupporting a floor t cylindrical 
flyle, with many briftly ftigmas the length of the ftyle. 
The empalemcnt after TV ard turns to feveral capfules, which 
are joined in an ■ orbicular deprejfecl head faf kneel to the 
column , opening on their infide , each containing one kid- 
nsy-Jhaped feed. 
This 
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