GPU 
but as they grow old become drier, of a tough con- 
texture, and have ligneous fibres. The flowers come 
out on the upper edges of the branches, generally, 
though hornet imes they are produced on their hides ; 
thefe fit upon the embryo of their fruit, and are 
compofed of feveral roundifti concave petals, which 
fpread open ; they are of a pale yellow colour, and 
within arife a great number of ftamina, fattened to 
the embryo of the fruit, which are terminated by ob- 
long fummits ; and in the center is fituated the ftyle, 
crowned by a many-pojnted ftigma ; after the flowers 
are paft, the embryo fwells to an oblong fruit, whofe 
(kin, or cover, is fet with frnall fpines in duffers, 
and the infidels fiefhy, of a purple, or red colour, in 
which are lodged many black feeds. This plant flow- 
ers here in July and Auguft, but unlefs the leafon is 
very warm, the fruit will not ripen in England. 
1 received fome branches of this fort from Mr. Peter 
ColSinfon, F. R. S. who allured me they were fent 
him from Newfoundland, where the plants grow 
naturally, which is much farther to the north than it 
was before known to grow 5 and how it endures the 
cold of that country is inconceivable, for though the 
plants will live abroad in England, in a warm fitua- 
tion and a dry foil, yet, in fevere winters, they are 
generally deftroyed, if they are not protected from 
the froth 
The fecond fort hath oblong, oval, comprefled 
branches, which grow more erebt than thofe of the 
iirft, armed with long briftly fpines, which come out 
in clutters from a point on each of the comprefled 
hides, Spreading open like the rays of a ftar. The 
flowers grow upon the embryo of the fruit, which 
come out from the upper edges of the leaves like the 
firft, but are larger, and of a brighter yellow colour. 
The fruit is alfo larger, and of a deeper purple co- 
lour, the outer Ikin is alfo armed with longer fpines ; 
this is the molt common fort in Jamaica, and upon 
the fruit of this the wild fort of cochineal feeds, which 
is called Sylvefter. I had fome of the plants fent me 
with the live infebls upon them from Jamaica, by the 
late Dr. Houftoun, who was writing a hiftory of thefe 
infebts, at the time when he was taken ill and died ; 
thefe infebts kept alive upon the plants here for three 
or four months, but afterward perfthed. If the fruit 
of this plant is eaten, it will dye the urine of a bloody 
colour. 
The third fort hath ftronger branches than the fecond, 
which are armed with larger thorns, of an awl- 
fliape ; they are whitfth, and come out in clutters like 
thofe of the other fort. The flowers are large, of a 
bright yellow colour, and the fruit is Ihaped like that 
of the lecond fort. 
The fourth fort grows taller than either of the for- 
mer ; the branches are larger, thicker, and of a deep- 
er green, and are armed with ftrong black fpines, 
which come out in clufters like thofe of the other 
forts, but the clufters are farther afunder. The flow- 
ers are produced from the upper edges of the branches; 
they are fmaller than thofe of the other forts, and are 
of a purplifh colour, as are alfo the ftamina ; the 
fruit is of the fame form as thofe of the firft, but do 
do not ripen here. 
The fifth fort is the largeft of all the forts yet known. 
The joints of thefe are more than a foot long, and 
eight inches broad ; they are very thick, of a deep 
green colour, and armed with a few fhort briftly 
fpines ; the older branches of this often become al- 
moft taper, and are very ftrong. The flowers of this 
fort I have never yet feen •, for although I have had 
many of the plants more than ten feet high, none of 
them has produced any flowers. 
The fixth fort has been always fuppofed to be the 
plant, upon which the cochineal infebts feed ; this 
hath oblong, ftnooth, green branches, which grow 
erect, and rife to the height of eight or ten feet, hav- 
ing fcarce any fpines on them and thofe few which 
are, can fcarce be difeerned at a diftance, and are fo 
foft as not to be troublefome when handled. The 
flowers of this fort are ftnail, and of a purple colour, 
GPU 
Handing upon the embryo of the fruit, in the fame 
manner as thofe of the other fort, but do not expand 
open like them. The flowers of this appear late in 
the autumn, and the fruit drop off in winter, without 
coming to any perfebtion here ; this fort is cultivated 
in the fields of New Spain, for the increafe of the in- 
feds, but it grows naturally in Jamaica, where it is 
probable the true cochineal might be difeovered, if- 
perfons of fkili were to fearch after the infebts. 
The feventh fort is.faid to grow naturally at Curaf- 
fao ; this hath cylindrical fwelling joints, which are 
clofely armed with {lender white fpines. The branches 
fpread out on every fide, and where they have no 
fupport, fall to the ground, very often feparating at 
the joints from the plants, and as they lie upon the 
ground, put out roots, fo form new plants ; this 
fort very rarely produces flowers in England. In the 
W eft-indies it is called Pinpillow, from the appear- 
ance which the branches have to a pin-cufhion (tuck 
full of pins. 
The eighth fort was fent me from Jamaica by the 
late Dr. Houftoun, who found it growing naturally 
there in great plenty, but could never obferve either 
fruit or flower upon any of the plants, nor have any 
of them produced either in England. The branches 
of this fort have much longer joints than any of the 
other ; they are narrower, and more comprefled. 
The fpines of this are very long, (lender, and of a 
yellowifh brown colour, coming out in clufters all 
over the furface of the branches, crofllng each other, 
fo as to render it dangerous to handle; for upon being 
touched, the fpines adhere to the hand and quit the 
branches, and penetrate into the fiefn, fo become very 
troublefome. 
.The ninth fort grows naturally in the Brafils ; this 
hath very thin branches, which are indented regularly 
on their edges, like Spleenwort ; they are of a light 
green, and (liaped like a broad fword ; thefe are 
fmooth, having no fpines. The flowers come out 
from the fide, and at the end of the branches, fit- 
ting on the embryos in the fame way as the other 
forts ; they are of a pale yellow colour. The fruit 
is (haped like thofe of the firft fort, but rarely ripen 
in England. 
All thefe forts (except the firft) are too tender to 
thrive in the open air in England ; nor can many of 
them be preferved through the winter here, unlefs 
they have artificial heat ; for when they are placed in 
a green-houfe, they turn to a pale yellow colour, their 
branches (brink, and frequently rot on the firft ap- 
proach of warm weather in the fpring. 
Thefe plants may be all propagated by cutting off 
their branches at the joints, during any of the fum- 
mer months, which (hould be laid in a warm dry 
place for a fortnight, that the wounded part may be 
healed over, otherwife they will rot with the moifture 
which they imbibe at that part, as is the cafe with 
moft other fucculent plants. The foil in which thefe 
plants muft be planted, fhould be compofed after the 
following manner, viz. one third of light frefh earth 
from a pafture, a third part fea fand, and the other 
part (hould be one half rotten tan, and the other half 
lime rubbifh; thefe (hould be well mixed, and laid 
in a heap three or four months before it is ufed, ob- 
ferving to turn it over at lead once a month, that the 
feveral parts may be well united ; then you (hould 
pafs it through a rough fereen, in order to feparate 
the largeft (tones and clods, but by no means fift it 
too fine, which is a very common fault ; then you 
(hould referve fome of the fmaller (tones and rubbflh 
to lay at the bottom of the pots, in order to keep an 
open paffage for the moifture to drain off • which is 
what muft be obferved for all fucculent plants, for if 
the moifture be detained in the pots, it will rot- their 
roots and deftroy the plants. 
When you plant any of the branches of thefe plants 
(except the firft fort) you fnould plunge the pots into 
a moderate hot-bed, which will greatly facilitate their 
taking root ; you (hould alfo refrefti them now and 
then with a little water, but be very careful not to let 
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