‘ 
1809.] 
New World. North America produces a 
tree not unlike our maple, from which 
Sugar is obtained by making incisions in 
it. The process of curing it is much less 
expeusive than that from ‘the cs ne; it 1s 
tapped twice a year, and yields a “white 
agreeable sugar, but less solid than that 
from the cane. 
The cotton tree is a shrub, which the 
planters are obliged to keep in a dwarfish 
state, in order to render it more produc. 
tive. It is not certain, whether it is a 
natural plant of the country: it is not 
to be met with in the woods of Guiana; 
and yet before our discovery, the Indians 
cultivated it to make hammocks and other 
articles. ‘The leaf is broad, octagonal, 
smvoth, and soft, on the inside, and a lit- 
tle woolly on the out; the flower is of a 
beautiful yellow, shaped like a bell, and 
not unlike that of our gourd or pump- 
kin; when the flower falls off, a large 
pod, something in the shape of an egg, ap= 
pears, which contains the cotton and the 
seed: when this egg is fully grown, the 
heat opens it, and it shews four or five 
small black grains about the size of our 
vetches; from this grain is made an oil: 
the cattle are very fond of them, and will 
often destroy the fences to get at them. 
The cotton tree bears in a year It gives 
two crops annually; but that of the 
month of March, which is but trifling, is 
frequently destroyed by the caterpillars, 
which always spring up after the first 
rains. The cotton of Cayenne is more 
esteemed in trade than that of other 
colonies, as much from its superior qua- 
lity, as from the care they bestow upon 
its culture. 
The origin of the discovery of coffee, 
and the transportation of it from Arabia 
into Europe and America, 1s thus re- 
lated :—lIt is said, that a flock of sheep 
having discovered a wood of cotfee- 
trees, loaded with the berries full ripe, 
began to browse upon them, and that 
very evening the shepherd was surprised 
to see his flocks returning home to the 
fold, frisking and leaping: he followed 
them; tasted the berries; found him- 
self more lightsome and cheerful; 
the kernel as in the pulp of the fruit: he 
dried and roasted some of them; smelt 
the perfume, and-related his discovery 
toa Morlack, or priest, who took it to 
prevent his falling asleep during his long 
meditations. The use of coffee soon 
passed from Asia to Africa, Europe, and 
to both the Worlds. The Dutch suct 
ceeded in raising the plants in Europe 
Account of Cayenne, in South America, Ke. 
-the cocoa-tree extends 
-and 
was surprised to find the same flavour in: 
price of this article could 
11 
in hot-houses; and having shared them 
with France, these sorts of magazines 
furnished the first seeds which were 
sent to America. The Island of Marti- 
nique got hers from the Botanical Garden 
at Paris; but~if we are to believe a tra- 
dition pretty generally kitown, those of 
Cayenne were brought from Surinam. 
{t is sid, that some soldiers of the gar- 
rison having deserted, and gone over to 
the Dutch colony, soon repented of their 
fault, and wishing to return to their cos 
lours, they broveht to the government of 
Cayenne some grains of coffee, which 
then began to be cultivated in the colony 
of Surinam; that they obtained their 
pardon in consequence of the service 
they thereby rendered to Cayenne, and 
the great advantages she would derive 
from its culture ; it is also said, that this 
happened so late as the years 1715 or 
1716, when Mons. de la, Motte Agron 
was commander in chief. 
The coffee of Cayenne is of an excels 
lent quality; it thrives in all lands which 
are inan elevated situation ; it very soon 
degenerates in a poor soil, and never ar- 
rives at perfection but in that which is 
good: as there is but little of the latter 
in the colony, there are but few colfee- 
plantations of any extent. The trees 
being planted, and attended to, with all 
the care>which this sort of culture re- 
quires, thrive as weil as those of the 
Dutch at Surinam and Demera; but the 
quality of the coffee is inferior. 
Towards the suminit of the mountains, 
its scattered 
branches ; and, under its large leaves, 
conceals its brown fruit, surrounded with 
a soft pulpy sap, inclused in a spherical 
streaked kind of cap. There is reason te 
believe the cocoa is a native of Guiana; 
at least, it is certain, that a forest of it, 
of considerable extent, is known here: 
it is situated beyond the sources of the | 
Oyapok, on the borders of a branch of - 
the Yari, which runs into the river of the 
Amazons. It is generally believed, that 
the species of cocoa cultivated in the 
colony originally came from this forest, 
because the natural inhabitants of the 
country, settled on the banks of the Oya- 
pok, made several journeys to this part, 
either forthe sake of visiting other na- 
tions, or when they sent expressly, to 
bring the seeds of cocoa, when the 
easily: support 
the expenses of these jcurneys, which 
were never much to these people. 
Indigo. thrives véty well in some 
parts of the colony, more espeaially rr 
af 3 <gtoes the. 
