Hortus americanus: containing an account of the trees, shrubs, and other vegetable productions, of South-America and the West-India Islands, and particularly of the island of Jamaica; interspersed with many curious and useful observations, respecting their uses in medicine, diet, and mechanics / By the late Henry Barham ; to which are added, a Linnaean index, &c. &c. &c.
- Henry Barham
- Date:
- 1794
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Hortus americanus: containing an account of the trees, shrubs, and other vegetable productions, of South-America and the West-India Islands, and particularly of the island of Jamaica; interspersed with many curious and useful observations, respecting their uses in medicine, diet, and mechanics / By the late Henry Barham ; to which are added, a Linnaean index, &c. &c. &c. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![/ &S: HORTUS AMERI-CANUS, sv '; Cacao. This beautiful plant and pro^^^ab]e tree ^rew once., in luch plenty in Jamaica, that they valued themleivcs itpon it, and thought they were or fhould be the richefl people in the world; but they fooii law theriileives de- ceived, for a blaft at once came upon the trees and dcflroved them all, and few or none could ever be got to grow there firice ; what do groiv are generally in plantain-walk.'?, or among fbady trees, and in bot- toms or vailies flieltered from the north winds. This tree grows in^ bignels and much rc(embling the heart cherry, tree, the boughs and branches beautifully ex- tending thcmfelves on eveiy fide, their leaves being much of the fame fliape ; the flower is very beautifuls and almofl of a fallron colour; the fruit proceeds from ihc body (as the calabafii) and fliall be full almofl all the way from the .bottom up to the branches, whnich arc alfo full of fruit, which is firfl green, and, as it iiicreafctli iks bignels, changes its fliape and colour^ until thev are thoronglilv ripe. I have fecn two forts; one vei y large, »as big and almoff in fhape of a cucum- ber, but pointed at the end, and of a mofb delicate ^ ^'cllow or lemon colour, wiih a little red blufh of one bde when, ripe ; another fort not lo big, of a fine blue- iih red, almoO; purple, whth reddifli or pink colour veins, erpecially on. that hde next the fun ; they have on the outfide ridges and furrows^ with fmooth bunches or knobs, as, cucumbers have. They are ripe and fit to gather in January and in May, having two crops or bearings in a year. The external hufk or rind, which pretty thick, being broke or cut, there appear the . kernels adhering to one another by foil filaments, and incioled tn a white pulpy fubftance, foft and fweet, which 'foine fuck when they take them out of their fltelLs ■](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b29319870_0042.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
