A seventh, eighth and ninth letter to Sir Joseph Banks ... on the subject of cochineal inscects, discovered at Madras / [James Anderson].

  • James Anderson
Date:
1787
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A seventh, eighth and ninth letter to Sir Joseph Banks ... on the subject of cochineal inscects, discovered at Madras / [James Anderson]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    € ( 4 ) The Menlfpermum Cordtfolium has a voluble {talk more {lender than the Vitis Vinfera and it’s Fruit is like a Clufter of Scarlet grapes. The Leaf of this plant on the back or under-fide of which the infedts feed, when cultivated on rich ground, prefents as large a furface as the palm of a mans hand. The Flower of the female Menlfpermum Cordifolium, which is the kind in queftion, being a very grateful aromatic, and the plant when fupported growing to as great a height as the Vine, renders it very fuitable for Arbours, fo neceifary to intercept the icorching rays of the Sun in this hot climate, to which ufe I have no doubt thofe who have gardens will now apply it, elpecially as it thrives in a dry foil and may be procured from every hedge with little trouble. I have directed Seeds of the Jumbo Robinia Mitis to be fown as well for this purpofe as to bring forward the infedt mentioned in my Letter of April 26th. This infedt of the Robinia Mitis has likewife been found on the tender extremities of the pendant roots of the Alley Marinin Ficus Maximus, or Banyan Tree, and brought me by Mr. Weston from the banks of the Pennar. Seeing I had carried the culture of the Guava infedt about the 20th of March as far as it appears the culture of the Carolina infedt had been carried, that is to lay, to feed them on the Cactus Opuntia. I havefent not only to Mr. Young at Ongole, as noticed in my former Letter, leaves of this plant, but likewife to Lieut. MaCKENziE at Nelicre, Mr. Turing at Mafulipatam, Mr. Lennox at Madipollum, Mr. Roxburgh at Samalcota, Dodtor Russell atVizagapatam, Mr. Fennen and Mr. Binny at Ganjam, and Colonel Kyd at Calcutta—Dodtor Russell writes me the horrid itorm they lately experienced, deltroyed every appearance of vegetation with them excepting in the Opuntia plants, which being newly put into the ground have efcapeu it’s rage, and are thriving i I dare fay much is to be imputed to his (kill and care, for I find much water deitroys this plant. The Phenomena attending this ftorm, being uncommon in this part of the world, I mull fo far1 encroach on your patience as to enumerate fuch as have been reported to me; feeing an inundation of the Sea iweep'a oft’, by the loweft accounts I have heard from 2 to 3 theufand of the inhabitants between Coringa and jaggernaitporam. The mold prevailing opinion is, that a fudden fhift of wind from S. E. toN. E. accumulated the waters on the N. fide of point Gardawar, of which there is lome probability, as it appears the greateft height to which the Sea ro e was near that point, by which the current was interrupted and ipread over the adjacent low country in proportion to it’s vicinity to that point. Befcre any accounts of the inundation of the Sea arrived here, however, it was reported the {hock of an Earthquake had been felt amongft the hills to the Weftward, and on the arrival of Captain Huddard from Europe, he related an unufual commotion he had oblerved in the Bay when off Pondicherry, about the time the inundation happened. Refuming the fubjedt of my Letter, I mull: acquaint you I have much expedition from the affiftance ol Colonel Kyd at Calcutta to find the Gatlus Cocbinilifcr, who has, I underftand, made a Botanical Garden, and is attempting the introduction of the Ferula zifafeetida plant into Bengal.
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