The Cotton-tree

In the 17th century, Cotton-trees were very common in the Antilles and native tribes called them Manoulou-Akesha (De Rochefort, 1658).

In his book, De Rochefort* gives ample descriptions of the Cotton-tree, which he compares in height to a European peach-tree! The flowers of the Cotton-tree are preceeded by an oval size fruit that resembles a small nut in its shell. Once the fruit is ripe, the shell cracks open in 3 different parts where appears the whiteness of the cotton lying under the dark shell.

Rochefort goes on to add another type of cotton-tree that creeps along the ground and more similar to a vine. The latter seems to give the best quality cotton. Of both types of Cotton-trees, cloths were made and “several cheap stuffs, very useful in House-keeping.”

*Charles de Rochefort (1605-1683). After his return from visiting the Antilles, pastor and naturalist CDR recounted his observations of the Caribbean landscape – anonymously to start – in a book originally written in French in 1658; Histoire Naturelle et Morale des Îles Antilles d’Amérique. When first published in the 17^th century, his work was greatly controversed, today it has become a reference for anyone willing to learn about the 17^th and 18^th century Antilles.