OF FOREST-TREES. 85

Spirits, so subtile they are and volatile ; and yet it is gentle, and veryCu.XVII.harmless in Operation within the Body, and exceedingly sharpens theAppetite, being drunk ante pajium: I will present you a Receipt, asit was sent me by a fair Lady, and have often, and still use it.

9. To every Gallon of Birch-vvater put a Quart of Honey, wellstirred together • then boil it almost an Hour with a few Cloves, anda little Lemon-peel, keeping it well scummed : When it is sufficientlyboiled, and become cold, add to it three or four Spoonfuls of good Aleto make it work (which it will do like new Ale ) and when the T?si be-gins to settle, bottle it up as you do other winy Liquors. It will in acompetent Time become a most brisk and spirituous Drink, which (be-sides the former Virtues) is a very powerful Opener , and doing Won-ders for cure of the Ththysick: This Wine may (if you please) bemade as successfully with Sugar, instead of Honey Tbj. to each Gallonof Water', or you may dulcifie it with Raisins, and compose a Raijin-wine of it. I know not whether the Quantity of the sweet Ingredientsmight not be somewhat reduced, and the Operation improved : But Igive it as received. The Author of the Vinetum Brit. boils it butto a quarter or half an Hour, then setting it a cooling, adds a very lit-tle Test to ferment and purge it; and so barrels it with a small Propor-tion of Cinamon and Mace bruised, about half an Ounce of both to tenGallons, close stopped, and to be bottled a Month after. Care mustbe taken to set the Bottles in a very cool Place, to preserve them fromflying; and the Wine is rather for present drinking, than of long Du-ration, unless the Refrigeratory be extraordinarily cold. The verySmell of the first springing Leaves of this Tree, wonderfully recreatesand exhilerates the Spirits.

10. But besides these, Beech, Alder, AJh, Sycomor, Elder, 6Cc.would be attempted for Liquors: Thus Crabs , and even our veryBrambles may possibly yield us Medical and useful Wines. The Bop-lar was heretofore esteemed more Thy seal than the Betula. The Sappf the Oak , Juice or Decoction of the inner Bark, cures the Fashions,or Farcy, a virulent and dangerous Infirmity in Horses, and which(like Cancers) were reputed incurable by any other Topic, than semeactual, or potential Cautery : But, what is more noble, a dear Friend ofmine assured me, that a Country Neighbour of his (at least fourscoreYears of Age) who had lain sick of a bloody Strangury (which bycruel Torments reduced him to the very Article of Death) was, underGod, recovered to perfect, and almost miraculous Health and Strength(so as to be able to fall stoutly to his Labour) by one sole Draught ofBeer, wherein was the Decobiion of the internal Bark of the Oak-tree ;and I have seen a Composition of an admirable Sudorific and Diureticfor all Affections of the Liver, out of the like of the Elm, whichmight yet be drunk daily, as our Coffee is, and with no less Delight:

But Quacking is not my Trade ; I speak only here as a plain Husband-man, and a simple Forester, out of the Limits whereof I hope I havenot unpardonably transgressed: Tan was a Physician, and he (youknow) was C President of the Woods. But I proceed to the Alder.

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