OF FOREST-TREES.

return to my subject of trees and plants. The reputation they have had chap.for contributing to the health of whole countries and cities, frequentlyoccurs in history. For instance, the island of Cyprus , aboundingwith the trees of that name, and other resinous plants, cures ulceratedlungs, &c. Sardinia , replanted with true Anticyran Hellebore, was famousfor curing melancholy and madnefs -, whilst Thusus (especially in sum-mer,) brought almost all the inhabitants to lunacy and distraction for wantof it. And what effects and benefits such plantations have produced;is conspicuous in one of the most celebrated cities of the east, the famousIspahan, cleared of the pestilence since the surrounding it with thebeautiful Platan, as I have already noted. To these add the Bay-tree forabating all such infections; of which see many famous instances inChap. v. Book ii. to which I refer. Not that there are no nociferous

trees, as well as saniferous, which by removing the one, and planting theother in their places, make sensible changes for the better. I shall giveinstances, when we speak of the Yew , and even that otherwise incom-parably useful shrub, the Elder.

Upon what, therefore, has been produced of expedients for themelioration of the air by the plantations of proper trees, I cannot butwish, that since these precious materials may now be had at suchtolerable rates, as certainly they might from Cape-Florida, the Bermuda ,or other parts of the West Indies ; I say, I cannot but suggest, that ourmore wealthy citizens of London , every day building and embellishingtheir dwellings, might be encouraged to make use of Cyprefs-woodin their shops, at least for shelves, counters, Chests, tables, wainscot,veneering!?, and mouldings; since, besides the everlastingnefs of thewood, enemy to worms and those other corruptions we have named,it would likewise greatly cure and reform the malignancy and corrosive-nefs of the air.

Volume II.

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