55

OF FOREST-TREES.

who lop off the boughs, and make it their pruning ; and it is a tolerable chap. n»way, so it be discreetly done in the over-thick parts of the tree ; butthese leaves, gathered from a separated branch, will die, and wither muchsooner than those which are taken from the tree immediately, unlefs youset the stem in water. Leaves gathered from boughs cut oft, will shrinkin three hours ; whereas those you take from the living tree will last asmany days; and, being thus a while kept, are better than over-freshones. It is a rule never to gather in. a rainy season, nor cut.any branchwhilst the wet is upon it; and therefore against such suspected timesyou are to provide before-hand, and to reserve them in some fresh butdry place. The same caution you must observe for the dew, thoughit do not rain ; for wet food kills the worms. But if this cannot bealtogether prevented, put the leaves between a pair of sheets, well driedby the fire, and shake them up and down till the moisture be drunk upin the linen; and then spreading them to the air a little, on another drycloth, you may feed with, them- boldly. The top-leaves and oldest, should

“ set. up for visits, and have their day of audience and idle pastime. Honest Gleik, Ruff“ and Honours, diverted the ladies at Christmas , and they knew not so much as the names“ of Ombre , Comet, and Bafset. Their retirements were devout and religious books, and“ their recreations in the distillatory, the knowledge of plants and'their virtues, fer tile“ comfort of their poor neighbours, and use of the family, which wholesome plain diet and“ kitchen physic preserved in perfect health. In those days, the scurvy, spleen, &c. were“ scarce heard of, till foreign drinks and mixtures were wantonly introduced. Nor were‘‘ the young gentlewomen so universally afflicted with hysterical fits, nor, though extremely“ modest, at all melancholy, or lefs gay, and in good humour ; they could touch the lute and“ virginals, sing “ Like to the damask rose ” and their breath was as sweet as their voices.—“ They danced the Canarys y S/ianish Pavan, and Sillengers Round upon sippets, with as much“ grace and lovelinefs as any .Isaac, Monsieur, .or Italian of tjiem.al! can teach with his fop-“ call, and apish postures.”

'’This seems a prophetic exprefsion, as Saffron is now cultivated very largely at Saffron-TValden, in Efsex. The English Saffron is greatly .superior to that which grows in France or Spain . Its cultivation employs a number of-women and children; and it were to be.wished that every encouragement was given to the,, culture of such plants as employ-tliehands of the . feeble poor. Ip this excellent, chapter upon the Mulberry-tree, ,S.fr. Evelynendeavours to prove that silk may be produced in this country to a great national advan-tage. lheloodot the silk-worm certainly grows with great luxuriancy in every partiot this island, and, from many accurate experiments made upon every branch of this•businefs, we may venture to conclude that the manufacture of raw silk may be succefsiully, and profitably, conducted in all the southern counties of Great Britain .

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