CENTURY VII. 2H5 



target, but the fruit no bigger than beans. The 

 cause is, for that the continual shade increaseth the 

 leaves, and abateth the fruit, which nevertheless is 

 of a pleasant taste. And that no doubt is caused by 

 the suppleness and gentleness of the juice of that 

 plant, being that which maketh the boughs also so 

 flexible. 



611. It is reported by one of the ancients, that 

 there is a certain Indian tree, having few but very 

 great leaves, three cubits long and two broad, and 

 that the fruit, being of good taste, groweth out of 

 the bark. It may be, there be plants that pour out 

 the sap so fast, as they have no leisure either to divide 

 into many leaves, or to put forth stalks to the fruit. 

 With us, trees, generally, have small leaves in com 

 parison. The fig hath the greatest ; and next it the 

 vine, mulberry, and sycamore, and the least are those 

 of the willow, birch, and thorn. But there be found 

 herbs with far greater leaves than any tree ; as the 

 bur, gourd, cucumber, and colewort. The cause is, 

 like to that of the Indian fig, the hasty and plentiful 

 putting forth of the sap. 



612. There be three things in use for sweet 

 ness ; sugar, honey, manna. For sugar, to the 

 ancients it was scarce known, and little used. It is 

 found in canes : Query, whether to the first knuckle, 

 or further up ? And whether the very bark of the 

 cane itself do yield sugar, or no ? For honey, the 

 bee maketh it, or gathereth it ; but I have heard 

 from one that was industrious in husbandry, that 

 the labour of the bee is about the wax ; and that he 



