2jo November 1743* 



THE Perjimon (T^iofpyros Virginiana) was 

 pretty common here : I have already mentioned 

 it before, but I intend now to add fome more 

 particulars. Some of its fruits began to ripen 

 and to become fit for eating about this time, for 

 they always ripen very late in autumn, and then 

 the people eat them like other fruit : they are ve- 

 ry fweet and glutinous, yet have a little aftrin* 

 gency ; I frequently ufed to eat a great quantity 

 of them, without feeling the leaft inconvenience. 

 From the perfimon feveral Engliflmen and Swedes 

 brew a very palatable liquor, in the following 

 manner. As foon as the fruit is ripe, afufficient 

 quantity is gathered, which is very eafy, as each 

 tree is well flocked with them. Thefe perfimon 

 apples are put into a dough of wheat or other 

 flour, formed into cakes, and put into an oven, 

 in which they continue till they are quite baked, 

 and fufficiently dry, when they are taken out 

 again : then, in order to brew the liquor, a pot 

 full of water is put on the fire, and fome of the 

 cakes are put in : thefe become foft by degrees as 

 the water grows warm, and crumble in pieces at 

 laft; the pot is then taken from the fire, and the 

 water in it well ftirred about, that the cakes may 

 mix with it : this is then poured into another vef* 

 lei, and they continue to fteep and break as many 

 eakes as are necefiary for a brewing : the malt is 

 then infufed, and they proceed as uiual with the 

 brewing. Beer thus prepared is reckoned much 

 preferable to other beer. They likewife make 

 brandy of this fruit in the following manner ; 

 having collected a fufficient quantity of perfimons 

 in autumn, they are all together putinto a veffel,. 



where 



