78 The Natural History 



There is another sort of Plum, about the bigness of a Dam- 

 son, the Tree is but small, and seldom exceeds ten Inches in 

 thickness, the Plum has a very physical taste, what may be its 

 Virtues is doubtful, but this I am sensible of, that when it is 

 chew'd in the Mouth, it is apt to make that part sore; the 

 Wood is something porous, but exceeds the Box for it's fine 

 yellow Colour. 



The Damson Tree, whereof there are two sorts, the black 

 and the white, and are about the bigness of our European 

 Damsons, they grow any where if planted from the Stone or 

 Slip, they bear a whitish Blossom, and are a good Fruit, they 

 are found gTOwing in gTeat plenty on the Sand-Banks, and 

 all along the Coast, they never grow large, but are plentiful 

 Bearers. The Fruit of this and the Plum Trees are very 

 cooling and good in Fevers. 



The Fig Tree, is to be met with growing wild in some parts 

 of this Province, and especially near the Mountains, the Fruit 

 of this is but small, notwithstanding the Tree gi'ows to be 

 very large. The Leaves and Fruit are good to dissolve and 

 waste all hard Kernels and scrophulous Tumors. 



The Hawthorn, or white Thorn Tree, of these there are 

 two sorts, the first is exactly the same with ours in Ireland, 

 and grows commonly near the Freshes and heads of Rivers, 

 but never near the Salt Waters. The second sort grows plen- 

 tifully in some parts of this Province, the Fruit, or Haws, 

 are quite different from those with us being considerably 

 larger and longer, and of a very agi'eeable taste. These Trees 

 are near as large as the European, but have few or no 

 Prickles: There is no use made of the Timber, neithei do 

 they plant this or the other in Hedges, because Timber is so 

 plenty at present. The Leaves, Flowers, and Haws, are very 

 binding, therefore good to stop all kinds of Fluxes ; the Pow- 

 der 



