80 The Natural Histonj 



but I never observed any Flowers or Fruit growing on it, so 

 can't satisfie the Reader as to that Point. It is of a very tedi- 

 ous gi'owth, and is commonly to be met with at the heads of 

 Eivers, and near the Mountains, but no where else. The 

 Indians, tap it at certain Seasons of the Year, and place 

 Gourds to it to receive the Liquor, and when they have got a 

 sufficient quantity of Juice, they boil it to the consistence of 

 Sugar, which is as sweet, and serves for the same use, but 

 what other Virtues, or Uses, it may be indued with, I am a 

 stranger to. 



The Hazel-nut Tree is so well known, that it would be 

 needless to say much on that head, it grows plentifully in some 

 parts of this Province, and especially near the Mountains 

 and heads of Pi vers, but its N^ut is not as good as the Euro- 

 pean, having a much thicker and harder Shell, and so have 

 most of the Fruits in America that I have seen. The Hazel- 

 nuts before they are thoroughly ripe are an excellent Astrin- 

 gent, and stop Fluxes of all sorts, a Decoction of the inner 

 Pind of the Tree, drank for some Days together, is good 

 against the Strangury and kill Worms. 



The PajMU Tree is not large, being only about eight or 

 ten Inches diameter, but has the broadest Leaves of any 

 Trees I ever saw in the Woods of Carolina; it bears an Apple, 

 about the bigness of a Hens Egg, which contains a large 

 Stone in it, when it is ripe it is of a beautiful yellow colour, 

 and as soft and sweet as any Fruit can be. The planters 

 make Puddings, Tarts, and many other Dishes of the Fruit 

 of this Tree. 



The Bed-hud Tree, so called from its red Buds; it b3ars 

 a beautiful purple LarJc-heel Flower, and makes the most 

 agreeable and best Sallad of any Flowers I have ever met 

 with ; its Fruit is ripe in April and Maij, these Trees are 



not 



