192 LETTER VIII. 



were very induftrious about the Bloflbms of that 

 Salt-weed, which the Plain produces. 



9. Another fingularity I remarked was, That 

 in the Mountain Plantations^ where only Afpa- 

 ragus can grow, I have known it fit to cut with- 

 in the fmall fpace of three Calendar Months, reck- 

 oning from the time of its being fown in Seeds, 

 that came from London: For there, we never 

 tranfplant the Roots. We are obliged to let it run 

 up to Wood, in order to fhade the Bed, from the 

 fcorching Rays of the Sun, and the Young ones 

 that grow up under that Wood, we cut to boil : 

 But this foon eats out the Heart of the Compoft 

 and Soil ^ fo that a Bed will not hold good, much 

 above two years, and the Afparagus never grows 

 big. Afparagus grows wild in Spain, 



10. In our Paftures, we meet with a Bufh 

 about two yards high, called Sage-Bufh. Its 

 Bark is of a fliining, though dufkifli hue, and 

 its Leaves cannot poffibly be diftinguifhed, from 

 broad green Sage Leaves, either by fight or fmell. 

 Out of pure curiofity , I dried a parcel in the Shade, 

 and made Tea of them. This Tea was of a moft 

 beautiful Yellow Colour, but furely bitterer than 

 Gall itfelf ; in fhort, fo extream bitter, that the 

 beft of refined Sugar could not render it palatable. 

 I confulted about the Nature of it, with a Dodor 

 of my Acquaintance, who was born at either 

 Wifmar^ or Straljimd, in SwedifJj Pomera?iia^ and 



reck- 



