OF NORTH CAROLINA. 171 



ripe, have a very pretty vinous taste and eat very 

 well, yet are glutinous. The white sort are clear 

 and transparent, 'and indifferent small stones. Be- 

 ing removed by the slip or root, they thrive well 

 in our gardens, and make pleasant shades. 



Persimmons is a tree that agrees with all lands and 

 soils. Their fruit, when ripe, is nearest our med- 

 lar ; if eaten before, draws your mouth up like a 

 purse, being the greatest astringent I ever met 

 withal, therefore very useful in some cases. The 

 fruit if ripe, will presently cleanse a foul wound 

 that cause pain. The fruit is rotten, when ripe, 

 and commonly contains four flat kernels, call- 

 ed stones, which is the seed. 'Tis said the 

 cortex peruvianus comes from a persimmon tree 

 hat grotws in !N"ew Spain. I have tried the 

 drying of this bark, to imitate it, which it does 

 tolerably well, and agrees therewith. It is bind- 

 ing enough to work the same effect. The tree 

 in extraordinary land, comes sometimes to two 

 feet diameter, though not often. There are two 

 sorts of this fruit; one ripe in summer, the oth- 

 er when the frost visits us. 



"We have three sorts of mulberries, besides the 

 different bigness of some trees' fruit. The first is 

 the common red mulberry, whose fruit is the ear- 

 liest we have (except the strawberries) and very 

 sweet. These trees make a very fine shade to sit 

 under in summer time. They are found wild in 

 great quantities, wherever the land is light and 

 rich ; yet their fruit is much better when they 



