PRINCIPLES OF VEGETATION. 355 



much difcretion, or rather knowledge, is requifite to diftinguifli fomc 

 of them from falutary herbs. Many of them are berry-bearing, and 

 their berries delude the eyes of children not without rifque. 



Mankind, expofed to inclement feafons, will ever be beholden to 

 vegetables for fhelter : hence our obligations to timber trees of all forts, 

 from the (lately oak of which fhips are con(lru<5ted, to the flender ofier 

 which yields only wattles : this is too obvious to require enlargement ; 

 and even fuppofing they furnifh no edible fruit for our fupport, or that of 

 animals for our ufe. But by fruit-bearing trees we are doubly accommo- 

 dated, not only with Ihelter but with food, not only with wood but with 

 provifion : hence the apple, pear, plum, peach, cherry, and many 

 others, are highly valuable; they furnilh our tables with a defferr, and 

 delight our palates with their vivacity and jelifh. The vine, indeed, 

 boafts no wood for beams, or for furniture, but its fruit is noble, and, 

 temperately uled, invaluable. All nations have had recourfe for cheer- 

 ing drinks to infufions, or to the fap, of vegetables. I fhall not enlarge 

 on the variety of fruits; on their fucceflions, each in its feafon; on 

 their qualities of prefervation, and indeed improvemient by keeping ; 

 nor on their profit, in that what is not fit for our ufe has many animals 

 awaiting its donation, to whom it is grateful though imperfetft. 



Grain is a part of our provifion, on which we depend with the utmofl: 

 aflfurance ; whofe abfence nothing can fupply ; whofe lofs nothing can 

 compenfate. Happy for us not only that it is fertile and produclive, but 

 that, after many years keeping, its nutritive qualities are not impaired. 



Garden vegetables preferve us in health : they unite delicacy of tafte 

 to falubrity ; they off^er us choice either of roots or plants, either of 

 pulfe or herbs j fome for prefent ufe, others for (lores. If we quit the 

 kitchen garden for the parterre, we are enlivened at the fight of bloom.- 

 ing flowers, and regaled by their odours : fometimes they yield us 

 ornament, fometimes perfume, fometimes a remedy, always a moral. 

 Some we fubmit to the dill, of fome wc extradl the elTences, of fome 

 we preferve the forms, and others, which we cannot preferve, we imi- 

 tate. Such delight have we ever taken in flowers ! 



Eor perfonal accommodation we praife the flax, whofe beaten fibres 

 yield elegance and health : nor let us forget the hemp, whofe hardy 

 ftalks furnilh our (hips with wings. The moft immenfe fail is but an 

 union of hempen threads ; the ftronged cable is but a combination of 

 twifl-s, weak afunder, but their united flirength refifls the rolling waves, 



3 O 2 en fu ring 



