ii2 S Y L V A BOOK i 



it self, or on the white-thorn, and quince. To this 

 we might add, the mespilus or medlar, being an hard 

 wood, and of which I have seen very beautiful 

 walking-staves. But there is yet a rare kind of 

 service-tree, frequent in Germany, which we find not 

 in our woods, and they speak of another sort, which 

 bears poyson-berries. 



2. The timber of the sort is useful for the joyner, 

 and of which I have seen a room curiously wainscot- 

 ted : Also for the engraver of wood-cuts, bows, pullys, 

 skrews, mill-spindles and other ; goads to drive oxen 

 with, &c. pistol and gun-stocks, and for most that 

 the wild-pear-tree, serves ; and being of a very delicate 

 grain for the turner, and divers curiosities, and looks 

 beautifully, and is almost everlasting, being rubb'd 

 over with oyl of linseed, well boil'd, it may be made 

 to counterfeit ebony, or almost any Indian wood, 

 colour'd according to art : Also it is taken to build 

 with, yielding beams of considerable substance : The 

 shade is beautiful for walks, and the fruit not unpleas- 

 ant, especially the second kind, of which with new 

 wine and honey, they make a conditum of admirable 

 effect to corroborate the stomach ; and the fruit alone 

 is good in dysentery's and lasks. The water distill'd 

 from the stalks of the flowers and leaves in M. B. and 

 twice rectified upon fresh matter, is incomparable for 

 consumptive and tabid bodies, taking an ounce daily 

 at several times : Likewise it cures the green-sickness 

 in virgins, and is prevalent in all fluxes ; distill'd warm 

 into the ears it abates the pain : The wood or bark 

 contus'd, and applied to any green wound, heals it ; 

 and the powder thereof drank in oyl olive, consoli- 

 dates inward ruptures : Lastly, the salt of the wood 

 taken in decoction of althaea to three grains, is an 



