218 SYLVA 



BOOK II 



nor do the roots take such hold of the ground, insinu- 

 ating, and running more like liquorish, and apt to 

 emaciate the soil ; I will not therefore commend it 

 for gardens, unless for the variety ; of which there 

 are several, some without thorns : They love to be 

 planted in moist ground. 



One thing more there is, which (for the use and 

 benefit which these and the like exotics afford us) I 

 would take hold of, as upon all occasions I do in this 

 work : Namely, to encourage all imaginary industry 

 of such as travel foreign countries, and especially 

 gentlemen who have concerns in our American plant- 

 ations, to promote the culture of such plants and 

 trees (especially timber) as may yet add to those we 

 find already agreeable to our climat in England. 

 What we have said of the mulberry, and the vast 

 emolument rais'd by the very leaves, as well as wood 

 of that only tree (beside those we now have mention'd, 

 strangers till of late, and believ'd incicurable here,) 

 were sufficient to excite and stir up our utmost in- 

 dustry. History tells us, the noble and fruitful 

 countrey of France, was heretofore thought so steril 

 and barren, that nothing almost prospering in it, the 

 inhabitants were quite deserting it, and with their 

 wives and children going to seek some other more 

 propitious abodes ; till some of them hapning to come 

 into Italy, and tasting the juice of the delicious grape, 

 the rest of their countreymen took arms, and invaded 

 the territories where those vines grew ; which they 

 transplanted into Gallia, and have so infinitely im- 

 prov'd since, that France alone yields more of that 

 generous liquor, than not only Italy and Greece, but 

 all Europe and Asia beside : Who almost would 

 believe that the austere Rhenish, abounding on the 



