CHAP, vi S Y L V A 305 



cut down, it will fill and become stronger and thicker 

 than ever. 



Of this stately shrub (as some reckon it) there is 

 lately found an holly, whose leaves are as thorny and 

 bristly, not only at the edges, but all over, as an 

 hedge-hog, which it may properly be call'd ; and 

 I think was first brought by Mr. London out of 

 France. 



i 3. The timber of the holly (besides that it is the 

 whitest of all hard woods, and therefore us'd by the 

 inlayer, especially under thin plates of ivory, to render 

 it more conspicuous) is for all sturdy uses ; the mill- 

 wright, turner and engraver, prefer it to any other : 

 It makes the best handles and stocks for tools, flails, 

 riding rods the best, and carters- whips; bowles, shivers, 

 and pins for blocks : Also it excels for door-bars and 

 bolts ; and as of the elm, so of this especially, they 

 made even hinges and hooks to serve instead of iron, 

 sinking in the water like it ; and of the bark is com- 

 pos'd our bird-lime thus : 



14. Pill a good quantity of the bark about Mid- 

 summer, fill a vessel with it, and put to it spring- 

 water ; then boil it, till the gray and white bark rise 

 from the green, which will require near twelve hours 

 boiling ; then taking it off the fire, separate the barks, 

 the water first well drained from it : Then lay the 

 green bark on the earth, in some cool vault or cellar, 

 covering it with any sort of green and rank weeds, 

 such as dock, thistles, hemlock, Gfc. to a good thick- 

 ness : Thus let it continue near a fortnight, by which 

 time 'twill become a perfect mucilage : Then pound 

 it all exceedingly in a stone mortar, 'till it be a tough 

 past, and so very fine, as no part of the bark be 

 discernable : This done, wash it accurately well in 



m 



