GARDEN LETTERS 183 



And as I have ben exceedingly affected with the 

 Descriptions, so have I ben greately instructed in the 

 other particulars your Lordship mentions, and especialy 

 rejoice that your Excellency has taken care to have the 

 draughts of the Places, Fountaines, & Engines for the 

 Irrigation & refreshing their plantations, which may be 

 of singular use to us in England. And I question not 

 but your Excellency brings with you a collection of 

 Seedes ; such especially as we may not have com'only 

 in our Country. By your Lordship's description, the 

 Encina should be the Ilex major aculeata, a sucker 

 whereoff yet remaines in his Majesties Privie- Gardens 

 at White Hall, next the dore that is opposite to the 

 Tennis Court. I mention it the rather, because it 

 certainly might be propagated with us to good purpose, 

 for the father of this small tree I remember of a goodly 

 stature ; so as it yearely produc'd ripe Acorns ; though 

 Clusius, when he was in England, believed it to be 

 barren : & happily, it had borne none in his tyme. I 

 have sown both the Acorns of the tree, and the Cork 

 with successe, though I have now but few of them 

 remaining, through the negligence of my Gardiner ; 

 for they require care at the first raising, 'till they are 

 accostom'd to the cold, and then no rigour impeaches 

 them. What your Excellency meanes by the Bamade 



