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study of botany as useless and uninteresting, 

 let their plentiful desserts be furnished with 

 a scanty supply of acorns, and their wine 

 be exchanged for the beverage of their fore- 

 fathers; and soon would they join in the 

 praise of this science, and of all those who 

 have given their time and talent to improve 

 the health, and add to the luxuries of man, 

 by this interesting and beneficial study, which, 

 next % to astronomy, carries our thoughts to 

 heaven, and causes us to join the Psalmist 

 in his exclamation, " O Lord, how wonderful 

 are thy works, in wisdom hast thou made 

 them all." 



Before the Conquest, the wealds of Sussex 

 (which is the largest valley in Europe) were 

 one continued forest from Hampshire to 

 Kent, principally of oak trees, that were 

 only valued for the number of swine which 

 the acorns maintained. 



Acorns are but little used at present, 

 except to fatten hogs and deer; they are 

 sometimes given to poultry, and would be 

 found an advantageous food for fowls, were 

 they dried and ground into meal. 



In medicine, a decoction of acorns is re- 

 puted good against dysenteries and colics. 

 Pliny states, that acorns beaten to powder, 

 and mixed with hog's lard and salt, heal 



