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With citron groves adorn a distant soil, 

 And the fat olive swell with floods of oil ; 

 We envy not the warmer clime, that lies 

 In ten degrees of more indulgent skies. 



It has been a question agitated among 

 physicians, whether fruits be safer before 

 or after meals. The answer to this seems 

 to depend on a knowledge of the stomach. 

 In a weak stomach, they are more apt to 

 be noxious when empty, than when dis- 

 tended with animal food. Here likewise 

 they cannot be taken in such quantity as 

 to hurt. In strong stomachs there is little 

 difference ; there they would seem to promote 

 appetite. In weak stomachs even when 

 full, if taken in too great quantity, they 

 may be very hurtful, by increasing the ac- 

 tive fermentation of the whole. The ancients 

 alleged, that the mild fruits should be taken 

 before, and the acerb after meals, as being 

 fitter to brace up the stomach, and promote 

 digestion. (Lectures on the Materia Medica.) 



The gooseberry bush is propagated by 

 cuttings or suckers; but the former way is 

 preferable, as the roots are less likely to shoot 

 out suckers. Straight shoots should be se- 

 lected about eight inches long, and planted 

 about half the length, in good mould or light 

 earth. The best time for planting them is 



M 9, 



