205 



you go from Colbrok to Ditton Ferry, which is the way from London 

 to Windfor and in divers places in Wales, particularly in the 

 Orchard of Mr. Peter Piers at Guiernigron neer St. Afaphs. The 

 flowers are in their beauty in June and July, the beft time to gather 

 the roots is in Autumn, when the leaves fall: yet it may be gathered 

 in the Spring before they come forth. 



The Vertues. 



Elecampane * * * helpeth fhortneffe of Wind * * * . A de- 

 coction of the Root is good againft poyson and bitings of Serpents 

 * * * bruised and put into Ale or Beer, and daily drunk, cleareth, 

 ftrengtheneth, quickeneth the fight of the Eyes w^onderfully. * * * 

 Pliny faith that Julia Augujta let no day pafs without eating fome 

 of the root * * * which it may be fhe did to help digestion, to 

 expell Melancholy and forrow, and to caufe mirth * * * for all 

 which it is very ef¥e5lual. 



CHAP. LXXXII 



Of Reeds, but especially of the Sugar 

 Cane or Reed. 



The Forme. 



THe Sugar cane is a pleafant and profitable Reed, having long 

 ftalks feaven or eight foot high, joynted and Knee'd like the 

 common walking Canes, but that the Leaves come forth of 

 every joynt on every fide of the ftalk one, like unto wings long narrow 

 and fharp pointed. The Cane it felf or ftalk is not hollow as other 

 Canes and Reeds are ; but full and ftuffed with a spungious fubftance, 

 in taste exceeding fweet. The root is great and long creeping along 

 within the inner cruft of the earth, which is likewife fweet and 

 pleafant, but leffe hard or wooddy then other Canes or Reeds ; from 

 which do fhoot many young Cions which are cut away from the 

 main or Mother plant; becaufe they fhould not draw away the 

 nourishment from the old ftock; and fo get unto themfelves a little 

 moifture, or elfe fome subftance not much worth, and caufe the ftock 

 to be barren, and themfelves little the better: which fhoots de ferve 

 for plants to fet abroad for increafe. 



The Places and Time. 



The Sugar Cane groweth naturally in the Eaft and Weft Indies, 

 the BarbadoeSj Madera, and the Canary Islands, and Barbary also. 

 It is planted likewife in many parts of Europe at this day * * * 

 fome fhoots have been planted in England but the coldneffe of the 



