206 



climate quickly made an end of them. * * * The Sugar cane Is 

 planted of the year in thofe hot countries where it doth naturally 

 grow, by reafon they fear no frofts to hurt the young fhoots, at their 

 firft planting * * * . 



The Vertues. 



Sugar is good to make fmooth the roughneffe * * * of the Lungs, 

 cleareth the voice and putteth away hoarfnefs and the Cough; and 

 fo doth Sugar Candy. Sugar or White Sugar Candy, put into the 

 Eye, taketh away the dimneffe, and the blood fhotten theirin * * * . 

 This is the Phyfical ufe of Sugar, which hath obtained now a daies 

 fo continall and daily ufe; that it is almoft accounted not Phyficall, 

 and is more commonly ufed in Confections, Syrups, and fuch like; 

 as also preferving, and conferving fundry fruits * * * to write all 

 which, is befides our Intentions. Now for our ordinary Reeds * * * . 

 The frefh leaves bruifed, or the roots apph'^ed to thofe places that 

 have Thorns, Splinters, or the like in the flefh do draw them forth 

 in a fhort fpace * * * j the Ashes made of the outer rind of the 

 ftalk, mingled with Vinegar, helpeth the falling of the hair. If the 

 flower or woolly fubftance happen into the ears, it fticketh theirin fo 

 faft, as that by no means it will be gotten forth again, but will pro- 

 cure deafneffe withal. Some have obferved that the Fern and the 

 Reed are at perpetuall enmity, the one not abiding where the other 

 is: which may be, as my Lord Bacon faith, not becaufe of any An- 

 tipathy in the plants; but because they draw a like nourifhment, and 

 fo ftarve one the other ; whereas there is such amity they fay, between 

 Afparagus and the Reed, that they both thrive wondrous well, which 

 is becaufe they draw a different Juyce. Reeds are alfo put to many 

 neceffary ufes, as to thatch houfes, to ferve as walls and defence to 

 Gardiners in the cherifhing of their plants, to Water-men to trim 

 their boats, to Weavers to wind their yarn on and for divers other 

 purpofes: Nay thofe that grow in the Indies by reafon of the heat 

 of thofe Climates grow fo great and tall, that they ferve inftead of 

 timber, both to build their houfes and to cover them. 



CHAP. XCVI 



Of Periwinckle. 



The Kinds. 



T 



Here be divers Sorts or Kinds of Periwinckle, whereof fome 

 be greater, others leffer; fome with white Flowers, other? 

 Purple, and double, and fome of a fair blew Sky Colour. 



