Plinies Natunll HiHorie. 



A and for that they be of fiTjallreckoningjnamed they are Afinina[/.^Afic-plL]ms.] Ye ihall havc * 

 of chetn that be blacky howbeit the yellow wheat-plum like virgin vvaXjand the purplcjare better 

 efteemed. Moreoverjihcre are a kind of Abricots come from a forraine natioiijand they be cal- 

 led thereupon Armcniaca^ which alonefor their fincll alfo^are commendable.But rhere is a pe- 

 culiar braverie and a tliameleflej which thofe Plums have by themfelves that are grafted in Nut- ^ 

 tree flocks 5 theyretaine the face and forme ftill of the mother graffc^ but they get the taftof the \ 

 flocke wherein they are fetj as itwereby way of adoption :ofthem both they carrie the name^ / 

 and are called Nut-plums. Now, as well thefe, as Peaches, yellow wheat-plums^ and the wildj 

 Bullaifejmaybc keptandprelervedas grapes in Autumne^ within certaine barrels or earthen/ 

 veflels jand fo they will continue good tiU new come. As for all other Plums^as they befooii ripe, 1 

 B fo they are as foone gone. " \ 



It is not long fince^that in the realme of Granado and Andalufiajthcy began to graffe plums A 

 upon apple-tree flocks, and thofe brought forth Plums named Apple-plums : as alfo others cal- \ 

 led iVImond-plumSj grafted upon Almond flocks 5 thefe have within their floue a kernell like an \ 

 Almond: and verily there is notafruitagainc wherein is feene a wittier devifetoconjoyncand 

 reprefent in one and the fame fubjectjtwo divers forts. 



As for Damafcene-plums (taking name of Damafco in Syria) wee have fufficiently fpoken 

 thereof in our treatife of ftraunge trees: and yet long fince they have beenknowne to grow in 

 Italy: which although they have a large floneand little carnofitie about them, yet they never 

 wither into wrinkles and rivels when they be drie/or that they want the full fltength of the kind 

 Q funne which they had in Syria, 



We ihoulddo well to write togither with them^ of the fruit Sebeften, which alfo come from 

 the fame Syria, albeit now of late they begin to grow at Romej beeing grafted upon Services. 

 As touching Peaches in geaeralljthe very name in Latine^whereby they arc called Perfica,doth 

 evidently ("hew that they were brought out of Perfis firfl ;and that it is a fruit not ordinarie either 

 in Greece or Natolia.but a meere iiuaunger there. Contrariwile wild plums(as it is well known) 

 grow everyvjhere.Imarvell therefore fo much the more 3 thzLtCato made no mention thereof, 

 confideriDg that oi: purpofe he fliewed the mannerjhow to preferve and keepe divers wild fruits, 

 untiikiew came :for long it was firftere Peach treescame into thefe parts, and much adoe there 

 was before they could be broughtfor to profper with us,feeing that in the Hand Rhodes (which 

 D was their place of habitation next to ^gypt) theybearenotatali, butarealtogitherbarraine. 

 And wher-eas it is feid/fhat Peaches be venimous in Perfia,and do caufe great torments in them 

 who doeeatiherof : as alfo that the KK. of Pcrfia in old time caufed them to be tranfported over 

 into ^gypt by way of revenge to plague that country 5 and notwithflanding their poifonous na- 

 ture,yet through the goodnes of that ioile they became good and holelome : all this is nothing 

 but a meere fable and a lowdlie.True it is indeed, that the beft voters who have been painftill 

 above others tofearch oat chetruthihave rcporced fo much concerning the tree Perfea ^ which 

 is far different from the Peach tree Perfica,6< beareth fruit hke unto Sebeflen, of colour red, and 

 willingly would not grow in any countrey without the Eafl parts. And yetthewifer and more 

 learned Clarkes do hold,That it was not the tree Perfea which was brought out oi Perfis into JE- 

 E gypt/or to annoy and plague thecounirey,but that it was planted hrfl by king Petjeus at [viem- 

 phis. Whereupon it came, that Alexander x\\q Great ordained. That all vidors who had woon 

 the prize at any game there,lliould be crowned with achaplet of that tree,to honour the memo- 

 riallof his great gr«ndllres father. But how ever it be, certain it is that this tree continuech green 

 ail the yeare long, and beareth evermore fruit one under anotherjnew and old togither. And to 

 returne againe to our Plum trees,evident it is that in Catces time they were not knowne in Italicj 

 but all the Plum-trees which we now have, are comefince he died. 



Chap. Xiiii. 



of nine and trvcntte kinds of Fruits ^contained un^ey the names of J f^ks, 



F 



OF Applesr(thatistofay,of fruits that have tender skins to be pared off) there be many 

 forts.ForastouchingPome-citrons, together with their tree, we have alreadie written. 

 The Greekes call them Medica , according to the name of the countrey from whence 

 they firft came in old time. As for I njubesjas alfo the fruit Tuberes,they be likewifc ftraungcrs as 



Pp iij well 



