172 A DISCOURSE 



which we have from Boulogne, New England, and Virginia, (where there 

 are three or four sorts, differing in leaf, fruit, and stature,) very black of 

 colour, and so admirably streaked, as to represent natural flowers, land- 

 scapes, and other fancies. To render this wood the better coloured, 

 joiners put the boards into an oven after the batch is forth, or lay them 

 in a warm stable ; and when they work it, polish it over with its own 

 oil very hot, which makes it look black and sleek, and the older it is, the 

 more estimable ; but then it should not be put in work till thoroughly 

 seasoned, because it will shrink beyond expectation. It is only not good 

 to confide in it much for beams or joists, because of its brittleness, yet of 

 which, it is observed to give timely notice, like the Chestnut, by the 

 crackling before it breaks. Besides the uses of the wood, the fruit, with 

 husk and all, when tender and very young, is used for preserves (being 

 condited in separate decoctions) by our curious ladies. It makes also 

 food and oil ; this last is of extraordinary use with the painter, in whites, 

 and other delicate colours, also for gold-size and varnish ; and with this 

 they polish walking-staves, and other works which are wrought in with 

 burning. They fry with it in some places, and eat it instead of butter in 

 Berry, where they have little or none good ; and therefore they plant 

 infinite numbers of these trees all over that country : The use of it to burn 

 in lamps is common there. The younger timber is held to make the 

 better-coloured work, and so the Oak, but the older more firm and close, 

 is finer chambleted for ornaments ; and the very husks and leaves being 

 macerated in warm water, and that liquor poured on the carpet of walks 

 and bowling-greens, does infallibly kill the worms, without endangering 

 the grass'; not to mention the dye which is made of this lixive, to colour 

 wool, woods, and hair, as of old they used it. The water of the husks 

 is sovereign against all pestilential infections, and that of the leaves to 

 mundify and heal inveterate ulcers. That which is produced of the thick 

 shell, becomes best timber ; that of the thinner, better fruit. Columella 

 has sundry excellent rules how to ascertain and accelerate the growth of 

 this tree, and to improve its qualities ; and I am assured, that having 



' There is nothing peculiarly noxious to worms in the bitter decoction of Walnut leaves. 

 Worms cannot bear the application of any thing bitter to their bodies, which is the reason 

 that bitters, such as gentian, are the best destroyers of worms lodged in the bowels of 

 animals. Worms are seldom observed in the intestines of the human body, excepting in 

 cases where the bile is either weak, or deficient in quantity. 



