Lib. i. 
Of the Hiftorie of Plants. 
?9 
when they be new gathered, as I receiued it from the month of an Indian my feruant : he faith 
They cut them in fmall pieces, and put them into a trough made of one whole tree, wherein they 
put a great Hone in manner of a mill-ftone, vvhereunto they tie a horfe, bufHe,or fome other bead 
which draweth it round : in which trough they put thole pieces of Canes, and fo crufh and grind 
themas we do the barkes of trees for Tanners, or apples for Cyder. Butin fome places thevvfe 
a great vvheele, wherein flaues do tread and walke as dogs do in turning the fpit : and fome others 
do feed as it were the bottome of the laid wbeele, wherein are fome fharpe or hard things which 
do cut and crufh the Canes into powder. And fome likewife haue found the inuention to turne 
the vvheele with water vvorkes, as we do our iron mills. The Canes being thus brought into dud 
or powder, they put them into great cauldrons with a little water , where they boyle vntill there 
be no more fweetnelTe left in the crulhed reeds. Then doc they ftraine them through mats and 
fuch like things, and put the liquor to boyle againe vnto the confidence of honey, which being 
cold is like vnto fand both in fhevv and hand ling, but fomewhat fofter ; and fo afterward it is ca£ 
ried into all parts of Europe, where it is by the Sugar Bakers artificially purged and refined to 
that whitenelfe as we fee. 
Chap. 32. Of Flowing feed. 
<_ Arundo florid a. 
Flovvring Reed. 
The defeription. 
jpLourifhing Reed hath a thicke and fat fialkc of 
foure or fine foot high, great below neere the 
ground, and finaller toward the top, taper-wife : 
whereupon do grow very faire broad leaues ful of ribs 
or finewes like vnto Plantainc,in fhdpe reprefentino- 
the leaues of white Hellebor, or the great Gentian^ 
but much broader and larger euery way : at the top of 
which ftalkes do grow phantafticke flowers of a red 
or vermilion colour; which being faded, there follow 
round, rough, and prickly knobs, like thofe of Sfurga- 
ninm, orvvater-Burre,ofabrowne colour, and from the 
middle of thofe knobs three fmall leaues. The feed 
contained in thofe knobs is exceeding black, of a per- 
fect roundnefle, of the bignefle of the fmalleft peafe. 
The root is thicke, knobby, and tuberous, with certain 
fmall threds fixed thereto. ^ There is a variety ®f 
this, hailing floures of a yellow or Saffron colour, 
with red fpots. $ 
The place. 
Itgrovveth in Italy in the garden of Padua, and 
many other places of thofe hot regions. My felfehauC 
planted it in my garden diners times, hut it neuer 
came to flowring or feeding, for that it is very impati- 
ent to endure theinjtirie of our cold clymate. It is a 
natiue of the V/ eft Indies . 
«]■ The time. 
It niuft be fet or fowen in the beginning of April I, 
in a pot with fine earth, or in a'bed made with horfe- 
dung, and fome earth ftrawed thereon, in fuch manner 
as Cucumbers and Muske-Melons arc. 
The names. 
The name ^Amndo Indict is diuerfly attributed to fundrie of the Reeds , but principally vnto 
this, called of Lofolius, Camiacorus : of others, Arundo florida, and Harunda florida : in Englifh,the 
Flovvring Reed. 
% The nature and venues. 
There is not any thing fetdowne as touching the temperature and vertues of this Floiirifhing 
Reed, either of the Ancients, or of the new or later Writers. 
