Lib. 3. Of the Hiftorie of Plants. 1517' 
Cureth loofenefle in the belly : whereupon it is requifit for fuch as are of a cold conftituiion.in the 
eating thereof to put vnto it a little Ginger or other fpice. 
Iris alfogood for the reines,or kidnies, and to prouoke vrineiit nourifbeth the childc in the me- g 
thers wombe,and ftirreth to generation. 
C h a Pf 157. Of the Date tree. 
Palma, Palmar urn finchti & flares cum Elate. 
The Date tree. The fruit and floures of the Date tree. 
The Defcription. 
T He Date tree groweth very great and high : the body or trtinke thereof is thick 1 , and coite- 
red with a fcaly rugged barke,caufed by the falliHg away of theleaues :the boughes grow 
onely on the top, confiding of leaues fet vpon a wooddy middle rib like thofe of Reeds or 
Flags .-the inner part of which rib or ftalkeis fofr, light, hollow, and fpongie. Among the leaues 
come forth the floures included in a long skinny membrane, as it were a fheath or hofe , like that 
which couereth the Flourede-Luce before it be blovvne, which being opened of it felfe, white 
floures dart forth, danding vpon fhort and {lender foot-dalkes, which are fadened with certaine 
fmall filaments orthreddy firings like vnto little branches: after which fpring out from the fame 
branches the fruit or Dates, which be in fafhion long and round, in tade fiveer, and many times 
fomewhatharfh, of a yellovvifli red colour; wherein is contained a long hard done, which is in 
dead ofkernell and feed; the which I haue planted many times in my Garden, andhaue growne 
to the height of three foot: but the fird frod hath nipped them in fuch fort, that foone after 
theyperifhed,notwithdandingmy indudrieby couering them, orwhacelfel could doe for their 
fuccour. 
qr ThcVUcc. 
The Date trees grow plentifully in Africa and Egypt; but thofe which are in Pale Aina and 
, Mm mm nun Syria, 
