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aforementioned liquor, eight pints whereof afford a pound of sugar. If you 
have any of these trees near you, or the Birch, or any other weeping trees, 
I wish you would make a trial, proceeding as in the juice of the sugar cane. 
The Indians of Canada have practised this time out of mind: the French 
begin now to refine it, and to make great advantages. 
Mr. RAY to Dr. ROBINSON. 
Black Notley, April 1, 1686. 
A friend and neighbour apothecary, whom I employed 
yesterday, brought me the effect of his boiling the juice of the greater Maple. 
Having boiled as high as an extract, he found a whitish body somewhat like 
brown sugar, and tasting sweet; but withal of a woody relish, immersed in 
a body of the colour and consistency and taste too of molasses. Upon cur¬ 
ing, I do not doubt we shall have, after the molasses are separated, a perfect 
sugar, but in very small quantity, not above an ounce from a gallon of liquor. 
Possibly, nay likely, afterwards, when the liquor begins to run thick near its 
ceasing, it will yield a greater proportion of sugar. When he hath cured it, 
I will give you a farther account of it. 
The Duropean lime Tree (Tilia Euro pa; a) has great affinity with 
the Sugar Maple. It is produced all over Europe, and a smaller sort, rubra, 
(the red twigged) is found wild in England. It grows to an immense size, 
and attains a great age. Our St. James’s Park* is ornamented with this 
stately, and when in blossom, fragrant tree, f 
* This Park was once a swamp, and we are indebted to Evelyn, who recommended to Charles II. 
the draining of it, and planting an avenue of these trees. The canal in the centre should be orna¬ 
mented with the Weeping Willow (Salix Babylonica) the Latin name from its being a native of 
Babylon, and on this tree the Jews, when in captivity, used to hang their harps. It excites sensa¬ 
tions of pleasure, or of sorrow, as the soul is attuned to the one or the other. The source of all our 
Willows was from a famous tree of that kind in Pope’s garden at Twickenham. In the St. James’s 
Chronicle is this notice. “ The famous and admired weeping willow, planted first by Pope, came 
originally from Spain, some branches of it having been put up as package of dried grapes, as a present 
to the late lady Suffolk. Mr. Pope was in company when the covering was taken off, and he observed, 
that the twigs appeared, as if they had some vegetation in them, and added, perhaps, they may take 
root and grow and produce something we have not in England. Under this idea, the principal 
branch was planted in his garden, and produced that very willow, which has since, by a similar pro¬ 
cess, given birth to so many others. 
4- The flowers of this tree are delightfully fragrant, especially in the evening; and this it was 
that probably caused the Dutch so much to plant this tree by the side of their canals. The whole' 
country for miles is perfumed by these flowers during the months of July and August, at which time 
the stagnant waters would exhale a very noisome and hurtful odour. 
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