
7) Wwe 
NATURAL HISTORY. 21g 
light, fpongy bark, of an ath colour, which is ‘firft 
| taken from the tree, and afterwards feparated from 
§ the inner bark. ‘the leaves, cups, or acorns, refem- 
ple, like the form of the tree itfelf, thofe of the oak. 
It grows in italy, Spain, and efpecially towards the 
Pyrenees and in Gafcony, &c. ‘Lhe inhabitants of 
thefe countries, when defirous of making a crop of 
this produce, ftrip the bark fromthe top to the bot- 
tom of the cork trees, and pile them to a reafonable 
height in a pit or ditch filled with water. Having 
loaded thefe heaps with weights, they leave them un- 
tilthey are thoroughly foaked and ftraitened ; then 
they are removed to another ditch, and from thence 
toathird and a fourth. ‘lhey are next taken out of 
the water, dried and packed in bales for exportation. 
To choofe the beft cork, the fineft boards that are 
free from knots and chinks, of a moderate thicknefs, 
yellow on both fides, and firm ia texture, fhould be 
elected. This beft fort of cork is called the white 
cork of France, frorn i its being chiefly produced about 
Bayonne in the province of Guienne. From the fame 
pa brought a furt which is called the Spanifh cork, 



* whict feems as if it had been burnt: But its black- 
~ nefs is faid to be caufed merely by having been fteeped 
‘ain fea water inftead of frefi water. ‘Lhe infide is, 
however, yellowith, and eafily cut. Of this the 
; thicket fhould be chofen. 
— Hoe HC MC TE 29 — 
TOBACCO PLANT. 
Or this production there are five {fpecies : The firit 
is the Oroonoko, of which there are two forts; the 
one has very broad, rough, roundifh leaves; while 
the leaves of the other aré narrow, fmooth and point- 
ed: But neither of thein is valued by the planter, in 
confequence of ‘their not being much confumed in 
ye 
