There is another sort of the round kinde that came from Constantinople, whose huske is more cut, torne, or iagged, both aboue and belowe, then any of our country; the barke also is whiter, and more rugged then ours, and the leaues somewhat larger.

We haue had from Virginia Hasell nuts, that haue beene smaller, rounder, browner, thinner sheld, and more pointed at the end then ours: I know not if any hath planted of them, or if they differ in leafe or any thing else.

The Vse of Filberds.

Filberds are eaten as the best kinde of Hasell nuts, at bankets among other dainty fruits, according to the season of the yeare, or otherwise, as euery one please: But Macer hath a Verse, expressing prettily the nature of these nuts, which is,

Ex minimis nucibus nulli datur esca salubris.

that is, There is no wholsome food or nourishment had from these small kinde of nuts.

Yet they are vsed sometime physically to be rosted, and made into a Lohoc or Electuary, that is vsed for the cough or cold. And it is thought of some, that Mithridates meant the kernels of these nuts, to be vsed with Figs and Rue for his Antidote, and not of Walnuts.


Chap. VI.
Vitis. The Vine.