The more common or ordinary Seruice tree with vs, is a reasonable great tree, couered with a smooth barke, spread into many great armes, whereon are set large leaues, very much cut in on the edges, almost like vnto a Vine leafe, or rather like vnto that kinde of Maple, that is vsually called the Sycomore tree with vs: the flowers are white, and growe many clustering together, which after bring forth small browne berries when they are ripe, of the bignesse almost of Hasell nuts, with a small tuft, as if it were a crowne on the head, wherein are small blacke kernels.
The other kinde, which is more rare with vs, and brought into this Land by Iohn Tradescante, heretofore often remembered, hath diuers winged leaues, many set together like vnto an Ashen leafe, but smaller, and euery one endented about the edges: the flowers growe in long clusters, but nothing so many, or so close set as the wilde kinde: the fruit of this tree is in some round like an Apple, and in others a little longer like a Peare, but of a more pleasant taste then the ordinarie kinde, when they are ripe and mellowed, as they vse to doe with both these kindes, and with Medlars.
The Vse of Seruices.
They are gathered when they growe to be neare ripe (and that is neuer before they haue felt some frosts) and being tyed together, are either hung vp in some warme roome, to ripen them thoroughly, that they may bee eaten, or (as some vse to doe) lay them in strawe, chaffe, or branne, to ripen them.
They are binding, fit to be taken of them that haue any scouring or laske, to helpe to stay the fluxe; but take heed, lest if you binde too much, more paine and danger may come thereof then of the scouring.
Chap. IX.
Mespilus. The Medlar tree.
There are three sorts of Medlars: The greater and the lesser English, and the Neapolitan.
The great and the small English Medlar differ not one from the other in any thing, but in the size of the fruit, except that the small kinde hath some prickes or thornes vpon it, which the great one hath not, bearing diuers boughes or armes, from whence breake forth diuers branches, whereon are set long and somewhat narrow leaues, many standing together; in the middle whereof, at the end of the branch, commeth the flower, which is great and white, made of fiue leaues, broad at the ends, with a nicke in the middle of euery one; after which commeth the fruit, being round, and of a pale brownish colour, bearing a crowne of those small leaues at the toppe, which were the huske of the flower before, the middle thereof being somewhat hollow, and is harsh, able to choake any that shall eate it before it be made mellow, wherein there are certaine flat and hard kernels.
The Medlar of Naples groweth likewise to bee a reasonable great tree, spreading forth armes and branches, whereon are set many gashed leaues, somewhat like vnto Hawthorne leaues, but greater, and likewise diuers thornes in many places: the flowers are of an herbie greene colour, and small, which turne into smaller fruit then the former, and rounder also, but with a small head or crowne at the toppe like vnto it, and is of a more sweete and pleasant taste then the other, with three seeds only therein ordinarily.