Being a stranger in our Land, and possessed but of a very few, I doe not heare that there hath beene any triall made thereof what properties are in it: let this therefore suffice for this present, to haue shewed you the description and forme thereof, vntill we can learne further of his vses.
3. Pinus. The Pine tree.
My purpose in this place is not to shew you all the diuersities of Pine trees, or of the rest that follow, but of that one kinde is planted in many places of our Land for ornament and delight, and there doth reasonably well abide: take it therefore into this Orchard, for the raritie and beautie of it, though we haue little other vse of it.
The Pine tree groweth with vs, though slowely, to a very great height in many places, with a great straight bodie, couered with a grayish greene barke, the younger branches are set round about, with very narrow long whitish greene leaues, which fall away from the elder, but abide on the younger, being both winter and summer alwaies greene. It hath growing in sundry places on the branches, certaine great hard wooddy clogs (called of some apples, of others nuts) composed of many hard wooddy scales, or tuberous knobs, which abide for the most part alwaies greene in our Countrey, and hardly become brownish, as in other Countries, where they haue more heat and comfort of the Sun, and where the scales open themselues; wherein are contained white long and round kernels, very sweete while they are fresh, but quickely growing oylely and rancide.
The Vse of the Pine apples and kernels.
The Cones or Apples are vsed of diuers Vintners in this City, being painted, to expresse a bunch of grapes, whereunto they are very like, and are hung vp in their bushes, as also to fasten keyes vnto them, as is seene in many places.
The kernels within the hard shels, while they are fresh or newly taken out, are vsed many waies, both with Apothecaries, Comfit-makers, and Cookes: for of them are made medicines, good to lenifie the pipes and passages of the lungs and throate, when it is hoarse. Of them are made Comfits, Pastes, Marchpanes, and diuers other such like: And with them a cunning Cooke can make diuers Keck shoses for his Masters table.
Matthiolus commendeth the water of the greene apples distilled, to take away the wrinkles in the face, to abate the ouer-swelling breasts of Maidens, by fomenting them after with linnen clothes, wet in the water; and to restore such as are rauisht into better termes.