7. Arbutus. The Strawberry tree.
The Strawberry tree groweth but slowly, and riseth not to the height of any great tree, no not in France, Italy, or Spaine: and with vs the coldnesse of our country doth the more abate his vigour, so that it seldome riseth to the height of a man: the barke of the body is rough, and smooth in the younger branches: the leaues are faire and greene, very like vnto Baye leaues, finely dented or snipped about the edges, abiding alwayes greene thereon both Winter and Summer: the flowers come forth at the end of the branches vpon long stalkes, not clustering thicke together, but in long bunches, and are small, white, and hollow, like a little bottle, or the flower of Lilly Conually, which after turne into rough or rugged berries, most like vnto Strawberries (which hath giuen the name to the tree) somewhat reddish when they are ripe, of a harsh taste, nothing pleasant, wherein are contained many small seedes: It hardly bringeth his fruit to ripenesse in our countrey; for in their naturall places they ripen not vntill Winter, which there is much milder then with vs.
The Vse of the Strawberry tree.
Amatus Lusitanus I thinke is the first that euer recorded, that the water distilled from the leaues and flowers hereof, should bee very powerfull against the plague and poysons: for all the ancient Writers doe report, that the fruit hereof being eaten, is an enemy to the stomacke and head. And Clusius likewise setteth downe, that at Lishbone, and other places in Portingall where they are frequent, they are chiefly eaten, but of the poorer sort, women and boyes. They are somewhat astringent or binding, and therefore may well serue for fluxes. It is chiefly noursed with vs for the beauty and rarenesse of the tree; for that it beareth his leaues alwayes green.
8. Alaternus. The euer greene Priuet.
The tree which we haue growing in our country called Alaternus, groweth not to be a tree of any height; but abiding lowe, spreadeth forth many branches, whereon are set diuers small and hard, greene leaues, somewhat round for the forme, and endented a little by the edges: it beareth many small whitish greene flowers at the ioynts of the stalkes, and setting on of the lower leaues clustering thicke together, which after turne into small blacke berries, wherein are contained many small graines or seedes: the beauty and verdure of these leaues abiding so fresh all the yeare, doth cause it to be of the greater respect; and therefore findeth place in their Gardens onely, that are curious conseruers of all natures beauties.
The Vse of the euer greene Priuet.
It is seldome vsed for any Physicall property, neither with vs, nor in the places where it is naturall and plentifull: but as Clusius reporteth, hee learned that the Portingall Fishermen do dye their nets red with the decoction of the barke hereof, and that the Dyers in those parts doe vse the small peeces of the wood to strike a blackish blew colour.