The greatest vse that I know the tree or his fruit is put vnto, is, that it is receiued into an Orchard, either for the rarity of the kinde, being suffered to grow into a tree, or (as I said before) to make an hedge, being let grow into suckers.
Some Quacksaluers haue vsed these nuts as a medicine of rare vertue for the stone, but what good they haue done, I neuer yet could learne.
20. Rhus Myrtifolia. The Mirtle leafed Sumach.
This lowe shrubbe groweth seldome to the height of a man, hauing many slender branches, and long winged leaues set thereon, euery one whereof is of the bignesse of the broad or large Mirtle leafe, and set by couples all the length of the ribbe, running through the middle of them. It beareth diuers flowers at the tops of the branches, made of many purple threads, which turne into small blacke berries, wherein are contained small, white, and rough seed, somewhat like vnto Grape kernels or stones. This vseth to dye down to the ground in my Garden euery Winter, and rise vp again euery Spring, whether the nature thereof were so, or the coldnesse of our climate the cause thereof, I am not well assured. It is also rare, and to be seen but with a few.
The Vse of this Sumach.
It is vsed to thicken or tanne leather or hides, in the same manner that the ordinary Sumach doth; as also to stay fluxes both in men and women.
21. Rhus Virginiana. The Virginia Sumach, or Buckes horne tree of Virginia.
This strange tree becommeth in some places to bee of a reasonable height and bignesse, the wood whereof is white, soft, and pithy in the middle, like vnto an Elder, couered with a darke coloured barke, somewhat smooth: the young branches that are of the last yeares growth are somewhat reddish or browne, very soft and smooth in handling, and so like vnto the Veluet head of a Deere, that if one were cut off from the tree, and shewed by it selfe, it might soone deceiue a right good Woodman, and as they grow seeme most like thereunto, yeelding a yellowish milke when it is broken, which in a small time becommeth thicke like a gumme: the leaues grow without order on the branches, but are themselues set in a seemly order on each side of a middle ribbe, seuen, nine, ten, or more on a side, and one at the end, each whereof are somewhat broad and long, of a darke greene colour on the vpperside, and paler greene vnderneath, finely snipped or toothed round about the edges: at the ends of the branches come forth long and thicke browne tufts, very soft, and as it were woolly in handling, made all of short threads or thrums; from among which appeare many small flowers, much more red or crimson then the tufts, which turne into a very small seede: the roote shooteth forth young suckers farre away, and round about, whereby it is mightily encreased.