The stems will grow apace, but more in their bignesse then their height, (for you may if you please, keep them at this height, by cutting off the tops) and in a while they will not only touch, but imbody themselves one into another; and then they become as strong and usefull a fence, as any can be made, so close, as to keep in Conies, and keep out Rats; for, neither Cattle nor Vermine love to come neer it. And as it is a beautifull and usefull fence, for Gardens and Orchards, and to keep in Conies, Turkies, Muscovia Ducks, and Dunghill foul, that cannot flie over, (having one wing clipt) so it serves us for singular use, in fencing about all our Pastures, or what other ground we would enclose: For, our fences being all made of faln trees, with the ends laid crosse one upon another, and many of those trees such wood, as were apt to rot and decay, by extream moisture, and violent heat; and the Planters having found the most of them were rotten and decayed, and to make new fences of that kind unpossible, by reason the timbers and trees that grew very neer that place, were imployed in making those fences, (for as they made them, the timber stood in their way, and no more adoe but cut them down, and lay them in their places without further removing) and removes of so great trees as they were, not to be done with few and weak hands: So that they were come to a great strait, and knew not which way, nor how, to renew these fences; some of the Pastures having no lesse then three thousand two hundred sixty eight trees to encompasse them. At last, they thought upon this way, of making new fences, which is the most commodious that can be imagined. And so they gather’d all the Physick-nuts they could, and sowed them, and made large Nurseries of them, which as soon as they grew to any strength, they remov’d, and planted them so, as making a sleight hedge between the old fence and the Pasture, that Cattle might not tread them down, being young and tender, they planted them between; and in four years time they grew so strong, as they were of sufficient ability to defend themselves, and became a very sufficient fence to keep in or out the strongest Bulls in the Pasture. And then, all the wood of the old fence being drie, and fit for the Furnaces, was cut in short pieces, cleft, and sent home by the Assinigos; and part was gathered together, and made into Charcoals, for fewell at home, and for the Smiths Forge, for we have there no Sea-coales. Besides this, there is another use of this Plant, and that is Physicall: Take five of the kernells, and eat them in a morning fasting, and they are a Vomit and Purge; but the body must be strong that takes so many: three will serve a body that is easie to work on: I my selfe took five of them, and they gave me twelve vomits, and above twenty stooles, which was too great an evacuation in a hot Country, where the body is weak, and the spirits exhausted by continuall sweating.
But I saw a stronger man there take them before me, and they wrought moderately with him; but, finding a weaker constitution to work on, they had the more powerfull operation.
This Nut, as it growes on the tree, is like a white Pear-plumb, and of a yellowish colour, with a pulpe on it, as much as a Plumb; but that being taken off, there remains a stone, of a blackish colour, and within that, a kernell, and in that kernell, in the parting it in two halves, as our Hazle-nuts in England, will part in the middle long-wise, you shall finde a thin filme, which lookes of a faint Carnation, which colour is easily discerned, the rest of the kernell being so perfectly white; Take out that filme, and you may eat the nut safely, without any operation at all, and ’tis as sweet, as a Jordan-Almond. This filme is perfectly discern’d, when the nut is new gathered; but I have look’d on them which have been longer kept, after I brought them into England, and I finde the Carnation colour quite gone, but the kernell retaines still his operation, both in Vomit and Purge.
The leaves are shap’d not much unlike a Vine leafe, but thrice as big, and much thicker, and fuller green.
Poyson tree.
The poysoned tree, though I cannot commend for her vertues, yet for her beauties I can. She is almost as large every way as the Locust, but not of that manner of growing; her leaves full out as large and beautifull, as the Lawrells, and so like, as not to be known assunder. The people that have lived long there, say, ’tis not wholsome to be under the shade of this tree. The fellers, as they cut them down, are very carefull of their eyes; and those that have Cipers, put it over their faces; for if any of the sap flie into their eyes, they become blinde for a month. A Negre had two Horses to walke, which were left with him by two Gentlemen; and the Horses beginning to fight, the Negre was afeard, and let them go; and they running into the wood together, struck at one another, and their heeles hitting some young trees of this kind, struck the poysonous juice into one anothers eyes, and so their blindnesse parted the fray, and they were both led home stone blind, and continued so a month, all the hair and skin pilling off their faces. Yet, of this timber we make all, or the most part, of the Pots we cure our Sugar in; for, being sawed, and the boards dried in the Sun, the poyson vapours out.
And as this tree’s poyson is in her sap, so the Mantionell’s is in her fruit, which they account as high a poyson, as that of the Cassavie. The fruit is like an apple John, and ’tis said to be one of those poysons, wherewith the Indian Caniballs invenome their Arrowes.
Cassavie.
And now I have nam’d the Cassavie, ’tis fit it come in the rank of poysons, though with good ordering it makes bread. ’Tis rather a shrub then a tree, the sprigs, few of them bigger then a broom-staffe, crooked and ill shap’d; but no matter for that, for the leaves are so thick, as to cover them; and they grow in tufts or bunches, and ever an odd one, as, 5. 7. 9. or 11. every leafe an inch broad, and six or seven inches long; dark green, and turning backward from the foreside. Their Roots I have set down already, their bignesse, and manner of growth, with the use of them.
Coloquintida.