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Show 114 Platanus. A Difcourfe of Foreft- Trees. Chap.XXIII, 2, Platanus , that {o beautiful and precious Tree, fo doated on by Xerxes, that 4/iaz and other Authours tell us he made halt, and {top'd his prodigious Army of feventeen hundred thonfand {ouldiers which even cover'd the Sea, exhaufted Rivers, and thruft Mount Athos from the Continent , to admire the pulchritude and procerity of one of thefe goodly Trees , and became fo fondofit, Macrob, Saturnal, 3. that fpoiling both hisfelf , his Concubizes, and great Perfons of all] their jewels , he cover’'dit with Gold, Gems, Nec kelaces » Searfs and Bracelets,and infinite riches; In fum, was fo evamor'd of it, that for fome days neither the concernmentof his grand Expedition, nor intereft of honor, nor the neceflary motion ofhis portentous Army, could perlwade him from it ; He ftyl'd ithis Mifirishis Atinion,his Goddefe; and whenhe was forc'd to part from it, he caus’d the figure of it to be ftampt in a Adedail of Gold, whichhe continually woreabout him. Thefe Trees the Romansfirft brought out of the Levazt, and cultivated with fo much induftry and coft , forits {tately and proud head only; that great Orators and States- men, Cicero and Hortenfizs would exchange now and then turz at the Bar,that they might havethe pleafure to {tep to their Vil/as,and re- frefh their Platans, which they would often arrigate with Wine in- {tead of Water; and fo priz’d the very fhadow ofit, that when af terwards theytranfplanted them into France > they exacted aT7i. bute of any of the Natives who fhould prefume but to put his bead under it. Pliny tells us there is no Tree whatfoever which fo well defends us from the heat of the Suzin Summer nor that admits it more kindly in Wizter, And for our encouragement,I do upon experience aflure you, that they will flourith and abide with us,without any more trouble than frequent,and plentiful Waterizg , which from their youth theyexceffively delight in, and gratefully ac- Knowledge bytheir growth accordingly; {o as I am perfwaded,that with very ordinary Induftry, they might be propagated to the in- credible Ornament ofthe Walks and Avenues to Great-mens houfes. The Introduction ofthis true Plane amongit us, is due to that hoxorable Gentleman Sir Geo, Crook of Oxford/hire , from whofe bounty I received an hopefull plant now growing in my Villa, 3. There was lately at Bafil in Switzerland an ancient goodly Platanetum , and now in France they are come again in vogue: I knowit was antiently accounted deems; but they may with us be rais'd oftheir feeds with care, in amoift (oil » as bere | have known them: But the reafon of our little fuccefs , is, that we very rarely have themfent us ripe; which fhould be gather’d /ate in Autumn, and brought us from fome more Levantine parts than Italy. They come alfo of Layers abundantly; affecting a freth and feeding ground ; for fo they plant them about their Rivulets , and Fountains, The Weft-Indian Planeis not altogether fo rare, but it rifes toa goodly Tree,and bears a very ample, and lefle jaged /eaf': That the Turks ufetheir Platanus for the building of Ships ,Ulearn out of Ricciolus Hydrog. 1, 10. c. 37. : 4. Thefame opinion have I of the noble Lotus, (another lover of Chap.XX1V. A Dour of Forelt-Trees, 115 of che Water) which in tal yields bothan admirable Joude , and Timber immortal. Ofthis Wood are made Pipes and Witd:-Inftrite ments, and ofits Root, Hafts for kizves, and other Tools, &c. The offer of Craffas to Domitins for half a dozen of thele Trees growing about an houfe ofhis in Rome , teltifies in what eftecm they were had for their incomparable beauty and ufe: The Cornel-tree, Careuss though not mention’d by Plinie forits Timber , is exceedingly com: mendedfor its durablenefle, and ufe in Wheel-work, Pinns , and Wedges , in whichit lalts like the hardeft ron 5 and it will grow with us to good bulk and ftature; and the preferv'd ; and pickl'd berries, are mott refrething, and an excellent condiment. CHAP. XXIV. Of the Cyprefs-tree and Cedar. VWipreffiis, the Cyprefe-Tree , is either the Sative or Cardew tree! the moft pyramidal and beautiful 5 or that which is call’d the Male; (though fomewhat prepoftroufly) which bears the Cones, batis ofa more extravagant fhape : fhould we reafon only from our commonexperience, even the Cypreffe-tree was, but within a few years paft; reputed fo terider , and nice a Plant that it was cultiva. ted with the greateft care, and to be found only amongit the cu. vious 5 whereas we {ee it now, in every Garden, rifing to as goodly a bulk and f{tature, as moft which you fhall find even in Ttalyit felf ; for fich I rememberto have once feen in his late Majefties Gardens at Theobalds, before that Prizcely feat was demolifh’d, 1 fay ,ifwe did argue from this Topic : Methinks it fhould rather encourage our Cousiry- mex to add yetto'their Plantations other Forreign and w#eful Trees, and not in the leaft deter them, becaufe manyofthem are not as yet become endenizon’d amongtt us, 2. We mayteadthat the Peach wasat fitft accounted fo tender and delicate a Tree, as that it was believ’d to thrive only in Perfia; and evenin the days of Galez, it grew no nearer then Egypt , of all the Rovan Provinces , but was not feen in the C#ty till mote then thirty years before Plizy’s times whereas there is now hardly a more Common and univerfal in Exrope: Thus likewife, the Avellaza from Pomtus in Affa,; Thence into Greece , and fo Italy, to the City of Abellino in Campania. Una tantim litera immutata, Avellina dici , qué prius Abellina. T might affirm the fame of our Damafeo Plum , Quince, Medlar, Figue, and moft ordinary Pears,as well as of feveral other Peregrine Trees,‘ Fruitebearers , and others; For even the very Damask-rofe it {elf (as my Lord Bacortels ff8 Cent, 2. Exp. 659.) is rere an |
