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Show + AG ae A Difcourfe of Fore{t-Trees. (Aisa V. Chap. into the Countrey, Virgil reports it w ill grafl with theChefinitt. 2. ‘The Beech ferves for various Ves of the Houfemife; Hinc oliem juvenis Mundi melioribus annis Beech made the Board, the Platters,and the Bowles, x Et Menfas dabat, © Lances, © pocula Fugus, &c. Couleij PLL 6. with it the Tvrzer makes Difhes, Trays, Ryrabs for Bucket s,and other Utenfils, Trevchers, Dreffer-boards, Ce likewile forthe if heeler, Foyner, and Upholfter for Sellyes, Chairs, Stoo!s, Beafteads, Oe, for the Bellows maker, and Husbandman his Shovel and Spaile-graffs 5 Floates for Fifbers Nets inftead of Corks, is made of its Bark, for Fuel,Billet ,Bavin and Coal though one of the leatt lafting : Not to omit even the very Shavings forthe fining of Wines. Peter Crefentius writes, thatthe 4fres ot Beech with proper mixture, is excellent tomake, Glafé with. If the Timber lye altogether under water, *tis little inferior to El#, as I find it practifed and afferted by shipwrights: Of old they made their Vala Vindimiatoria and Corbes Mefferia (as we Our pots for Strawberries ) with the Rid of this Beech , nay, and Veiicls to preferve Wine in, and that curioufly wrought Cup which the Shepherd inthe Bachollicks wagers withall, And an happyage it{cems: ——— No Wars did men moleft, When onely Beechen-Bowles were in requeft. . —— nec bella fuerunn, Eaginus aStabat dum Scyphus ante dapese Tibul. Of the thin Laminaor Scale of thiswood (as our Cuilers.callit ) are made Scabards tor Swords and Bandboxes, {aperindue’d with thin leather or Paper, Boxes for Writings Hat-cafts;and formerly Book covers. I wonder wecannot/plit it our felves but fend into other Countreys forfuchtrifles. Inthe Cavities of thefe Trees, Bees much delight to Hive themfelves : Yet for all this, you would nor wonder to hearme deplore the fo frequent ufe ofthis Wood, if you did confider that the induftry of France furnithes that Country for al] domeftic Utenfils with excellent Wallnut; a material infinitely preferrable to the beft Beech , which is indeed good only for fhade and for fire, asbeing brittle, and exceedingly obnoxious to the Worm, whereit lyes either dry, or wet and dry, ashas been noted ; but being put ten dayesin water, it will exceedingly ree fift the morm, Ricciolus much commendsit for Oars,and fomefay that the vaft Argo was built of the Fagus, a goodpartof it at leaft , aswe learn out of Apolonius ; this will admit of Interpreta= tion. But whilft we thus condemnthe Timber, we mutt not omit to praife the At&t, which fats our Swive and Deer, and hath in fome Families even fupported men with bread : Chios indured a memorable Siege bythe benefit of this Ata? ; andin {ome parts ofFrance they nowgrind the Buck in Agil’s A Difcourfe of Forelk-Ttees. Oyl, which the poor People eat moft willingly : But thereis yet another benefit which this Tree prefents us; that its very eaves which make a natural, and moft agreeable Canopy all the Sum- Hence inthe Worlds beft years the humble Shed, (Stools, Fortuxatarum domuum nou magna Supelex Was happily , and fully furnifhed : petebarur5 Sellas, Armaria, I ibe. Beech made their Chests, their Beds and the Foyn'd- ToraAdeulatid 2 pes £S HOC ‘ was engraven by Alcimedon upon the Bark of this tree: Chap. V. lr affords a fweet Oyl mer; being gathered about the Fall; and fomewhat before they are much froft-bitten, afford the belt and €afielt Azattrafes in the world to lay under our Quilts inftead offtraw ; becaufe, befides their tenderneffe and lovic lying together , they continue fweet for feven or eight years long; before which time /fraw becomes mufty and hard 5 they are thus ufed by divers perfons of quality in Dauphine 3 and in Swizzerland I have, fometimes. lain on them to mygreat refrefhment; fo as of this Tree it may properly befaid, The Wood's an Houfe; the leavesa Bed. Sylva domus, cubilia frondes. Juvenal, The ftagnant water in the hollow Trees cure the moft obftinate Tettars , Scabs, and Scurfs, in Afan or Beaft, fomenting the part with it; and the Leaves chew'd, are wholefome for the Gums and Teeth , for which the very Buds\,.as\they are in Winter hardned and dryed upon the twiggs, make good Tooth.pickers, Swine may be driven to Af? about the end of Auguft. |