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Show The PREFACE. lone within twenty miles compals,making nolefs, yearly, thanFifty thoufund Hoptheads) the commutation would CE perfwade my felf) rob ws of no great Advantage; but prefent us with one of the most deliciows and wholefom Beveragesin the World. : It was by the plain Induftry of owe Harris (a Fruiterer to Ring Henry the Eighththat the Fields,azd Environs of about thirty Towns,in Kent only, were planted with Fruit, to the univerfal benefit,andgeneral Improvementof that County to this day; as bythe noble example of my Lord Scudamor, aud offome other publick-[pirited Gentlemen iz thofe parts, all Herefordthire is become,in a manner,but one intire Orchard: And when his Majelty fhall once be pleas'd, to command the Planting but offome Acres,for the beft Cider-fruit,at every ofhis Royal Manfions, azong/t other ofhis moft laudable Magnificences 5 Noblemen,wealthy Purchafers, and Citizens will (doubtlefs)follow the Exe ample,till thepreference of Cider, wholefow,and more natural Drinks, do quite vanquifh Hopps, and banifh all other Droguesof that mature, Bat this Improvement (fayfome) would be generally obftrnced by the Tenant,azd High-fhoon-men, whoare allfor the prefent profit; their expectationsfeldom holding out above a year or two at moft. To this’tis anfwer'd 5 That therefore (hould the Lord of the Mannour not only encourage the Work by his own Example,and by the Applanfe of Such Tenants as cam be courted to delight in thefe kinds of Improve ments; but fhould alfo oblige them by Covenants to plant certaiz Proe portions ofthem, and to preferve them being planted. Tofortifie thie profitable Defign, It were farther to be defir'd, that (if already there be not effectual provifion for it, which wants only due execution avd quickning) a# Act of Parliament might beprocur'dfor the Setting but of two or three Trees in every Acre of Laad that fhall hereafter be enclofed, under the Forfeiture of Six-pence per Tree, for fome publick azd charitable Work,to be levy’d on the Defaulters, 7% what an innumerable multitude would this, in few years, infenfibly mount; affording infinite proportions, and variety of Fruit throughout the Nation, which now takes a Potionfor 4 refrefhment, and drinksits very Bread-corn | I havefeex a Calculation oftwenty Fruit-trees to every Five-pounds ofyearly Rent, forty to Ten3fixty to Fifteen ; eighty to Twenty 3 and So according to the proportion, Had all our Gommons,and Watte-lands one Fruit-tree but at every hundred foot diftance, planted, andfenc'd at the publick charge, for the benefit of the Poor, (whatever might dy and mifcarry enough would efcape ableto maintain a Stock,which would afford them a moft incredible relief. And the Hedg-rows,and the Champion-grounds, Land-divifions, Mounds, avd Head-lands (where the Plough xot coming, *tis ever abandon'd to VVeeds and Briars) would addyet confiderably to thefe Advantages, without detriment to any man. As touching theSpecies, if much have been faid tothe preference of the Red-ftrake before other Cider-Apples, this # tobe added: That as the bes? Vines, ofricheft liquor,and greates# burden.do notfpend much in wood and unprofitable branches 5 fo nor does thisTree : for though other Cider mayfeem more pleafant (fince we decline to give Judgment of what is unknown tom) weyek attain our purpofe, if Thisfhall appear beft The PREFACE. beft to reward the Planter, of any inprefentpracifes efpecial’y, for the generality; becaufe it willfit the moft parts which are addidfe d to Liquors, but mifs of the right kinds, and prove the moft focure thefe fron externalinjuries and Invaders, i But not to rcfine anyfarther upon the rare effects of Cider, which is above all the moft eminent,foberly to exhilerate the Spirits of as Ay pocondriacal {flanders, and by a {pecific quality tochafe away that unSociable Spleen, without exces; we muft notforget that the very Blot fom of the Fruit perfumes, and purifies the Ambient Air, mbich Beal well obferves in his Hereford-fhire Orchards) is conceiv (as D* 'd conducesfo much tothe conftant Health and Longevity, for which that Country has beew always celebrated, fencing their Habitat ions and Sweet Receflesfrom Winds, and Winter-invafions, the heat of the Sun and his unfufferable darts: And if (faith he) we ma y acknowledge eeni grateful frifles, for that they harbour a conftant Aviary of (weet Singers, whichare here retain’d without the charge of Italian wires: To which cannot but add his following option, That ifat any time we arein dangerof being hindred from Trade in Forreign Countries, our Exglifo indignation may {cornto feed attheir Tables,to drink of their Liquors, or otherwife to borrow or buy of Them, or of any their Confederates, fo long as our Nutive Soyl does fupply us with fuch excellent Neceflaries. Nor do we produce thefe {nftances to redeem the Liquorfrom the fu- perftition, prejudice, azd opinions of thofe Men who fo much magni- fie the juice ofthe Grape above it: But we will here add fome Expetiments from uadenyablefuccefs (in fpite of Vintners,and Bands to wens Palats) were theyfufficient to convince us,and reclaim the vitiated 3 or that it were polfible to difpute of the pleafantne(s, riches, and pracedency of Drioks and Diets, andfo to providefor fit, competent, and zmpartial Judges; when by Nature, Nation, or Climate (as well as by Cuftom avd Education ) we differ in thofe Extreanis. Moi parts of Africa and Afia prefer Coffee before our Nobleft Li quorss India, the Roots and Plants before our best Cook’'d Venifon 4 Aloft all the World crude water, before our Country Ale and Beeriand we Englith being generally more for infipid, lufcious, or profs Diet, thanfor the{picy, poignant, oylie, and highly relith’d, (mitne/s ont univerfal hatred of Oy\s,French-wine,or Rhenith without Sugar ; onr doating on Currans,Figgs,Plum- pottage, Pies, Pudding,Cake, cc.) rendersyet the difficulty more arduows.But to make good theExperiment About thirtyyearsfince one M.Taylor (4 perfon well known in Hereford-thire)challeng'd a London-Vintner(finding him in the Country) That he wouldproduce aCider which should excel bis beft Spanith or French-wine : The Wager being depofited, He brings ix a good Red-~ flrake to a private Houfe : On that Scene,all the Vintner could call to be Judges pronounce againft his Wine ; Nor would any man there drink, French-wine (without the help ofSugar) mor endure Sack for a full draught; and tothofewhowere not accuftomed to either, the more racy Canaries were no more agreeable than Malaga,too lu{cionsfor the repetition.ButthisW ager being loft,ourVintner renews bisChartel,npon thefé express terms, of Competent and Indifferent Arbitrators: The GentleB 2 man |