ob. Saturn._ l. 3. c. 18.

{104:1}

Illa domi natas, nostraque ex arbore mensas
Tempora viderunt: hos lignum stabat in usus,
Annosam si forte nucem dejecerat Eurus.

_Juv._ l. 4. Sat. 11.

{107:1} _Philosoph. Transact._ vol. III, num. xl, p. 802.

CHAPTER X.

_Of the Service, and black cherry-tree._

1. _Sorbus_, the service-tree (of which there are four sorts) is rais'd
of the chequers, or berries, which being ripe (that is) rotten, about
September (and the pulp rub'd off clean from the stones, in dry sand,
and so kept till after Christmas) may be sown like beech-mast, educated
in the nursery like the chesnut: It is reported that the sower never
sees the fruit of his labour; either for that it bears only being very
old, or that men are commonly so, before they think of planting trees:
But this is an egregious mistake; for these come very soon to be trees,
and being planted young, thrive exceedingly; I have likewise planted
them as big as my arm successfully: The best way is therefore to
propagate them of suckers, of which they put forth enough, as also of
sets, and may be budded with great improvement: They delight in
reasonable good stiff ground, rather inclining to cold, than over-hot;
for in places which are too dry, they never bear kindly. The
_torminalis_ (so called for its effects against gripings of the bowels)
is the kind most frequent with us; for those of the narrower, and less
indented leaf, are not so common in England as in France, bearing a sort
of berry of the pear-shape, and is there call'd the _cormier_; this tree
may be graffed either on it self, or on the white-thorn, and quince. To
this we might add, the _mespilus_ or medlar, being an hard wood, and of
which I have seen very beautiful walking-staves. But there is yet a rare
kind of service-tree, frequent in Germany, which we find not in our
woods, and they speak of another sort, which bears poyson-berries.

2. The timber of the sort is useful for the joyner, and of which I have
seen a room curiously wainscotted: Also for the engraver of wood-cuts,
bows, pullys, skrews, mill-spindles and other; goads to drive oxen with,
&c. pistol and gun-stocks, and for most that the wild-pear-tree, serves;
and being of a very delicate grain for the turner, and divers
curiosities, and looks beautifully, and is almost everlasting, being
rubb'd over with oyl of linseed, well boil'd, it may be made to
counterfeit ebony, or almost any I