ds and notches, they yearly draw forth the
liquor, till it arrive to near thirty foot upward, and of these they
have ample groves and plantations which they set at seven or eight foot
distance: But then they use to percolate what they extract, through a
stratum made of the rind of the tree, well contus'd and beaten, before
which preparation, it is not safe to drink it; and 'tis observed that
some trees afford a much more generous wine than others of the same
kind. In the coco and palmeto trees, they chop a bough, as we do the
_betula_; but in the date, make the incision with a chisel in the body
very neatly, in which they stick a leaf of the tree, as a _lingula_ to
direct it into the appendant vessel, which the subjoin'd figure
represents, and illustrates with its improvement to our former
discourse.

Note, if there be no fitting arms, the hole thus obliquely perforated,
and a faucet or pipe made of a swan's or goose's quill inserted, will
lead the sap into the recipient; and this is a very neat way, and as
effectual: I would also have it try'd, whether the very top twigs,
grasped in the hand together, a little cropt with a knife, and put into
the mouth of a bottle, would not instil, if not as much, yet a more
refined liquor, as some pretend.

8. The liquor of the birch is esteemed to have all the virtues of the
spirit of salt, without the danger of its acrimony; most powerful for
the dissolving of the stone in the bladder, bloody water and strangury:
Helmont shews how to make a beer of the water; but the wine is a most
rich cordial, curing (as I am told) consumptions, and such interior
diseases as accompany the stone in the bladder or reins{152:1}: The
juice decocted with honey and wine, Dr. Needham affirms he has often
cur'd the scorbut with. This wine, exquisitely made, is so strong, that
the common sort of stone-bottles cannot preserve the spirits, so subtile
they are and volatile; and yet it is gentle, and very harmless in
operation within the body, and exceedingly sharpens the appetite, being
drunk _ante pastum_: I will present you a receipt, as it was sent me by
a fair lady, and have often, and still use it.

{Illustration: (a. b.) The _Body_ of the _Tree_ (g.) boar'd at that part
of the _Arm_ (f.) join'd to the _Stem_, with an Augre of an _Inch_ or
more _diameter_, according to the bigness of the _Tree_. (c.) A part of
the _Bark_, or if you will, a _Faucet_ of _Quill_ bent down into the
Mouth of the _Bottle_