mountains for) to that degree, as to render not only the city of
Florence, but Rome her self so expos'd to the nipping Tramontan's (for
so they call the northern winds) that almost nothing which is rare and
curious, will thrive without hyemation and art; so as even thro' the
most of those parts of Italy, on this side the Kingdom of Naples,
flank'd by the Alpestral Hills, (clad as they perpetually are with snow)
they are fain to house, and retire their orange, citron, and other
delicate and tender plants, as we do in England. There remains yet one
mountain among the Appennines, cover'd and crown'd with cypress; whereof
some are of considerable stature: Nor is all this indeed so great a
wonder, if we find the entire species of some trees totally lost in
countries, as if there never had been any such planted or growing in
them: Be this applied to fir and pine, and several other trees, for want
of culture, several accidents in the soil, air, &c. which we daily find
produces strange alterations in our woods; the beech almost constantly
succeeding the oak, to our great disadvantage; whilst we neglect new
seminations. Herodotus speaking of the palms, (plentifully growing about
Delos) says the whole species was utterly lost: More I might add on this
subject; but having perhaps been too long on these remarks, and long
enough on cold M. Libanus, I pass to,

1. Juniper; let it not seem unduly plac'd, if after such gyants, we
bring that humble shrub (such as abound with us being so reckon'd) to
claim affinity to the tallest cedar; since were not ours continually
cropp'd, but maintain'd in single stems, we might perhaps see some of
them rise to competent trees; fit for many curious works, tables,
cabinets, coffers, inlaying, floors, carvings, &c. we have of some of
these trees so large, as to have made beams and rafters for a certain
temple in Spain, dedicated to Diana; nor need we question their being
fit for other buildings; celebrated for its emulating the cedar, tho'
not in stature, yet in its lastingness: And such, I think, the learned
Dr. Sloane mentions growing in Jamaica, little inferior to the Vermudas.

2. Of juniper, we have three or four sorts, male, female, dwarf; whereof
one is much taller, and more fit for improvement. The wood is yellow,
and being cut in March, sweet as cedar, whereof it is accounted a
spurious kind; all of them difficult to remove with success; nor
prosper, they being shaded at all, or over-drip'd: