e Arbutus, Box, Yew, Holly, Pyracanth, Laurel, Bay, &c._

1. The _arbutus_, (by us call'd the strawberry-tree) too much I think
neglected by us; making that a rarity, which grows so common and
naturally in Ireland: It is indeed with some difficulty raised by seeds,
but propagated by layers, if skilfully prun'd, grows to a goodly tree,
patient of our clime, unless the weather be very severe: It may be
contriv'd into most beautiful palisades, is ever verdant: I am told the
tree grows to a huge bulk and height in Mount Athos and other countries:
Virgil reports its inoculation with the nut; and I find Bauhinus
commends the coal for the goldsmiths works; and the poet

Arbutean harrows, and the mystick van.{294:1}

2. _Buxus_, the box, which we begin to proscribe our gardens (and indeed
bees are no friend to it) should not yet be banish'd from our care;
because the excellency of the wood does commute for the unagreeableness
of its smell: Therefore let us furnish our cold and barren hills and
declivities with this useful shrub, I mean the taller sort; for dwarf
and more tonsile in due place; it will increase abundantly of slips set
in March, and towards Bartholomew-tide, as also of the seeds contain'd
in the cells: These trees rise naturally at Boxley in Kent in abundance,
and in the county of Surrey, giving name to that Chalky Hill (near the
famous Mole or Swallow) whither the ladies, gentlemen and other
water-drinkers from the neighbouring Ebesham-Spaw, often resort during
the heat of Summer to walk, collation and divert themselves in those
_antilex_ natural alleys, and shady recesses, among the box-trees;
without taking any such offence at the smell, which has of late banish'd
it from our groves and gardens; when after all, it is infinitely to be
preferr'd for the bordering of flower-beds, and flat embroideries, to
any sweeter les-lasting shrub whatever, subject after a year or two to
grow dry, sticky and full of gaps; which box is so little obnoxious to,
that, braving all seasons, it needs not to be renew'd for 20 years
together, nor kept in order with the garden-sheers, above once or twice
a year, and immediately upon that, the casting water on it, hinders all
those offensive emissions, which some complain of: But whilst I speak in
favour of this sort of edging, I only recommend the use of the
Dutch-box, (rarely found growing in England) which is a _pumil_ dwarf
kind, with a smaller leaf, and slow of growth, and wh