all birds,
that they won't let them remain on the tree long enough to ripen;
by which means, they are rarely known to any, and much more rarely
tasted, though, perhaps, at the same time they grow just by the
houses.

2. The plums, which I have observed to grow wild there, are of two
sorts, the black and the Murrey plum, both which are small, and
have much the same relish with the damson.

3. The persimmon is by Heriot called the Indian plum; and so
Smith, Purchase, and Du Lake, call it after him; but I can't
perceive that any of those authors had ever heard of the sorts I
have just now mentioned, they growing high up in the country.
These persimmons, amongst them, retain their Indian name. They are
of several sizes, between the bigness of a damson plum and a
burgamot pear. The taste of them is so very rough, it is not to be
endured till they are fully ripe, and then they are a pleasant
fruit. Of these, some vertuosi make an agreeable kind of beer, to
which purpose they dry them in cakes, and lay them up for use.
These, like most other fruits there, grow as thick upon the trees
as ropes of onions: the branches very often break down by the
mighty weight of the fruit.

Sec. 13. Of berries there is a great variety, and all very good in their
kinds. Our mulberries are of three sorts, two black and one white; the
long black sort are the best, being about the bigness of a boy's thumb;
the other two sorts are of the shape of the English mulberry, short and
thick, but their taste does not so generally please, being of a faintish
sweet, without any tartness. They grow upon well spread, large bodied
trees, which run up surprisingly fast. These are the proper food of the
silk-worm.

1. There grow naturally two sorts of currants, one red and the
other black, more sweet than those of the same color in England.
They grow upon small bushes, or slender trees.

2. There are three sorts of hurts, or huckleberries, upon bushes,
from two to ten feet high. They grow in the valleys and sunken
grounds, having different relishes; but are all pleasing to the
taste. The largest sort grow upon the largest bushes, and, I
think, are the best berries.

3. Cranberries grow in the low lands and barren sunken grounds,
upon low bushes, like the gooseberry, and are much of the same
size. They are of a lively red, when gathered and kept in water,
and make very good tarts. I believe th