The historie of the vvorld: commonly called, The naturall historie of C. Plinius Secundus. Translated into English by Philemon Holland Doctor of Physicke. The first [-second] tome

CHAP. XXIIII.

¶ Of the Royall thorn of Babylon: and of Cytisus.

I May not ouer-passe that plant, which about Babylon is sowed vpon Thornes only: for other∣wise it knowes not how to liue no more than Misselto, but on trees: howbeit this plant that I speake of, is sowed vpon that Thorne alone called the Royall Thorne. And a strange thing it is of this plant, That it springs and grows the very same day that it is set or sowed. Now the [unspec L] seasonable time of sowing it, is at the very rising of the Dog-star: and notwithstanding the Suns heat, right quickly ouerspreads it the tree or shrub, on which it is cast. The Babylonians vse to aromatize their wine therwith; and for that purpose are they so carefull to sow it. But the fore∣said Thorne tree groweth also about the long walls of Athens [reaching from the tower to the hauen Pyraeeum.]

Noreouer, a shrub there is, called Cytisus, highly commended and wondrous much praised by Aristomachus the Athenian, for feeding of sheep; as also for fatting of swine, when it is drie: and he promiseth and assureth, That an acre of land sowed therwith, although it be none of the best soile, but of a meane and ordinarie rent, will yeeld yearely [communibus annis] 2000 Sester∣ces to the master. As great profit commeth therby, as of the pulse like Vetches, called Ervum: [unspec M] but sooner will a beast be satisfied therewith, and a very little therof will serue to fat the same: insomuch as if horses or any such labouring cattell may meet with that prouender, they will not care for barley: neither is there any other grasse or fodders, that yeeldeth more or better

milk than it: but that which passeth all, the pasturage of Cytisus, preserueth sheep, goats, and [unspec A] such like cattell, sound and safe from all diseases whatsoeuer. Ouer and besides, if a nourse want milke, Aristomachus prescribes her to take Cytisus dry, and seeth it in water, and so to drink it in wine, whereby not onely her milke will come againe in great plenty, but the babe that sucketh thereof will be the stronger and taller. He giueth it also to hens and pullein whiles it is green, or steeped and wet if it chance to be dry. Democritus and Aristomachus both do promise and as∣sure vs, that Bees will neuer miscarry nor faile, if they may meet with Cytisus to seed vpon. And yet there is not a thing of lesse charge to maintaine than it. Sowne it is commonly in the spring with barley, I mean the seed thereof, as they mean to sow Leekes or Porret seed: or els they set plants and slips thereof from the stalke, in Autumne before mid-winter. If the seed be sowne, it ought to be steeped and moistned before: yea, and if there fall no store of raine after it is in the ground, it had need to be watered. As for the plants when they be a cubit long, are [unspec B] replanted in a trench a foot deepe. Otherwhiles the tender quicke-sets are planted about the Equinoxes, to wit, in mid-March and mid-September. In three yeares they come to their full growth. They vse to cut it downe in the Spring-Equinox, when it hath done flouring: a worke that a very lad or old woman may do, euen such as can skill of nothing besides. This Cytisus is in outward hew white: and in one word, if a man would pourtray the likenes thereof, it resem∣bleth for all the world a shrub of Trifolie or Clauer-grasse, with narrower leaues. Being thus gathered, it is euer giuen to beasts once in three daies. And in Winter, that which is dried ought to be wet before they haue it. Ten pound of it is a sufficient foddering for an horse: and for other small cattell according to the proportion. But by the way this is not to be omitted, that it is good to set garlicke and sow onions seed betweene the rewes and rankes of Cytisus [unspec C] where it groweth, and they will thriue more plenteously. This shrub was first discouered and known in the Island Cythnus, and from thence translated into all the other Cyclades: and soon after brought to all the cities of Greece; whereupon followed great increase of milke, & plen∣tie of cheese. I maruel therefore very much that it is so geason and rare in Italy: and a plant it is that feareth neither heate nor cold, no iniury of haile, nor offence by snow; and as Hyginus saith, it is not afraid so much as of the enemie; the reason is, because the wood thereof is no∣thing beautifull to the eye.