For to draw rosin out of the * Pitch-tree, it must be opened on the Sun side, not by giuing a [unspec A] slit or gash in the bark, but by cutting out a peece therof, so that the tree may gape and lie bare two foot at the most: and from the earth, this wound to be at least a cubite. Neither doe they spare the entire bodie and wound of the tree, as they do in the rest: for there is no danger therof, considering that the very chips of the wood being cut out, are ful of liquor, and do serue to make pitch. But the nearer that the said ouerture or hole is made to the earth, the better is the rosin that issues forth: for if it be higher it is better. When this is don, all the humor afterwards run∣neth to the vlcer ot incision aforsaid, from euery part of the tree. The like it doth in the Torch pine. When it hath left running to the first hole, there is a second likewise made on another side, and so still is the tree opened euery way: vntill at length tree and all is hewn downe, and the very pith and marrow thereof serueth for Torch wood to burne. Semblably, in Syria they vse [unspec B] to plucke the barke from the Terebinth: yea, and they pill the boughes and roots too for Terpentine, howsoeuer in other trees the rosin issuing out of those parts, is not counted good, in Macedonie the manner is to burne the male Larch, but the roots onely of the female for to draw out pitch. Theopompus wrate, that there is found in the territorie of the Apolloniats, a kind of minerall pitch, called Pis•…•…asphaltum, nothing inferiour in goodnesse to the Macedonian.
The best pitch in all countries, is that which is gathered from trees, standing vpon the North wind, and in places exposed to the Sunne-shine. As for that which commeth from shadowie places, it is more vnpleasant to the eie, and carieth besides a strong and stinking sauor. If it bee a cold and hard winter, the pitch then made is the worse, there is also lesse store of it, & nothing is it so well coloured. Some are of opinion, That the pitch issueth in more abundance out of [unspec C] trees in the mountaines, also that it is better colored, sweeter in tast, more pleasant also in smel•…•… namely, while it is raw pitch-rosin, and as it runneth from the tree: but if it be boiled, it yeelds lesse plentie of pitch than that which commeth of trees in the plain, and runneth all into a thin liquor in manner of whey, yea, and the very trees themselues are smaller. But both the one and the other, as wel the mountain pines and pitch-trees, as those of the plaines, yeeld not so much pitch in a faire and drie season, as when the weather is rainy and full of clouds. Moreouer, some there be of these trees that yeeld forth fruit (which is their rosin) the very same yere that imme∣diately followeth their incision; others, two yeares after; yea, and some again in the third yeare. As for the incision or open wound that is made, it filleth vp with rosin: for neither doth it sou∣der or vnite in manner of a skar, ne yet closeth the barke againe: for in this tree, being once di∣uided [unspec D] it will neuer come together and meet.
Among these trees, some haue reckoned one kind by it selfe named Sapium, because it is re∣planted and groweth of some of the sions or imps of the said trees, in maner as hath been shew∣ed before in our treatise of nut-kernells. The neather parts of which tree they call Teda [i. Torch-wood:] whereas indeed this tree is no other than the Pitch-tree, brought to a more mild and gentle nature by transplanting. As for that which the Latines call Sapinus, it is no∣thing else but the wood or timber of these kinde of trees, being hewed or cut downe, as well herafter declare in place conuenient.