Oakes are there of two sorts, white and redd;[287] excellent tymber for the building both of howses and shipping: and they are found to be a tymber that is more tough then the oak of England. They are excellent for pipe-staves, and such like vessels; and pipe-staves at the Canary Ilands are a prime commodity. I have knowne them there at 35. p. the 1000,[288] and will purchase a fraight of wines there before any commodity in England, their onely wood being pine, of which they are enforced also to build shippinge; of oackes there is great abundance in the parts of New England, and they may have a prime place in the Catalogue of commodities.

Ashe[289] there is store, and very good for staves, oares or pikes; and may have a place in the same Catalogue.

Elme: of this sort of trees there are some; but there hath not as yet bin found any quantity to speake of.

{63} Beech there is of two sorts, redd and white;[290] very excellent for trenchers or chaires, and also for oares; and may be accompted for a commodity.

Wallnutt: of this sorte of wood there is infinite store, and there are 4 sorts:[291] it is an excellent wood, for many uses approoved; the younger trees are imployed for hoopes, and are the best for that imployement of all other stuffe whatsoever. The Nutts serve when they fall to feede our swine, which make them the delicatest bacon of all other foode: and is therein a cheife commodity.

Chestnutt: of this sorte there is very greate plenty, the tymber whereof is excellent for building; and is a very good commodity, especially in respect of the fruit, both for man and beast.

Pine: of this sorte there is infinite store in some parts of the Country.[292] I have travelled 10. miles together where is little or no other wood growing.[293] And of these may be made rosin, pitch and tarre, which are such usefull commodities that if wee had them not from other Countries in Amity with England, our Navigation would decline. Then how great the commodity of it will be to our Nation, to have it of our owne, let any man judge.

Cedar:[294] of this sorte there is abundaunce; and this wood was such as Salomon used for the building of that glorious Temple at Hierusalem; and there are of these Cedars, firre trees and other materialls necessary for the building of many faire Temples,[295] if there were any Salomons to be at the Cost of them: and if any man be desirous to finde out in what part of the {64} Country the best Cedars are, he must get into the bottom grounds, and in vallies that are wet at the spring of the yeare, where the moisture preserves them from the fire in spring time, and not in a woodden prospect.[296] This wood cutts red, and is good for bedsteads, tables and chests; and may be placed in the Catalogue of Commodities.

Cypres:[297] of this there is great plenty; and vulgarly this tree hath bin taken for another sort of Cedar; but workemen put a difference betweene this Cypres, and the Cedar, especially in the colour; for this is white and that redd white: and likewise in the finenes of the leafe and the smoothnes of the barque. This wood is also sweeter then Cedar, and, (as it is in Garrets[298] herball,) a more bewtifull tree; it is of all other, to my minde, most bewtifull, and cannot be denied to passe for a commodity.

Spruce[299]: of these there are infinite store, especially in the Northerne parts of the Country; and they have bin approoved by workemen in England to be more tough then those that they have out of the east country: from whence wee have them for masts and yards of shippes.

The Spruce of this country are found to be 3. and 4. fadum about: and are reputed able, single, to make masts for the biggest ship that sayles on the maine Ocean, without peesing; which is more than the East country can afford.[300] And seeing that Navigation is the very sinneus of a flourishing Commonwealth, it is fitting to allow the Spruce tree a principall place in the Catalogue of commodities.

{65} Alder: of this sorte there is plenty by rivers sides, good for turners.

Birch: of this there is plenty in divers parts of the Country. Of the barck of these the Salvages of the Northerne parts make them delicate Canowes, so light that two men will transport one of them over Land whither[301] they list; and yet one of them will transporte tenne or twelffe Salvages by water at a time.

Mayple:[302] of those trees there is greate abundance; and these are very excellent for bowles. The Indians use of it to that purpose; and is to be accompted a good commodity.

Elderne:[303] there is plenty in that Country; of this the Salvages make their Arrowes, and it hath no strong unsavery sent like our Eldern in England.

Hawthorne: of this there is two sorts, one of which beares a well tasting berry as bigg as ones thumbe, and lookes like little Queene apples.

Vines: of this kinde of trees there are that beare grapes of three colours: that is to say, white, black and red.[304]

The Country is so apt for vines, that, but for the fire at the spring of the yeare, the vines would so over spreade the land that one should not be able to passe for them;[305] the fruit is as bigg, of some, as a musket bullet, and is excellent in taste.

Plumtrees:[306] of this kinde there are many; some that beare fruit as bigg as our ordinary bullis: others there be that doe beare fruite much bigger than peare plummes; their colour redd, and their stones flat; very delitious in taste.

{66} Cheritrees there are abundance; but the fruit is as small as our sloes; but if any of them were replanted and grafted, in an orchard, they would soone be raised by meanes of such; and the like fruits.

There is greate abundance of Muske Roses in divers places: the water distilled excelleth our Rosewater of England.

There is abundance of Sassafras[307] and Sarsaperilla,[308] growing in divers places of the land; whose budds at the spring doe perfume the aire.

Other trees there are not greatly materiall to be recited in this abstract, as goose berries, rasberies, and other beries.

There is Hempe[309] that naturally groweth, finer then our Hempe of England.