The Hickory trees furnish a hot and lasting fire, and a curious appearance whenever the bush is cut away either for the purpose of more open hunting or for clearing the ground for abouwery. Someplants sent hither from Hol- Jand thrive better than even in Holland ; namely, the apple, pear, quince, cherry, plum, currant, apricot, buckthorn, medlar, peach and onion. vine grow wild everywhere and bear in abundance blue and white muscatels and pork grapes (spek-druiven). Some time since, the wine press was successfully

Fholesome waters.

Trees; j what sort,

Vines.

DESCRIPTION OF NEW NETHERLAND. 117

introduced. The wine was equal to any Rhenish or French Wine. Every vegetable known to the Duteh is cultivated in the gardens. Water melons as Savory as they are | wholesome, are, when ripe, as large as a cabbage. The English extract a liquor from them which would be no wise inferior to Spanish wine did it not turn sour too soon. Gourds when cleaned out serve as water vessels. Tobacco produces leaves five quarters long. Pumpkins grow luxuriant and agreeable, Corn sowed in hills six feet apart, sprouts up readily and prosperously if properly weeded. Turkish beans, planted beside the corn, wind themselves around the stalk. Grey peas prosper hereso well that two crops are gathered in the year from one field. Medicinal plants and indigo grow wild in abundance. The barley can be tied above the head. Furthermore, all sorts of flowers havea pleasant odor and appearance. The hills consist of fullers earth, or clay, fit for making dishes, pots and tobacco pipes. There is, besides, abundance of rock crystal and Muscovy glass. Other hills furnish marble, _ serpentine, blue and hearth stone. And although the Dutch have not taken much trouble to dig for minerals, either on account of not being numerous enough, or in order not to make