Their Leaves Endure The Winter,
In Which Season Our Cattle Eat Them Greedily.
We have them
(towards the Heads of our Rivers) so large, that one Joint will hold
above a pint of Liquor.
{Bamboo.}
The small Bamboo is next, which is a certain Vine, like the rest
of these Species, growing in low Land. They seldom, with us,
grow thicker than a Man's little Finger, and are very tough.
Their Root is a round Ball, which the Indians boil as we do Garden-Roots,
and eat them. When these Roots have been some time out of the Ground,
they become hard, and make good Heads to the Canes, on which
several pretty Figures may be cut. There are several others of this kind,
not thoroughly discover'd.
{Palmeto.}
That Palmeto grows with us, which we call the dwarfish sort;
but the Palmeto-Tree I have not yet met withal in North-Carolina,
of which you have a Description elsewhere. We shall next treat
of the Spontaneous Fruits of this Country; and then proceed to those
that have been transplanted from Europe, and other Parts.
{Natural Vines.}
Among the natural Fruits, the Vine first takes place, of which
I find six sorts, very well known. {Bunch-Grapes.} The first
is the black Bunch-Grapes, which yield a Crimson Juice.
These grow common, and bear plentifully. They are of a good Relish,
though not large, yet well knit in the Clusters. They have a thickish Skin,
and large Stone, which makes them not yield much Juice.
There is another sort of Black-Grapes like the former, in all respects,
save that their Juice is of a light Flesh-Colour, inclining to a White.
I once saw a Spontaneous white Bunch-Grape in Carolina;
but the Cattle browzing on the Sprouts thereof in the Spring, it died.
{Fox-Grapes.} Of those which we call Fox-Grapes, we have four sorts;
two whereof are called Summer-Grapes, because ripe in July;
the other two Winter-Fruit, because not ripe till September or October.
The Summer Fox-Grapes grow not in Clusters, or great Bunches,
but are about five or six in a Bunch, about the Bigness of a Damson,
or larger.
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