Of Filberds And Hazle-Nuts

Filberds and hazle-nuts are more nourishing than walnuts, and they are best when they are not quite ripe, because they are then more moist, and more agreeable to the palate; but they are never digest-ed in the stomach. When they are full ripe, and have been kept sometime,they become more whole-some. When they are eaten too freely, they render the head heavy; and if they are taken soon after a meal, they cause thirst, and a troublesome inflation. It is a common opinion, that they cause shortness of breath, and bring on the asthma.

Of Almonds

Fresh sweet almonds are nourishing,but not much, and they fit heavy on the stomach of many whole digestive faculty is weak. Therefore the best way is to chew them very small, otherwise they will pass unchanged through the body. They are given to lick persons to thicken thin humours, to render those that are sharp soft, and to restore the flesh of those that are in a waste and a consumption. They should be chosen fresh, not rancid,yellow and smooth outwardly, not wrinkled, very white within, and of a sweet agreeable taste. An emulsion made with sweet almonds is given in burning fevers, watching, heat of urine, inflammations of the kidneys and bladder, all sorts of pains, fluxes, and bleedings.

Bitter almonds are seldom used inwardly, and the oil that is expressed from them is like oil of sweet almonds. They are poison to dogs, foxes, and many other animals which die in convulsions.

Of Pistachio-Nuts

Pistachio-nuts should be chosen heavy, full, fresh, of an agreeable smell, and a sweet aromatic taste. They are agreeable to the palate and stomach, and yield plenty of nourishment, but somewhat gross. They are restorative, and very proper for those that are emaciated, or have lost their flesh. They are opening, strengthening the stomach and other bowels. They are good in coughs and consumptions, because they abate the acrimony of the humours. When they are used immoderately,they are said to be heating, otherwise they agree with all constitutions.

Of Pine-Apple Kernels

Pine-apple kernels should be fresh, large, white, and tender. They are very nourishing, but a little hard of digestion; they are useful to lean comsump-tive people, because they cleanse the lungs, and heal the ulcers. They likewise sheath the salts of the blood and humours, and on that account are good in heat of urine, and stranguaries, as well as in ulcers of the kidneys and bladder. They in-crease milk, and the seminal fluid.

Of Chesnuts

Chesnuts are never eaten raw, but roasted either in a pan over the fire, or under the ashes. In some mountainous countries they are used instead of bread: However, let them be cooked which way they will, they are windy, hard of digestion, yield gross nourishment, and are fit only for those that are strong, and lead a laborious life. Therefore they should be used with great moderation, especially by those that are troubled with the gravel, the colic, lic, and obstructions of the bowels. However, they are good in fluxes, and for those that spit blood.