Of Strawberries

There are two sorts of strawberries, those that grow in gardens, and those that will not. The garden strawberries are bell, and most in esteem, of which some are red, and some are white. They should be chosen large, ripe, full of juice, with a fragrant smell, and a vinous taste. They are cooling, quench thirst, promote urine, and take off the heat of the stomach. They maybe eaten after dinner with cream, and sugar, or with wine, without any prejudice, avoiding excess. They are very useful in hot weather, especially to those of warm constitutions.

Of Rasberries

Rasberries have much the same nature as straw-berries, and should be chosen large, juicy, and agreeable to the taste and smell. They are cooling, cordial, and strengthen the stomach when eaten moderately. The juice mixt with sugar, is very good to abate the heat in fevers. Rasberries infused in wine, impart a delicious taste and smell. In general, they are very good for hot bilious persons, whose blood and humours are in commotion.

Of Gooseberries

Unripe gooseberries have an acid, austere taste; for which reason they are cooling and binding; as also very useful in sauce, to quicken the appetite; but eaten raw, they are hurtful, void of all nou-rishment, breed wind, and are bad for cold sto-machs. When ripe, they are soft, sweet, of an agreeable taste, and lose their binding quality. They are apt to corrupt in the stomach, and therefore should not be eaten too freely.

Of Currants

Currants are red, white, and black. The two former are of the same nature, and are proper to abate internal heat, to restrain the commotions of the blood and humours, to strengthen the sto mach, to excite the appetite, are very useful in bilious loosenesses and fevers; as also in haemorrha-ges, from a dissolution or effervescence of the blood.

Some think them rather too sharp for the stomach; but a little sugar will remedy that inconvenience. Black currants have many physical virtues, for they promote urine, and are useful in the gravel and stone. Some commend them in the wandring gout, convulsions, and the palsey. The gelly made with the juice has done wonders in curing the quin-sey or inflammation of the throat. A little of it should be swallowed frequently.

Of Cherries

Cherries are of several sorts, such as the common red cherry, the black cherry, the great and small, white-heart, the black-heart, the bleeding heart, and the morello. Black cherries are a very whole-some fruit, and the least apt to surfeit of any. They have been recommended by many physicians against diseases of the head and nerves, which shows they are very far from prejudicing health. Black-cherries have been brought into disrepute from the poisonous effects of their distilled water, which have been lately discovered. But as this may be owing to the manner in which it was made, it certainly deserves farther consideration. The common cherries are cooling, quench thirst, temperate the bile, and keep the body open. Their juice mixt with water, and sweetened with sugar, make a very agreeable drink in hot weather, is grateful to the stomach, and useful in fevers. They are bad for those that have a weak stomach,which abounds with acid humours, or who are troubled with loosenesses.