Page:A Description of New England - Smith (1616).djvu/37

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The description of New England,

with Herring, Ling, and wet Cod; The Easterlings, a great part of Europe, with Sturgion and Cauiare; Cape-blanke, Spaine, Portugale, and the Leuant, with Mullet, and Puttargo; New found Land, all Europe, with a thin Poore Iohn: yet all is so ouerlaide with fishers, as the fishing decayeth, and many are constrained to returne with a small fraught. Norway, and Polonia, Pitch, Tar, Masts, and Yardes; Sweathland, and Russia Iron, and Ropes; France, and Spaine, Canuas, Wine, Steele, Iron, and Oyle; Italy and Greece, Silks, and Fruites. I dare boldly say, because I haue seen naturally growing, or breeding in those parts the same materialls that all those are made of, they may as well be had here, or the most part of them, within the distance of 70 leagues for some few ages, as from all those parts; vsing but the same meanes to haue them that they doe, & with all those aduantages.

The nature of ground approoued.First, the ground is so fertill, that questionless it is capable of producing any Grain, Fruits, or Seeds you will sow or plant, growing in the Regions afore named: But it may be, not euery kinde to that perfection of delicacy; or some tender plants may miscarie, because the Summer is not so hot, and the winter is more colde in those parts wee haue yet tryed neere the Sea side, then we finde in the same height in Europe or Asia; Yet I made a Garden vpon the top of a Rockie Ile in 43. 1/2, 4 leagues from the Main, in May, that grew so well, as it serued vs for sallets in Iune and Iuly. All sorts

of