It is produced in most Countries, tho' it thrives more in some than others, where it also increases to a larger size. The height here in _England_ rarely passes nine, or at the most, eleven inches, and that chiefly in _Kent_, whereas in _Ireland_, it comes to far greater dimensions, is so good, that many of the natives entirely subsist upon it, and when transplanted, have been sometimes known to raise good houses with single plants of this sort. As the _Irish_ soil is accounted the best, others are as remarkably bad for its cultivation; and the least and worst in the world are said to be about _Harborough_ and the _Forest of Sherard_. The stem seems to be of the _sensitive_ tribe, tho' herein differing from the more common _Sensitives_; that whereas they are known to shrink and retire from even the gentlest touch of a Lady's hand, this rises on the contrary, and extends itself when it is so handled. In winter it is not easy to raise these trees without a hot bed; but in warmer weather they stand well in the open air. In the latter season they are subject to become weak and flaccid, and want support; for which purpose some gardeners have thought of splintering them up with _birchen Twigs_, which has seem'd of some service for the present, tho' the plants have very soon come to the same or a more drooping state than before. The late ingenious Mr. _Motteux_ thought of restoring a fine plant he had in this condition, by tying it up with a _Tomex_ or cord made of the bark of the _Vitex_, or _Hempen-Tree_: but whether he made the ligature too straight, or that the nature of the _Vitex_ is really in itself pernicious, he quite kill'd his plant thereby; which makes this universally condemn'd, as a dangerous experiment. Some _Virtuosi_ have thought of improving their trees for some purposes, by taking off the _Nutmegs_, which is however a bad way; they never _seed_ after, and are good for little more than making whistles of, which are imported every year from _Italy_, and sell indeed at a good price. Some other curious Gentlemen have endeavour'd to inoculate their plants on the stock of the _Medlar_ and that with a manure of _human Ordure_, but this has never been approv'd; and I have known some tree brought to a _very ill end_ by such management. The natural soil is certainly the best for their propagation; and that is in hollow places, that are warm and near salt water, best known by their producing the same sort of _Tendrils_ as are observ'd about the roots of the _Arbor_ itself. Some cautions however are very necessary, especially to young _Botanists_; and first, to be very diligent in keeping their trees clean and neat; a pernicious sort of insect, not, unlike a _Morpione_ or _Cimex_, being very subject to breed amongst the _Fibrillae_, which, if not taken heed of, and timely destroy'd, proves often of very dangerous consequence.