Of Reedes.
The kindes.
Of Reedes the ancients haue set downe many sorts. Theophrastus hath brought them all, first into two principall kindes, and those hath he diuided againe into mo sorts. The two principal are these, Auleticæ, or Tibiales harundines, and Harundo vallatoria. Of these and the rest we will speake in their proper places. | 1 Harundo Vallatoria. | 2 Harundo Cypria. | | :--- | :--- | | Common Reede. | Cypresse Canes. |
The description.
The Common Reede hath long strawie stalks, full of knottie ioints or knees like vnto corne, whereupon do grow very long rough flaggie leaues. The tuft or spokie care doth grow at the top of the stalks, browne of colour, barren and without seede. And doth resemble a bush of feathers, which turneth into fine downe or cotton, which is caried away with the winde. The roote is thicke, long, and full of ftrings, difperfing themfelues far abrode, whereby it doth greatly increafe. 2 The Cypreffe Reede is the greateft of all reedes, hauing ftalks exceeding long, fometimes of twenty or thirty foote high, of a wooddie fubftance, fet with very great leaues, like thofe of Turkie wheate. It carrieth at the top the like downie tuft that the former doth. 3 Arundo farcta. Stuffed Canes. 4 Calamus sagittalis L'Obelij. Small ftuffed Reede. 3 Thefe Reedes L'Obelius hath feene in the Low countries brought from Conftantinople, where, as it is faid, the people of that countrie haue procured them from the parts of the Adriatike fea fide where they do grow. They are full ftuft with a fpongious fubftance, fo that there is no holownes in the fame, as in Canes and other reedes, except here and there certaine fmall pores or paffages, of the bignes of a pins point; in maner fuch a pith as is to be found in the Bull rufh, but more firme and folide. 4 The fecond differeth in fmalnes, otherwife they are very like: which may proceede of the fertilitie of the foile where they do grow: and are vfed for darts, arrowes, and fuch like. 5 This great fort of Reedes or Canes, hath no particular defcription to anfwer your expectation; for that as yet there is not any man which hath written thereof, efpecially the manner of growing of them, either of his owne knowledge or report from others: fo that it fhall fuffice that ye do know that that great Cane is vfed efpecially in Conftantinople and thereabout, of aged and wealthie citizens, and alfo noble men and fuch great perfonages, to make their walking ftaues of, caruing them at the top with fundrie fcutchens, and prety toies of imagerie, for the beautifieng of them: and fo they of the better fort do garnifh them both with filuer and golde, as the figure doth moft liuely fet foorth vnto you. 6 In like maner the fmaller fort hath not as yet been feene growing of any that haue been curious in herbarifme, whereby they might fet downe any certaintie thereof: onely it hath beene vfed in Conftantinople and thereabout, euen to this day to make writing pens withall, for the which it doth very fitly ferue, as alfo to make pipes, and fuch like things of pleafure.
The place.
The common reede groweth in standing waters, and in the edges or borders of riuers almost euery where: and the other being the angling Cane for fishers, groweth in Spaine and those hot regions.
The time.
They flourish and flower from Aprill to the end of September, at what time they are cut downe for the vse of man, as all do know.
The names.
The common Reede is called Arundo and Harundo vallatoria: in French Roseau: in Dutch Riet: in Italian Canne a far siepo: of Dios. Phragmitis: in English Reede. Arundo Cypria, or after L'Obelius, Arundo Donax: in French Canne: in Spanish Cana: in Italian Calami a far Connochia: in English Pole reede, and Cane, or Canes.
The temperature.
Reedes are hot and drie in the second degree, as Galen saith.
The vertues.
The rootes of reede stamped small, drawe foorth thornes and splinters fixed in any part of mans bodie. The same stamped with vineger, ease all luxations, and members out of ioint. And likewise stamped they heale hot and sharpe inflammations. The ashes of them mixed with vineger helpeth the scales and scurfe of the head, and helpeth the haire to grow in Alopecia, or falling of the haire. The great reede or cane is not used in phisicke, but is esteemed to make slearres for weauers, sundrie sorts of pipes, as also to light candles that stand before images, and to make hedges and pales as we do of laths and such like: and also to make certaine diuisions in ships to diuide the sweete orenges from the sower, the pomecitron and lemons likewise in sunder, and many other purposes.
The danger.
If the downe of this common reede fall into the eares of any which use it, be they thatchers, or botemen, or gatherers of it, it causeth a great deafnes in them, and hard to be cured.
Text in Gerard's own spelling (the long s is printed as s), transcribed by the Source Library (CC BY-SA 4.0). A chapter may run onto pages not yet transcribed. Gerard wrote within Galenic medicine; nothing here is advice.