Medical and topographical observations upon the Mediterranean : and upon Portugal, Spain, and other countries / by G.R.B. Horner.

  • G. R. B. Horner
Date:
1839
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Medical and topographical observations upon the Mediterranean : and upon Portugal, Spain, and other countries / by G.R.B. Horner. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    Respecting garden trees enough has been said in speaking of their fruits, but there are two others also worthy of notice—the palm, and a locust, bearing a yellow, delightfully flagrant flower, and a small black legume. The palm bears no dates ; and both trees are scarce. Of forest trees not much can be written, as they are not numerous in species, and are neither remarkable for abundance nor grandeur. On the contrary they are scarce and dwarfish, both the soil and climate appearing illy-adapted to their growth. The chief of them are the myrtle,* pine, and quercus ilex,] which is valuable for its shade, wood, and acorns—the food of the poor in times of scarcity and famine. The myrtle spreads over the uncultivated land, and is extremely useful; its branches serving when dry for heating ovens, and its knotted roots supplying an excellent fuel. Moreover, its leaves are sweetly odoriferous, and its berries are said to have served for nutri- ment at remote periods, when the wretched inhabitants were depri- ved of the ordinary articles of sustenance. ANIMAL KINGDOM. In Minorca there are no beasts of prey, and almost the only wild animals are the rabbit and hedge-hog. The domestic ani- mals are horses, mules, asses, hogs, sheep, goats and cattle. Of these, the mules, asses, and goats, are most numerous. Horses are used chiefly for riding, seldom or never for ploughing and hauling any kind of vehicle; for carts, wagons, and carriages, are hardly known. I certainly did not meet with a single one of them. Asses and mules convey all burdens, and are by much the most valuable animals, being hardy, requiring little food, and that of the poorest sort. The hogs are of a small breed, but very plump and fat, and afford much the finest meat to be had. It is used fresh, or made into bacon and sausages, of which the most liked by the natives is the sobreassado, vulgarly called soposado. This is a large sausage, coloured by saffron, and preserved by drying and high sea- soning. Goats are most valuable for their milk, which is more drunk than any other, and is likewise made into cheese. The cattle are small and lean, and furnish neither good beef nor milk, pasturage being scarce and poor. Butter, of course, is both bad and scarce, indeed it is often not to be purchased for any price either in town or in the country. Birds.—These are numerous and of various classes. Among the accipitres, are hawks, falcons, and eagles; and among the passerina, swallows, thrushes, hecaficos, bee-eaters, kingfishers, and larks. Of the gallinacea, are the domestic fowls, turkeys, red-legged par- tridges, and pigeons. The fowls are famed for their size and excel- lence, as well as for the very great size and fineness of their eggs; the turkeys are small and well flavoured, though not as good as our own ; the partridges are two or three times larger than the par- tridges of this country, but their flesh is dryer, and inferior in flavour.