kinds useful for many purposes, but unknown to us by name,
and which we will be glad to submit to the carpenters for
further examination.

The indigenous fruits consist principally of acorns, some
of which are very sweet; nuts of different kinds, chestnuts,
beechnuts, but not many mulberries, plums, medlars, wild
cherries, black currants, gooseberries, hazel nuts in great
quantities, small apples, abundant strawberries throughout
the country, with many other fruits and roots which the
savages use. There is also plenty of bilberries or blueberries,
together with ground-nuts and artichokes, which grow under
ground. Almost the whole land is full of vines, in the wild
woods as well as on the maize lands and flats; but they grow
principally near to and upon the banks of the brooks, streams
and rivers, which are numerous, and run conveniently and
pleasantly everywhere, as if they were planted there. The
grapes comprise many varieties, some white, some very fleshy,
and only fit to make raisins of, others on the contrary juicy;
some are very large and others small. The juice is pleasant,
and some of it as white as French or Rhenish wine; some is
a very deep red, like Tent,<1> and some is paler. The vines
run much on the trees, and are shaded by their leaves, so
that the grapes ripen late and are a little sour; but with
the intelligent assistance of man, as fine wines would
undoubtedly be made here as in any other country. In regard
to other fruits, all those which grow in the Netherlands
also grow very well in New Netherland, without requiring as
much care to be bestowed upon them as is necessary there.
Garden fruits succeed very well, yet are drier, sweeter, and