Copy of an Affidavit Made in Scotland, concerning a Boy's Living a Considerable Time without Food. Communicated by Patrick Blair, M. D. F. R. S.

When you take it off, you must keep almost continually stirring it, in order to make it Sugar: otherwise it will candy as hard as a Rock. Some put in a little Beef Sewet, as big as a Walnut, when they take it off the Fire, to make it turn the better to Sugar, and to prevent its candying, but it will do without. A good large Tree will yield twenty Gallons. The Season of the Year is from the beginning of February to the beginning of April. Mr. Dudley in a following Letter adds this Note. I have nothing to add to my Chapter of Maple Sugar, but that our Physicians look upon it not only to be as good for common use as the West India Sugar, but to exceed all other for its Medicinal Virtue. VIII. Copy of an Affidavit made in Scotland, concerning a Boy's living a considerable time without Food. Communicated by Patrick Blair, M. D. F. R. S: Court of the Barony of Erroll, holden at Erroll, upon the 26th day of December, 1719 Year. By Mr. Charles Brown, Bailly to the Right Honourable David Earle of Northesk, Lord Roeshill, &c. Gilbert Anthone, Clerk, Charles Gill, Officer. Court lawfully fenced and affirmed. The whilk Day Compeared before the said Bailly sitting in Judgment, James Jackson sewar in Carse Crange, and Eliz. Bell his Spouse, who being purged of partial partial Council, solemnly Sworne and Interrogat, Depons, That Gilbert Jackson, their sixth Son, being about Fifteen Years of Age, fell sick, and complained of pains over all his Body, upon the 3d day of February, 1716, when King George his Army was marching by their Dwelling House from Perth to Dundee; and toward the end of the said Month, was seized with a violent Fever, in which he continued for three Weeks, and then recover'd. 2. That he fell in a Fever again the beginning of April thereafter, wherein he also continued for the space of three Weeks; and during that Fever, he had a shaking in his Body, as if he had been paralytick. 3. Upon the 10th day of June following, he fell in a great Fever again, when he became Dumb, lost his Stomach intirely, and the use of his Limbs, and continued without eating or drinking any kind of thing, tho' all means were used to make him do both; but recovered of his Fever upon the 17th day of May, 1717, but continued still Dumb, without eating or drinking, or having the use of his Limbs, till the 10th day of June the said Year, when he was again seized with an extraordinary Fever, and the next day recovered his Speech; but continued in the Fever, without eating or drinking any thing at all, or having the use of any of his Limbs, till the 11th day of November following; when he recovered his Health pretty well, and the strength of one of his Legs. And thus he continued without eating or drinking, only washed his Mouth sometimes with Water; and always, when he saw the rest of the Family going to take any kind of Food, the sight of it being altogether uneasy to him, he retired. Upon the 10th day of June, 1718 year, he fell in a Fever again, which continued till the beginning of September thereafter, when he recovered of the said Fever, tho' he never could be induced to take any kind of Meat or Drink; and thus he continued in pretty good Health, and fresh coloured, till the 9th day of June, 1719. when he was seized again with a severe Fever; and upon the 10th at Night, his Father pressed him extremely to take a little Milk boiled with Oat-meal, which at length he agreed to; and he took a Spoonful of it, which stuck so long in his Throat, that his Parents thought he had been choaked; and ever since he has taken a little Food, but so very little, that a Halfpenny Loaf serves him eight Days. That all the time he fasted, he never had any Evacuation either by Stool or Urine; and it was fourteen or fifteen days after he began to eat, that he got any benefit that way; and that he is now in pretty good Health, but still wants the use of one of his Limbs. And this is the Truth, as we shall answer to God. James Jackson, Elizabeth Bell, Charles Browne, Baily. Gilbert Anthone, Clerk. IX. A Discourse concerning a Method of discovering the Virtues of Plants by their external Structure. By the same. Having hitherto delivered my Thoughts concerning the structure of the Flowers, Fructification, various Methods, Generation and Nourishment of Plants, I now come to add somewhat concerning their Virtues. I cannot enough admire the Judiciousness and Sagacity of