To this purpose Open the shell of an Almond and write upon the kernel what you will and wrap it in paper and set it in Clay mingled with Swines dung A late Author sayes Steep the stones of Peaches two or three dayes and then open them and with a brass Pen write on the rinde of the kernels after put them again into the stones and wrap them about with paper or parchment and plant them and the fruit will be written and engraven Is not this an odd conceit that writing upon the kernel should produce fruits written or engraven A man no doubt with as good success may ingrave or write upon the shell or huske of an Almond or other fruit as upon the kernel or if he will upon the paper or parchment in which it is inwrapt for the Rind of the Kernel contributes nothing to the Tree or Fruit but opens as the Husk or shell to let out the inner part of the kernel the vegetative vertue or internal form But if a man desires to have fruits with Inscriptions and Engravings he must take another course prescribed by a Learned Author upon better grounds which is by writing upon the fruits with a needle or bodkin when the fruits are young and as they grow bigger so the Letters will grow more large and graphical Concerning the second sort of Errors thus much It were easie to mention many more as idle as these but I shall not trouble my self nor the Reader with them at present onely I say in the general let men take â—eed of such things asserted by Authours â—â— have neither Reason nor Experience to uphold them lest they spend their money labour and time about them and instead of profits and pleasures find discouragements and trouble The third sort of Errors are Assigning wrong causes to effects One of these Errors is this some have conceived that Grafting is the cause of early bearing of fruits and doth much better all fruit Albert. Mag. says it 's better Propter digestionem Succi in nodo factam because of the digestion of the sap in the knot So also Cressentius and addes Et iste nodus facit diversitatem omnem quae est in Malis Pyris caeteris fructibus The knot which is between the Graft and the Stock makes all the difference which is found in Pears Apples and other fruits Bapt. Port. likewiâ—e ascribes all to grafting He says Trees coming of seed Longa est expectatio ad fructuum productionem Insitio vero in aliquibus eodem Anno producit Trees coming of seed are long ere they bear fruit but being Grafted some kind bear in a year or two So also Columell Lib. de Arbor pag. 490. Lo. Bac. wanted some experience in this point who sayes There is no doubt but that Grafting for the most part doth meliorate fruit and again Grafting doth generally advance and meliorate fruits above that which they would be if they were set of kernels or stones The cause saith he is manifest for that the nourishment is better prepared in the stock then in the crude earth I say herein these Authors assign a wrong Cause to an effest for simply grafting contributes nothing at all to the early bearing of Fruit nor to its goodness But the Cause is in the Nature of the Grafts if they be Grafts cut from bearing Trees and of good kinds they bear good fruits in a year or two but if they be Grafts from young unbearing Trees coming of seed such Grafts will not bear the sooner for Grafting it is not simply Grafting I say nor the knot as the Authors speak of that makes Trees bear one year one day the sooner for if so then grafts from young unbearing trees coming of seed grafted in the same manner and upon as good stocks as other grafts from old bearing Trees they would bear Fruits the one sort as soon as the other but it is otherwise so that the Cause lies not simply in Grafting but in the Nature of the Grafts Neither doth Grafting make Fruits at â—ll the better otherwise then as you chose grafts of a good kind for we know Grafts rule and keep their own Natures onely with some small advantage from the stock â—f special stocks or prejudice if a very bad stock And the Cause is not well assign'd by the Author who says It is for that the nourishment is better prepared in the stock then in the crude earth for we know the branches of an ungrafted tree receive sap not immediately from the crude Earth but from a stock or body as well as the branches of the Grafted-tree the stock of the Grafted-tree is a wild stock and of the same Nature as is the stock or body of the ungrafted-tree they are both alike and the concoction and nourishment in both is alike and the Cause being a like why is not the effect alike It 's plaine this is not the Cause but the Cause is in the Graft not in the stock though the nourishment be never so well concocted in the stock and the Fruit is not made better or worse simply by Grafting The Authour asserts this Truth plainely elsewhere The Graft saith he over-ruleth the Stock and again the graft will govern that is they keep the Nature and properties of the Trees from which they were gotten Another of the third sort of Errors is this A late Author sayes the Cause why Trees bear not fruit in a few years after Grafting is because they were grafted in the old of the Moon for saith he so many dayes as the Moou is old when you Graft so many years will the graft be ere it bear fruit The Cause is here mistaken for the Moon hath no such influence upon fruit-trees as to withhold their fruits in this manner Men we see by experience graft in all seasons of the Moon and find no such difference in the bearing of the Trees The chief Causes of unfruitfulness of Trees are when they are not fit for the Country where they are planted Secondly When the Grafts are chosen from young wild unbearing Trees or such as naturally bear little or seldome Thirdly Repletion or overmuch nourishment Fourthly Coldness or overmoistness of the ground Fifthly Frosts or cold winds in the spring Thirdly Another of the third sort of Errors is this Many conceive that Sap in Trees doth descend from the Branches to the Roots which causeth several effects as falling of the leaves goodness of the Roots of divers Plants for use c. but the Cause of these Effects is mistaken for Sap in Trees never descends but always ascends And leaves of Trees fall in Autumne not because Sap descends from them but because Sap ascends not to them sufficient to nourish or feed them any longer And if Roots are best in Autumne that is not Caused by descent of Sap but for that the Body and Branches of a Tree in Autumne draw but a small quantity of Sap from
moâ—e into the shoots and make them larger tâ—en if it bore fruits and the issue as to â—earing more or better fruits would be nothing worth There is no doubt but that Grafting for the most part doth meliorate fruit The cause is manifest for that the nourishment is better prepared in the stock then in the crudâ— earth Grafting doth not at all meliorate the fruit simply in its self for a Tree will not be the better for grafting unless the grafts be taken from a good Tree If the Tree from which grafts are cut be no better then the Tree which is grafted then grafting will not a jot mend the fruit which it would if grafting were any thing towards the bettering of the fruit The cause why grafted Trees bear better fruits then wild ungrafted trees is not because they are grafted but because the grafts are good the tree from which the grafts are cut is of a good kind and nature and every twig graft and bud hath the nature of the Tree in it perfectly the pâ—operties of the Tree are in all and every part as the Soul in the body which iâ— tota in toto tota in qualibet parte â—â—d the grafts retain the nature and pâ—operties being grafted upon wild stocks and bring forth â—uits accordingly â—nd that 's the cause that grafting doth meâ—orate the fruit and not because the nourishment is better prepared in the stock then â—n the crude earth for the branches of an ingrafted Tree do no more receive nourishment from the crude earth then the branches of a grafted Tree but the sap and nourishment passeth up a body or stock to the branches in the one as well as in the other And as it is true that the Peach and Molocotone as the Author says do bear good fruits coming up of stones which is not alwayes so neither onely here and there one so it is true also that they bear as good fruits of the bud being Inoculated It hath been received that a smaller Pear grafted upon a stock that beareth a greater Pear will become great c. It is true as the Author thinks that this will not succeed because the Grafts do govern they always bring forth fruit answerabâ—e to their own natures and kinds else it were to little purpose to get grafts from such or such a good Tree to have more of the kind Yet it is true also that the stock hath some influence upon the graft so as to make the fruit better or worse according to the nature of the stock in some small degree As if we graft upon a stock that naturally bears a sower harsh fruit the fruit of the graft will not be altogether so pleasant as if it were grafted upon a stock that bears naturally a sweet and pleasant fruit and hence it is that Pears grafted upon Quince-stocks will be more delicate then upon Pear-stocks The Quince-stock gives an excellent taste to it but these Trees upon Quinces will never attain to any great bigness for all Quince-trees are but small in comparison of Pear-trees and where the stock can be but small the graft cannot be great yet as I have seen it somewhat bigger then the stock As for a Pear upon a Thorne which this Author speaks of it cannot be good it makes it a harsh hard Pear at the core if it thrive and bear but most commonly they die in two or three years we know its natural fruit Hawes have stones in them But for the Apple upon the Crab that 's natural the Crab being a wild apple and very proper to graft all sorts of Apples upon in regard of the soundness of the stock its long lasting and aptness to take with grafts and also to grow when set in the ground although it 's true it makes the fruit somewhat more tart then the same fruit upon sweet Apple-stocks It is true that the seeds of some Apples and Pears brings forth very good fruit the cause of this I suppose is for that the stocks whereon these fruits were grafted or Inoculated were good kinds of themselves kinds that came good of seed formerly and if so no marvel though the seeds bring forth good fruits without Grafting or Inoculating and upon the Experience Peach-stones have brought forth a paltry naughty fruit many of them though some good As concerning the Grafting of an Apple Cions upon a Sallow Poplar Alder Elme or Horse-plum it is in vain to try for tryal hath been made upon stocks nearer in kind then these and it would not come to perfection they will grow a year or two it may be and then decay and die Flowers removed wax greater because the nourishment is more easily come by in the loose earth It may be that often regrafting of the same Cions may likewise make fruit greater To remove Flowers small young Roots into good fresh earth will improve them in growth and bigness especially if withal some of the side-slips and also of the buds which the Root shoots up for flowers be cut off and some half a dozen or half a score of the buds or shoots be left to grow upon the Roots the Root then will be able to give plentiful nourishment to them whereby they will become much larger then if all the spindle buds were suffered to grow But as for often regrafting the same graft in order to make a large fruit this will not do it for we see it is constantly done from year to year for what else is the cutting of Grafts from young Trees it may be of two or three or but of one years growth and grafting them again upon stocks and repeating this for many years together and yet we know the grafts hold their own natural properties from one year to another And though there be as hath been said some small alteration according to the kind of the stock while it grows upon it yet that alteration is lost and falls off when the Graft is engrafted upon another stock and the Graft retains its own natural properties only with some small addition of the nature of the stock on which it at present grows It maketh Figs better if a Fig-tree when it beginneth to put forth leaves have his top cut off If the Fig-tree be very old cutting off the top may be profitable for that such cutting as in all other Trees maketh the Sap shoot forth into branches more vigorously then otherwise it would by which lively rising of Sap the whole Tree and the Fruit upon it fares the better but if the tops of young Trees be cut off Fig-trees or other there will shoot forth in the room thereof such huge strong shoots that the main stream of Sap will run that way which great shoots will be for a year or two it may be unfruitful It is reported that Mulberries will be fairer and the Trees more fruitful if you bore the Trunk of the Tree thorow in several places
degree of heat to what those upon a plain Wall have the heat being pent in by the Elbowes or Butteresses of the wall and so reflects the stronger upon the Fruits and Trees there is a double reflection of heat upon such Grafting Elms or other unfruitful trees will make their leaves larger as in Fruit-trees the Graft maketh the greater fruit Grafting barely considered as grafting will not do this it will neither make leaves nor fruits fairer but as stocks are chosen for the purpose for though it be true as hath been elsewhere said that Grafts govern and overrule the stocks bringing forth the same leaves and fruits when grafted as before according to their own Natures yet it is true also that the stocks have some small influence upon them in making the fruits better or worse in taste and bigness and so of the leaves in fairness according to the goodness or badness of the stocks yet notwithstanding Grafts and Buds inoculated may be said to Rule and â—ring forth the same fruits else it were in vain to graft Barrenness of Trees cometh of their overgrowing with Moss or their being Hide-bound or planting too deep or by issuing of the sap too much into the leaves There are several causes of the barrenness of Trees I conceive Mossiness as Mossiness is not the cause of barrenness but the causes of Mossiness are the causes of barrenness which are coldness overmoistness and barrenness of the soyle where the Trees grow Therefore such soyles must be amended See how Treatise of Fruit trees pag. 213 214 c. Also barrenness is often by reason of the excessive sap and moisture of Trees which is manifest by their strong and vigorous shoots branches and broad green leaves as in many young full-fed Trees for while nature is vigorous and active spending it self that way in the excessive growth of the Trees it is then weak and feeble in bearing of fruits Now as to some kinds of Trees it is not best for some time to go about to remove the Cause that is as to standard Apple-trees Pear-trees and other kinds which grow in the Orchards and Fields but let them alone let them go on in their large and vigorous growths for certaine years though they bear but little provided that we know they are naturally of good bearing kinds otherwise it is in vain to wait for store of fruits from such Trees After that such Trees have grown exceedingly some years and attained a fair large growth they will then by degrees grow less in the branches and fall to bearing of fruits But in case the Trees are Wall-trees and shoot excessively and bear not then it will be best to take away the cause as much as we can that is First abate their overful rank nourishment by putting in Sand Gravel Buck-ashes or any thing that is barren instead of the fat soyle Secondly Also cut off and part one or two of the biggest Roots from the body that so it may have less nourishment and that left will turn to fruits Thirdly Bend downwards the branches and fasten them to the wall with their tops as low as may be this obstructs and restrains the excessive rising of sap which rising moderately turns to fruits But if the Trees are naturally bad bearers if barren upon that account then there is no remedy for such but grafting them again with grafts taken from some good bearing kinds which are known by yearly experience to bear fruits well It hath been set down by one of the Ancients that two twigs of several Fruit-trees flatted on the sides and bound together and set they will come up in one stock And that Vines of red and white Grapes flatted and bound together will bear Grapes of several colours upon one branch Also the shoots of divers seeds will incorporate And that young Trees of several kinds set contiguous will incorporate These and such like are prescribed in order to the compounding of Fruits Concerning compounding or mixing of divers kinds of fruits whereof to make one new kind these things before mentioned and many such like have been prescribed by Antient Authors which are of the number of those things Sir Francis Bacon accounts meer imaginations and conceits without any ground or light from Experience He says elsewhere That many things have been rashly and with little choice or judgment received and registred as appears in the writings of divers Authors which are every where fraught and forged with fabulous reports and those not only uncertain and untried but notoriously untrue to the great derogation of Natural Philosophy with grave and sober men As for those things before mentioned they can never effect what is promised to produce compound fruits For we see by continual experience that grafts and buds though never so small set upon stocks of different kinds do hold their own and keep their kinds and so it would be if two long shoots were united or three or many if it were possible to make them incorporate and become one body yet they would retain every one their own nature and bring forth each its own kind of fruit without commixture If any man desire to be set on work about these things he may have prescriptions enough out of a certain Book Entituled The Country Farme pag. 360 361 362 363 364 365 c. For more full satisfaction about which and all of that nature see my Treatise of Fruit-trees p. 174 176 c. where these things are spoken to largly But if the thing be possible in nature to mix and compound fruits the likeliest way that I apprehend is this which I have upon tryal but is not yet come to an issue viz. To graft one fruit upon another many times over every year a different kind so that we keep still to those kinds that will grow together As first to graft a Crab-tree near the ground with some good kind of Apple-graft and the next year to graft that again a handful or two above where the first was grafted and the next year to graft that second graft and the fourth year to graft that third graft a handful or two above where it was grafted and thus every year to set graft upon graft for divers years together this probably may make some alteration and commixture in the top branch and its fruit although it be true that every graft keeps its own nature yet so as that it receives some small alteration from the stock as hath been said Now the Sap arising and passing through so many kinds of stocks as before up into the top branches this if any thing I conceive will have an influence into the fruit of the last graft to cause some commixture more or less in the fruit the sap passing through so many kinds of stocks Thus as of many kinds of Apples together so also of Pears among themselves and of Cherries and Plums among themselves but as for mixing contrary
the Roots and the Roots even then draw sap from the Earth and increase upon it and are well stored with sap after the branches have done increasing and there the sap rests chiefly at that season Some who hold descending of Sap may perhaps confirme their Opinion from small springs of the Roots of Plants when they are removed in Autumne It 's true The Roots of Plants set in the beginning of September or about that time do spring forth a little at the cut ends of the Roots before Winter not because Sap descendâ— from the Branches to them for though all the Branches are cut off before setting as sometimes they are yet the Roots will spring then because some degree of heat proportionable to that purpose is at that season in the top of the earth by reason of the immediate foregoing Sommer so that Plants set while this heat lasteth they will germinate spring forth in their roots before Winter the husbandman knows in this season it is best to sow his Wheat and Rye And also because the Sun as yet hath an influence sufficient to make seeds and Plants to spring forth which towards December it hath not being then too remote from us so that it is not descending of Sap that causeth these effects The learned Lord Bacon did not well consider this point who supposed a descention of Sap in Autumne speaking concerning setting a Bough in the ground prepared by disbarking for that purpose sayes The Cause why it will soon after be a faire Tree may be this the baring of the Barke keepeth the Sap from descending towards Winter here 's a wrong Cause assigned to an effect for it is not the supposed keeping up of the Sap by that means he speaks of that Causeth such a Bough to grow the better but the cause is for that such a bough by disbarking hath got some small Roots or strings or at least some roughness or knobs capable of Roots in the passage up of the Sap whereby being set it will become a Tree in certaine years This Opinion of descention of Sap in Trees is an old Error of many years standing and is radicated in the minds of most men yea many using it as a similitude to illustrate some spiritual matter as if it were a real and undoubted truth whereas it is but a weak and groundless conceit and contrary both to reason and experience taken up by men from hand to hand without consideration or weighing of it with reason and judgment I will therefore lay it open more plainly and demonstrate and prove the Truth concerning the motion of Sap in Trees The first Argument against descention of Sap. Sap in Trees always moves upwards and it is contrary to the Law and course of Nature for sap to descend Natura nil agit frustra Nature does nothing in vain Now it were a vain work in Nature to cause sap to ascend up in the branches to descend again to the Roots the Roots send Sap to the Branches and not the Branches to the Roots When it once comes into the Branches it is converted into Wood Bark Leaves Fruits c. Whence is all that great Bulk and Body which we see a Tree arise to in a few years if Sap should descend one while as it ascends another it would follow that as a Tree increaseth by ascension of Sap so it would descrease by its descension This may be more clear if we consider the cause why Sap in trees stirs and ascends and also why it riseth not after such a time to make any growth When the Sun in the Spring of the year by degrees drawes nearer to us then Sap in Trees begins by its heat and influence to move to swell and open the Buds and to cause the branches to shoot forth which increase by it all the Summer and as the Sun by degrees draws nearer and grows hotter so the Sap by degrees increaseth and riseth more plentifully and when the Sun is nearest then Trees are fullest of Sap. Now observe as by the vicinity and nearness of the Sun which is by degrees the sap is increased by degrees so likewise by the Sunnes remoteness and absence which is also by degrees in his going back again the Sap is also diminished by degrees that is ascending less and less in quantity until the Sun be gone so far from us and the heat and influence of it be so weak that it works not to cause sap to rise up whereby the branches may increase any longer and then the Branches and Buds of Trees are all at a stand and grow no more until the next Spring And at that time the leaves loose their beauty and fall off because Sap riseth not up sufficient to feed them any longer but onely so much as to preserve life in the Tree The second Argument There is no cause to produce such an effect I would fain know of those who hold descention of Sap what should cause it to descend for Nullus effectus datur sine causa there can be no effect without a cause they cannot say that as heat causeth it to ascend so cold causeth it to descend Cold never causeth sap to stir but to stand or move slowly Cold is of a condensing nature and does constipate and fix rare fluid bodies if cold should cause sap to descend then as the cold increaseth sap would descend more more in quantity as on the contrary as heat increaseth in the Spring and Sommer the sap in Trees also increaseth in quantity and if so what would become of the Trees But if sap of its own nature would descend yet there is none in the Branches at that season of the year that they can spare but all that has ascended in the Sommer is converted into the substance of the Tree its Leaves and Fruits Concerning that Objection that is made against this and brought as an Argument that sap descends viz. That if we disbarke a bough or branch when sap is up an inch round about and lay and keep up mould about the disbarked place there will be small Roots in the upper part of the place so disbarked which say they are caused by the descension of Sap out of the bough to that part To this I Answer That such Roots are not made by any descension of Sap but by the ascension of Sap for sap ascends up into such a bough notwithstanding the disbarked part through the pith and pores of the wood though in smaller quantity then it would do if the bark were on This is plain because such a bough does grow and shoot forth and bear fruit after disbarking which could not be but by the rising up of Sap. Now I say sap in its rising up some part of it is pendulous about that place and does somewhat hang or rest at the upper part of the disbarked place in the very edge of the bark having recourse to this wounded part in greater quantity then
to any other part and so by reason of the Earth and moisture about it breaks forth into some small Roots in some kinds of Trees or into some roughness and small knubs like Roots but this cannot be caused by descension of Sap if any were for such as hold descension of Sap pretend not to it until Autuâ—â—e or about the end of September Now these Roots are made long before that time in Sommer by the rising up of Sap as was said especially if the bough be disbarked in May. Can the effect be before the Cause can Roots be made in Sommer by Sap that descends in Autumne if any such thing were so that this Argument for descension of Sap is of no weight but is weak and childish The third Argument against descension and also Circulation of Sap It is contrary to its Nature As concerning Circulation of sap in Sommer which some also hold I apprehend no more ground for that then for descension in Autumne For as there is no cause to work such an effect so neither is it natural to sap to have such a motion of it self For Plantsâ—n â—n some sort like a thin airy vapour from some moist substance partly caused by the heat of the Sun the Sun is the efficient cause of the rising up of Sap though also and principally the vegetative spirit excited by thâ—â—un carries it up and disperseth it to all the parts for nourishment and growth Now we know there is no descending of Vapors in the same manner as they ascended Vapors come not down again to the Earth until they be condensed and thickned into Rain Snow Hail c. When they are become a ponderous and weighty substance then they naturally tend downwards not whil'st they are a leight airy substance so is it concerning Sap in Trees it ascends partly by attraction of the Sun and partly by the Native spirit as a thin airy substance subtile light spirituous as well through the pores of the wood as between the bark and the wood where it rises more plentifully and is more condensed Now while it is thus light and vaporous it can neither descend nor Circulate for every leight body as flame aire smoak vapors c. ascends upwards omne leve sursum and cannot descend or fall downwards no more then an heavy thing as such can rise or ascend upwards by its own natural motion Indeed when sap is turned into wood leaves buds blossomes and fruits these things have some ponderosity or weâ—ght in them and so naturally discend Omne grave deorsum As aire and vapors being condensed and become water in the Clouds do naturally fall downwards but whatsoever is a thin aerious light body ascends upwards and cannot as such neither descend nor circulate and such a substance is Sap in Trees Fourthly The Appetite of the Spirit in all Vegetables is upwards There is an innate spirit in Trees and all Vegetables which some call the Soul of Plants yea in all bodies animate and inanimate this Sir Fran. Bacon hath abundantly set forth This Spirit as he shews is as it were a compound of flame and aire is of a flammeous and aerious Nature Now this being the Vehicle or means of conveyance of the Sap unto all the parts of the Tree every Twig and bud of it its appetite is upwards because it is a light body and all light things naturally ascend upwards as was said and not downwards unless it be to observe a Law in Nature in avoiding a Vacuum at any time The greater quantity of Spirit there is in any creature the leighter it is either animate or inanimate especially if it be the lively spirit If it be said this spirit in Trees exerts it self downwards in the Roots as well as upwards it is true so much and so farre as is necessary to make a foundation to support the body and branches and to draw nourishment for feeding increase thereof which it doth but only in a subserviency to the body and branches and though the Roots spread wide yet depth is but little to the height of a Tree the Roots spread and run as near the superficies and top of the Earth as may be as having still an appetite upwards as near the Sun as may be and all the sap and moisture which this spirit carries upwards which is by far the greatest part it never carries down again being against its nature to descend as it is a leight body The Fifth Argument And further as another Argument from Experience and that which is obvious to our very sence we see and know that when we bend down a bough of a Tree upon a wall towards the ground to cause it to grow and spread as near the bottome of the wall as may be we find I say how poorly such boughs do grow shooting forth but a very little and sometimes a part dies and sometimes all and this shews its against the Nature of Sap to descend or circulate for otherwise why are not such boughs so bended downwards as plentifully fed with sap as those that grow straight up or straight out and not so much bowed as the other so it is in plasht hedges if boughs be laid too low they die or grow poorly but we see the Sap presses upwards with vigor and violence the boughs and branches that grow upwards shoot forth strongly and are full fed but such as bow down low are almost starved so that its plain its as much against the nature of Sap to descend or to circulate as it is for water to ascend which yet we know by Art may be made to ascend in Pipes from below as high as the fountaine or spring but no higher for its natural motion is to descend so sap though its natural motion be upwards yet by Art being ascended up into a branch it may be somewhat forced downwards and yet very hardly slowly and weakly although to the nourishment keeping life in any of its parts or branches so bowed down which plainly shews how much against its nature this motion of descension or that of Circulation is The Sixth Argument against descention of Sap. And lastly to prove this more fully and clearly by a plain undeniable Argument If there be a continual ascension of Sap in Trees then there is no descention but there is a continual ascension therefore no descension To prove the Minor Proposition That there is a continual ascension of sap in Trees The Sun and Aire continually draw sap and moisture out of Trees and other Vegetables as the Lord Bacon and others conclude and as may be made appear by reason and experience We know if Branches and Twigs of Trees being cut off and laid aside in the Sun and Aire but a few dayes they will be contracted and wrinckled the aire draws out the Sap and moisture and such having no supply of sap from the Root they quickly wither Now know also that the sun and aire
would be sufficient Bark for Tanners at a cheap rate and consequently all sorts of Leather which is now exceeding dear would become much cheaper Hereby would be young Trees sufficient to Plant the Fields round about not onely to make good Mounds but also the same would make the Fields much warmer in Winter and cooler in Sommer whereby all sorts of Cattle would prosper and come on the better and all other Commodities growing therein to the great advantage of the Owners and the Common-weal So then the Profits by Planting Fruit-trees and these other Trees aforementioned would be many and manifold more then I am able to declare OBSERVATIONS Upon some part of Sr. FRANCIS BACONS NATURAL HISTORY As it concerns Fruit-trees Fruits and Flowers Especially the FIFTH SIXTH and SEVENTH CENTURIES Improving the Experiments mentioned to the best Advantage By RA. AVSTEN Practiser in the Art of Planting Gen. 2.8 And the Lord God planted a Garden Eastward in Eden and there he put the man whom he had formed And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every Tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food Gen. 1 29. And God said behold I have given you every herb bearing seed which is upon the face of all the Earth and every Tree in which is the fruit of a Tree bearing seed to you it shall be for meat OXFORD Printed by W. H. for Amos Curteyne 1665. Good Reader THE Author of this piece hath alwayes thought sit I disclaime any worth in me that may deserve it to give me leave some time before every Impression to make a judgement of what in this Nature he hath published But now bearing Reverence to the Greatness and Honour of the Person without Controversie for that Constellation of Learning and Nobility in him none of the least credits of our Nation with whom he is now seen was desirous that I should not onely tell him which at other times served the turn but the Reader also my thoughts concerning this his adventure Which are that no mans ought to judge him presumptuous in this particular I take him to be such who hath more mind to communicate to the World for publique profit what he has found by tryal certain than to make a book and indeed am Witness my self to the Truth of most of his Experiments the subjects of which no man dares call too low for the Pen that remembers the Author whose Writing first gave occasion to these Animadversions The Nature of things Causes of their Generation and of all appearing effects in them is confest to be a dark Theme and for ought I know many questions there abouts are not likely to be concluded especially to the conviction of Gain-sayers till Anaxagoras Epicurus Aristotle rise again A little time by Gods Providence I have been continued in the world some small pittance of which hath been laid out in that search I dare not say that I have been ascertained of the adequate and true causes with their manner in Causation of any of those Vulgar appearances which are in all mens Fyes after the best state that I can make in this subject Fortasse non if opposed may put me to a blanck nor am I confident of any mans Wisdome that concludes affirmatively more than this That such an effect may proceed in such a manner from such a Cause Sometimes in many Opinions we have no probable causes assigned but when many probable than 't is hardest of all to prove which is true This I speak to take off the exceptions of such who are otherwise perswaded than our Author declares himself when the question is concerning causes as in the 481. Experiment My Lord Bacon seems to maintain Anaxagoras his opinion concerning the way of generation and augmentation per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mr. Austen Aristotles He not be bound that in a severe judgment the Master of our Schools shall have the sentence on his side Yet we find few better Instances then Mr. Austen brings to explain how out of one nature if indeed there be but one in the juice drawn through the Roots to serve several Grafts upon the same Stock several natures may be made Others may likely be offended at his refusal to attribute many effects to the descention of Sap which whoever does I give him leave to blame me too for I have long believed the opinion of descention of Sap in Trees a vulgar Error and have always encouraged him to publish his arguments to the contrary There may be others ready to stumble at other things but if it be in matters wherein we are so much in the dark by my consent for all mistakes we will enterchangably beg and give pardon his arguments to me are all especially commendable in this that they smell more of the Garden than Library see p. 100 101 c. of his Treatise of Fruit-trees If therefore my judgment must be made I can't but commend him heartily and his example to all exercised in any like ways and doubt not but that it would be mightily to the advantage of knowledge in Natural Philosophy if even all to the lowest of Mechaniques would communicate the mysteries of their Arts. Interest indeed hinders most and so 't is like to do from making any thing valuable common But 't is Heroical and Noble Charity when there 's nothing but Self-interest hindering to deny that for the Publique good I believe the Author expects to himself no Attributes of so high Qualities I wish he may alwayes have his due at least from Good Reader His and Thine to serve thee R. SHARROCK L. B. novi Col. Soc. TO THE READER COncerning my undertaking this ensuing work I give this Account It may perhaps by some be thought too bold an attempt in me to examine the Writings and to Recede in any thing from the Judgement of so Eminent and worthy an Author To which I Answer For what I have here done I doubt not but if the Author himself were nor living he would approve of it But more particularly let it be considered that those things which I have to do with herein are directly within the compass of my Calling and course of life about which I am daily conversant And the Author hath given to my self and others sufficient encouragment in this Having said in his Advancement of Learning That the Writings of speculative men upon active matter seems to men of experience to be but as dreams and dotage And that it were to be wished as that which would make Learning indeed solid and fruitful that active men would or could become writers Men that have experience in things are like to see into the Mysteries secrets of them more and further then such as have notions and apprehensions of them without action and practice It is concluded and laid for a ground That peritis credendum in sua Arte Men are to give credit to Artists in their own faculty And further observe that