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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75801	A treatise of fruit-trees shewing the manner of grafting, setting, pruning, and ordering of them in all respects: according to divers new and easy rules of experience; gathered in ye space of twenty yeares. Whereby the value of lands may be much improued, in a shorttime [sic], by small cost, and little labour. Also discovering some dangerous errors, both in ye theory and practise of ye art of planting fruit-trees. With the alimentall and physicall vse of fruits. Togeather with the spirituall vse of an orchard: held-forth [sic] in divers similitudes betweene naturall & spirituall fruit-trees: according to Scripture & experie[n]ce. By Ra: Austen. Practiser in ye art of planting	Austen, Ralph, d. 1676.; Goddard, John, fl. 1645-1671,	1653 (1653)	Wing A4238; Thomason E701_5; Thomason E701_6; ESTC R12161	90,355	121

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 beare fruits the one sort as soon as the other but it is otherwise so that the Cause lyes not simply in grafting but in the Nature of the grafts Neither does Grafting make fruits at all the better otherwise then as you chuse grafts of a good kind for wee know Grafts rule and keepe their owne Natures And the Cause is not well assign'd by the Author who saies it is for that the nourishment is better prepared in the stocke 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 the Cause being alike why is not the effect alike It s plaine this is not the Cause but the Cause is in the Graft not in the stocke Nat hist pag. 109. and p. 115. though the nourishment be never so well concocted in the stock and the fruit is not made better or worse simply by grafting The Author asserts this truth plainely elsewhere the graft saith he overruleth the Stocke and againe the Grafts will govern that is they keepe the Nature and properties of the trees from with they were gotten Another of the third sort of Errors is this A late Author saies the Cause why trees beare not fruit in a few yeares after grafting is because they were grafted in the old of the Moone for saith he so many daies as the Moone is old when you graft so many yeares will the Graft be ere it beare fruit The Cause is here mistaken for the Moone 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 cheife Causes of unfruitfulnesse of trees are when they are not fit for the Countrie where they are planted Secondly when the Grafts are chosen from young unbearing Trees thirdly Repletion or overmuch nourishment Fourthly Coldnesse or overmoistnesse 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 Rootes which causeth severall effects as falling of the Leaves goodnesse of the Rootes of divers Plants for use c but the Cause of these Effects is mistaken for Sap in Trees never descends but alwaies 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 Rootes 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 the Rootes and the Rootes even then draw sap for the Earth and increase upon it and are well stored with sap after the Branches haue done increasing and there the sap rests cheifely at that season Some who hold descending of sap may perhaps confirme their Opinion from small springs of the Rootes 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 doe spring forth a little at the cut ends of the Rootes before winter not because Sap descends from the Branches to them for though all the Branches are cut off before setting as sometimes they are yet the Rootes will spring then because some degree of heate proportionable to that purpose is at that season in the top of the earth by reason of the immediate fore-going summer soe that Plants set while this heat lasteth they will germinate and spring forth in their Rootes before winter the husbandman knowes in this season it is best to sow his Wheate and Rye And also because the Sunne as yet hath an influence sufficient to make seeds and Roots of Plants to spring forth which towards December it hath not being then too remote from us soe that it is not descending of Sap that Causeth these effects The learned Lord Bacon did not well consider this poynt who supposed a descention of sap in Autumne Nat hist p. 111. and 94. speaking concerning setting a Bough in the ground prepared by disbarking for that purpose saies the Cause why it will soone after be a faire Tree may be this the baring of the Bark 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 meanes 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 roughnesse or knobs capable of Rootes in the passage up of the sap whereby being set it will become a Tree in certaine yeares This Opinion of descention of sap in Trees is an old Error of many yeares standing and is radicated in the Minds of most men many using it as a Similitude to illustrate some spirituall thing as if it were a reall and undoubted truth whereas it is but a weake and groundlesse conceipt and contrary to Reason and experience I will therefore lay it open more plainly and prove and demonstrate the Truth concerning the motion of sap in Trees Sap in trees allwaies 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 vaine Now it were a vaine worke in Nature to cause Sap to ascend up into the Branches to descend againe 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 Barke 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 decrease by its descension This may be more cleare if we consider the Cause why sap in Trees stirres ascends also why it riseth not after such a time to make any grouth When the sunne in the spring of the yeare 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 sunne by degrees drawes nearer and grows hotter so the sap

Profit Now of all estates of life the husbandman may cheifly challenge this to himselfe yea it is questionable whether the Profit or Pleasure of his life be the greater God when he would make the life of man Pleasant unto him he put him into an Orchard or Garden of delights that he might labour therein with pleasure of mind There a man is delighted with variety of Fruits of Trees not in one season only but in diverse seasons of the yeare some young and springing forth while diverse other kinds are ready to fall with ripenesse So that a man doth even busy himselfe with the choice of such varieties The Boughs burthened with the weight of Fruits do bow to thee and in a lowly manner offer their Fruits as the Poet notes Behold the bending Boughes with store of Fruits they teare And what they have brought forth for weight they scarce can beare Oh how sweet and pleasant is the fruit of those Trees which a man hath Planted and ordered with his own hand to gather it and largly and freely to bestow and distribute it among his kindred and freinds Yea it is a delight to heare the pleasant tunes and singing of Birds which with their variety of notes make a sweet harmony and concent and much please and allure the sence So the Poet Melodious Ditties chirping Birds indite Whose pleasant songs our ravisht eares invite Theophrastus planted an Orchard close to his dwelling house which when he died he left to students and lovers of Philosophy and wisdome Democritus had his Chamber neere to a garden Many Philosophers have taught their schollers in Orchards and Gardens What worke is more innocent then Planting of Fruit-trees Augustine and what more full of high speculations to wise men then it is What is more wonderfull to behold then in sowing seeds in planting sprigs in removing young Trees in grafting new shoots or grafts as it were to aske and demand with a mans selfe what by the nature and virtue of the Roots and branches may be done or what may not be done for what reason it may be done or not done seeing the nature of things may after a sort be declared by reason what of many things is of force and effect by an invisible and inward power and nature what diligence is outwardly to be used c. In which consideration and search we may see and understand these things Yet for all that neither he that Plants is any thing nor he that waters but God that gives the encrease They accompt this course of life free from many mischeifes and and vexations that necessarily attend other affaires great and many cares and troubles are found in honours and high places but this course of life about Orchards and Gardens is full of sweet rest honest businesse and modest pleasures which many famous and learned men have had recourse unto for refreshment after study and other labours It is full of honest profit and gaine and brings and administers all necessaries here a man enjoyes pleasant quietnesse and tranquility of minde which is seldome attained by those that follow State-Imployments This is worthy the exercise of wise men of good men of learned men of Kings and Emperours they have taken great delight in the study and practise of these things This course of life is farre off from covetousnesse and even tyed and married to all Offices of love and friendship This is a quiet and pleasant life worthy to be preferred before all honours and dignities This culture of the ground and planting and ordering of Fruit-trees Occasions search and inquiry into many secrets profitable to men which brings unto them ample satisfaction yea the excellency and worthinesse of Husbandry is surpassing it excells all other Arts and appeares as the Lady or Mistris they as Servants attending her Many of the Ancients have largely declared to us the nature and use of Plants and Trees before all other living creatures The profit of a Garden of Fruit-trees is wonderfull and cannot well be declared And if Antiquity can adde any noblenesse and worth to a thing what imployment then before this what more ancient then the labour of the Husbandman Husbandmen are called Honest and good men because of their innocent and just life Cicero esteemed it best of all other labours nothing more rich and profitable nothing more delightfull nothing more worthie a generous spirit then it In former times those that were honoured and carried in triumph they were not honoured with Gold Pearles or other such pretious things but with the Boughs and Branches of Trees And in their Games and exercises who so got the Prize were crowned with Branches of certaine Trees as the Olive Palme c. Such as got the Conquest and victory of their enemies were crowned with the Lawrell which was to them a signe of Victorie And in their feasts they gave Crownes and Garlands of Leaves and Branches of trees in token of mirth and pleasure Besides if this labour receive honour from the persons that have been conversant in it then it is a kingly Art See the worthie Acts of Cyrus King of Persia Ezra 1.1.2.3 c. and chiefest of all other Cyrus King of Persia who had all the Kingdomes of the earth given to him was diligent and most exact in the handling of it He planted Orchards Gardens of Fruitt-rees with his owne hand which when Lysander saw he admired to see the excellent and singular order and disposition of them saying O Cyrus right blessed shall all men call thee because to thy dignity and Crowne thou hast joyned this care and course of life Telephanes tilled the ground and planted Trees among his subjects Elizeus Spartanus planted spacious and large Orchards and used therein to feast and Banquet with his children and friends Kings Emperours and highest powers were not ashamed to perform the workes belonging to an Orchard with their own hands Divers Emperours of Rome had Gardens of Fruit-trees and performed the works therein with delight Of this See Sir Rich Barkley of the felicity of man pag. 162. Dioclesian Emperour of Rome after he had reigned Twenty yeares betooke himselfe to a private life and Planted Orchards and Gardens with his own hand wherein he tooke such delight that he could not be intreated to take upon him againe the Goverment of the Empire Solomon the wisest of all Kings had Orchards and Gardens of Fruit-trees and tooke pleasure in them and spake of all Trees from the Cedar even to the Shrub Mascall sets out this Art with admirable praises he saies among all sciences and goodly exercises for men there is none doe more refresh the spirits nor cause more admiration in the effects of Nature or is more profitable for mans life then is the skill of Planting and Grafting Many great Lords and Noble Personages have left their Theaters and goodly exercises and have given themselves to Planting and Grafting and such like imployments and have commended

Fruit-trees So also of Lees of Wine the washing of strong Beere-Barrels Blood of Cattle dead Dogges Carrion or the like laid or put to the Roots of Trees when opened as before is found very profitable unto fruit-bearing But in case the soyle about the Roots be over fat and fertill it may hinder bearing for it will cause Trees to shoot forth great large shoots and to send forth broad Leaves and but little fruit if so then take away some of the fertill soyle and put in instead sand or cole ashes or any stuffe that is barren that it may dry up and abate some of the too full feeding that the Trees had and so cause fruitfulnesse Though Meat and Drink be never so good wholsome yet excesse hurts the body And further observe That Mowing of Grounds yearely where Fruit-trees grow is exceeding prejudiciall to Trees in respect of bearing unlesse the soyle be exceeding fertill But pasturing of Orchards and Grounds where Fruit-trees grow is observed to be of great advantage to their prospering and bearing Fruits When Cattle are suffered to lye and pasture under about the Trees they much benefit the Roots by their warmth in sitting and by their soyle which soaks down among the Roots and is a great refreshing to them as hath been found by cleare Experience Therfore permit Cattle if it may be convenient to lye pasture under among Fruit-trees after they are grown strong out of their reach save only at those seasons when Fruits are ripe because rubbing against the Trees would shake down the fruits and spoil them And it were better they did not rub against the Trees at any time for in that respect they may doe hurt therefore set Stakes or Posts about the Trees for the Cattle to rubb against whereby the Trees may be preserved And concerning Transplanting Pruning and Ordering the Roots of Trees thus much See further Errors in Practise Diseases incident to Fruit-Trees FRuit-trees are subject to divers Diseases Baptist Port. saies De cultu insit l. c. 35. Affliguntur Plantae omnes veluti Animalia diversis morbis All Trees or Plants are afflicted with divers Diseases as sensible creatures And therefore we should apply our selves to Cure them not for pitty to the Trees as the indulgent compassionate Manichees but for our own profit I shall at present mention only three Diseases that sometimes happen to Fruit-trees Mossinesse Bark-bound and Canker Concerning Mossinesse of Fruit-trees the way to cure that and other Diseases is to take away the Cause sublatâ causâ 1 Mossinesse tollitur effectus If the spring be stopt the streames cannot runne Some to cure this only scrape off the Mosse not indeavouring to take away the Cause so that in a few yeares they are as bad againe that 's but like endeavours for cure of the Tooth-ach or Gout or the like with some outward applications which though they may give some ease for a while yet they strike not at the root they remove not the Cause and therefore they returne againe So that it must be considered what the Cause of Mossinesse is sometimes it is caused by over coldnesse of the ground as in waterish and clay grounds likewise by Barrennesse of the soyle If it be Coldnesse through moysture then use all means to lay it dryer by trenching the ground or if it be Clay-ground then bring in some warmer soyls to mixe with it as Sand Ashes Sheeps-dung Pigeons or Hens-dung or the like If the soyle be too barren then help it by mixtures of good soyles round about the Roots But withall take away the Mosse that is already upon the trees in this manner after Raine rub it off with a Haire-cloth else scrape it off with a piece of hard wood in the forme of a knife Another is the Barke-bound disease 2 Bark-bound This exceedingly hinders the growth of trees it makes them live lingringly and poorly This happens when there is but a dull and slow passage up of sap and in small quantity either by reason of barrennesse of soile or want of due culture to the Branches therefore if the soile be barren it must be mended and likewise some of the Branches cut off and the rest scored downe all along to the Root through the bark on each side with some crosse cuts and nicks in the bark let this be done in the spring time the sap will arise more plentifully Another disease is the Canker 3 Canker naturall to some but accidentally hapning to others by bruises c. This hurts many and spoiles some To cure it cut it out if it be upō the body or great Boughs of trees then cover the place with clay mixed with horse-dung and cut off the small Branches that are dead but withall endeavour to stop the fountaine and cause of it being a sharp and virulent sap by laying Cole Ashes or ashes of burnt wood Nettles Ferne and such like vegetables to the Roots but if the Trees grow upō gravell ground they 'l hardly be cured without altering the soile in a great measure Secondly concerning Mischiefes incident to Fruits 2 Mischiefes incident to fruits by Caterpillers Ants Erewigs Snailes Wasps Birds and cold and strong Winds In the spring time Caterpillers 1 Caterpillers breed and devour many buds blossomes and young fruits especially in a dry season of the Dew and Leaves as one saies when the East Winds blow much which causeth that moist and slimy matter to vivifie L. Bac nat hist pag. 182. They breed also as is observed of the Spawne of Butterflies Now how to to destroy them I know no better way then to pluck off those leaves which have the Cobwebs made upon them in which they breed and tread them under foot for one of them containes multitudes And for those that escape being upon the Trees some smoake them with straw or such like which makes them fall off They may be destroied also by squirting water up into the Trees among the Boughs which washeth them off Secondly Ants 2 Ants. and Pismires hurt Fruits multitudes creep up into some Trees and eat the Fruits Therefore seek out their hils where they breed and lye and powre in scalding water amongst them till they be destroied Or else anoint the bottome of the Trees neere the Root with Tarre round about that so these little theeves may be taken Prisoners by sticking in it Thirdly Fruits growing ripe are sometimes eaten with Erewigs 3 Erewigs One way to destroy them is by setting Oxe hoofes Canes or any hollow thing neere the Roots of the Trees and among the Boughs upon the ends of sticks and they 'l creep in and lye there then take off these hoofes quickly and shake them into a boule of water or crush them with your foot upon the ground These Creatures doe most mischiefe to Wall-trees 4 Snailes especially upon old walls Pick them off betime in the morning destroy

senserint Agust de civ Dei l. 19. sed quae sit rei veritas It 's not any great matter what men have thought but what is the truth of the matter Quid ad nos qui potius de rebus ipsis judicare debemus What is it to us what men say who ought rather to judge of the things that are spoken Adv. of Learn l. 1. p. 45. Oportet edoctum judicare as L. Bac. saies Men that are taught must not resigne up their Reason to their Teachers but judge of what 's said Some great and Learned Authors have asserted very weak things and altogether untrue L. Bac. saies concerning them That the writings of speculative men upon active matter seemes to men of experience but as dreames and dotage Indeed they goe about to build Castles in the Aire as the Proverb is for as a building cannot be set up without a foundation so neither can effects be produced without Causes Nullus effectus datur sine causa They tell us of many great and desirable things but when they come to discover the Causes and meanes whereby they must be effected these are many of them weak and childish and which I suppose proceeded from them upon their first apprehensions without waighing them in the Scale of Reason Adv. Learn p. 154. or trying of them by the Touchstone of Experience And as the L. Bac. saies These high and vaporous Imaginations insteed of a laborious and sober enquiry of truth doe beget hopes and beliefes in themselves of strange and impossible shapes Nat hist p. 165. And elsewhere he saies The Causes and Axioms of some ancient and moderne writers are so full of Imagination and so infected with old received Theories as they are meere Inquinations or defilements of experience And these he ranks amongst the discredits of Learning he saies Advanc Lear. l. 1. p. 32. Many things have been rashly and with little choice or judgement received and registred as appeares in the writings of divers Authors which are every where fraught with forged and fabulous reports and those not only uncertaine and untried but notoriously untrue to the great derogation of Naturall Philosophy with grave and sober men I shall therefore discover some of these Errors according to my apprehensions as they concerne this Art of Planting Fruit-trees that inexperienced persons may not be deceived by them And afterwards shew some Errors in the Practise of this Art that they may be avoided I shall divide the Errors in the Theorie or contemplative part of this Art into three sorts The first sort are Instructions hurtfull and dangerous The second are Instructions for effecting of some things impossible to be done by the meanes prescribed and others impossible to be effected by any meanes The third sort are Assigning wrong Causes to Effects For the first A late Author giving Instructions for Grafting saies Graft the next Spring after remove This I say is a dangerous Instruction because Stocks removed have so great a wound and repulse by removing only that they cannot well beare another so soone after so great as Grafting would be Therefore let stocks removed grow a yeare or two before Grafting Reason and Experience is cleare enough in this Secondly Theophrastus giving instructions for Planting saies Take away none of the Roots for it is a foolish thing to loose those roots we have that we may get new This is a hurtfull and dangerous Instruction for except many of the small strings and roots be cut away and all the ends of the great ones they will not put forth new Roots as they will if cut and multitude of roots hinder the mould from closing on every side of every Root as it ought to doe therefore some must be cut away and the ends of all that are left Experience prove this sufficiently Thirdly Columella giving instructions for choice of Grafts this is one Columel lib. de Arboribus cap. 26. surculi sint bisulci Let Grafts be double or forked So Ruelius This is a dangerous and hurtfull instruction because forked or double or treble Grafts most of them dye and those that live grow poorely not a fifth or sixt part it may be so much as single and short Grafts Fourthly Bapt. Port. giving Instructions for choice of Grafts saies we must take surculos pregnantes turgentes Grafts full swelling with sap This is a bad Instruction For Grafts should be taken before they swell with sap for it is a repulse to Nature to cut them after sap stirres in them neither will such take hold on the stock so soon as those which are indigent and needy of sap therefore let Grafts be cut from the Tree before sap stir in them Another saies When Grafts put forth take away the Clay for Clay rather keeps moisture then drought save a little in the hole This is a hurtfull Instruction for sap will not cover the head of the stock nor close up the clefts on both sides so soon without Clay as with it Clay is as salve to a wound which heales it up it rather keeps out moisture then otherwise if wel closed and also preserves from dry winds sunne other annoiances therefore keep on the Clay a yeare or two till the head of the stock be covered and the cleft healed up Another saies When the Grafts have well put forth underprop them else wrap them one within another and tye them with wood amongst for feare winds break them This is a very hurtfull and dangerous Instruction for all these wayes do fret gall the barke and it may be breed the Canker And besides it hinders the yong grafts that they cannot spread into an handsome form this course brings a certaine mischeife to prevent an uncertaine winds hurt but few except they be very top-heavy if so then cut some of the branches till they be grown stronger below able to bear the Top. Some Authors counsell us to cast Glew into the place of Grafting to glew together the two substances or sprinkle Sugar Cynamon or sweet liquor that the fruits may retain the tast This is a hurtfull Instruction because liquors or any other substance put betwene the stocke and the Graft do hinder if not spoyle the joyning of stocke and Graft but if this might be done without hurt either to stock or Graft yet would it be no way effectuall for the End proposed A late Author saies Plant not against a wall because a Tree cannot be so long lived nor grow to the bignesse it else would do This is a hurtfull Instruction because many kinds of fruittrees As the Aprecock Peach Nectarine and divers other trees will beare little or no fruit except they be planted against a wall And though it be granted that Trees planted against a Wall will not be so large as if planted from the Wall Yet I suppose its better to have a few small trees that beare store of great fruits then store of great

It 's cleare that fruits convert the substances they draw into their own natures and receive little or no alteration unlesse by a constant and continuall supply from yeare to yeare Concerning setting Rose-trees under other Trees to produce coloured fruits it is one of the most ridiculous conceits that I have read what is it that should worke the effect may it be imagined that the Trees can see the Red-Roses as Jacobs sheep did the Rods in the water Gen. 30.37 and so bring forth fruits according to the same colour can any man apprehend so much as a colour or shadow of a Reason for it Another of the second sort of Errors is this Affricanus gives an Instruction to procure Walnuts without husks Nuces nudas sine putaminibus edent Juglandes c Walnut tres he saies do bring forth bare nuts without husks if the huske and shell be broken and the kernell taken out without hurt and wrapped in wooll or fresh Vine leaves that the kernels may be preserved from Ants or other things and then set in the earth againe Florentine affirmes the like of Almonds if ashes be sprinkled in the holes where they are set So another late Author not onely of Wal-nuts and Almonds but of all other shell fruits Were it not a wonderfull sight to see Wallnuts and all Nuts to grow without husks we know the Nuts of themselves have no stalkes and how then should they grow upon the Tree without huskes to inclose them What is it that should worke this strange effect is it because the kernels are put into the ground without shels and for that the tree springs from the kernels only Doe not all Trees spring from the kernells only though set with their shells the husk and shell contribute nothing at all towards the Tree they open for the kernell to spring out and then rot themselves Another of this second sort is this A late Author gives Instructions about early fruits and late and chainge of fruits by Grafting he saies If you graft a late fruit on an early stock the fruit will be early and if you Graft an Early fruit upon a late stocke the fruit will be late As if saith he you graft Apples on Mulbery-trees you shall have fruit all sommer even till November And that if you graft a Plum-tree on the Nut-tree the husk will be like the Nut-huske but within it will be a Plume Or if you graft a Plum or any other fruit on the Fig-tree the fruit will grow without Blossoming These things cannot be for contrary kinds will not grow together as the Plum tree and Fig-tree or Plum-tree and Nut-tree but if different sorts would agree and grow together yet these effects would not be because Grafts doe alwayes rule keep their own natures pag. 100. or alter very little L. Bac in his Nat. hist saies plainly these are imaginations untrue because saith he the Cions overrule the stock quite So againe pag. 97. which Experience confirmes Another of the second sort of Errors is this Democritus as one affirmes gives an Instruction for procuring fruits with Inscriptions and ingravings upon them in any figure or shape To this purpose Open the shell of an Almond and write upon the kernell what you will and wrap it in paper and set it in Clay mingled with swines dung A late Author saies Steep the stones of Peaches two or three daies and then open them and with a brasse pen write on the rind of the kernells after put them againe 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 kernell should produce fruits written or engraven A man no doubt with as good successe may ingrave or write upon the shell or huske of an Almond or other fruit as upon the kernell or if he will upon the paper or parchment in which it is inwrapt for the Rind of the Kernell contributes nothing to the tree or fruit but opens as the Huske or shell to let out the inner part of the kernell But if a man desires to have fruits with inscriptions and engravings he must take another course prescribed by a Learned Author Lo Bacon Nat. Hist pag. 128. 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 graphicall 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 selfe nor the Reader with them at present only I say in the generall let men take heed of such things asserted by Authors as have neither Reason nor Experience to uphold them least 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 Error is this some have conceiv'd that Grafting is the cause of early bearing of fruits and doth much better all fruit Albert Lib. 5. Cap 8. de veget Plant. Mag saies it 's better propter digestionem Succi in nodo factam because of the digestion of the sap in the knot So also Cressentius and addes De Nat Plant. Lib. 2. pag. 87. 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 Peares Apples and other fruits Lib de Cult Insit Bapt. Port. likewise ascribes all to Grafting He saies 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 beare fruit but being Grafted some kinds beare in a yeare or two So also Columella Lib. de Arbor pag. 490. Nat. Hist pag 97. Lo. Ba. wanted some experience in this point who saies There is no doubt but that Grafting for the most part doth meliorate fruit and againe 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 stocke then in the crude earth I say herein these Authours assigne a wrong Cause to an effect for simply Grafting contributes nothing at all to the early bearing of Fruit nor to its goodnesse But the Cause is In the Nature of the Grafts if they be Grafts cut from bearing trees and of good kinds they beare fruits in a yeare or two but if they be Grafts from young unbearing trees coming of seed such Grafts will not beare the sooner for Grafting it is not simply grafting I say nor the knot as the Authors speake of that makes trees beare one yeare one day