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cause_n	fruit_n	good_a	tree_n	4,830	5	9.4106	5	true

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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

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-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

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

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-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

To the Touch 1. By coole fruits boughs and leaves 36. 2. By coole fresh Aires p. 36. 3. To the Eye 1. By decent formes of Trees Allies walks Seats and Arbors p 36. 2. By curious colours of Blossomes Leaves and Fruits p. 36. 4. To the Smell 1. By fresh Earth digged up p. 37. 2. From Blossomes and Leaves p. 38. 5. To the Tast 1. From ripe and raw Fruits p. 38. 2. From Dishes and Drinkes made of them p. 39. A Caution in the use of Earthly blessings No Earthly thing to be enjoyed properly but used only p. 41. Difference between using and enjoying of a thing pag. 42. The Nursery in it consider 1. Sowing 1. Seeds of Fruits 2. Stones of Fruits 1. The time p. 44. 2. The manner p. 44. 2. Weeding and Watering the young Plants p. 45. 3. Transplanting them in Autumne p. 45. 4. Inoculating or Ingrafting them p. 46. In Grafting observe 1. Time of Grafting 1. Generall time the Spring p 46. 2. More speciall in respect of different kinds p. 46. 2. Instruments for the Worke p. 46. 3. Manner of the Worke three waies 1. Of small Stocks p. 53. 2. Of great Stocks p. 53. 3. A middle sort of Stocks p. 53. 4. Choyce of Grafts 1. As they fit severall Stocks p. 53. 2. In respect of good hearing kinds see particulars p 53 54 55. c. In Inoculating observe 1. The time pag. 50. 2. The Buds 1. In respect of growth p. 50. 2. In respect of kinds p. 50. 3. The Stocks 1. The small and young p 51. 2. Those full of sap p 51. 4. Unbinding the Buds some sooner some later p 51. In Transplanting observe 1. The time Early removing best p. 60. 2. Pruning 1. The Rootes of Plants p 61. 2. The Branches of Plants p 61. 3. Manner of setting 1. Standards 2. Wall-trees In respect of 1. Deepnes 61 2. Distance 62 3. Order 63. In Pruning cut 1. Wall-trees 1. In Summer p. 64. 2. In Winter p. 65. 2. Standards 1. All dead Boughs p. 65. 2. All superfluous living boughs p. 65. Order the Roots 1. In opening them p. 65. 2. In laying fit soyles to them p. 66. Diseases insident to Fruit-trees 1. Mossinesse 2. Barke-bound 3. Canker 1. Causes p. 67 68. 2. Cures p. 67 68. Mischeifes insident to Fruits by 1. Caterpillers Remedies thereof p. 68 69. 2. Antes Remedies thereof p. 68 69. 3. Eare-wigges Remedies thereof p. 68 69. 4. Snailes Remedies thereof p. 68 69. 5. Wasps Remedies thereof p. 68 69. 6. Birds Remedies thereof p. 68 69. 7. Winds Remedies thereof p. 68 69. The use of fruits 1. The Alimentall 2. The Physicall Use of 1. Apples p 70. 2. Peares p. 72. 3. Quinces p 73. 4. Cherries p. 73. 5. Plummes p. 74. 6. Aprecotts p 75. 7. Peaches p. 75. 8. Mulberries p. 75. 9. Figgs p. 79. 10. Grapes p 57. 11. Medlers p. 76. 12. Wallnutts p. 77. Errors discovered in the 1. Theory 2. Practise Of the Art of Planting p. 78. In the Theory are three sorts 1. Instructions hurtfull and dangerous 1. To Graft the first Spring p. 79. 2. Not to prune Roots p. 79. 3. To use Treble Grafts p. 80. 4. To use Grafts swelling p. 80. 5. To remove the Clay p. 80. 6. To underprop Grafts p 80. 7. To mix things in Grafting p 80. 8. Not to plant against a Wall p 8. 9. To Plant on Hills p. 81. 10. To set Stones a foot deepe p 82. 11. To set Budds on knobbs of Stocks p. 82. 12. To set Appletrees 20 foot asunder p. 82. 13. To remove in Winter p. 81 12. 2. Instructions for effecting things impossible to be effected by the means prescribed other things impossible to be effected by any means 1. To mixe diverse kinds of Fruits p 83. 2. To chang the species of Fruits p. 83. 3. To make Fruits have good Tasts p. 84. 4. To make Fruits have good Colours p 85. 5. To have Nutts without Husks p. 87. 6. To have Early and Late Fruits p. 87. 7. To have Fruits with Inscriptions on them p. 88. 3. Assigning wrong causes to effects 1. That Grafting causeth early bearing and maketh Fruits better p. 88. 2. That Grafting in the Old of the Moone causeth barrennesse many years p. 90. 3. That Sap descendeth from the Branches to the Roots worketh severall effects 90 Errors in Practise of the Art of Planting are 1. Transplanting Trees in Winter p. 94. 2. Planting Trees too neere togeather p. 94. 3. Planting Trees unfit for the Countrie p 95. 4. Choosing the greatest Plants p. 95. 5. Setting Trees without disbranching p. 95. 6. Planting Trees in worse mould p 95. 7. Setting the Graft and Stock smooth on the out side p 95. 8. Grafting long or forked Grafts p. 96. 9. Suffering Fruit trees grow like Timber-trees p. 96. 10. Giving too much nourishment to Fruit-trees p 96. 11. Nursing up Quince-trees without Grafting or Inoculating p. 96. 12. Pruning off too many shootes from Wall-trees p. 96. 13. Not Pruning the Roots of Plants p. 97. 14. Breaking off Budds before Grafts grow p. 97. 15. Grafting Seede Plants before removing p. 97. A Table shewing the Principall things Contained in the Naturall part of the ensuing Worke. HOW to prepare Ground for a Nursery and to sow and set Seeds Stones Kernells c. pag. 44. Preserve Seeds from Mice and weed them pa. 44. Remove the biggest Seed-plants by themselves and the least by themselves p. 45. Small Plants grow surer and faster then great Plants p. ib. January the best Month to graft Cherry and Plum grafts p. 46. Grafts may be kept in mould many weekes p. 46. Necessary Instruments for grafting p. 46. Severall wayes of graftings that of Packing on is most sure and easy lesse hurt to the graftes and stockes then in the cleft p. 47. To joyne the inner sides of the stock and graft is a speciall Rule in grafting p. 48. The thickest grafts are for the most part the best p. 49. Choose grafts from the best hearing Trees p. 49. Unbind grafts in due season and strengthen the grafted place p. 49. Prune off all side branches of grafts that are for standards preserve only one straight shoot p. 40. Time to Inoculate is about Midsummer yet some Buds sooner then others p 50. Inoculate Buds in to fit stocks p. 51. Unbind buds in due time 52. To transplant stocks inoculated ere the Buds spring forth is the surest way for growing p. 52. The leaves of the buds to be inoculated must be cut off immediatly p. 52. Marke stocks inoculated to know the kindes p. 52. To chuse right kinds of grafts and Buds and to set them on fit stocks is above all things most necessary in this Art p. 53. Crabstocks speciall good if not the best to graft any Apple grafts upon p. 54. Peare-stocks are best for Peare-grafts p. 55. Juyce of the black hart and great bearing Cherry speciall good to make Cherry Wine or to colour Cyder to make it as

by degrees increaseth and riseth more plentifully and when the sunne is nearest then Trees are fullest of sap Now observe As by the vicinity and neernesse of the sunne which is by degrees the sap is increased by degrees so likewise by the sunnes remotenesse and absence which is also by degrees in his going back againe the sap is also diminished by degrees that is ascending lesse and lesse in quantity untill the sunne be gone so farre from us and the heat and influence of it be so weake 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 untill the next spring And at that time the Leaves loose their beauty and fall off because sap riseth not up to them sufficient to feed them any longer but only so much as to preserve life in the Tree I would faine know of those who hold descension of sap what should cause it descend for Nullus effectus datur sine causa there can be no effect without a cause they cannot say that as heat causeth it ascend so cold causeth it 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 and fluid bodies but if sap of its owne nature would descend yet there is none in the Branches at that season of the yeare that they can spare but all that has ascended in the sommer is converted into the substance of the Tree its Leaves and fruits And further To prove this more fully and clearely by a plaine undeniable Argument If there be a continuall ascension of sap then there is no descension but there is a continuall ascension therefore no descension To prove the Minor Proposition That there is a continuall ascension of sap in Trees The Sunne and Ayre continually draw sap and moisture out out of Trees and other Vegetables as the Lord Bacon and others conclude and as may be made appeare by Reason and Experience We know if Branches and Twigs of Trees being cut off and laid aside in the sunne and ayre but for a few daies they will be contracted and wrinkled the ayre drawes out the sap and moisture and such having no supply of sap from the Root they quickly wither Now know also that the sunne and ayre have the same operation upon the living Branches and Twiggs drawing sap and moisture out of them likewise but they are not contracted and wrinkled as the other because there is a continuall supply of sap from the Root aswell in winter as in sommer which keeps them in their full dimensions without wrinkling or contracting Further observe to prove this If we remove Plants in September or about that time the pretended season of descension of sap and let them lye out of the earth a day or two we shall finde that the sunne and ayre will in that short time have suckt and drawne out sap and moisture from the Branches so that they will be apparently shrunke and contracted I have seene some Branches so much wrinkled that I questioned whether they were dead or alive But after the Plants have beene set certaine daies so much sap will be ascended as will againe have filled up the wrinkled or contracted bark so that it is evident and apparent hereby that some small quantity of sap hath ascended into the branches since their setting and if so then its cleare there 's no descension of sap can any thing move contrary waies at one time And if we graft in November and December the very dead time of winter the grafts have some small supply of sap even then else the sunne and ayre would spoyle them by dayly sucking out their moisture were there not a supply of sap from the Root sufficient to keep them alive untill the spring It s manifest then from what hath been said that sap in Trees ascends as well in Autumne and Winter as in Sommer so much as to preserve life in Trees by supplying what is extracted by the Sunne and Ayre so that it may be concluded there is no descension of sap unlesse men will hold that a thing may move severall waies upwards and downwards at one and the same time which is a contradiction and impossible in nature Thus much concerning the three sorts of Errors in the Theory of this Art First Instructions hurtfull and dangerous Secondly Instructions for effecting some things impossible to be effected by the meanes prescribed and others impossible to be effected by any meanes Thirdly Assigning wrong Causes to effects I will now discover some Errors that I finde in the practise of this Art of Planting fruit-Fruit-trees that they may be avoided ONE Error in Practise is this Many remove their Trees in winter 1 Removing trees in winter or neere the spring whereas they ought to remove them in September or thereabouts Many Plants are ready to remove in the beginning of August and before which if done such have a great advantage of those removed in winter or neere the spring for trees removed betimes in the yeare grow in their Roots before winter and so make a faire preparation against the spring And this is a Generall Rule for Transplanting all trees To remove so soone as they have done growing in the branches which may be knowne by the top or ends of the branches if the tops be closed and shut up they may be removed without danger though it be in August or before which is no small advantage to them See pag. 60. 2 Planting trees too neer together Another Error in Practise is Planting trees too neere together This is a great and generall Error many thinke the more Trees they have the more fruit but a few having roome enough to spread will beare more fruits then many crouded one upon another as the custome is and fruits will also be better when the sun may come round about the trees I account 10 or 12 yards a competent distance for Apple-trees and Peare-trees upon ordinary soyle but if the ground be speciall good then give them the more roome for Cherry-trees Plum-trees and such like 7 or 8 yards is a convenient distance 3 Planting trees unfit for the Countrey Another Error is this Many Plant Fruit-trees unfit for the Countrey where they plant them Their care is chiefly to chuse Grafts of the best kinds and faire Plants to look upon not considering so much whether such kindes will prosper and beare fruits well in those Clymates and places where they plant them And hence it is often that many who have faire and goodly fruit trees have very little fruit from them It is an excellent Rule to chuse those kindes of fruits which we or others finde by many yeares experience to be good bearing trees in those parts neerest to us although the fruits be not altogether so good as some others 4 Chusing the greatest