But in the first Kinde it is more Diffused and more Mastered by the Grosser Parts which the Spirits doe but disgest But in Drinkes the Spirits doe raigne and finding lesse Opposition of the Parts become themselues more Strong Which causeth also more Strength in the Liquour Such as if the Spirits be of the Hotter Sort the Liquour becommeth apt to Burne But in Time it causeth likewise when the Higher Spirits are Euapourated more Sourenesse It hath beene obserued by the Ancients that Plates of Metall and especially of Brasse applied presently to a Blow will keepe it downe from Swelling The Cause is Repercussion without Humectation or Entrance of any Body for the Plate hath onely a Virtuall Cold which doth not search into the Hurt Whereas all Plasters and Ointments doe enter Surely the Cause that Blowes and Bruises enduce Swellings is for that the Spirits resorting to Succour the Part that Laboureth draw also the Humours with them For we see that it is not the Repulse and the Returne of the Humour in the Part Strucken that causeth it For that Gouts and Tooth-Aches cause Swelling where there is no Percussion at all The Nature of the Orris Root is almost Singular For there be few Odoriferous Roots And in those that are in any degree Sweet it is but the same Sweetnesse with the Wood or Leafe But the Orris is not Sweet in the Leafe Neither is the Flower any thing so Sweet as the Root The Root seemeth to haue a Tender dainty Heat Which when it commeth aboue Ground to the Sunne and the Aire vanisheth For it is a great Mollifier And hath a Smell like a Violet It hath been obserued by the Ancients that a great Vessell full drawne into Bottles And then the Liquour put againe into the Vessell will not fill the Vessell againe so full as it was but that it may take in more Liquour And that this holdeth more in Wine than in Water The Cause may be Triuiall Namely by the Expence of the Liquour in regard some may sticke to the Sides of the Bottles But there may be a Cause more Subtill Which is that the Liquour in the Vessell is not so much Compressed as in the Bottle Because in the Vessell the Liquour meeteth with Liquour chiefly But in the Bottles a Small Quantity of Liquour meeteth with the Sides of the Bottles which Compresse it so that it doth not Open againe Water being contiguous with Aire Cooleth it but Moisteneth it not except it Vapour The Cause is for that Heat and Cold haue a Virtuall Transition without Communication of Substance but Moisture not And to all Madefaction there is required an Imbibition But where the Bodies are of such seuerall Leuity and Grauity as they Mingle not there can follow no Imbibition And therefore Oyle likewise lyeth at the Top of the Water without Commixture And a Drop of Water running swiftly ouer a Straw or Smooth Body wetteth not Starre-light Nights yea and bright Moone-shine Nights are Colder than Cloudy Nights The Cause is the Drinesse and Finenesse of the Aire which thereby becommeth more Piercing and Sharpe And therefore Great Continents are colder than Islands And as for the Moone though it selfe inclineth the Aire to Moisture yet when it shineth bright it argueth the Aire is dry Also Close Aire is warmer than Open Aire which it may be is for that the true Cause of Cold is an Expiration from the Globe of the Earth which in open Places is stronger And againe Aire it selfe if it be not altered by that Expiration is not without some Secret Degree of Heat As it is not likewise without some Secret Degree of Light For otherwise Cats and Owles could not see in the Night But that Aire hath a little Light Proportionable to the Visuall Spirits of those Creatures The Eyes doe moue â—â—â—â—â—â— way For when one Eye moueth to the Nosthrill the other moueth from the Nosthrill The Cause is Motion of Consent which in the Spirits and Parts Spirituall is Strong But yet Vse will induce the Contrary For some can Squint when they will And the Common Tradition is that if Children be set vpon a Table with a Candle behinde them both Eyes will moue Outwards As affecting to see the Light and so induce Squinting We see more exquisitely with One Eye Shut than with Both Open. The Cause is for that the Spirits Visuall vnite themselues more and so become Stronger For you may see by looking in a Glasse that when you shut one Eye the Pupill of the other Eye that is Open Dilateth The Eyes if the Sight meet not in one Angle See Things Double The Cause is for that Seeing two Things and Seeing one Thing twice worketh the same Effect And therefore a little Pellet held betweene two Fingers laid a-crosse seemeth Double Pore-blinde Men see best in the Dimmer Lights And likewise haue their Sight Stronger neare hand than those that are not Pore-blinde And can Reade and Write smaller Letters The Cause is for that the Spirits Visuall in those that are Pore-blinde are Thinner and Rarer than in others And therefore the Greater Light disperseth them For the same Cause they need Contracting But being Contracted are more strong than the Visuall Spirits of Ordinary Eyes are As when we see thorow a Leuell the Sight is the Stronger And so is it when you gather the Eye-lids somewhat close And it is commonly seene in those that are Poreblinde that they doe much gather the Eye-lids together But Old Men when they would see to Reade put the Paper somewhat a farre off The Cause is for that Old Mens Spirits Visuall contrary to those of Pore-blinde Men vnite not but when the Obiect is at some good distance from their Eyes Men see better when their Eyes are ouer-against the Sunne or a Candle if they put their Hand a little before their Eye The Reason is for that the Glaring of the Sunne or the Candle doth weaken the Eye wheras the Light Circumfused is enough for the Perception For we see that an Ouer-light maketh the Eyes Dazell Insomuch as Perpetuall Looking against the Sunne would Cause Blindnesse Againe if Men come out of a Great Light into a Darke Roome And contrariwise if they come out of a Darke Roome into a Light Roome they seeme to haue a Mist before their Eyes and see worse than they shall doe after they haue stayed a little while either in the Light or in the Darke The Cause is for that the Spirits Visuall are vpon a Sudden Change disturbed and put out of Order And till they be recollected doe not performe their Function well For when they are much Dilated by Light they cannot Contract suddenly And when they are much Contracted by Darknesse they cannot Dilate suddenly And Excesse of both these that is of the Dilatation and Contraction of the Spirits Visuall if it belong Destroyeth the Eye For as long Looking against the Sunne or Fire hurteth the Eye by Dilatation
Mediate Cause But some Organs are so peremptorily necessary that the Extinguishment of the Spirits doth speedily follow But yet so as there is an Interim of a Small Time It is reported by one of the Ancients of credit that a Sacrificed Beast hath lowed after the Heart hath beene feuered And it is a Report also of Credit that the Head of a Pigge hath beene opened and the Braine put into the Palme of a Mans hand trembling without breaking any part of it or feuering it from the Marrow of the Back-bone During which time the Pigge hath beene in all appearance starke dead and without Motion And after a small Time the Braine hath beene replaced and the Skull of the Pigge closed and the Pigge hath a little after gone about And certaine it is that an Eye vpon Reuenge hath beene thrust forth so as it hanged a pretty distance by the Visuall Nerue And during that time the Eye hath beene without any Power of Sight And yet after being replaced recouered Sight Now the Spirits are chiefly in the Head and Cells of the Braine which in Men and Beasts are Large And therefore when the Head is off they moue little or Nothing But Birds haue small Heads and therefore the Spirits are a little more dispersed in the Sinewes whereby Motion remaineth in them a little longer In so much as it is Extant in Story that an Emperour of Rome to shew the Certainty of his Hand did Shoote a great Forked Arrow at an Estrich as shee ranne swiftly vpon the Stage and strooke off her Head And yet shee continued the Race a little way with the Head off As for Wormes and Flies and Eeles the Spirits are diffused almost all ouer And therefore they moue in their Seuerall Pieces NATVRALL HISTORIE V. Century WE will now enquire of Plants or Vegetables And we shall doe it with diligence They are the principall Part of the Third Dayes Worke. They are the first Producat which is the Word of Animation For the other Words are but the Words of Essence And they are of excellent and generall Vse for Food Medicine and a Number of Mechanicall Arts. There were sowen in a Bed Turnip-Seed Radish-Seed Wheat Cucumber-Seed and Pease The Bed we call a Hot-Bed and the Manner of it is this There was taken Horse-dung old and well rotted This was laid vpon a Banke halfe a foot high and supported round about with Planks And vpon the Top was cast Sifted Earth some two Fingers deepe And then the Seed Sprinkled vpon it hauing beene steeped all night in Water Mixed with Cow dung The Turnip-Seed and the Wheat came vp halfe an Inch aboue Ground within two dayes after without any Watring The Rest the third day The Experiment was made in October And it may be in the Spring the Accelerating would haue beene the speedier This is a Noble Experiment For without this helpe they would haue beene foure times as long in comming vp But there doth not occurre to me at this present any vse thereof for profit Except it should be for Sowing of Pease which haue their Price very much increased by the early Comming It may be tried also with Cherries Strawberries and other Fruit which are dearest when they come early There was Wheat steeped in Water mixed with Cow-Dung Other in Water mixed with Horse-Dung Other in Water mixed with Pigeon-Dung Other in Vrine of Man Other in Water mixed with Chalke powdred Other in Water mixed with Soot Other in Water mixed with Ashes Other in Water mixed with Bay-Salt Other in Claret Wine Other in Malmsey Other in Spirìt of Wine The Proportion of the Mixture was a fourth Part of the Ingredients to the Water Saue that there was not of the Salt aboue an eighth Part. The Vrine and Wines and Spirit of Wine were Simple without Mixture of Water The Time of the Steeping was twelue houres The Time of the Yeare October There was also other Wheat sowen vnsteeped but watred twice a day with Warme water There was also other Wheat sowen Simple to compare it with the rest The Euent was That those that were in the Mixture of Dung and Vrine and Soot Chalke Ashes and Salt came vp within fix dayes And those that afterwards proued the Highest Thickest and most Lustie were First the Vrine And then the Dungs Next the Chalke Next the Soot Next the Ashes Next the Salt Next the Wheat Simple of it selfe vnsteeped and vnwatered Next the Watered twice a day with warme water Next the Claret Wine So that these three last were slower than the ordinary Wheat of it selfe And this Culture did rather retard than aduance As for those that were steeped in Malmsey and Spirit of Wine they came not vp at all This is a Rich Experiment for Profit For the most of the Steel pings are Cheape Things And the Goodnesse of the Crop is a great Matter of Gaine If the Goodnesse of the Crop answer the Earlinesse of the Comming vp As it is like it will Both being from the vigour of the Seed Which also partly appeared in the Former Experiments as hath beene said This Experiment would be tried in other Graines Seeds and Kernells For it may be some Steeping will agree best with some Seeds It would be tried also with Roots steeped as before but for longer time It would be tried also in Seuerall Seasons of the yeare especially the Spring Strawberries watered now and then as once in three dayes with Water wherein hath beene steeped Sheepes-dung or Pigeons-dong will preuent and come early And it is like the same Effect would follow in other Berries Herbs Flowers Graines or Trees And therefore it is an Experiment though vulgar in Strawberries yet not brought into vse generally For it is vsuall to helpe the Ground with Mucke And likewise to Recomfort it sometimes with Mucke put to the Roots But to water it with Mucke water which is like to be more Forcible is not practised Dung or Chalke or Bloud applied in Substance seasonably to the Roots of Trees doth set them forwards But to doe it vnto Herbs without Mixture of Water or Earth it may be these Helpes are too Hot. The former Meanes of Helping Germination are either by the Goodnesse and Strength of the Nourishment Or by the Comforting and Exciting the Spirits in the Plant to draw the Nourishment better And of this latter kinde concerning the Comforting of the Spirits of the Plant arealso the experiments that follow Though they be not Applications to the Root or Seed The Planting of Trees warme vpon a Wall against the South or South-East Sunne doth hasten their Comming on and Ripening And the South-East is found to be better than the SouthWest though the South-West be the Hotter Coast. But the cause is chiefly for that the Heat of the Morning succeedeth the Cold of the Night and partly because many times the South-west Sunne is too Parching So likewise the Planting of them vpon the Backe of a Chimney
where a Fire is kept doth hasten their Comming on and Ripening Nay more the Drawing of the Boughes into the Inside of a Roome where a Fire is continually kept worketh the same Effect Which hath beene tried with Grapes In so much as they will come a Moneth earlier than the Grapes abroad Besides the two Meanes of Accelerating Germination formerly described That is to say the Mending of the Nourishment and Comforting of the Spirit of the Plant there is a Third Which is the Making way for the Easie Comming to the Nourishment and Drawing it And therefore Gentle Digging and Loosening of the Earth about the Roots of Trees And the Remening Herbs and Flowers into new Earth once in two yeares which is the same thing For the new Earth is euer looser doth greatly further the Prospering and Earlinesse of Plants But the most admirable Acceleration by Facilitating the Nourishment is that of Water For a Standard of a Damaske Rose with the Root on was set in a Chamber where no Fire was vpright in an Earthen Pan full of Faire Water without any Mixture halfe a foot vnder the Water the Standard being more then two foot high aboue the Water Within the Space of ten dayes the Standard did put forth a faire Greene lease and some other little Buds which stood at a stay without any Shew of decay or withering more then seuen Daies But afterwards that Leafe faded but the young Buds did sprout on which afterward opened into faire Leaues in the space of three Moneths And continued so a while after till vpon Remouall wee left the Triall But note that the Leaues were somewhat paler and lighter-coloured than the Leaues vse to be abroad Note that the first Buds were in the End of October And it is likely that if it had beene in the Spring time it would haue put forth with greater strength and it may be to haue growne on to beare Flowers By this Meanes you may haue as it seemeth Roses set in the middest of a Poole being supported with some stay Which is Matter of Rarenesse and Pleasure though of small Vse This is the more strange for that the like Rose-Standard was put at the same time into Water mixed with Horse-dung the Horse-dung about the fourth Part to the Water and in foure Moneths space while it was obserued put not forth any Leafe though diuers Buds at the first as the other A Dutch Flower that had a Bulbous Root was likewise put at the same time all vnder Water some two or three Fingers deepe And within seuen dayes sprouted and continued long after further Growing There were also put in a Beet-Root a Borrage-Root and a Raddish-Root which had al their Leaues cut almost close to the Roots And within six weekes had faire Leaues And so continued till the end of Nouember Note that if Roots or Pease or Flowers may be Accelerated in their Comming and Ripening there is a double Profit The one in the high Price that those Things beare when they come early The other in the Swiftnesse of their Returnes For in some Grounds which are strong you shall haue a Raddish c. come in a Month That in other Grounds will not come in two And so make double Returnes Wheat also was put into the Water and came not forth at all So as it seemeth there must be some Strength and Bulke in the Body put into the Water as it is in Roots For Graines or Seeds the Cold of the Water will mortifie But casually some Wheat lay vnder the Pan which was somewhat moistned by the Suing of the Pan which in six weekes as aforesaid looked mouldy to the Eye but it was sprouted forth halfe a Fingers length It seemeth by these Instances of Water that for Nourishment the Water is almost all in all and that the Earth doth but keepe the Plant vpright and saue it from Ouer-heat and Ouer-cold And therefore is a Comfortable Experiment for good Drinkers It proueth also that our former Opinion That Drinke incorporate with Flesh or Roots as in Capon-Baere c. will nourish more easily than Meat and Drinke taken seuerally The Nousing of Plants I conceiue will both Accelerate Germination and bring forth Flowers and Plants in the Colder Seasons And as wee House Hot-Countrey Plants as Limons Orenges Myrtles to saue them So we may House our owne Countrey Plants to forward them and make them come in the Cold Seasons In such sort that you may haue Violets Strawberries Pease all Winter So that you sow or remoue them at fit times This Experiment is to be referred vnto the Comforting of the Spirit of the Plant by Warmth as well as Housing their Boughes c. So then the Meanes to Accelerate Germination are in Particular eight in Generall three To make Roses or other Flowers come late it is an Experiment of Pleasure For the Ancients esteemed much of Rosa Sera And indeed the Nouember-Rose is the sweetest hauing beene lesse exhaled by the Sunne The Meanes are these First the Cutting off their Tops immediately after they haue done Bearing And then they will come againe the same yeare about Nouember But they will not come iust on the Tops where they were cut but out of those Shoots which were as it were Water-Boughes The Cause is for that the Sap which otherwise would haue fed the Top though after Bearing will by the discharge of that diuert vnto the Side-Sprouts And they will come to beare but later The Second is the Pulling off the Buds of the Rose when they are Newly knotted For then the Side-Branches will beare The Cause is the same with the former For Cutting off the Tops and Pulling off the Buds worke the same Effect in Retention of the Sap for a time and Diuersion of it to the Sprouts that were not so forward The Third is the Cutting off some few of the Top-Roughes in the Spring-time but suffering the lower Boughes to grow on The Cause is for that the Boughes doe helpe to draw vp the Sap more strongly And we see that in Powling of Trees many doe vse to leaue a Bough or two on the Top to helpe to draw vp the Sap. And it is coparated also that if you graft vpon the Bough of a Tree and cut off some of the old Boughes the new Cions will perish The Fourth is by Laying the Roots bare about christmus some dayes The Cause is plaine for that it doth â—â—â—â—â— the Sap from going vpwards for a time Which Arrest is after wards released by the Couering of the Root a gaine with Earth And then the Sap getteth vp but later The Fifth is the Reâ—â—â—â—â— of the Tree some Moneth before it Buddes The cause is for that some time will be required after the Reâ—â—â—e for the Reselting before it can draw the Iuycs And that time being lost the Blossome uâ—â—â— needs some forth later The Sixth is the Grasting of Kaser in May which commonly Gardiners doe not till Inly And
then they beare not till the Next Yeare But if you graft them in May they will beare the same yeare but late The Seuenth is the Girding of the Body of the Tree about with some Pack-threed For that also in a degree restraineth the Sap and maketh it come vp more late and more Slowly The Eighth in the Planting of them â—â— Shade or in a Hedge The Cause is partly the Keeping out of the Sunne which hasteneth the Sap to rise And partly the Robbing of them of Nourishment by the Sâ—uffe in the Hedge These Meanes may be practised vpon other both Trees and Flowers M 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men haue entertained a Conceit that sheweth prettily Namely that if you grast a Late Comming Fruit vpon a Stocke of a Fruit-tree that â—â—â—â—â—â— early the Graft will beare Fruit Early At a Peach vpon a Cherry And contrariwise if an Early-Comming Fruit vpon a Stocke of a Fruit-Tree that Commeth late the Grafe will beare Fruit late As a Cherry vpon a Peach But these are but Imaginations and vntrue The Cause is for that the Cions ouerroleth the Stocke quite And the Stocke is but Passue onely and giueth Aliment but no Motion to the Graft We will speake now how to make Fruits Flowers and Roâ— larger in more plenty and sweeter than they vse to be And how to make the Trees themselues more Tall more Spread and more Hasty and Sudden than they vse to be Wherein there is no doubt but the former Experiments of Acceleration will serue much to these Purposes And againe that these Experiments which we shall now set downe doe serue also for Acceleration because both Effects proceed from the Encrease of vigour in the Tree But yet to auoid Confusion And because some of the Meanes are more proper for the one Effect and some for the other wee will handle them apart It is an assured Experience that an Heape of flint or Stone laid about the Bottome of a Wilde-Tree as an Oake Elme Ash c. vpon the first Planting doth make it prosper double as much as without it The Cause is for that it retaineth the Moisture which falleth at any time vpon the Tree and suffereth it not to be exhaled by the Sunne Againe it keepeth the Tree warme from Cold Blasts and Frosts as it were in an House It may be also there is somewhat in the Keeping of it steady at the first Quare if Laying of Straw some Height about the Body of a Tree will not make the Tree forwards For though the Root giueth the Sap yet it is the Body that draweth it But you must note that if you lay Stones about the stalke of Lettuce or other Plants that are more soft it will ouer-moisten the Roots so as the Wormes will eat them A Tree at the first Setting should not be Shaken vntill it hath taken Root fully And therefore some haue put two little Forkes about the Bottome of their Trees to keepe them vpright But after a yeares Rooting then Shaking doth the Tree good by Loosening of the Earth and perhaps by Exercising as it were and Stirring the Sap of the Tree Generally the Cutting away of Boughes and Suckers at the Root and Body doth make Trees grow high And contrariwise the Powling and Cutting of the Top maketh them grow spread and bushy As wee see in Pollards c. It is reported that to make hasty Growing Coppice-Woods the way is to take Willow Sallow Poplar Alder of some seuen yeares growth And to set them not vpright but a-slope a reasonable depth vnder the Ground And then instead of one Root they will put forth many and so carry more Shoots vpon a Stemme When you would haue many new Roots of Fruit-trees take a Low Tree and bow it and lay all his Branches a-flat vpon the Ground and cast Earth vpon them And euery Twigge will take Root And this is a very profitable Experiment for Costly Trees for the Boughtes will make Stockes without charge Such as are Apricots Peaches Almonds Cornelians Mulberries Figs c. The like is continually practised with Vines Roses Muske-Roses c. From May to Iuly you may take off the Barke of any Bough being of the Bignesse of three or foure Inches and couer the bare Place somewhat aboue and below with Loame well tempered with Horse-dung binding it fast downe Then cut off the Bough about Alhollontide in the bare place and set it in the Ground And it will grow to be a faire Tree in one Yeare The Cause may be for that the Baring from the Barke keepeth the Sap from descending towards Winter and so holdeth it in the Bough And it may be also that the Loame and Horse-Dung applied to the bare place doe moisten it and cherish it and make it more apt to put forth the Root Note that this may be a generall Meanes for keeping vp the Sap of Trees in their Boughes Which may serue to other Effects It hath beene practised in Trees that shew faire and beare not to Bore a Hole thorow the Heart of the Tree and thereupon it will beare Which may be for that the Tree before had too much Repletion and was oppressed with his owne Sap For Repletion is an Enemy to Generation It hath beene practised in Trees that doe not beare to cleaue two or three of the Chiese Roots and to put into the Cleft a small Pebble which may keepe it open and then it will beare The Cause may be for that a Root of a Tree may be as it were Hide-bound no lesse than the Body of the Tree But it will not keepe open without somewhat put into it It is vsually practised to set Trees that require much Sunne vpon Walls against the South As Apricots Peaches Plums Vines Figs and the like It hath a double Commodity The one the Heat of the Wall by Reflexion The other the Taking away of the Shade For when a Tree groweth round the vpper Boughes ouer-shadow the lower But when it is spread vpon a Wall the Sunne commeth alike vpon the vpper and lower Branches It hath also beene practised by some to pull off some Leanes from the Trees so spread that the Sunne may come vpon the Bough and Fruit the better There hath beene practised also a Curiosity to set a Tree vpon the North-Side of a Wall and at a little height to draw him thorow the Wall and spread him vpon the South-Side Conceiuing that the Root and lower Part of the Stocke should enioy the Freshnesse of the Shade And the Vpper Boughes and Fruit the Comsort of the Sunne But it sorted not The Cause is for that the Root requireth some Comsort from the Sunne though vnder Earth as well as the Body And the Lower Part of the Body more than the Vpper as wee see in Compassing a Tree below with Straw The Lownesse of the Bough where the Fruit commeth maketh the Fruit greater and to ripen better For you shall euer see in Apricots Peaches or Melo-Cotones vpon
a wall the greatest Fruits towards the Bottome And in France the Grapes that make the Wine grow vpon low Vines bound to small Stakes And the raised Vines in Arbours make but Veriuyce It is true that in Italy and other Countries where they haue hotter Sunne they raise them vpon Elmes and Trees But I conceiue that if the French Manner of Planting low were brought in vse there their Wines would be stronger and sweeter But it is more chargeable in respect of the Props It were good to try whether a Tree grafted somewhat neare the Ground and the lower boughes onely maintained and the higher continually proined off would not make a larger Fruit. To haue Fruit in Greater Plenty the way is to graft not onely vpon young Stockes but vpon diuers Boughes of an old Tree for they will beare great Numbers of Fruit Whereas if you graft but vpon one Stocke the Tree can beare but few The Digging yearely about the Roots of Trees which is a great means both to the Acceleration and Melioration of Fruits is practised in nothing but in Vines Which if it were transferred vnto other Trees and Shrubs as Roses c. I conceiue would aduance them likewise It hath beene knowne that a Fruit-Tree hath beene blowne vp almost by the Roots and set vp againe and the next yeare bare exceedingly The Cause of this was nothing but the Looseming of the Earth which comforteth any Tree and is fit to be practised more than it is in Fruit-Trees For Trees cannot be so fitly remoued into New Grounds as Flowers and Herbs may To reuiue an Old Tree the Digging of it about the Roots and Applying new Mould to the Roots is the way We see also that Draught-Oxen put into fresh Pasture gather new and tender Flesh And in all Things better Nourishment than hath beene vsed doth helpe to renew Especially if it be not onely better but changed and differing from the former If an Herbe be cut off from the Roots in the beginning of Winter and then the Earth be troden and beaten downe hard with the Foot and Spade the Roots will become of very great Magnitude in Summer The Reason is for that the Moisture being forbidden to come vp in the Plant stayeth longer in the Root and so dilateth it And Gardiners vse to tread downe any loose Ground after they haue sowne Onions or Turnips c. If Panicum be laid below and about the Bottome of a Root it will cause the Root to grow to an Excessiue Bignesse The Cause is for that being it selfe of a Spungy Substance it draweth the Moisture of the Earth to it and so feedeth the Root This is of greatest vse for Onions Turnips Parsnips and Carrets The Shifting of Ground is a Meanes to better the Tree and Fruit But with this Caution That all Things doe prosper best when they are aduanced to the better Your Nursery of Stockes ought to be in a more Barren Ground than the Ground is whereunto you remoue them So all Grasiers preferre their Cattell from meaner Pastures to better We see also that Hardnesse in Youth lengthneth Life because it leaueth a Cherishing to the better of the Body in Age Nay in Exercises it is good to begin with the hardest as Dancing in Thicke Shooes c. It hath beene obserued that Hacking of Trees in their Barke both downe-right and acrosse so as you make them rather in slices than in continued Hacks doth great good to Trees And especially deliuereth them from being Hide-bound and killeth their Mosse Shade to some Plants conduceth to make them large and prosperous more than Sun As in Strawberries and Bayes c. Therefore amongst Strawberries sow here and there some Barrage-Seed And you shall finde the Strawberries vnder those Leaues farro more large than their Fellowes And Bayes you must plant to the North Or defond them from the Sunne by a Hedge-Row And when you sow the Berries weed not the Borders for the first halfe yeare For the Weed giueth them Shade To increase the Crops of Phâ—â—â— there would be considered not only the Increasing the Lust of the Earth or of the Plant but the Sauing also of that which is spilt So they haue lately made a Triall to Set Wheat which neuerthelesse hath beene left off because of the trouble and paines Yet so much is true that there is much saued by the Setting in comparison of that which is Sewen Both by keeping it from being picked vp by Birds And by Auoiding the Shallow lying of it whereby much that is sowen taketh no Root It is prescribed by some of the Ancients that you take Small Trees vpon which Figs or other Fruit grow being yet vnripe and couer the Trees in the Middle of Autamne with dung vntill the Spring And then take them vp in a warme day and replant them in good Ground And by that meanes the former yeares Tree will be ripe as by a new Birth when other Trees of the fame kinde doe but blossome But this seemeth to haue no great Probabilitie It is reported that if you take Nitre and mingle it with Water to the thicknesse of Honey and therewith anoint the Bud after the Vine is cut it will sprout forth within eight dayes The Cause is like to be if the Experiment be true the Opening of the Bud and of the Parts Contiguous by the Spirit of the Nitre For Nitre is as it were the Life of Vegetables Take Seed or Kernells of Apples Peares Orenges Or a Peach or a Plum Stone c. And put them into a Squill which is like a great Onion and they will come vp much earlier than in the Earth it selfe This I conceiue no be as a Kinde of Grafting in the Root For as the Stocke of a Graft yeeldeth better prepared Nourishment to the Graft than the Crude Earth So the Squill doth the like to the Seed And I suppose the same would be done by Putting Kernells into a Turnip or the like Saue that the Squill is more Vigorous and Hot. It may be tried also with putting Onion-Seed into an Onion-Head which thereby perhaps will bring forth a larger and earlier Onion The Pricking of a Fruit in seuerall places when it is almost at his Bignesse and before it ripeneth hath beene practised with successe to ripen the Fruit more suddenly Wee see the Example of the Biting of Waspes or Wormes vpon Fruit whereby it manifestly ripeneth the sooner It is reported that Alga Marina Sea-weed put vnder the Roots of Coleworts and perhaps of other Plants will further their Growth The vertue no doubt hath Relation to Salt which is a great Helpe to Fertilitie It hath beene practised to cut off the Stalkes of Cucumbers immediately after their Bearing close by the Earth And then to cast a prettie Quantitie of Earth vpon the Plant that remaineth and they will beare the next yeare Fruit long before the ordinary time The Cause may be for that the Sap goeth downe the sooner and is not
it will grow that way Which is farre stranger as is said than the other For that Water may worke by a Sympathy of Attraction But this of the Stake seemeth to be a Reasonable Discourse It hath beene touched before that Terebration of Trees doth make them prosper better But it is found also that it maketh the Fruit sweeter and better The Cause is for that notwithstanding the Terebration they may receiue Aliment sufficient And yet no more than they can well turne and disgest And withall doe sweat out the coursest and vnprofitablest Iuyce Euen as it is in Lining Creatures which by Moderate Feeding and Exercise and Sweat attaine the soundest Habite of Body As Terebration doth Meliorate Fruit so vpon the like reason doth Letting of Plants Blond As Pricking Vines or other Trees after they be of some Growth And thereby letting forth Gumme or Teares Though this be not to continue as it is in Terebration but at some Seasons And it is reported that by this Artifice Bitter Almonds haue beene turned into Sweet The Ancients for the Dulcorating of Fruit doe commend Swines-Dung aboue all other Dung Which may be because of the Moisture of that Beast whereby the Excrement hath lesse Acrimony For wee see Swines and Pigges Flesh is the Moistest of Fleshes It is obserued by some that all Herbs wax sweeter both in Smell and Taste if after they be growne vp some reasonable time they be cut and so you take the latter Sprout The Cause may be for that the longer the Iuyce stayeth in the Root and Stalke the better it concocteth For one of the Chiefe Causes why Graines Seeds and Fruits are more Nourishing than Leanes is the Length of time in which they grow to Maturation It were not amisse to keepe backe the Sap of Herbs or the like by some fit meanes till the end of Summer whereby it may be they will be more Nourishing As Grafting doth generally aduance and Meliorate Fruits aboue that which they would be if they were set of Kernells or Stones in regard the Nourishment is better concocted So no doubt euen in Grafting for the same cause the Choise of the Stocke doth much Alwayes prouided that it be somewhat inferiour to the Cions For otherwise it dulleth it They commend much the Grafting of Peares or Apples vpon a Quince Besides the Meanes of Melioration of Fruits before mentioned it is set downe as tryed that a Mixture of Bran and Swines-Dung Or Chaffe and Swines-Dung especially laid vp together for a Moneth to rot is a very great Nourisher and Comforter to a Fruit-Tree It is deliuered that Onions wax greater if they be taken out of the Earth and laid a drying twenty dayes and then set againe And yet more if the outermost Pill be taken off all ouer It is deliuered by some that if one take the Bough of a Low Fruit-tree newly budded and draw it gently without hurting it into an Earthen Pot perforate at the bottome to let in the Plant and then Couer the Pot with Earth it will yeeld a very large Fruit within the Ground Which Experiment is Nothing but Potting of Plants without Remouing and Leauing the Fruit in the Earth The like they say will be effected by an Empty Pot without Earth in it put ouer a Fruit being propped vp with a Stake as it hangeth vpon the Tree And the better if some few Pertusions be made in the Pot. Wherein besides the Defending of the Fruit from Extremity of Sunne or Weather some giue a reason that the Fruit Louing and Coueting the open Aire and Sunne is inuited by those Pertusions to spread and approch as neare the open Aire as it can And so enlargeth in Magnitude All Trees in High and Sandy Grounds are to be set deepe And in Watry Grounds more shallow And in all Trees when they be remoued especially Fruit-Trees care ought to be taken that the Sides of the Trees be coasted North and South c. as they stood before The same is said also of Stone out of the Quarry to make it more durable Though that seemeth to haue lesse reason Because the Stone lyeth not so neare the Sunne as the Tree groweth Timber Trees in a Coppice Wood doe grow better than in an Open Field Both because they offer not to spread so much but shoot vp still in Height And chiefly because they are defended from too much Sun and Wind which doe checke the Growth of all Fruit And so no doubt Fruit-Trees or Vines set vpon a Wall against the Sunne betweene Elbowes or Buttresses of Stone ripen more than vpon a Plaine Wall It is said that if Potado Roots be set in a Pot filled with Earth and then the Pot with Earth be set likewise within the Ground some two or three Inches the Roots will grow greater than Ordinary The Cause may be for that Hauing Earth enough within the Pot to nourish them And then being stopped by the Bottom of the Pot from putting Strings downward they must needs grow greater in Breadth and Thicknesse And it may be that all Seeds or Roots Potted and so set into the Earth will prosper the better The Cutting off the Leaues of Radish or other Roots in the beginning of Winter before they wither And Couering againe the Root something high with Earth Will preserue the Root all Winter and make it bigger in the Spring following as hath beene partly touched before So that there is a double Vse of this Cutting off the Leaues For in Plants where the Root is the Esculent as Radish and Parsnips it will make the Root the greater And so it will doe to the Heads of Onions And where the Fruit is the Esculent by Strengthning the Root it will make the Fruit also the greater It is an Experiment of great pleasure to make the Leaues of Shady Trees larger than ordinary It hath beene tryed for certaine that a Cions of a Weech-Elme grafted vpon the Stocke of an Ordinary Elme will put forth Leaues almost as broad as the Brimme of ones Hat And it is very likely that as in Fruit-Trees the Graft maketh a greater Fruit So in Trees that beare no Fruit it will make the greater Leaues It would be tryed therefore in Trees of that kinde chiefly As Birch Asp Willow And especially the Shining Willow which they call Swallow-Taile because of the pleasure of the Leafe The Barrennesse of Trees by Accident besides the Weaknesse of the Soile Seed or Root And the Iniury of the Weather commeth either of their Ouer-growing with Mosse Or their being Hide-bound Or their Planting too deepe Or by Issuing of the Sap too much into the Leaues For all these there are Remedies mentioned before Wee see that in Liuing Creatures that haue Male and Female there is Copulation of seuerall Kindes And so Compound Creatures As the Mule that is generated betwixt the Horse and the Asse And some other Compounds which we call Monsters though more rare And it is held that that Prouerbe Africa
semper aliquid Monstri parit commeth for that the Fountaines of Waters there being rare diuers Sorts of Beasts come from seuerall Parts to drinke And so being refreshed fall to couple and many times with seuerall Kinds The Compounding or Mixture of Kinds in Plants is not found out Which neuerthelesse if it be possible is more at command than that of liuing Creatures For that their Lust requireth a voluntary Motion wherefore it were One of the most Noble Experiments touching Plants to finde it out For so you may haue great Varietie of New Fruits and Flowers yet vnknowne Grafting doth it not That mendeth the Fruit or doubleth the Flowers c. But it hath not the Power to make a New Kinde For the Cions euer ouer-ruleth the Stocke It hath beene set downe by one of the Ancients that if you take two Twigs of seuerall Fruit Trees and flat them on the Sides and then binde them close together and set them in the ground they will come vp in one Stocke But yet they will put forth their seuerall Fruits without any Commixture in the Fruit. Wherein note by the way that Vnitie of Continuance is easier to procure than Vnitie of Species It is reported also that Vines of Red and White Grapes being set in the Ground and the vpper Parts being flatted and bound close together will put forth Grapes of the seuerall Colours vpon the same Branch And Grape-Stones of seuerall Colours within the same Grape But the more after a yeare or two The Vnitie as it seemeth growing more Perfect And this will likewise helpe if from the first Vniting they be often Watred For all Moisture helpeth to Vnion And it is prescribed also to binde the Bud as soone as it commeth forth as well as the Stocke At the least for a time They report that diuers Seeds put into a Clout and laid in Earth well dunged will put vp Plants Contiguous Which afterwards being bound in their Shoots will Incorporate The like is said of Kernels put into a Bottle with a Narrow Mouth filled with Earth It is reported that young Trees of seuerall kindes set contiguous without any binding and very often Watred in a Fruitfull Ground with the very Luxurie of the Trees will incorporate and grow together Which seemeth to me the likeliest Meanes that hath beene propounded For that the Binding doth hinder the Naturall Swelling of the Tree which while it is in Motion doth better vnite There are many Ancient and Receiued Traditions and Obseruations touching the Sympathy and Antipathy of Plants For that some will thriue best growing neere others which they impute to Sympathy And some worse which they impute to Antipathy But these are Idle and Ignorant Conceits And forsake the true Indication of the Causes As the most Part of Experiments that concerne Sympathies and Antipathies doe For as to Plants neither is there any such Secret Friendship or Hatred as they imagine And if we should be content to call it Sympathy and Antipathy it is vtterly mistaken For their Sympathy is an Antipathy and their Antipathy is a Sympathy For it is thus Wheresoeuer one Plant draweth such a particular Iuyce out of the Earth as it qualifieth the Earth So as that Iuyce which remaineth is fit for the other Plant there the Neighbourhood doth good Because the Nourishments are contrary or seuerall But where two Plants draw much the same Iuyce there the Neighbourhood hurteth For the one deceiueth the other First therfore all Plants that doe draw much Nourishment from the Earth and so soake the Earth and exhaust it hurt all Things that grow by them As Great Trees especially Ashes and such Trees as spread their Roots neere the Top of the Ground So the Colewort is not an Enemy though that were anciently receiued to the Vine only But it is an Enemy to any other Plant Because it draweth strongly the fattest Iuyce of the Earth And if it be true that the Vine when it creepeth neere the Colewort will turneaway This may be because there it findeth worse Nourishment For though the Root be where it was yet I doubt the Plant will bend as it nourisheth Where Plants are of seuerall Natures and draw seuerall Iuyces out of the Earth there as hath beene said the One set by the other helpeth As it is set downe by diuers of the Ancients that Rew doth prosper much and becommeth stronger if it be set by a Figge-Tree which we conceiue is caused Not by Reason of Friendship but by Extraction of a Contrary Iuyce The one Drawing Iuyce fit to result Sweet the other bitter So they haue set downe likewise that a Rose set by Garlicke is sweeter Which likewise may be because the more Fetide Iuyce of the Earth goeth into the Garlicke And the more Odorate into the Rose This wee see manifestly that there be certaine corne-Corne-Flowers which come seldome or neuer in other places vnlesse they be set But onely amongst Corne As the Blew-Bottle a kinde of Yellow Mary Gold Wilde Poppy and Fumitorie Neither can this be by Reason of the Culture of the Ground by Plowing or Furrowing As some Herbs and Flowers will grow but in Ditches new Cast for if the Ground lie sallow and vnsowne they will not come So as it should seeme to be the Corne that qualifieth the Earth and prepareth it for their Growth This Obseruation if it holdeth as it is very probable is of great vse for the Meliorating of Taste in Fruits and Esculent Herbs And of the Sent of Flowers For I doe not doubt but if the Figge-Tree doe make the Rew more strong and bitter as the Ancients haue noted good store of Rew planted about the Figge-Tree will make the Figge more sweet Now the Tastes that doe most offend in Fruits and Herbs and Roots are Bitter Harrish Sowre And Watrish or Flashy It were good therefore to make the Trials following Take Wormewood or Rew and set it neere Lettuce or Goleflory or Artiâ—hoake And see whether the Lettuce or the Coleflory c. become not the sweeter Take a Seruice-Tree or a Cornelian-Tree or an Elder-Tree which wee know haue Fruits of harsh and binding Iuyce and set them neere a Vine or Figge-Tree and see whether the Grapes or Figs will be the sweeter Take Cucumbers or Pumpions and set them here and there amongst Muske-Melons and see whether the Melons will not be more Winy and better tasted Set Cucumbers likewise amongst Radish and see whether the Radish will not be made the more Biting Take Sorrell and set it amongst Rosps and see whether the Rasps will not be the sweeter Take Common Briar and set it amongst Violets or Wall-Flowers and see whether it will not make the Violets or Wall-Flowers sweeter and lesse Earthy in their Smell So set Lettuce or Cucumbers amongst Rosemary or Bayes and see whether the Rosemary on Bayes will not be the more Odorate or Aromaticall Contrariwise you must take heed how you set Herbs together that draw
And besides it is doubtfull whether the Mortar it selfe putteth it forth or whether some Seeds be not let fall by Birds There be likewife Rock-Herbs But I suppose those are where there is some Mould or Earth It hath likewife beene found that great Trees growing vpon Quarries haue put downe their Root into the Stone In some Mines in Germany as is reported there grow in the Bottome Vegetables And the Worke-Folkes vse to say they haue Magicall Vertue And will not suffer Men to gather them The Sea-Sands seldome beare Plants Whereof the Cause is yeelded by some of the Ancients for that the Sunne exhaleth the Moisture before it can incorporate with the Earth and yeeld a Nourishment for the Plant. And it is affirmed also that Sand hath alwayes his Root in Clay And that there be no Veines of Sand any great depth within the Earth It is certaine that some Plants put forth for a time of their owne Store without any Nourishment from Earth Water Stone c. Of which Vide the Experiment 29. It is reported that Earth that was brought out of the Indies and other Remote Countries for Ballast of Ships cast vpon some Grounds in Italy did put forth Fortaine Herbs to vs in Europe not knowne And that which is more that of their Roots Barkes and Seeds conâ—used together and mingled with other Earth and well Watred with Warme Water there came forth Herbs much like the Other Plants brought out of Hot Countries will endeuour to put forth at the same Time that they vsually do in their owne Climate And therfore to preserue them there is no more required than to keepe them from the Iniury of Putting backe by Cold. It is reported also that Graine out of the Hotter Countries translated into the Colder will be more forward than the Ordinary Graine of the Cold Countrey It is likely that this will proue better in Graines than in Trees For that Graines are but Annuall And so the Vertue of the Seed is not worne out Whereas in a Tree it is embased by the Ground to which it is Remoued Many Plants which grow in the Hotter Countries being set in the Colder will neucrthelesse euen in those Cold Countries being sowne of Seeds ate in the Spring come vp and abide most Part of the Summer As we finde it in Orenge and Limon-Seeds c. The Seeds whereof Sowen in the End of Aprill will bring forth Excellent Sallets mingled with other Herbs And I doubt not but the Seeds of Cloue-Trees and Pepper-Seeds c. if they could come hither Greene enough to be sowen would doe the like There be some Flowers Blossomes Graines and Fruits which come more Early And Others which come more Late in the Yeare The Flowers that come early with vs are Prime-Roses Violets Anemonies Water-Daffadillies Crocus Vernus and some early Tulippa's And they are all Cold Plants Which therefore as it should seeme haue a quicker Perception of the Heat of the Sunne Increasing than the Hot Herbs haue As a Cold Hand will sooner finde a little Warmth than a Hot. And those that come next after are Wall-Flowers Cowflips Hyacinths Rosemary-Flowers c. And after them Pincks Roses Flowerdelnces c. And the latest are Gilly-Flowers Holly-oakes Larkes-Foot c. The Earliest Blossomes are the Blossomes of Peaches Almonds Cornelians Mezerions c. And they are of such Trees as haue much Moisture either Watrie or Oylie And therefore Grocus Vernus also being an Herbe that hath an Oylie luyce putteth forth early For those also finde the Sunne sooner than the Drier Trees The Graines are first Rye and Wheat Then Oats and Barley Then Pease and Beanes For though Greene Pease and Beanes be eaten sooner yet the Drie Ones that are vsed for Horse-Meat are ripe last And it seemeth that the Fatter Graine commeth first The Earliest Fruits are Strawberries Cherries Gooseberries Corrans And after them Early Apples Early Peares Apricots Rasps And after them Damasins and most Kinde of Plums Peaches c. And the latest are Apples Wardens Grapes Nuts Quinces Almonds Sloes Brier-Berries Heps Medlars Seruices Cornelians c. It is to be noted that commonly Trees that ripen latest blossome soonest As Peaches Cornelians Sloes Almonds c. And it seemeth to be a Worke of Prouidence that they blossome so soone For otherwise they could not haue the Sunne long enough to ripen There be Fruits but rarely that come twice a Teare as some Peares Strawberries c. And it seemeth they are such as abound with Nourishment Whereby after one Period before the Sunne waxeth too weake they can endure another The Violet also amongst Flowers commeth twice a Yeare Especially the Double White And that also is a Plant full of Moisture Roses come twice but it is not without Caâ—ting as hath beene formerly said In Muscbuia though the Corne come not vp till late Spring yet their Haruest is as Early as Ours The Cause is for that the Strength of the Ground is kept in with the Snow And wee see with vs that if it be a long Winter it is commonly a more Plentifull Teare And after those kinde of Winters likewise the Flowers and Corne which are Earlier and Later doe come commonly at once and at the same time Which troubleth the Husbandman many times For you shâ—ll haue Red Roses and Damaske Roses come together And likewise the Harnest of Wheat and Barley But this happeneth euer for that the Earlier staieth for the Later And not that the Later commeth sooner There be diuers Fruit-Trees in the Hot Countries which haue Blossomes and Young Fruit and Ripe Fruit almost all the Yeare succeeding one another And it is said the Orenge hath the like with vs for a great Part of Summer And so also hath the Figge And no doubt the Naturall Motion of Plants is to haue so But that either they want luyce to spend Or they meet with the Cold of the Winter And therefore this Circle of Ripening cannot be but in Succulent Plants and Hot Countries Some Herbs are but Annuall and die Root and all once a Yeare As Borrage Lettuce Cucumbers Muske-Melons Bafill Tobacco Mustard-Seed and all kindes of Corne Some continue many Yeares As Hyssope Germander Lanander Fennell c. The Cause of the Dying is double The first is the Tendernesse and Weaknesse of the Seed which maketh the Period in a small time As it is in Borrage Lettnce Cucumbers Corne c. And therefore none of these are Hot. The other Cause is for that some Herbs can worse endure Cold As Basill Tobacco Mustard-Seed And these haue all much Heat The Lasting of Plants is most in those that are Largest of Body As Oakes Elme Ches-Nut the Loat-Tree c. And this holdeth in Trees But in Herbs it is often contrary For borage Colewort Pompions which are Herbs of the Largest Size are of small Durance Whereas Hyssope Winter-Sauoury Germander Thyme Sage will last long The Cause is for that Trees last according to
in the rest And Triall would be made of Grasting of RoseMary and Bayes and Box vpon a Holly-Stocke Because they are Planes that come all Winter It were good to try it also with Grafts of other Trees either Fruit-Trees or Wilde-Trees To see whether they will not yeeld their Fruit or beare their Leaues later and longer in the Winter because the Sap of the Holly putteth forth most in the Winter It may be also a Mexerion-Tree grafted vpon a Holly will proue both an Earlier and a Greater Tree There be some Plants that beare no Flower and yet beare Fruit There be some that beare Flowers and no Fruit There be some that beare neither Flowers nor Fruit. Most of the great Timber-Trees as Oakes Beeches c. beare not apparent Flowers Some few likewise of the Fruit-Trees As Mulberry Wall-unt c. And some Shrubs as Iuniper Holly c. beare no Flowers Diuers Herbs also beare Seeds which is as the Fruit and yet beare no Flowers As Parslane c. Those that beare Flowers and no Fruit are few At the Double Cherry the Sallow c. But for the Cherry it is doubtfull whether it be not by Art or Culture For if it be by Art then Triall would be made whether Apples and other Fruits Blossomes may not be doubled There are some Few that beare neither Fruit nor Flower As the Elme the Poplers Box Brakes c. There be some Plants that shoot still vpwards and can Support themselues As the greatest Part of Trees and Plants There be some Other that Creepe along the Ground Or Winde about other Trees or Props and cannot support themselues As Vines Iuy Briar Briony Woodbines Hop 's Climatis Camomill c. The Cause is as hath beene partly touched for that all Plants naturally moue vpwards But if the Sap put vp too fast it maketh a slender Stalks which will not support the weight And therefore these latter Sort are all Swift and Hasty Commers The first and most Ordinary Holpe is Stercoration The Sheeps-Dung is one of the best And next the Dung of Kine And thirdly that of Horses Which is held to be somewhat too hot vnlesse it be mingled That of Pigeons for a Garden or a small Quantity of Ground excelleth The Ordering of Dung is If the Ground be Arable to spread it immediately before the Plonghing and Sowing And so to Plough it in For if you spread it long before the Sunne will draw out much of the Fatnesse of the Dung If the Ground be Grazing Ground to spread it somewhat late towards Winter That the Sunne may haue the lesse Power to dry it vp As for speciall Composts for Gardens as a Hot Bed c. we haue handled them before The Second Kind of Compost is the Spreading of diuers Kinds of Earths As Marle Chalke Sea-Sand Earth vpon Earth Pond-Earth And the Mixtures of them Marle is thought to be the best As hauing most Fatnesse And not Heating the Ground too much The next is Sea-Sand Which no doubt obtaineth a speciall Vertue by the Salt For Salt is the first Rudiment of life Chalke ouer heateth the Ground a little And therfore is best vpon Gold Clay-Grounds or Moist Grounds But I heard a great Husband say that it was a common Errour to thinke that Chalke helpeth Arable Grounds but helpeth not Grazing Grounds Wheras indeed it helpeth Grasse as well as Corne But that which breedeth the Errour is because after the Chalking of the Ground they weare it out with many Crops without Rest And then indeed afterwards it will beare little Grasse because the Gound is tired out It were good to try the laying of Chalke vpon Arable Grounds a little while before Ploughing And to Plough it in as they doe the Dung But then it must be Friable first by Raine or Lying As for Earth it Copasseth it Selfe For I knew a Great Garden that had a Field in a manner powred vpon it And it did beare Fruit excellently the first yeare of the Planting For the Surface of the Earth is cuer the Fruitfullest And Earth so prepared hath a double Surface But it is true as I coÌ„â—eiue that such Earth as hath Salt-Petre bred in it if you can procure it without too much charge doth excell The way to hasten the Breeding of Salt-Petre is to forbid the Sunne and the Growth of Vegetables And therefore if you make a large Houell thatched ouer some Quantity of Ground Nay if you doe but Plancke the Ground ouer it will breed Salt-petre As for Pond-Earth or Riuer-Earth it is a very good Compost Especially if the Pond haue beene long vncleansed and so the Water be not too Hungry And I iudge it will be yet better if there be some Mixture of Chalke The Third Helpe of Ground is by some other Substances that haue a Vertue to make Ground Fertile though they be not meerely Earth wherin Ashes excell In so much as the Countries about AEtna and Vesuuius haue a kinde of Amends made them for the Mischiefe the Eruptions many times doe by the exceeding Fruit fulnesse of the Soyle caused by the Ashes scattered about Soot also though thinne spred in a Field or Garden is tried to be a very good Compost For Salt it is too Costly But it is tryed that mingled with Seed-Corne and sowen together it doth good And I am of Opinion that Chalke in Powder mingled with Seed-Corne would doe good Perhaps as much as Chalking the Ground all ouer As for the Steeping of the Seeds in seuerall Mixtures with Water to giue them Vigour Or Watring Grounds with Compost-Water We haue spoken of them before The Fourth Helpe of Ground is the Suffering of Vegetables to dye into the Ground And so to Fatten it As the Stubble of Corne Especially PeaseBrakes cast vpon the Ground in the Beginning of Winter will make it very Fruitfull It were good also to try whether Leaues of Trees swept together with some Chalke and Dung mixed to giue them more Heart would not make a good Compost For there is nothing lost so much as Leaues of Trees And as they lye scattered and without Mixture they rather make the Ground soure than otherwise The Fifth Helpe of Ground is Heat and Warmth It hath beene anciâ—â—â—â—â— practised to burne Heath and Ling and Sedge with the vantage of 〈◊〉 Wind vpon the Ground Wee see that Warmth of Walls and Encloâ—â—â—es mendeth Ground We see also that Lying open to the South menâ—â—th Ground We see againe that the Foldings of Sheepe helpe Ground 〈…〉 ll by their Warmth as by their Compost And it may be doubted â—â—â—ther the Couering of the Ground with Brakes in the Beginning of the Winter where of we spake in the last Experiment helpeth it not by reasoâ— of the Warmth Nay some very good Husbands doe suspect that the Gathering vp of Flints in Flinty Ground and Laying them on Heapes which is much vsed is no good Husbandry For that they would keep the Ground Warme The
participate of Saltnesse as Alga Marina Sampire Scorny-Grasse c. And they report there is in some of the Indian-Seas a Swimming Plant which they call Salgazus spreading ouer the Sea in such sort as one would thinke it were a Meadow It is certaine that out of the Ashes of all Plants they extract a Salt which they vse in Medicines It is reported by one of the Ancients that there is an Herb growing in the Water called Lincostis which is full of Prickles This Herbe putteth forth another small Herbe out of the Leafe which is imputed to some Moisture that is gathered betweene the Prickles which Putrified by the Sunne Germinateth But I remember also I haue seene for a great Rarity one Rose grow out of another like Honey-Suckles that they call Top and Top-gallants Barley as appeareth in the Malting being steeped in Water three dayes and afterwards the Water drained from it and the Barley turned vpon a dry floare will sprout halfe an Inch long at least And if it be let alone and not turned much more vntill the Heart be out Wheat will doe the same Try it also with Pease and Beanes This Experiment is not like that of the Orpin and Semper-Vine For there it is of the old Store for no Water is added But here it is nourished from the Water The Experiment would be further driuen For it appeareth already by that which hath beene said that Earth is not necessary to the first Sprouting of Plants And we see that Rose-Buds set in Water will Blow Therefore try whether the Sprouts of such Graines may not be raised to a further Degree As to an Herbe or Flower with Water onely Or some small Commixture of Earth For if they will it should seeme by the Experiments before both of the Malt and of the Roses that they will come far faster on in Water than in Earth For the Nourishment is easilier drawne out of Water than out of Earth It may giue some light also that Drinke infused with Flesh as that with the Capon c. will nourish faster and easilier than Meat and Drinke together Try the same Experiment with Roots as well as with Graines as for Example take a Turnip and steepe it a while and then dry it and see whether it will sprout Malt in the Drenâ—bing will swell And in such a manner as after the Putting forth in Sprouts and the drying vpon the Keele there will be gained at least a Bushell in eight and yet the Sprouts are rubbed off And there will be a Bushell of Dust besides the Malt Which I suppose to be not onely by the loose and open Laying of the Parts but by some Addition of Substance drawne from the Water in which it was steeped Malt gathereth a Sweetnesse to the Taste which appeareth yet more in the Wort. The Dulcoration of Things is worthy to be tried to the full For that Dulcoration importeth a degree to Nourishment And the Making of Things Inalimentall to become Alimentall may be an Experiment of great Profit for Making new Victuall Most Seeds in the Growing leaue their Huske or Rinde about the Root But the Onion will carry it vp that it will be like a Cap vpon the Top of the Young Onion The Cause may be for that the Skin or Huske is not easie to breake As we see by the Pilling of Onions what a Holding Substance the Skin is Plants that haue Curled Leaues doe all abound with Moisture Which commeth so fast on as they cannot spread themselues Plaine but must needs gather together The Weakest Kinde of Curling is Roughnesse As in Clary and Burre The Second is Curling on the Sides As in Lettuce and Young Cabbage And the Third is Folding into an Head As in Cabbage full growne and Cabbage-Lettuce It is reported that Firre and Pine especially if they be Old and Putrified though they shine not as some Rotten Woods doe yet in the sudden Breaking they will sparkle like Hard Sugar The Roots of Trees doe some of them put downwards deepe into the Ground As the Oake Pine Firre c. Some spread more towards the Surface of the Earth As the Ash Cypresse-Tree Oline c. The Cause of this latter may be for that such Trees as loue the Sunne doe not willingly descend farre into the Earth And therefore they are commonly Trees that shoot vp much For in their Body their desire of Approach to the Sunne maketh them spread the lesse And the same Reason vnder Ground to auoid Recesse from the Sunne maketh them spread the more And wee see it commeth to passe in some Trees which haue beene planted too deepe in the Ground that forloue of Approach to the Sunne they forsake their first Root and put out another more towards the Top of the Earth And wee see also that the Oliue is full of Oylie Iuyce And Ash maketh the best Fire And Cypresse is an Hot Tree As for the Oake which is of the former sort it loueth the Earth And therefore groweth slowly And for the Pine and Firre likewise they haue so much Heat in themselues as they need lesse the Heat of the Sunne There be Herbs also that haue the same difference As the Herbe they call Morsus Diaboli Which putteth the Root downe so low as you cannot pull it vp without Breaking Which gaue Occasion to the Nâ—me and â—â—â— For that it was said it was so wholesome a Root that the Deuill when it was gathered bit â—â— for Enny And some of the Ancients doe report that there was a Goodly Firre which they desired to remoue whole that had a Root vnder Ground eight Cubits deepe And so the Root came vp broken It hath beene obserued thaâ— a Branch of a Tree being Vnberked some space at the Botome and so set into the Ground hath growen Euen of such Trees as if the Branch were set with the Barke on they would not grow yet coâ—â—driwise we see that a Tree â—ared round in the Body aboue Ground will die The Cause may be for that the Vnbarke Part draweth the Nourishment best but the Barke continueth it only Grapes will continue Fresh and Moist all Winter long if you hang them Cluster by Cluster in the Roofe of a Warme Roome Especially it when you gather the Cluster you take off with the Cluster some of the Stocke The Reed or Cane is a Watry Plant and groweth not but in the Water It hath these Properties That it is Hollow That it is Knuckled both Stalke and Root That being Drie it is more Hard and Fragile than other Wood That it putteth forth no Boughs though many Stalkes come out of one Root It differeth much in Greatnesse The smallest being fit for Thatching of Houses And Stopping the Chinkes of Ships Better than Glew or Pitch The Second Bignesse is vsed for Angle-Rods and Staues And in China for beating of Offenders vpon the Thighs The differing Kindes of them are The Common Reed The Cassia Fistula And the Sugar-Reed
with Water in them will not Melt easily But without it they will Nay wee see more that Butter or Oyle which in themselues are Inflammable yet by Vertue of their Moisture will doe the like It hath beene noted by the Ancients that it is dangerous to Picke ones Eare whilest he Yawneth The Cause is for that in Yawning the Inner Parchment of the Eare is extended by the Drawing in of the Spirit and Breath For in Yawning and Sighing both the Spirit is first strongly Drawne in and then strongly Expelled It hath beene obserued by the Ancients that Sneezing doth cease the Hiccough The Cause is for that the Motion of the Hiccough is a Lifting vp of the Stomacke which Sneezing doth somewhat depresse and diuert the Motion another way For first wee see that the Hiccough commeth of Fulnesse of Meat especially in Children which causeth an Extension of the Stomacke Wee see also it is caused by Acide Meats or Drinkes which is by the Pricking of the Stomacke And this Motion is ceased either by Diuersion Or by Detention of the Spirits Diuersion as in Sneezing Detention as wee see Holding of the Breath doth helpe somewhat to cease the Hiccough And putting a Man into an Earnest Studie doth the like As is commonly vsed And Vinegar put to the Nostbrills or Gargarized doth it also For that it is Astringent and inhibiteth the Motion of the Spirits Looking against the Sunne doth induce Sneezing The Cause is not the Heating of the Nosthrills For then the Holding vp of the Nosthrills against the Sunne though one Winke would doe it But the Drawing downe of the Moisture of the Braine For it will make the Eyes run with Water And the Drawing of Moisture to the Eyes doth draw it to the Nosthrills by Motion of Consent And so followeth Sneezing As contrariwise the Tickling of the Nosthrills within doth draw the Moisture to the Nosthrills and to the Eyes by Consent For they also will Water But yet it hath beene obserued that if one be about to Sneeze the Rubbing of the Eyes till they run with Water will preuent it Where of the Cause is for that the Humour which was descending to the Nosthrills is diuerted to the Eyes The Teeth are more by Cold Drinke or the like affected than the other Parts The Cause is double The One for that the Resistance of Bone to Cold is greater than of Flesh for that Flesh shrinketh but the Bone resisteth whereby the Cold becommeth more eager The Other is for that the Teeth are Parts without Bloud Whereas Bloud helpeth to qualifie the Cold And therefore wee see that the Sinnewes are much affected with Cold For that they are Parts without Bloud So the Bones in Sharpe Colds wax Brittle And therefore it hath beene seene that all Contusions of Bones in Hard Weather are more difficult to Cure It hath been noted that the Tongue receiueth more easily Tokens of Diseases than the other Parts As of Heats within which appeare most in the Blacknesse of the Tongue Againe Pied Cattell are spotted in their Tongues c. The Cause is no doubt the Tendernesse of the Part which thereby receiueth more easily all Alterations than any other Parts of the Flesh. When the Mouth is out of Taste it maketh Things taste sometimes Salt Chiefly Bitter And sometimes Loathsome But neuer Sweet The Cause is the Corrupting of the Moisture about the Tongue Which many times turneth Bitter and Salt and Loathsome But Sweet neuer For the rest are Degrees of Corruption It was obserued in the Great Plague of the last Yeare that there were seene in diuers Ditches and low Grounds about London many Toads that had Tailes two or three Inches long at the least Whereas Toads vsually haue no Tailes at all Which argueth a great Disposition to Putrefaction in the Soile and Aire It is reported likewise that Roots such as Carrets and Parsuips are more Sweet and Lushious in Infectious Yeares than in other Yeares Wife Physitians should with all diligence inquire what Simples Nature yeeldeth that haue extreme Subtile Parts without any Mordication or Acrimony For they Vndermine that which is Hard They open that which is Stopped and Shut And they expell that which is Offensive gently without too much Perturbation Of this Kinde are Elder-Flowers which therefore are Proper for the Stone Of this kinde is the DwarfePine which is Proper for the laundies Of this kinde is Harts-Horne which is Proper for Agues and Infections Of this kinde is Piony which is Proper for Stoppings in the Head Of this kinde is Fumitory which is Proper for the Splâ—â—â—e And a Number of Others Generally diuers Creatures bred of Putrefaction though they be somewhat loathsome to take are of this kinde As Earth-wormes Timber-Sowes Snailes c. And I conceiue that the Trechischs of Vipers which are so much magnified and the Flesh of Snakes some wayes condited and corrected which of late are growne into some Credite are of the same Nature So the Parts of Beasts Putrified as Castereum and Muske which haue extreme Subtill Parts are to be placed amongst them We see also that Patrefactions of Plants as Agarichs and lewes â—â—â—â— are of greatest Vertue The Cause is for that Putrefection is the Subtillest of all Motions in the Parts of Bodies And since we cannot take downe the Lines of Liuing Creatures which some of the â—â—â— say If they could be taken downe would make vs Immortall the Next is for Subtilty of Operation to take Bodies Putresied Such as may be safely taken It hath beene obserued by the Ancients that Much vse of Venus doth Dimme the Sight And yet Eunuchs which are vnable to generate are neuerthelesse also Dimme Sighted The Cause of Dimnesse of Sight in the Former is the Expence of Spirts In the Latter the Ouer-moisture of the Braine For the Ouer-moisture of the Braine doth thicken the Spirits Visuall and obstructeth their Passages As we see by the Decay in the Sight in Age Where also the Diminution of the Spirits concurreth as another Cause we see also that Blindnesse commeth by Rheumes and â—â—â— Now in â—â—â— there are all the Notes of Moisture As the Swelling of their Thighes the Loosenesse of their Belly the Smoothnesse of their Skinne c. The Pleasure in the Act of Venus is the greatest of the Pleasures of the Senses The Matching of it with Itch is vnproper though that also be Pleasing to the touch But the Conses are Profound First all the Organe of the Senses qualifie the Nations of the Spirits And make so many Seuerall Species of Motions and Pleasures or Displeasures thereupon as there be Dinersitics of Organs The Instruments of Sight Hearing Taste and Smell are of seuerall frame And so are the Parts for Generation Therefore Sealiger doth well to make the Pleasure of Generation a Sixth Sense And if there were any other differing Organs and Qualified Perfraction for the spirits to passe there would be
more than the Fiue Senses Neither doe we well know whether some Beasts and Birds haue not Senses that we know not And the very some of Dogs is almost a sense it selfe Secondly the Pleasures of the Touch are greater and deeper than those of the other Senses As we see in Warming vpon Cold Or Refrigeration vpon Heat For as the Paines of the Touch are greater than the Offences of other Sense So likewise are the Pleasures It is true that the Affecting of the Spirits immediately and as it were without an Organ is of the greatest Pleasure Which is but in two things Sweet Smells And Wine and the like Sweet Vapours For Smells wee see their great and sudden Effect in fetching Men againe when they swoune For Drinke it is certaine that the Pleasure of Drunkennesse is next the Pleasure of Venus And Great Ioyes likewise make the Spirits moue and touch themselues And the pleasure of Venus is somewhat of the same Kinde It hath beene alwayes obserued that Men are more inclined to Venus in the Winter and Women in the Summer The Cause is for that the Spirits in a Body more Hot and dry as the Spirits of Men are by the Summer are more exhaled and dissipated And in the Winter more condensed and kept entire But in Bodies that are Cold and Moist as Womens are the Summer doth Cherish the Spirits and calleth them forth the Winter doth dull them Furthermore the Abstinence or Intermission of the Vse of Venus in Moist and Well Habituate Bodies breedeth a Number of Diseases And especially dangerous Impostumations The Reason is euident For that it is a Principall Euacuation especially of the Spirits For of the Spirits there is scarce any Euacuation but in Venus and Exercise And therefore the Omission of either of them breedeth all Diseases of Repletion The Nature of Viuification is very worthy the Enquiry And as the Nature of Things is commonly better perceiued in Small than in Great and in vnperfect than in perfect and in Parts than in whole So the Nature of Viuification is best enquired in Creatures bred of Putrefaction The Contemplation whereof hath many Excellent Fruits First in Disclosing the Originall of of Viuification Secondly in Disclosing the Originall of Figuration Thirdly in Disclosing many Things in the Nature of Perfect Creatures which in them lye more hidden And Fourthly in Traducing by way of Operation some Obseruations in the Insecta to worke Effects vpon Perfect Creatures Note that the word Insecta agreeth not with the Matter but we euer vse it for Breuities sake intending by it Creatures bred of Putrefaction The Insecta are found to breed out of seuerall Matters Some breed of Mud or Dung As the Earth-wormes Eeles Snakes c. For they are both Putrefactions For Water in Mud doth Puttifie as not able to Preserue it selfe And for Dung all Excrements are the Refuse and Putrefactions of Nourishment Some breed in Wood both Growing and Cut down Quare in what Woods most and at what Seasons We see that the Worms with many Feet which round themselues into Balls are bred chiefly vnder Logs of Timber but not in the Timber And they are said to be found also many times in Gardens where no Logs are But it seemeth their Generation requireth a Couerture both from Sunne and Raine or Dew As the Timber is And therfore they are not Venemous but contrariwise are held by the Physitians to clarifie the Bloud It is obserued also that Cimices are found in the Holes of Bed-Sides Some breed in the Haire of Liuing Creatures As Lice and Tikes which are bred by the Sweat close kept and somewhat are fied by the Haire The Excrements of Liuing Creatures do not only breed Insecta when they are Excerned but also while they are in the Body As in Wormes whereto Children are most subiect and are chiefly in the Guts And it hath beene lately obserued by Physitians that in many Pestilent Diseases there are Wormes found in the vpper Parts of the Body where Excrements are not but onely Humours Putrified Fleas breed Principally of Straw or Mass where there hath beene a little Moisture Or the Chamber and Bed-straw kept close and not Aired It is receiued that they are killed by Strewing Worme-wood in the Rooms And it is truly obserued that Bitter Things are apt rather to kill than engender Putrefaction And they be Things that are Fat or Sweet that are aptest to Putrifie There is a Worme that breedeth in Meale of the shape of a large white Magget which is giuen as a great Dainty to Nightingales The Moath breedeth vpon Cloth and other Lanifices Especially if they be laid vp dankish and wet It delighteth to be about the Flame of a Candle There is a Worme called a Wenill brad vnder Ground and that feedeth vpon Roots As Parsnips Carrets c. Some breed in Waters especially shaded but they must be Standing-waters As the Water-Spider that hath six Legs The Fly called the Oad-fly breedeth of somewhat that Swimmeth vpon the Top of the Water and is most about Ponds There is a Worme that breedeth of the Dregs of Wine Decayed which afterwards as is obserued by some of the Ancients turneth into a Gnat. It hath bin obserued by the Ancients that there is a Worme that breedeth in old Snow and is of Colour Reddish and dull of Motion and dieth soone after it commeth out of Snow Which should shew that Snow hath in it a secret Warmth For else it could hardly Viuisie And the Reason of the Dying of the Worme may be the sudden Exhaling of that little Spirit as soone as it commeth out of the Cold which had shut it in For as Butterflies quicken with Heat which were benummed with Cold So Spirits may exhale with Heat which were Preserued in Cold. It is affirmed both by Ancient and Moderne Obseruation that in Furnaces of Copper and Brasse where Chalcites which is Vitrioll is often cast in to mend the working there riseth suddenly a Fly which sometimes moueth as if it tooke hold on the walls of the Furnace Sometimes is seene mouing in the Fire below And dieth presently as soone as it is out of the Furnace Which is a Noble Instance and worthy to be weighed for it sheweth that as well Violent Heat of Fire as the Gentle Heat of Liuing Creatures will Viuifie if it haue Matter Proportionable Now the great Axiome of Viuification is that there must be Heat to dilate the Spirit of the Body An Actiue Spirit to be dilated Matter Viscous or Tenacious to hold in the Spirit And that Matter to be put forth and Figured Now a Spirit dilated by so ardent a Fire as that of the Furnace as soone as euer it cooleth neuer so little congealeth presently And no doubt this Action is furthered by the Chalcites which hath a Spirit that will Put forth and germinate as we see in Chymicall Trialls Briefly most Things Putrified bring forth Insecta of seuerall Names But wee will
Wood so farre as the Stone or Iron It is certaine as it hath beene formerly in part touched that Water may be the Medium of Sounds If you dash a Stone against a Stone in the Bottome of the Water it maketh a Sound So a long Pole strucke vpon Grauell in the Bottome of the Water maketh a Sound Nay if you should thinke that the Sound commeth vp by the Pole and not by the Water you shall finde that an Anchor let downe by a Roape maketh a Sound And yet the Roape is no Solide Body whereby the Sound can ascend All Obiects of the Senses which are very Offensiue doe cause the Spirits to retire And vpon their Flight the Parts are in some degree destitute And so there is induced in them a Trepidation and Horrour For Sounds we see that the Grating of a Saw or any very Harsh Noise will set the Teeth on edge and make all the Body Shiuer For Tastes we see that in the Taking of a Potion or Pills the Head and the Necke shake For Odious Smells the like Effect followeth which is lesse perceiued because there is a Remedy at hand by Stopping of the Nose But in Horses that can vse no such Help we see the Smell of a Carrion especially of a Dead Horse maketh them fly away and take on almost as if they were Mad. For Feeling if you come out of the Sunne suddenly into a Shade there followeth a Chilnesse or Shiuering in all the Body And euen in Sight which hath in effect no Odious Obiect Comming into Sudden Darknesse induceth an Offer to Shiuer There is in the City of Ticinum in Italy a Church that hath Windownes onely from aboue It is in Length an Hundred Feet in Breadth Twenty Feet and in Height neare Fifty Hauing a Doore in the Middest It reporteth the Voice twelue or thirteene times if you stand by the Close End-Wall ouer against the Doore The Eccho fadeth and dyeth by little and little as the Eccho at Pont-charenton doth And the Voice soundeth as if it came from aboue the Doore And if you stand at the Lower End or on either Side of the Doore the Eccho holdeth But if you stand in the Doore or in the Middest iust ouer against the Doore not Note that all Eccho's sound better against Old Walls than New Because they are more Dry and Hollow Those Effects which are wrought by the Percussion of the Sense and by Things in Fact are produced likewise in some degree by the Imagination Therefore if a Man see another eat Soure or Acide Things which set the Teeth on edge this Obiect tainteth the Imagination So that hee that seeth the Thing done by another hath his owne Teeth also set on edge So if a Man see another turne swiftly and long Or if he looke vpon Wheeles that turne Himselfe waxeth Turne-sicke So if a Man be vpon an High Place without Railes or good Hold except he be vsed to it he is Ready to Fall For Imagining a Fall it putteth his Spirits into the very Action of a Fall So Many vpon the Seeing of others Bleed or Strangled or Tortured Themselues are ready to faint as if they Bled or were in Strife Take a Stocke-Gilly-Flower and tye it gently vpon a Sticke and put them both into a Stoope Glasse full of Quick-siluer so that the Flower be couered Then lay a little Weight vpon the Top of the Glasse that may keepe the Sticke downe And looke vpon them after foure or fiue daies And you shall finde the Flower Fresh and the Stalke Harder and lesse Flexible than it was If you compare it with another Flower gathered at the same time it will be the more manifest This sheweth that Bodies doe preserue excellently in Quick-siluer And not preserue only but by the Coldnesse of the Quick-siluer Indurate For the Freshnesse of the Flower may be meerely Conseruation which is the more to be obserued because the Quick-Siluer presseth the Flower But the Stiffenesse of the Stalke cannot be without Induration from the Cold as it seemeth of the Quick-siluer It is reported by some of the Ancients that in Cyprus there is a Kinde of Iron that being cut into Little Peeces and put into the Ground if it be well Watred will increase into Greater Peeces This is certaine and knowne of Old That Lead will multiply and Increase As hath beene seene in Old Statua's of Stone which haue beene put in Cellars The Feet of them being bound with Leaden Bands Where after a time there appeared that the Lead did swell Insomuch as it hanged vpon the Stone like Warts I call Drowning of Metalls when that the Baser Metall is so incorporate with the more Rich as it can by no Meanes be separated againe which is a kinde of Version though False As if Siluer should be inseparably incorporated with Gold Or Copper and Lead with Siluer The Ancient Electrum had in it a Fifth of Siluer to the Gold And made a Compound Metall as fit for most vses as Gold And more Resplendent and more Qualified in some other Properties But then that was easily Separated This to doe priuily or to make the Compound passe for the Rich Metall Simple is an Adulteration or Counterfeiting But if it be done Auowedly and without Disguizing it may be a great Sauing of the Richer Metall I remember to haue heard of a Man skilfull in Metalls that a Fifteenth Part of Siluer incorporate with Gold will not be Recouered by any Water of Separation Except you put a Greater Quantity of Siluer to draw to it the Lesse which he said is the last Refuge in Separations But that is a tedious way which no Man almost will thinke on This would be better enquired And the Quantity of the Fifteenth turned to a Twentieth And likewise with some little Additionall that may further the Intrinsique Incorporation Note that Siluer in Gold will be detected by Weight compared with the Dimension But Lead in Silver Lead being the Weightier Metall will not be detected If you take so much the more Siluer as will counteruaile the Ouer-Weight of the Lead Gold is the onely Substance which hath nothing in it Volatile and yet melteth without much difficulty The Melting sheweth that it is not Ieiune or Scarce in Spirit So that the Fixing of it is not Want of Spirit to fly out but the Equall Spreading of the Tangible Parts and the Close Coaceruation of them Whereby they haue the lesse Appetite and no Meanes at all to issue forth It were good therefore to try whether Glasse Re-moulten doe leese any Weight For the Parts in Glasse are euenly Spred But they are not so Close as in Gold As we see by the Easie Admission of Light Heat and Cold And by the Smalnesse of the Weight There be other Bodies Fixed which haue little or no Spirit So as there is nothing to fly out As wee see in the Stuffe whereof Coppells are made Which they
Moulds partible glued or cemented together that you may open them when you take out the Fruit. It is a Curiosity to haue Inscriptions or Engrauings in Fruit or Trees This is easily performed by Writing with a Needle or Bodkin or Knife or the like when the Fruit or Trees are young For as they grow so the Letters will grow more large and Graphicall Tenerisque meos incidere Amores Arboribus crescent illa crescetis Amores You may haue Trees apparrelled with Flowers or Herbs by Boring Holes in the Bodies of them and Putting into them Earth Holpen with Mucke and Setting Seeds or Slips of Wielets Stramberries Wilde-Thyme Camamill and such like in the Earth Wherein they doe but grow in the Tree as they doe in Pots Though perhaps with some Feeding from the Trees It would be tried also with Shoots of Vines and Roots of Red-Roses For it may be they being of a more Ligueout Nature will incorporate with the Tree it selfe It is an ordinary Curiosity to Forme Trees and Sbrubs as Rosemary Inniper and the like into Sundry Shapes which is done by Moulding them within and Cutting them without But they are but lame Things being too small to keepe Figure Great Castles made of Trees vpon Frames of Timber with Turrets and Arches were anciently matters of Magnificence Amongst Cariofities I shall place Colouration though it be somewhat better For Beauty in Flowers is their Preheminence It is obserued by some that Gilly-flowers Sweet-Williams Yielets that are Coloured if they be neglected and neither Watred not New Monlded nor Transplanted will turne White And it is probable that the White with much culture may turne Coloured For this is certaine that the White Colour commeth of Scarcity of Nourishment Except in Flowers that are onely White and admit no other Colours It is good therefore to see what Natures doe accompany what Colours For by that you shall haue Light how to induce Colours by Producing those Natures Whites are more Inodorate for the most part than Flowers of the same kinde Coloured As is found in Single White Violets White-Roses White Gilly-Flowers White Stock-Grlly-Flowers c. Wee finde also that Blossomes of Trees that are White are commonly Inodorate As Cherries Pearas Plâ—â—â—â—â—s Whereas those of Apples Crabs Almonds and Peaches are Blushy and Smell Sweet The Cause is for that the Substance that maketh the Flower is of the thinnest and sinest of the Plant Which also maketh Flowers to be of so dainty Colours And if it bee too Sparing and Thinne it attaineth no Strength of Odour Except it be in such Plants as are very Succulent Whereby they need rather to be scanted in their Nourishment than replenished to haue them sweet As we fee in White Satyrian which is of a Dainty Smell And in Beane-Flowers c. And againe if the Plant be of Nature to put forth White Flowers onely and those not thinne or dry they are commonly of rancke and fulsome Smell As May-Flowers and White Lillies Contrariwise in Berries the White is commonly more Delicaee and Sweet in Taste than the Coloured As wee see in White Grapes In White Raspes In White Strawberries In White Carraâ— c. The Cause is for that the Coloured are more iuyced and courfer iuyced And therefore not so well and equally Concocted But the White are better proportioned to the Disgestion of the Plant. But in Fruits the White commonly is meaner As in Peare-Plums Daâ—asiâ—s c. And the Choicest Plammes are Blacke The Malberry which though they call it a Berry is a Fruit is better the Blacke than the White The Haruest White-Plâ—mme is a base Plâ—mme And the Verdoccie and White Date-Plamme are no very good Plummes The Cause is for that they are all Ouer-watry Whereas an higher Concoction is required for Sweetnesse or Pleasure of Taste And therefore all your dainty Plummes are a little dry and come from the Stone As the Muscle-Plumme the Damasin-Plumme the Peach the Apricet c. Yet some Fruits which grow not to be Blacke are of the Nature of Berries sweetest such as are Paler As the Caeâ—r-Cherry which inclineth more to White is sweeter than the Red But the Egriot is more sowre Take Gilly-Flower Seed of one kinde of Gilly-Flower As of the Cloue-Gilly-Flower which is the most Common And sow it And there will come vp Gilly-Flowers some of one Colour and some of another casually as the Seed meeteth with Nourishment in the Earth So that the Gardiners finde that they may haue two or three Roots amongst an hundred that are rare and of great Price As Purple Carnation of Seuerall Stripes The Canse is no doubt that in Earth though it be contiguous and in one Bed there are very feuerall luyees And as the Seed doth casually meet with them so it commethforth And it is noted especially that those which doe come vp Purple doe alwayes come vp Single The Iuyee as it seemeth not being able to suffice a Succulent Colour and a Double Leafe This Experiment of seuerall Colours comming vp from one Seed would be tried also in Larkes-Foot Moukes-Head Rappy and Hollyoke Few Fruits are coloured Red within The Queene-Apple is And another Apple called the Rose Apple Mulberries likewise and Grapes though most toward the Skinne There is a Peach also that hath a Circle of Red towards the Stone And the Egriot-Cherry is somewhat Red within But no Peare nor Warden not Plumme nor Apricet although they haue many times Red sides are Coloured Red within The Canse may be enquired The Generall Colour of Plants is Greene which is a Colour that no Flower is of There is a Greenish Prime-Rose but it is Pale and scatce a Greene The Leaues of some Trees turne a little Murry or Reddish And they be commonly Young Leaues that doe so As it is in Oakes and Vines and Hasle Leaves tot into a Yellow And some Hollies haue part of their Leaues Yellow that are to all seeming as Fresh and Shining as the Greene. I suppose also that Yellow is a lesse Succulent Colour than Greene And a degree nearer White For it hath beene noted that those Yellow Leaues of Holly stand euor towards the North or North-East Some Roots are Yellow as Carress And some Plants Bloud-Red Stalke and Leafe and all as Amaranthus Some Herbs incline to Purple and Red As a Kinde of Sage doth and a Kinde of Mint and Rosa Solis c. And Some haue White Leaues as another Kinde of Sape and another kinde of Mins But Azure and a Paire Purple are neuer found in Leaues This Sheweth that Flowers are made of a Refined luyce of the Earth And so are Fruits But Leaues of a more Courfe and Common It is a Curiosity also to make Flowers Double Which is effected by Often Remouing them into New Earth As on the contrary Part Double Flowers by neglecting and not Remouing proue Single And the Way to doe it speedily is to sow or set Seeds or Slips of Flowers And as soone
as they come vp to remoue them into New Ground that is good Enquire also whether Inoculating of Flowers as Stock-Gilly-Flowers Roses Muske-Roses c. doth not make them Double There is a Cherry-Tree that hath Double Blossomes But that Tree beareth no Fruit And it may be that the same Meanes which applied to the Tree doth extremely accelerate the Sap to rise and breake sorth Would make the Tree spend it selfe in Flowers and those to become Double Which were a great pleasure to see Especially in Apple-Trees Peach-Trees and Almond-Trees that haue Blossomes Blush-Coloured The Making of Fruits without Core or Stone is likewise a Curiosity And somewhat better Because whatsoeuer maketh them so is like to make them more Tender and Delicate If a Cions or Shooe fit to be set in the Ground haue the Pith finely taken forth and not altogether but some of it left the better to saue the life it will beare a Fruit with little or no Core or Stone And the like is said to be of diuiding a Quicke-Tree downe to the Ground and Taking out the Pith and then binding it vp againe It is reported also that a Citron grafted vpon a Quince haue small or no Seeds And it is very probable that 〈…〉 grafted vpon a Stocke that 〈◊〉 a Sweeter Fruit may hath make the Fruit sweeter and more void of the harsh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Seeds It is reported that not only the â—â—â—â—â—â—â—â— of the â—â—â—â— but the Steepping of the Iuyce of the Pith from Rising in the 〈…〉 if you should boare a Tree cleane thorow and put a wedge in It is true there is some Affinitie betweene the Pith and the Kernell because they are both of a harsh Substance and both placed in the Middest It is reported that Trees watred perpetually with Warme Water will make a Fruit with little or no Core or â—â—â— And the Rule is generall that whatsoeuer will make a Water-Tree a Garden-Tree will make a Garden-Tree to haue lesse Core or Stone The Rule is certaine that Plants for want of Culture â—â—â—â—â— to be be baser in the same Kinde And sometimes so â—â—â—â— as to change into another Kinde 1. The Stâ—â—ding â—â—â—â— not being Remoued â—â—keth them degenerase 2. Drangle vnlesse the Earth of it selfe be moist doth the like 3. So doth Remouing into worse Earth or Gorbearing to Câ—â—â—pâ—st the Earth As wee see that Water-Mini turneth into Field-Mini And the Colewort into Rape by Neglect c. Whatsouer Fruit vseth to bee set vpon a Roâ—â— or a Slipif it bee 〈◊〉 will degenerate Grapes sowne Figs Almonds Pomgranate Kernells sowne make the Fruits degenerate and become Wilde And againe Most of those Fruits that vse to be grafted if they be set of Kernells or Stones degenerate It is true that â—â—â—â— as hath beene touched before doe better vpon Sâ—â—â— Sâ—â— than vpon Grafting And the Rule of Exception should seeme to be this That whatsoeuer Pâ—â—â—â— requireth much Moisture prospereth better vpon the Stone or Kernell than vpon the Graft For the Stocke though it glueth a finer Nourishment yet it giueth a scanter than the Earth at large Seeds if they be very Old and yet haue strength enough to bring forth a Plant make the Plant degenerate And therefore skilfull Gardiners make triall of the Seeds before they buy them whether they be good or no by Putting them into Water gently Boyled And if they be good they will sprout within Halfe an Houre It is strange which is reported that Basill too such exposed to the Sunne doth turne into Wilde Thyme Although those two Herbs seeme to haue small Affinitie but Basill is almost the only Hot Herbe that hath Fat and Succulent Leaues Which Oylinesse if it be drawne forth by the Sunne it is like it will make a very great Change There is an old Tradition that Boughs of Oake put into the Earth will put forth Wilde Vines Which if it be true no doubt it is not the Oake that turneth into a Vine but the Oake-Bough Putrifying qualifieth the Earth to put forth a Vine of it selfe It is not impossible and I haue heard it verified that vpon Cutting downe of an Old Timber-Tree the Stub hath put out sometimes a Tree of another Kinde As that Beech hath put forth Birch Which if it be true the Cause may be for that the old Stub is too scant of Iuyce to put forth the former Tree And therefore putteth forth a Tree of a smaller kindey that needeth lesse Nourishment There is an Opinion in the Countrey that if the same Ground be oft sowen with the Graine that grew vpon it it will in the end grow to be of a baâ—er kinde It is certaine that in very Sterile Yeares Carne sowne will grow to an Other Kinde Grandia sapè quibus mandauimus Hordes Sulcis Infoelix Lolium steriles dominantur Auena And generally it is a Rule that Plants that are brought forth by Culture as Corne will sooner change into other Species than those that come of themselues For that Culture giueth but an Aduentitious Nature which is more easily put off This worke of the Transmutation of Plants one into another is inter Magnalia Naturae For the Transmutation of Species is in the vulgar philosophie pronounced Impossible And certainly it is a thing of difficultie and requireth deepe Seatch into Nature But feeing there appeare some manifest Instances of it the Opinion of Impossibilitie is to be reiected And the Meanes thereof to be found out Wee see that in Liuing Creatures that come of Putrefaction there is much Transmutation of one into another As Catterpillers turne into Flies c. And it should seeme probable that what soeuer Creature hauing life is generated without Seed that Creature will change out of one Species into another For it is the Seed and the Nature of it which locketh and boundeth in the Creature that it doth not expatiate So as wee may well conclude that seeing the Earth of it selfe doth put forth Plants without Seed therefore Plants may well haue a Transmigration of Species Wherefore Wanting Instances which doe occurre wee shall giue Directions of the most likely Trialls And generally wee would not haue those that read this our Worke of Sylua Syluarum account it strange or thinke that it is an Ouer-Haste that wee haue set downe Particulars vntried For contrariwise in our owne Estimation we account such Particulars more worthy than those that are already tried and knowne For these Later must be taken as you finde them But the Other doe leuell Point blanke at the Inuenting of Causes and Axiomes Flast therefore you must make account that if you will haue one Plant change into another you must haue the Nourishment ouer-rule the Seed And therefore you are to practise it by Nourishments as contrary as may be to the Nature of the Harbs So neuerthelesse as the Herbe may grow And likewise with Seeds that are of the Weakest Sort and haue least Vigour You shall doe well therefore