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-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
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
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
Powdring when a Shower commeth maketh a kinde of Soyling to the Tree being Earth and Water finely laid on And they note that Countries where the Fields and Wayes are Dusty beare the best Vines It is commended by the Ancients for an Excellent Helpe to Trees to lay the Stalks and Leaues of Lupines about the Roots Or to Plough them into the Ground where you will sowe Corne. The Burning also of the Cuttings of Vines and Casting them vpon land doth much Good And it was generally receiued of old that the Dunging of Grounds when the West Wind bloweth and in the Decrease of the Moone doth greatly helpe The Earth as it seemeth being then more thirsty and open to receiue the Dung. The Grafting of Vines vpon Vines as I take it is not now in vse The Ancients had it and that three wayes The First was Insition which is the Ordinary Manner of Grafting The Second was Terebration through the Middle of the Stocke and Putting in the Cions there And the Third was Paring of two Vines that grow together to the Marrow and Binding them close The Diseases and ill Accidents of Corne are worthy to be enquired And would be more worthy to be enquired if it were in Mens Power to helpe them Whereas many of them are not to be remedied The Mildew is one of the Greatest which out of question commeth by Closenesse of Aire And therefore in Hills or large Champaigne Grounds it seldome commeth Such as is with vs York's Worad This cannot be remedied otherwise than that in Countries of Small Enclosure the Grounds be turned into larger Fields Which I haue knowne to doe good in some Farmes Another Disease is the Putting forth of Wilde Oats whereinto Corne oftentimes especially Barley doth degenerate It happeneth chiefly from the Weaknesse of the Graine that is sowen For if it be either too Old or Mouldy it will bring forth Wilde Oats Another Disease is the Saciety of the Ground For if you sow one Ground still with the same Corne I meane not the same Corne that grew vpon the same Ground but the same Kinde of Graine As Wheat Barley c. it will prosper but poorely Therefore besides the Resting of the Ground you must vary the Seed Another ill Accident is from the Winds which hurt at two times At the Flowring by Shaking off the Flowers And at the full Ripening by Shaking out the Corne. Another ill Accident is Drouth at the Spindling of the Corne Which with vs is rate But in Hotter Countries common Insomuch as the Word Calamitas was first deriued from Calamus when the Corne could not get out of the Stalke Another ill Accident is Ouer-wet at Sowing-Time which with vs breedeth much Dearth Insomuch as the Corne neuer commeth vp And many times they are forced to resow Sommer-Corne where they sowed Winter-Corne Another ill Accident is Bitter Frosts continued without Snow Especially in the Beginning of the Winter after the Seed is new Sowen Another Disease is Wormes which sometimes breed in the Root and happen vpon Hot Sunnes and Showers immediately after the Sowing And another Worme breedeth in the Eare it Selfe Especially when Hot Sunnes breake often out of Clouds Another Disease is Weeds And they are such as either Choake and Ouershadow the Corne and beare it downe Or starue the Corne and deceiue it of Nourishment Another Disease is Ouer-Rancknesse of the Corne Which they vse to remedy by Mowing it after it is come vp Or putting Sheepe into it Another ill Accident is Laying of Corne with great Raines neare or in Harnest Another ill Accident is if the Seed happen to haue touched Oyle or any Thing that is Fat For those Substances haue an Antipathy with Nourishment of Water The Remedies of the Diseases of Corne haue beene obserued as followeth The Steeping of the Graine before Sowing a little time in Wine is thought a Presernatiue The Mingling of Seed-Corne with Ashes is thought to be good The Sowing at the Wane of the Moone is thought to make the Corne sound It hath not beene practised but it is thought to be of vse to make some Miscellane in Corne As if you sow a few Beanes with Wheat your Wheat will be the better It hath beene obserued that the Sowing of Corne with Honsleeke doth good Though Graine that toucheth Oyle or Fat receiueth hurt yet the Steeping of it in the Dregs of Oyle when it beginneth to Putrifie which they call Amurca is thought to assure it against Wormes It is reported also that it Corne be Mowed it will make the Graine Longer but Emptier and hauing More of the Huske It hath beene noted that Seed of a yeare old is the Best And of two or three yeares is Worse And that which is more Old is quite Barren Though no doubt some Seeds and Graines last better than others The Corne which in the Vanning lieth lowest is the best And the Corne which broken or bitten retaineth a little Yellownesse is better than that which is very White It hath beene obserued that of all Roots of Herbs the Root of Sorrell goeth the furthest into the Earth Insomuch as it hath bin knowne to go three Cubits deepe And that it is the Root that continueth fit longest to be set againe of any Root that groweth It is a Cold and Acide Herbe that as it seemeth loueth the Earth and is not much drawne by the Sunne It hath beene obserued that some Herbs like best being watred with Salt-Water As Radish Beet Rew Pennyroyall This Triall would be extended to some other Herbs Especially such as are Strong As Tarragon Mustard-Seed Rocket and the like It is strange that is generally receiued how some Poysonous Beasts affect Odorate and Wholesome Herbs As that the Snake loueth Fennell That the Toad will be much vnder Sage That Frogs will be in Cinque foile It may be it is rather the Shade or other Couerture that they take liking in than the Vertue of the Herbe It were a Matter of great Profit saue that I doubt it is too Coniecturall to venture vpon if one could discerne what Corne Herbs or Fruits are like to be in Plenty or Scarcity by some Signes and Prognosticks in the Beginning of the Yeare For as for those that are like to be in Plenty they may be bargained for vpon the Ground As the Old Relation was of Thales who to shew how easie it was for a Philosopher to be rich when he fore-saw a great Plenty of Oliues made a Monopoly of them And for Scarcity Men may make Profit in keeping better the Old Store Long Continuance of Snow is beleeued to make a Fruitfull Yeare of Corne An Earely Winter or a very Late Winter a Barren Yeare of Corne An Open and Serene Winter an ill Yeare of Fruit These we haue partly touched before But other Prognostickes of like Nature are diligently to be enquired There seeme to be in some Plants Singularities wherein they differ from all Other The Oliue hath the Oyly
to take Marsh-Herbs and Plant them vpon Tops of Hills and Champaignes And such plants as require much Moisture vpon Sandy and very drie Grounds As for Example Marsh-Maltowes and Sedge vpon Hills Cucumber and Letâ—nce Seeds and Coloworis vpon a Sandy Plas So contrariwise plant Bushes Heath Ling and Brakes vpon a Wet or Muâ—sh Ground This I conceiue also that all Eâ—câ—lent and Garden-Herbs set vpon the Tops of Hills will proue more Modicinall though leffe Eâ—â—â—lent than they were before And it may be likewise some Wilde-Herbs you may make Sallel-Herbs This is the first Rule for Transâ—â—ction of Plants The second Rule shall be to burie some few Seeds of the Herbe you would change amongst other Seeds And then you shall see whether the luyee of those other Seeds doe â—â—â— so qualifie the Earth as it will alter the Seed whereupon you worke As for Example Put Parflyâ—â—â— amongst Onion-Sâ—â—t Or Lettuce Seed amongst Parthy-Seed Or Baâ—â—-Seed amongst Thyme-Seed And see the Change of Taste on otherwise But you shall doe well to put the Seed you would change into a little linnen Cloth that it mingle not with the forraine Seed The third Rule shall be the Making of some Medley or Mixture of Earth with some other plants Braised or Shanes either in Leafe or Root As for Example make Earth with a Mixture of Calmert-Leaues stamped and set in it Artisâ—â—â—kes or Parsâ—ips So take Earth made with Maiâ—â— or Origaâ—â—m or Wilde Thâ—â—â— bruised or stamped and set in it Fennell-Seed c. In which Operation the Processe of Nature still will be as I conceiue not that the Harbe you worke vpon should draw the Iuyce of the Foâ—â—ne Herbes For that Opinion was haue formerly reiected But that there will be a New Confection of Mould which perhaps will alter the Seed and yet not to the kinde of the former Herbe The foâ—â—â— Rule shall be to â—â—â— what Herbs some â—â—â— doe put forth of themselues And to take â—â—â— Earth and to Pat it or to â—â—â—â—â—â— it And in that to set the Seed you would change as for example sake from vnder Walls or the like where Nettles put forth in abundance the Earth which you shall there finde without any String or Root of the Nettles And Pot that Earth and set in it Stock-gilly flowers or Wall Flowers c. Or sow in the Seeds of them And see what the Euent will be Or take Earth that you haue prepared to put forth Mushromes of it selfe whereof you shall finde some Instances following And sow in it Purslane Seed or Lettuce-Seed For in these Experiments it is likely enough that the Earth being accustomed to send forth one Kinde of Nourishment will alter the new Seed The fifth Rule shall be to make the Herbe grow Contrary to his Nature As to make Ground-Herbes rise in Heighth As for example Carry Camomill or Wilde-Thyme or the Greene Strawberry vpon Sticks as you doe Heps vpon Poles And see what the Euent will be The sixth Rule shall be to make Plants grow out of the Sunne or Open Aire For that is a great Mutation in Nature And may induce a Change in the Seed As barrell vp Earth and sow some Seed in it and put it in the Bottome of a Pond Or put it in some great hollow Tree Trie also the Sowing of Seeds in the Bottomes of Caues And Pots with Seeds sowne hanged vp in Wells some distance from the Water and see what the Euent will be It is certaine that Timber-Trees in Coppice-Words grow more vpright and more free from Vnder-Boughs than those that stand in the Field The Cause whereof is for that Plants haue a Naturall Motion to get to the Sunne And besides they are not glutted with too much Nourishment For that the Coppice shareth with them And Repletion euer hindreth Stature Lastly they are kept warme And that euer in Plants helpeth Mounting Trees that are of themselues full of Heat which Heat appeareth by their Inflammable Gumms as Firrs and Pines mount of themselues in Heighth without Side-Boughs till they come towards the Top. The Cause is partly Heat And partly Tenuitie of Iuyce Both which send the Sap vpwards As for Iuniper it is but a Shrub and groweth not bigge enough in Body to maintaine a tall Tree It is reported that a Good Strong Canuas spread ouer a Tree grasted low soone after it putteth forth will dwarfe it and make it spread The Cause is plaine For that all Things that grow will grow as they finde Roome Trees are generally set of Roots or Kernells But if you set them of Slips as of some Trees you may by name the Mulberry some of the Slips will take And those that take as is reported will be Dwarfe-Trees The Cause is for that a Slip draweth Nourishment more weakly than either a Root or Kernell All Plants that put forth their Sap hastily haue their Bodies not proportionable to their Length And therefore they are Winders and Creepers As Iuy Briony Hops Woodbine Whereas Dwarsing requireth a slow Putting forth and lesse Vigour of Mounting The Scripture saith that Salomon wrote a Naturall History from the Cedar of Libanus to the Mosse growing vpon the Wall For so the belt Translations haue it And it is true that Mosse is but the Rudiment of a Plant. And as it were the Mould of Earth or Barke Mosse groweth chiefly vpon Ridges of Houses tiled or thatched And vpon the Crests of Walls And that Mosse is of a lightsome and pleasant Greene. The Growing vpon Slopes is caused for that Mosse as on the one side it commeth of Moisture and Water so on the other side the Water must but Slide and not Stand or Poole And the Growing vpon Tiles or Walls c. is caused for that those dried Earths hauing not Moisture sufficient to put forth a Plant doe practise Gormination by Putting forth Mosse Though when by Age or otherwise they grow to relent and resolue they sometimes put forth Plants As Wall-Flowers And almost all Mosse hath here and there little Stalkes besides the low Thrumme Mosse groweth vpon Alleyes especially such as lye Cold and vpon the North As in diuers Tarrasses And againe if they be much trodden Or if they were at the first grauelled For wheresoeuer Plants are kept downe the Earth putteth forth Mosse Old Ground that hath beene long vnbroken vp gathereth Mosse And therfore Husbandmen vse to cure theit Pasture Grounds when they grow to Mosse by Tilling them for a yeare or two Which also dependeth vpon the same Cause For that the more Sparing and Staruing Iuyce of the Earth in sufficient for Plants doth breed Mosse Old Trees are more Mossy farre than Young For that the Sap is not so francke as to rise all to the Boughes but tireth by the way and putteth out Mosse Fountaines haue Mosse growing vpon the Ground about them Muscosi Fontes The Cause is for that the Fountaines draine the Water from the Ground Adiacent and leaue but
sufficient Moisture to breed Mosse And besides the Coldnesse of the Water conduceth to the same The Mosse of Trees is a kinde of Haire For it is the Iuyce of the Tree that is Excerned and doth not Affimilate And vpon great Trees the Mosse gathereth a Figure like a Leafe The Moister Sort of Trees yeeld little Mosse As we see in Aspes Poplars Willowes Beeches c. Which is partly caused for the Reason that hath beene giuen of the francke Putting vp of the Sap into the Boughes And partly for that the Barkes of those Trees are more Close and Smooth than those of Oakes and Ashes Whereby the Mosse can the hardlier issue out In Clay-Grounds all Fruit-Trees grow full of Mosse both vpon Body and Boughes Which is caused partly by the Coldnesse of the Ground whereby the Plants nourish lesse And partly by the Toughnesse of the Earth whereby the Sap is shut in and cannot get vp to spread so franckly as it should doe Wee haue said heretofore that if Trees be Hide-bound they wax lesse Fruitfull and gather Mosse And that they are holpen by Hacking c. And therefore by the Reason of Contraries if Trees be bound in with Cords or some Outward Bands they will put forth more Mosse Which I thinke happeneth to Trees that stand Bleake and vpon the Cold Winds It would also be tried whether if you couer a Tree somewhat thicke vpon the top after his Powling it will not gather more Mosse I thinke also the Watring of Trees with Cold Fountaine-Water will make them grow full of Mosse There is a Mosse the Perfumers haue which commeth out of Apple-Trees that hath an Excellent Sent. Quare particularly for the Manner of the Growth and the Nature of it And for this Experiments sake being a Thing of Price I haue set downe the last Experiments how to multiply and call on Mosses Next vnto Mosse I will speake of Mushromes Which are likewise an Vnperfect Plant. These Mushromes haue two strange Properties The One that they yeeld so Delicious a Meat The other that they come vp so bastily As in a Night And yet they are Vnsowne And therefore such as are Vpstarts in State they call in reproch Mushromes It must needs bee therefore that they be made of much Moisture And that Moisture Fat Grosse and yet somewhat Concocted And indeed we finde that Mushromes cause the Accident which we call Incubus or the Mare in the Stomacke And therefore the Surfet of them may Suffocate and Empoyson And this sheweth that they are Windy And that Windinesse is Grosse and Swelling Not Sharpe or Griping And vpon the same reason Mushromes are a venereous Meat It is reported that the Barke of White or Red Poplar which are of the Moistest of Trees cut small and cast into Furrowes well dunged will cause the Ground to put forth Mushromes at all Seasons of the Yeare fit to be eaten Some adde to the Mixture Leanen of Bread resolued in Water It is reported that if a Hilly-Field where the Stubble is standing bee set on Fire in a Showry Season it will put forth great Store of Mushromes It is reported that Harts-Horne Shauen or in Small Peeces mixed with Dung and watred putteth vp Mushromes And we know Harts-Horne is of a Fat and Clammy Substance And it may be Oxe-Horne would doe the like It hath beene reported though it be searce credible that Iuy hath growne out of a Stags-Horne Which they suppose did rather come from a Confrication of the Horne vpon the Iuy than from the Horne it selfe There is not knowne any Substance but Earth and the Procedures of Earth as Tile Stone c. that yeeldeth any Mosse or Herby Substance There may be Trial made of some Seeds as that of Fennel-Seed Mustard Seed and Rape-Seed put into some little Holes made in the Hornes of Stags or Oxen to see if they will grow There is also another Vnperfect Plant that in shew is like a great Mushrome And it is sometimes as broad as ones Hat Which they call a Toads-Stoole But it is not Esculent And it groweth commonly by a dead Stub of a Tree And likewise about the Roots of Rotten Trees And therefore seemeth to take his Iuyce from Wood Putrified Which sheweth by the way that Wood-Putrified yeeldeth a franke Moisture There is a Cake that groweth vpon the Side of a Dead Tree that hath gotten no Name but it is large and of a Chesnut Colour and hard and pithy Whereby it should seeme that euen Dead Trees forget not their Putting forth No more than the Careasses of Mens Bodies that put forth Haire and Nailes for a Time There is a Cod or Bag that groweth commonly in the Fields That at the first is hard like a Tennis-Ball and white And after groweth of a Mushrome Colour and full of light Dust vpon the Breaking And is thought to be dangerous for the Eyes if the Powder get into them And to bee good for Kibes Belike it hath a Corrosiue and Fretting Nature There is an Herb called Iewes-Eare that groweth vpon the Roots and Lower Parts of the Bodies of Trees Especially of Elders and sometimes Ashes It hath a strange Property For in Warme-water it swelleth and openeth extremely It is not greene but of a dusky browne Colour And it is vsed for Squinancies and Inflammations in the Throat Whereby it seemeth to haue a Mollifying and Lenifying Vertue There is a Kinde of Spongy Excrescence which groweth chiefly vpon the Roots of the Laser-Tree And sometimes vpon Cedar and other Trees It is very White and Light and Friable Which we call Agarick It is famous in Physicke for the Purging of Tough flegme And it is also an excellent Opener for the Liuer But Offensiue to the Stomack And in Taste it is at the first Sweet and after Bitter We finde no Super-Plant that is a Formed Plant but Misseltoe They haue an idle Tradition that there is a Bird called a Missel-Bird that feedeth vpon a Seed which many times shee cannot disgest and so expelleth it whole with her Excrement which falling vpon a Bough of a Tree that hath some Rift putteth forth the Misseltoe But this is a Fable For it is not probable that Birds should feed vpon that they cannot disgest But allow that yet it cannot be for other Reasons For First it is found but vpon certaine Trees And those Trees beare no such Fruit as may allure that Bird to sit and feed vpon them It may be that Bird feedeth vpon the Misseltoe-Berries and so is often found there Which may haue giuen occasion to the Tale. But that which maketh an End of the Question is that Misseltoe hath beene found to put forth vnder the Boughes and not onely aboue the Boughes So it cannot be any Thing that falleth vpon the Bough Misseltoe groweth chiefly vpon Crab-Trees Apple-Trees sometimes vpon Hasses And rarely vpon Oakes The Misseltoe whereof is counted very Medicinall It is cuer greene Winter and Summer And beareth a
White Glistering Berry And it is a Plant vtterly differing from the Plant vpon which it groweth Two things therfore may be certainly set downe First that Super-fatation must be by Abundance of Sap in the Bough that putteth it forth Secondly that that Sap must be such as the Tree doth excerne and cannot affimilate For else it would goe into a Bough And besides it seemeth to be more Fat and Vnctuous than the Ordinary Sap of the Tree Both by the Berry which is Clammy And by that it continueth greene Winter and Summer which the Tree doth not This Experiment of Misseltoe may giue Light to other Practises Therefore Triall would be made by Ripping of the Bough of a Crab-Tree in the Barke And Watring of the Wound euery Day with Warme Water Dunged to see if it would bring forth Misseltoe or any such like Thing But it were yet more likely to try it with some other Watring or Anointing that were not so Naturall to the Tree as Water is As Oyle or Barme of Drinke c. So they be such Things as kill not the Bough It were good to try what Plants would put forth if they be forbidden to put forth their Naturall Boughes Poll therefore a Tree and couer it some thicknesse with Clay on the Top And see what it will put forth I suppose it will put forth Roots For so will a Cions being turned downe into Clay Therefore in this Experiment also the Tree would be closed with somewhat that is not so Naturall to the Plant as Clay is Try it with Leather or Cloth or Painting so it be not hurtfull to the Tree And it is certaine that a Brake hath beene knowne to grow out of a Pollard A Man may count the Prickles of Trees to be a kinde of Excrescence For they will neuer be Boughes nor beare Leaues The Plants that haue Prickles are Thornes blacke and white Brier Rose Limon-Trees Crab-Trees Goose-Berry Berbery These haue it in the Bough The Plants that haue Prickles in the Leafe are Holly Iuniper Whin-bush Thistle Nettles also haue a small Venemous Prickle So hath Borrage a small prickle but harmelesse The Cause must be Hasty Putting forth Want of Moisture And the Closenesse of the Barke For the Haste of the Spirit to put forth and the Want of Nourishment to put forth a Bough and the Closenesse of the Barke cause Prickles in Boughes And therefore they are euer like a Pyramis for that the Moisture spendeth after a little Putting forth And for Prickles in Leaues they come also of Putting forth more Iuyce into the Leafe than can spread in the Leafe smooth And therefore the Leaues otherwise are Rough as Borrage and Nettles are As for the Leaues of Holly they are Smooth but neuer Plaine but as it were with Folds for the same Cause There be also Plants that though they haue no Prickles yet they haue a Kinde of Downy or Veluet Rine vpon their Leaues As Rose Campion Stock-Gilly-Flowers Colts-Foot which Downe or Nap commeth of a Subtill Spirit in a Soft or Fat Substance For it is certaine that both Stock-Gilly-Flowers and Rose-Campions stamped haue beene applied with successe to the Wrests of those that haue had Tertian or Quartan Agues And the Vapour of Colts-Foot hath a Sanatiue vertue towards the Lungs And the Leafe also is Healing in Surgery Another Kinde of Excrescence is an Exudation of Plants ioyned with Putrefaction As we see in Oake-Apples which are found chiefly vpon the Leaues of Oakes And the like vpon Willowes And Countrey People haue a kinde of Prediction that if the Oake-Apple broken be full of Wormes it is a Signe of a Pestilent Yeare Which is a likely Thing because they grow of Corruption There is also vpon Sweet or other Brier a fine Tuse or Brush of Mosse of diuers Colours Which if you cut you shall euer finde full of little white Wormes It is certaine that Earth taken out of the Foundations of Vaults and Houses and Bottomes of Wells and then put into Pots will put forth Sundry Kindes of Herbs But some Time is required for the Germination For if it be taken but from a Fathome deepe it will put forth the First Yeare If much deeper not till after a Yeare or Two The Nature of the Plants growing out of Earth so taken vp doth follow the Nature of the Mould it selfe As if the Mould be Soft and Fine it putteth forth Soft Herbs As Grasse Plantine and the like if the Earth be Harder and Courser it putteth forth Herbs more Rough as Thistles Firres c. It is Common Experience that where Alleyes are close Grauelled the Earth putteth forth the first yeare Knot-grasse and after Spire-grasse The Cause is for that the Hard Grauell or Pebble at the first Laying will not suffer the Grasse to come forth vpright but turneth it to finde his way where it can But after that the Earth is somewhat loosened at the Top the Ordinary Grasse commeth vp It is reported that Earth being taken out of Shady and Watry Woods some depth and Potted will put forth Herbs of a Fat and Iuycy Substance As Penny-wort Purslane Hausleeke Penny-royall c. The Water also doth send forth Plants that haue no Roots fixed in the Bottome But they are lesse Perfect Plants being almost but Leaues and those Small ones Such is that we call Duck-Weed Which hath a Leafe no bigger than a Thyme-Leafe but of a fresher Greene and putteth forth a little String into the Water farre from the Bottome As for the Water-Lilly it hath a Root in the Ground And so haue a Number of other Herbs that grow in Ponds It is reported by some of the Ancients and some Moderne Teftimony likewife that there be some Plants that grow vpon the Top of the Sea Being supposed to grow of some Concretion of Slime from the Water where the Sunne beateth hot and where the Sea stirreth little As for Alga Marina Sea-weed and Eryngium Sea-Thistle both haue Roots but the Sea-weed vnder the Water the Sea-Thistle but vpon the Shore The Ancients haue noted that there are some Herbs that grow out of Snow laid vp close together and Putrified And that they are all Bitter And they name one specially Flomus which wee call Moth-Mullein It is certaine that Wormes are found in Snow commonly like Earth-Wormes And therefore it is not vnlike that it may likewise put forth Plants The Ancients haue affirmed that there are some Herbs that grow out of Stone Which may be for that it is certain that Toads haue been found in the Middle of a Free-Stone We see also that Flints lying aboue Ground gather Mosse And Wall-Flowers and some other Flowers grow vpon Walls But whether vpon the Maine Bricke or Stone or whether out of the Lime or Chinckes is not well obserued For Elders and Ashes haue beene seene to grow out of Steeples But they manifestly grow out of Clefts In so much as when they grow big they will disioyne the Stone
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
Sixth Helpe of Ground is by Watering and Irrigation which is in two Munners The one by Letting in and Shutti gout Waters at seasonable Tunes For Water at some Seasons and with reasonable dry deth good But at some other Seasons and with too long Stay doth â—â—â— And this serueth onely for Meadowes which are along some Rtuer The other way is to bring Water from some Hanging Grounds where there are Springs into the Lower Grounds carrying it in some â—â—â— Furrowes And from those Furrowes drawing it trauerse to spread the Water And this maketh an excellent Improuement both for Corne and Grasse It is the richer if those Hanging Grounds be fruitfull because it washeth off some of the Fatnesse of the Earth But howsoeuer it profiteth much Generally where there are great Ouerflowes in Fens or the like the drowning of them in the Winter maketh the Summer following more fruitfull The Cause may be for that it keepeth the Ground warme and nourisheth it But the Fen-Men hold that the Sewers must be kept so as the Water may not stay too long in the Spring til the Weeds and Sedge be growne vp For then the Ground will be like a Wood which keepeth out the Sunne And so continueth the Wet Whereby it will peuer graze to purpose that yeare Thus much for Irrigation But for Anoydances and Draynings of water where there is too much and the Helps of Ground in that kinde wee shall speake of them in another Place NATVRALL HISTORIE VII Century THe Differences betweene Animate and Inanimate Bodies we shall handle fully vnder the Title of Life and Liuing Spirits and Powers We shall therefore make but a briefe Mention of them in this Place The Maine Differences are two All Bodies haue Spirits and Pneumaticall Parts within them But the Maine Differences betweene Animate and Inanimate are two The first is that the Spirits of Things Animate are all Continued with themselues and are Branched in Veines and secret Canales as Bloud is And in Liuing Creatures the Spirits haue not only Branches but certaine Cells or Seats where the Principall Spirits doe reside and whereunto the rest doe resort But the Spirits in Things Inanimate are shut in and cut off by the Tangible Parts And are not peruious one to another As Aire is in Snow The Second Maine Difference is that the Spirits of Animate Bodies are all in some degree more or lesse kindled and inflamed And haue a fine Commixture of Flame and an Aeriall Substance But Inanimate Bodies haue their Spirits no whit Inflamed or Kindled And this Difference consisteth not in the Heat or Coolenesse of Spirits For Cloues and other Spices Naphtha and Petroleum haue exceeding Hot Spirits hotter a great deale than Oyle Wax or Tallow c. but not Inflamed And when any of those Weake and Temperate Bodies come to be Inflamed then they gather a much greater Heat than others haue Vn-inflamed besides their Light and Motion c. The Differences which are Secondary and proceed from these two Radicall Differences are First Plants are all Figurate and Determinate which Inanimate Bodies are not For looke how farre the Spirit is able to Spread and Continue it selfe So farre goeth the Shape or Figure And then is determined Secondly Plants doe nourish Inanimate Bodies doe not They haue an Accretion but no Alimentation Thirdly Plants haue a Period of Life which Inanimate Bodies haue not Fourthly they haue a Succession and Propagation of their Kinde which is not in Bodies Inanimate The Differences betweene Plants and Metalls or Fossiles besides those foure before mentioned For Metalls I hold Inanimate are these First Metalls are more Durable than Plants Secondly they are more Solid and Hard Thirdly they are wholly Subterrany Whereas Plants are part aboue Earth and part vnder Earth There be very few Creatures that participate of the Nature of Plants and Metalls both Corall is one of the Nearest of both Kindes Another is Vitrioll for that is aptest to sprout with Moisture Another speciall Affinitie is betweene Plants and Mould or Putrefaction For all Putrefaction if it dissolue not in Arefaction will in the end issue into Plants or Liuing Creatures bred of Putrefaction I account Mosse and Mushromes and Agaricke and other of those kindes to be but Moulds of the Ground Walls and Trees and the like As for Flesh and Fish and Plants themselues and a Number of other things after a Mouldinesse or Rottensesse or Corrupting they will fall to breed Wormes These Putrefactions which haue Affinitie with Plants haue this Difference from them That they haue no Succession or Propagation though they Nourish and haue a Period of Life and haue likewise some Figure I left once by chance a Citron cut in a close Roome for three Summer-Moneths that I was absent And at my Returne there were grown forth out of the Pith cut Tufts of Haires an Inch long with little blacke Heads as if they would haue beene some Herbe The Affinities and Differences betweene Plants and Liuing Creatures are these that follow They haue both of them Spirits Continued and Branched and also Inflamed But first in Liuing Creatures the Spirits haue a Cell or Seat which Plants haue not As was also formerly said And secondly the Spirits of Liuing Creatures hold more of Flame than the Spirits of Plants doe And these two are the Radicall Differences For the Secondary Differences they are as follow First Plants are all Fixed to the Earth Whereas all Liuing Creatures are seuered and of themselues Secondly Liuing Creatures haue Locall Motion Plants haue not Thirdly Liuing Creatures nourish from their Vpper Parts by the Mouth chiefly Plants nourish from below namely from the Roots Fourthly Plants haue their Seed and Seminall Parts vppermost Liuing Creatures haue them lower-most And therefore it was said not elegantly alone but Philosophically Homoest Planta inuerse Man is like a Plant turned vpwards For the Root in Plants is as the Head in Liuing Creatures Fifthly Liuing Creatures haue a more exact Figure than Plants Sixthly Liuing Creatures haue more Diuersity of Organs within their Bodies and as it were Inward Figures than Plants haue Seuenthly Liuing Creatures haue Sense which Plants haue not Eighthly Liuing Creatures haue Voluntary Motion which Plants haue not For the Difference of Sexes in Plants they are oftentimes by name distinguished As Male-Piony Female-Piony Male-Rose-mary FemaleRose mary Hee-Holly Shee-Holly c. but Generation by Copulation certainly extendeth not to Plants The nearest Approach of it is between the Hee-Palme and the Shee-Palme which as they report if they grow neare incline the One to the other In so much as that which is more strange they doubt not to report that to keepe the Trees vpright from Bending they tye Ropes or Lines from the one to the other that the Contact might be enjoyed by the Contact of a Middle Body But this may be Faigned or at least Amplified Neuerthelesse I am apt enough to thinke that this same Binarium of a Stronger
Bodies than we know any For there haue beene Cups made of them and an Image of Iupiter But it is like they were Wilde-Vines For the Vines that they vse for Wine are so often Cut and so much Digged and Dressed that their Sap spendeth into the Grapes and so the Stalke cannot increase much in Bulke The Wood of Vines is very durable without Rotting And that which is strange though no Tree hath the Twigges while they are greene so brittle yet the Wood dryed is extreme Tough And was vsed by the Captaines of Armies amongst the Romans for their Cudgells It is reported that in some Places Vines are suffered to grow like Herbs spreading vpon the Ground And that the Grapes of those Vines are very great It were good to make tryall whether Plants that vse to be borne vp by Props will not put forth greater Leaues and greater Fruits if they be laid along the Ground As Hops lâ—y Wood bine c. Quinces or Apples c. if you will keepe them long drowne them in Honey But because Honey perhaps will giue them a Taste Ouerlushious it were good to make Triall in Powder of Sugar Or in Syrrup of Wine onely Boyled to Height Both these would likewise be tried in Orenges Limons and Pomgranats For the Powder of Sugar and Syrrup of Wine will serue for more times than once The Conseruation of Fruit would be also tried in Vessells filled with fine Sand or with Powder of Chalke Or in Meale and Flower Or in Dust of Oake-wood Or in Mill. Such Fruits as you appoint for Long Keeping you must gather before they be full Ripe And in a Faire and Dry Day towards Noone And when the Wind bloweth not South And when the Moone is vnder the Earth And in Decrease Take Grapes and hang them in an Empty Vessell well Stopped And set the Vessell not in a Cellar but in some dry Place And it is said they will last long But it is reported by some they will keepe better in a Vessell halfe full of Wine so that the Grapes touch not the Wine It is reported that the Preseruing of the Stalke helpeth to preserue the Grape Especially if the Stalke be put into the Pith of Elder the Elder not touching the Fruit. It is reported by some of the Ancients that Fruit put in Bottles and the Bottles let downe into Wells vnder Water will keepe long Of Herbs and Plants some are good to eat Raw As Lettuce Endiue Purslane Tarragon Cresses Cucumbers Muske-Melons Radish c. Others onely after they are Boyled or haue Passed the Fire As Parsley Clary Sage Parsnips Turnips Asparagus Artichoakes though they also being young are eaten Raw But a Number of Herbs are not Esculent at all As Worme-wood Grasse Greeke-Corne Centory Hyssope Lauender Balme c. The Causes are for that the Herbs that are not Esculent do want the two Tastes in which Nourishment resteth Which are Fat and Sweet And haue contrariwise Bitter and Ouer-strong Tastes or a Iuyce so Crude as cannot be ripened to the degree of Nourishment Herbes and Plants that are Esculent Raw haue Fatnesse or Sweetnesse as all Esculent Fruits Such are Onions Lettuce c. But then it must be such a Fatnesse for as for Sweet Things they are in effect alwayes Esculent as is not Ouer-grosse and Loading of the Stomach For Parsnips and Leeks haue Fatnesse But it is too Grosse and Heauy without Boyling It must be also in a Substance somewhat Tender For we see Wheat Barley Artichoakes are no good Nourishment till they haue Passed the Fire But the Fire doth ripen and maketh them soft and tender and so they become Esculent As for Radish and Tarragon and the like they are for Condiments and not for Nourishment And euen some of those Herbes which are not Esculent are notwithstanding Poculent As Hop 's Broome c. Quare what Herbs are good for Drinke besides the two aforenamed For that it may perhaps ease the Charge of Brewing if they make Beere to require lesse Malt or make it last longer Parts fit for the Nourishment of Man in Plants are Seeds Roots and Fruits But chiefly Seeds and Roots For Leaues they giue no Nourishment at all or very little No more doe Flowers or Blossomes or Stalkes The Reason is for that Roots and Seeds and Fruits in as much as all Plants consist of an Oyly and Watry Substance commixed haue more of the Oyly Substance And Leaues Flowers c. of the Watry And secondly they are more Concocted For the Root which continueth euer in the Earth is still Concocted by the Earth And Fruits and Graines we see are halfe a yeare or more in Concocting Whereas Leaues are out and Perfect in a Moneth Plants for the most part are more strong both in Taste and Smell in the Seed than in the Leafe and Root The Cause is for that in Plants that are not of a Fierce and Eager Spirit the Vertue is increased by Concoction and Maturation which is euer most in the Seed But in Plants that are of a Fierce and Eager Spirit they are stronger whilest the Spirit is enclosed in the Root And the Spirits doe but weaken and dissipate when they come to the Aire and Sunne As we see it in Onions Garlicke Dragon c. Nay there be Plants that haue their Roots very Hot and Aromaticall And their Seeds rather Insipide As Ginger The Cause is as was touched before for that the Heat of those Plants is very Dissipable which vnder the Earth is contained and held in But when it commeth to the Aire it exhaleth The Iuyces of Fruits are either Watry or Oyly I reckon amongst the Watry all the Fruits out of which Drinke is expressed As the Grape the Apple the Peare the Cherry the Pomgranate c. And there are some others which though they be not in vse for Drinke yet they appeare to be of the same Nature As Plummes Serukes Mulberries Rasps Orenges Limons c. And for those Iuyces that are so fleshy as they cannot make Drinke by Expression yet perhaps they may make Drinke by Mixture of Water Poculaque admistis imitantur vitea Sorbis And it may be Heps and Brier-Berries would doe the like Those that haue Oyly Iuyce are Oliues Almonds Nuts of all sorts Pine-Apples c. And their Iuyces are all Inflammable And you must obserue also that some of the Watry Iuyces after they haue gathered Spirit will Burne and Enflame As Wine There is a Third Kinde of Fruit that is sweet without either Sharpnesse or Oylinesse Such as is the Fig and the Date It hath beene noted that most Trees and specially those that beare Mast are fruitfull but once in two yeares The Cause no doubt is the Expence of Sap For many Orchard-Trees well Cultured will beare diuers yeares together There is no Tree which besides the Naturall Fruit doth beare so many Bastard-Fruits as the Oake doth For besides the Acorne it beareth Galls Oake-Apples and certaine Oake-Nuts
Of all Blants it boweth the easiest and riseth againe It seemeth that amongst Plants which are nourished with Mixture of Earth and Water it draweth most Nourishment from Water which maketh it the Smoothest of all others in Barke And the Hollowest in Body The Sap of Trees when they are let Bloud is of differing Natures Some more Watry and Cleare As that of Vines of Beeches of Peares Some Thicke As Apples Some Gummis As Cherries Some Frathie As Elmes Some Milkie As â—â—â— In Mulberries the Sap seemeth to be almost towards the Barke only For if you cut the Tree a little into the Barke with a Stone it will come forth If you pierce it deeper with a Toole it will be drie The Trees which haue the Moistest Iuyces in their Fruit. haue commonly the Moistest Sap in their Body For the Vines and Peares are very Moist Apples somes hat more Spongie The Milke of the Figge hath the Qualitie of the Râ—â—neaâ— to gather Cheese And so haue certaine Sonre Herbs wherewith they make Cheese in Lent The Timber and Wood are in some Trees more Cleane in some more Knâ—â—tie And it is a good Triall to trie it by Speaking at one End and Laying the â—are at the Other For if it he Knâ—â—tie the Voice will not passe well Some haue the Veines more varied and chamlotted As Oake whereof Wainscat it made Maple whereof Trenchers are made Some more smooth as Firre and Walnnt Some doe more easily breed Wormes and Spiders Some more hardly as it is said of Irish Trees Besides there be a Number of Differences that concerne their Vse As Oake Cedar and Chesuâ—t are the best Builders Some are best for Ploughs Timber As Ash Some for Peeres that are sometimes wet and sometimes drie As Elme Some for Planchers As Deale Some for Tables Cupboard and Desks As Wannts Some for Ship Timber As Oakes that grow in Moist Grounds For that maketh the Timber Tough and not apt to rift with Qâ—dâ—anâ—â— Where in English and Irish Timber are thought â—â— excell Some for Mosts of Ships As Firre and Pine because of their Length Straightnesse and Lightnesse Some for Pale As Oake Some for Fuell As Ash And so of the rest The Comming of Trees and Plants in certaine Regions and net in others is sometimes Casuall For many haue beene translated and haue prospered well As Damaske-Roses that haue not beene knowne in England aboue an hundred yeares and now are so common But the liking of Plants in certaine Soiles more than in others is meerly Naturall As the Firre and Pine loue the Mountaines The Poplar Willow Sallow and Alder loue Riuers and Moist Places The Ash loueth Coppices But is best in Standards alone luniper loueth Chalke And so doe most Fruit-Trees Sampire groweth but upon Rocks Reeds and Ofiers grow where they are washed with Water The Vine loueth Sides of Hills turning vpon the South-East Sun c. The Putting forth of certaine Herbs discouereth of what Nature the Ground where they put forth is As Wilde Thyme sheweth good Feeding Ground for Cattell Betony and Strawberries shew Grounds fit for Wood Caâ—â—â—mill sheweth Mellow Grounds fit for Wheat Mustard Seede growing after the Plough sheweth a good Strong Ground also for Wheat Burnet sheweth good Meadow And the like There are found in diuers Countries some other Plants that grow out of Trees and Plants besides Misseltes As in Syria there is an Herbe called Cassytas that groweth out of tall Trees and windeth it selfe about the same Tree where it groweth And sometimes about Thornes There is a kinde of Polypode that groweth out of Trees though it windeth not So likewise an Herbe called Fannes vpon the Wilde Oline And an Herbe called Hippophaâ—â—â—â— vpon the Fullers Thorne Which they say is good for the Falling Sicknesse It hath beene obâ—rerueâ— by â—ome or the Ancients that howsoeuer Cold and Easterly Winds are thought to be great Enemies to Fruit yet neuerthelesse South Winds are also found to doe Hure Especially in the Blossoming time And the more if Showers follow It seemeth they call forth the Moisture too fast The West Winds are the best It hath beene obserued also that Greene and Open Winters doe hurt Trees Insomuch as if two or three such Winters come together Almond-Trees and some other Trees will dye The Cause is the same with the former because the Lust of the Earth ouerspendeth it selfe Howsoeuer some other of the Ancients haue commended Warme Winters Snowes lying long cause a Fruitfull Yeare For first they keepe in the Strength of the Earth Secondly they water the Earth better than Raine For in Snow the Earth doth as it were sucke the Water as out of the Teate Thirdly the Moisture of Snow is the finest Moisture For it is the Froth of the Cloudy Waters Showers if they come a little before the Ripening of Fruits doe good to all Shoculent and Moist Fruits As Vines Oliues Pomegranates Yet it is rather for Plenty than for Goodnesse For the best Wines are in the Driest Vintages Small Showers are likewise good for Corne so as Parching Heats come not vpon them Generally Night-Showers are better than Day-Showers For that the Sunne followeth not so fast vpon them And we see euen in Watring by the Hand it is best in Summer time to water in the Euening The Differences of Earths and the Triall of them are worthy to be diligently inquired The Earth that with Showers doth easiliest Soften is commended And yet some Earth of that kinde will be very Dry and Hard before the Showers The Earth that casteth vp from the Plough a Great Clod is not so good as that which casteth vp a Smaller Clod. The Earth that putteth forth Mosse easily and may bee called Mouldy is not good The Earth that smelleth well vpon the Digging or Ploughing is commended As containing the Iuyce of Vegetables almost already prepared It is thought by some that the Ends of low Raine-Bowes fall more vpon one kinde of Earth than vpon another As it may well be For that that Earth is most Roscide And therfore it is commended for a Signe of good Earth The Poorenesse of the Herbs it is plaine shew the Poorenesse of the Earth And especially if they be in Colour more darke But if the Herbs shew Withered or Blasted at the Top it sheweth the Earth to be very Cold And so doth the Mossinesse of Trees The Earth whereof the Grasse is soone Parched with the Sun and Toasted is commonly Forced Earth and Barren in his owne Nature The Tender Chessoine and Mellow Earth is the best Being meere Mould betweene the two Extreames of Clay and Sand Especially if it be not Loamy and Binding The Earth that after Raine will scarce be Ploughed is commonly Fruitfull For it is Cleaning and full of Iuyce It is strange which is obserued by some of the Ancients that Dust helpeth the Fruitfulnesse of Trees And of Vines by name Insomuch as they catt Dust vpon them of purpose It should seeme that that
getteth into a Body Whereas in the first Putting vp it commeth in little Portions We spake of the Ashes that Coales cast off And of Grasse and Chaffe carried by the Wind So any Light Thing that moueth when we finde no Wind sheweth a Wind at hand As when Feathers or Downe of Thistles fly to and fro in the Aire For Prognosticks of Weather from Liuing Creatures it is to be noted That Creatures that Liue in the Open Aire Sub Diô must needs haue a Quicker Impression from the Aire than Men that liue most within Doores And especially Birds who liue in the Aire freest and clearest And are aptest by their Voice to tell Tales what they finde And likewise by the Motion of their Flight to expresse the same Water-Fowles as Sea-Gulls More-Hens c. when they flocke and fly together from the Sea towards the Shores And contrariwise Land-Birds as Crowes Swallowes c. when they fly from the Land to the Waters and beat the Waters with their Wings doe fore-shew Raine and Wind. The Cause is Pleasure that both Kindes take in the Moistnesse and Density of the Aire And so desire to be in Motion and vpon the Wing whither soeuer they would otherwise goe For it is no Maruell that Water-Fowle doe ioy most in that Aire which is likest Water And Land-Birds also many of them delight in Bathing and Moist Aire For the same Reason also many Birds doe proine their Feathers And Geese doe gaggle And Crowes seeme to call vpon Raine All which is but the Comfort they seeme to receiue in the Relenting of the Aire The Heron when she foareth high so as sometimes she is seene to passe ouer a Cloud sheweth Winds But Kites flying aloft shew Faire and Dry Weather The Cause may be for that they both mount most into the Aire of that Temper wherein they delight And the Heron being a Water-Fowle taketh pleasure in the Aire that is Condensed And besides being but Heauy of Wing needeth the Helpe of the Grosser Aire But the Kite affecteth not so much the Grossenesse of the Aire as the Cold and Freshnesse thereof For being a Bird of Prey and therefore Hot she delighteth in the Fresh Aire And many times flyeth against the Wind As Trouts and Salmons swimme against the Streame And yet it is true also that all Birds finde an Ease in the depth of the Aire As Swimmers doe in a Deepe Water And therefore when they are aloft they can vphold themselues with their Wings Spred scarce mouing them Fishes when they play towards the Top of the Water doe commonly foretell Raine The Cause is for that a Fish hating the Dry will not approach the Aire till it groweth Moist And when it is Dry will fly it and Swimme Lower Beasts doe take Comfort generally in a Moist Aire And it maketh them eat their Meat better And therefore Sheepe will get vp betimes in the Morning to feed against Raine And Cattell and Deere and Conneyes will feed hard before Raine And a Heifer will put vp his Nose and snuffe in the Aire against Raine The Trifoile against Raine swelleth in the Stalke and so standeth more vpright For by Wet Stalkes doe erect and Leaues bow downe I here is a Small Red Flower in the Stubble-Fields which Country People call the Wincopipe Which if it open in the Morning you may be sure of a faire Day to follow Euen in Men Aches and Hurts and Cornes doe engrieue either towards Raine or towards Frost For the One maketh the Humours more to Abound And the Other maketh them Sharper So we see both Extremes bring the Gout Wormes Vermine c. doe fore-shew likewise Raine For Earth-wormes will come forth and Moules will cast vp more and Fleas bite more against Raine Solide Bodies likewise fore-shew Raine As Stones and Wainscot when they sweat And Boxes and Peggs of Wood when they Draw and Wind hard Though the Former be but from an Outward Cause For that the Stone or Wainscot turneth and beateth backe the Aire against it selfe But the latter is an Inward Swelling of the Body of the Wood it selfe Apetite is moued chiefly by Things that are Cold and Dry The Cause is for that Cold is a Kinde of Indigence of Nature and calleth vpon Supply And so is Drinesse And therefore all Soure Things as Vinegar Iuyce of Limons Oyle of Vitrioll c. prouoke Appetite And the Disease which they call Appetitus Caninus consisteth in the Matter of an Acide and Glassy Flegme in the Mouth of the Stomach Appetite is also moued by Soure Things For that Soure Things induce a Contraction in the Nerues placed in the Mouth of the Stomach Which is a great Cause of Appetite As for the Cause why Onions and Salt and Pepper in Baked Meats moue Appetite it is by Vellication of those Nerues For Motion whetteth As for Worme-Wood Oliues Capers and others of that kinde which participate of Bitternesse they moue Appetite by Abstersion So as there be foure Principall Causes of Appetite The Refrigeration of the Stomach ioyned with some Drinesse Contraction Vellication And Abstersion Besides Hunger which is an Emptinesse And yet Ouer Fasting doth many times cause the Appetite to cease For that Want of Meat maketh the Stomach draw Humours And such Humours as are Light and Cholericke which quench Appetite most It hath beene obserued by the Ancients that where a Raine-Bow seemeth no hang ouer or to touch there breatheth forth a Sweet Smell The Cause is for that this happeneth but in certaine Matters which haue in themselues some Sweetnesse Which the Gentle Dew of the Raine-Bow doth draw forth And the like doe Safe Showers For they also make the Ground Sweet But none are so delicate as the Dew of the Rain-bow where it falleth It may be also that the Water it selfe bath some Sweetnesse For the Raine-Bow consisteth of a Gloâ—â—eration of Small Drops which cannot possibly fall but from the Aire that is very Low And therefore may hold the very Sweetnesse of the Herbs and Flowers as a Distilled Water For Raine and other Dew that fall from high cannot preserue the Smell being dissipated in the drawing vp Neither doe we know whether some Water it selfe may not haue some degree of Sweetnesse It is true that wee finde it sensibly in no Poole Riuer nor Fountaine But good Earth newly turned vp hath a Freshnesse and good Sent Which water if it be not too Equall For Equall Obiects neuer moue the Sense may also haue Certaine it is that Bay-Salt which is but a kinde of Water Congealed will sometimes smell like Violets To Sweet Smells Heat is requisite to Concoct the Matter And some Moisture to Spread the Breath of them For Heat we see that Woods and Spices are more Odorate in the Hot Countries than in the Cold For Moisture we see that Things too much Dried lose their Sweetnesse And Flowers growing smell better in a Morning or Euening than at Noone Some Sweet Smells are
an â—â—â— of it will be worth as is affirmed two Hundred Pounds by the yeare towards Charge The Charge of making the Ground and otherwise is great but nothing to the Profit But the English Tobacco hath small credit as being too Dull and Eartby Nay the â—â—â—â— Tobacco though that be in a Hotter Climate can get no credit for the same â—â—â— that a Triall to make Tobacco more Aromaticall and better Concocted here in England were a Thing of great profit Some haue gone about to doe it by Drenching the English Tobacco in a Decoction or Infusion of Indian Tobacco But those are but Sophistications and Toyes For Nothing that is once Perfect and hath run his Race can receiue much Amendment You must euer resort to the Beginnings of Things for Melioration The Way of Maturation of Tobacco must as in other Plants be from the Heat Either of the Earth or of the Sunne We see some Leading of this in Musk-Melons which are sowen vpon a Hot Bed Dunged below vpon a Bancke turned vpon the South Sunne to giue Heat by Reflexion Laid vpon Tiles which increaseth the Heat And Couered with Straw to keepe them from Cold. They remoue them also which addeth some Life And by these Helpes they become as good in England as in Italy or Prouence These and the like Meanes may be tried in Tobacco Enquire also of the Steeping of the Roots in some such Liquour as may giue them Vigour to put forth Strong Heat of the Sunne for the Maturation of Fruits Yea and the Heat of Viuification of Liuing Creatures are both represented and supplied by the Heat of Fire And likewise the Heats of the Sunne and Life are represented one by the other Trees set vpon the Backes of Chimneyes doe ripen Fruit sooner Vines that haue beene drawne in at the Window of a Kitchen haue sent forth Grapes ripe a Month at least before others Stoues at the Backe of Walls bring forth Orenges here with vs. Egges as is reported by some haue beene hatched in the warmth of an Ouen It is reported by the Ancients that the Estrich Layeth her Egs vnder Sand where the Heat of the Sunne disclosed them Barley in the Boyling swelleth not much Wheat swelleth more Rize extremely In so much as a Quarter of a Pint vnboyled will arise to a Pint boyled The Cause no doubt is for that the more Close and Compact the Body is the more it will dilate Now Barley is the most Hollow Wheat more Solide than that and Rize most Solide of all It may be also that some Bodies haue a Kinde of Lentour and more Depertible Nature than others As we see it Euident in Colouration For a Small Quantity of Saffron will Tinct more than a very great Quantity of Bresill or Wine Fruit groweth Sweet by Rowling or Pressing them gently with the Hand As Rowling-Peares Damasins c. By Rottennesse As Medlars Seruickes Sloe's Heps c. By Time As Apples Wardens Pomgranats c. By certaine Speciall Maturations As by Laying them in Hay Straw c. And by Fire As in Roasting Stewing Baking c. The Cause of the Sweetnesse by Rowling and Pressing is Emollition which they properly enduce As in Beating of Stock-Fish Flesh c. By Rottennesse is for that the Spirits of the Fruit by Putrefaction gather Heat and thereby disgest the Harder Part For in all Putrefactions there is a Degree of Heat By Time and Keeping is because the Spirits of the Body doe euer feed vpon the Tangible Parts and attenuate them By Seuerall Maturations is by some Degree of Heat And by Fire is because it is the Proper Worke of Heat to Refine and to Incorporate And all Sourenesse consisteth in some Grossenesse of the Body And all Incorporation doth make the Mixture of the Body more Equall in all the Parts Which euer induceth a Milder Taste Of Fleshes some are Edible Some except it be in Famine not For those that are not Edible the Cause is for that they haue commonly too much Bitternesse of Taste And therefore those Creatures which are Fierce and Cholerick are not Edible As Lions Wolnes Squirrells Dogs Foxes Horses c. As for Kine Sheepe Goats Deere Swine Conneyes Hares c. We see they are Milde and Fearefull Yet it is true that Horses which are Beasts of Courage haue beene and are eaten by some Nations As the Scythians were called Hippophagi And the Chineses eat Horse-flesh at this day And some Gluttons haue vsed to haue Colts-flesh baked In Birds such as are Carniuor a and Birds of Prey are commonly no Good Meat But the Reason is rather the Cholerick Nature of those Birds than their Feeding vpon Flesh For Puits Gulls Shouelers Duckes doe feed vpon Flesh and yet are Good Meat And wee see that those Birds which are of Prey or feed vpon Flesh are good Meat when they are very Young As Hawkes Rookes out of the Neast Owles c. Mans Flesh is not Eaten The Reasons are Three First because Men in Humanity doe abhorre it Secondly because no Liuing Creature that Dyeth of it selfe is good to Eat And therefore the Caâ—â—â— themselues eat no Mans-flesh of those that Dye of Themselues but of such as are Slaine The Third is because there must be generally some Disparity between the Nourishment and the Body Nourished And they must not be Ouer-neere or like Yet we see that in great Weaknesses and Consumptions Man haue beene sustained with Womans Milke And Ficinus fondly as I conceiue aduiseth for the Prolongation of Life that a Veine be opened in the Arme of some wholesome Young Man And the Bloud to be sucked It is said that Witches doe greedily eat Mens flesh which if it be true besides a Diuellish Appetite in them it is likely to proceed for that Mans flesh may send vp High and Pleasing Vapours which may stirre the Imagination And Witches Felicity is chiefly in Imagination as hath beene said There is an Ancient Receiued Tradition of the Salamander that it liueth in the Fire and hath force also to extinguish the Fire It must haue two Things if it be true to this Operation The One a very Close Skin whereby Flame which in the Midst is not so hot cannot enter For we see that if the Palme of the Hand be annointed thicke with White of Egge and then Aquanita be poured vpon it and Enflamed yet one may endure the Flame a pretty while The other is some Extreme Cold and Quenching vertue in the Body of that Creature which choaketh the Fire We see that Milke quencheth Wilde-Fire better than Water because it entreth better Time doth change Fruit as Apples Peares Pomgranats c. from more Soure to more Sweet But contrariwise Liquours euen those that are of the Iuyce of Fruit from more Sweet to more Soure As Wort Must New Veriuyce c. The Cause is the Congregation of the Spirits together For in both Kindes the Spirit is attenuated by Time