CENTURY I. 23 



Experiment solitary touching the contraction of bodies 

 in bulk, by the mixture of the more liquid body with 

 the more solid. 



34. It is strange how the ancients took up expe 

 riments upon credit, and yet did build great matters 

 upon them. The observation of some of the best of 

 them, delivered confidently, is, that a vessel filled 

 with ashes will receive the like quantity of water, 

 that it would have done if it had been empty. But 

 this is utterly untrue, for the water will not go in by 

 a fifth part. And I suppose, that that fifth part is 

 the difference of the lying close, or open, of the 

 ashes ; as we see that ashes alone, if they be hard 

 pressed, will lie in less room : and so the ashes with 

 air between, lie looser ; and with water closer. For 

 I have not yet found certainly, that the water itself, 

 by mixture of ashes or dust, will shrink or draw into 

 less room. 



Experiment solitary touching the making vines more 

 fruitful. 



35. It is reported of credit, that if you lay good 

 store of kernels of grapes about the root of a vine, it 

 will make the vine come earlier and prosper better. 

 It may be tried with other kernels laid about the 

 root of a plant of the same kind ; as figs, kernels of 

 apples, &c. The cause may be, for that the kernels 

 draw out of the earth juice fit to nourish the tree, 

 as those that would be trees of themselves, though 

 there were no root ; but the root being of greater 



