202 NATURAL HISTORY. 



ashes, next the salt, next the wheat simple of itself, 

 unsteeped and unwatered, next the watered twice a 

 day with warm water, next the claret wine. So that 

 these three last were slower than the ordinary wheat 

 of itself, and this culture did rather retard than ad 

 vance. As for those &quot;that were steeped in malmsey, 

 and spirit of wine, they came not up at all. This is a 

 rich experiment for profit ; for the most of the steep- 

 ings are cheap things, and the goodness of the crop is a 

 great matter of gain, if the goodness of the crop 

 answer the earliness of the coming up, as it is like it 

 will, both being from the vigour of the seed, which 

 also partly appeared in the former experiments, as 

 hath been said. This experiment would be tried in 

 other grains, seeds, and kernels : for it may be some 

 steeping will agree best with some seeds. It would 

 be tried also with roots steeped as before, but for 

 longer time. It would be tried also in several sea 

 sons of the year, especially the spring. 



403. Strawberries watered now and then, as 

 once in three days, with water wherein hath been 

 steeped sheeps-dung or pigeons-dung, will prevent 

 and come early. And it is like the same effect would 

 follow in other berries, herbs, flowers, grains, or 

 trees. And therefore it is an experiment, though 

 vulgar in strawberries, yet not brought into use 

 generally : for it is usual to help the ground with 

 muck, and likewise to recomfort it sometimes with 

 muck put to the roots ; but to water it with muck 

 water, which is like to be more forcible, is not 

 practised. 



404. Dung, or chalk, or blood, applied in sub- 



