204 NATURAL HISTORY. 



and drawing it. And therefore gentle digging and 

 loosening of the earth about the roots of trees : and 

 the removing herbs and flowers into new earth once 

 in two years, which is the same thing, for the new 

 earth is ever looser, doth greatly further the pros 

 pering and earliness of plants. 



407. But the most admirable acceleration by faci 

 litating the nourishment is that of water. For a 

 standard of a damask rose with the root on, was set 

 in a chamber where no fire was, upright in an ear 

 then pan, full of fair water, without any mixture, 

 half a foot under the water, the standard being more 

 than two foot high above the water : within the space 

 of ten days the standard did put forth a fair green 

 leaf, and some other little buds, which stood at a 

 stay, without any shew of decay or withering, more 

 than seven days. But afterwards that leaf faded, 

 but the young buds did sprout on, which afterward 

 opened into fair leaves in the space of three months, 

 and continued so a while after, till upon removal we 

 left the trial. But note, that the leaves were some 

 what paler and lighter-coloured than the leaves used 

 to be abroad. Note, that the first buds were in the 

 end of October ; and it is likely that if it had been 

 in the spring time, it would have put forth with 

 greater strength, and, it may be, to have grown on 

 to bear flowers. By this means you may have, as it 

 seemeth, roses set in the midst of a pool, being sup 

 ported with some stay ; which is matter of rareness 

 and pleasure, though of small use. This is the more 

 strange, for that the like rose-standard was put at 



