214 NATURAL HISTORY. 



put into fresh pasture gather new and tender flesh ; 

 and in all things better nourishment than hath been 

 used doth help to renew ; especially if it be not only 

 better, but changed and differing from the former. 



437. If an herj) be cut off from the roots in the 

 beginning of winter, and then the earth be trodden 

 and beaten down hard with the foot and spade, the 

 roots will become of very great magnitude in sum 

 mer. The reason is, for that the moisture being 

 forbidden to come up in the plant, stayeth longer in 

 the root, and so dilateth it. And gardeners use to 

 tread down any loose ground after they have sown 

 onions, or turnips, &c. 



438. If &quot; panicum&quot; be laid below and about the 

 bottom of a root, it will cause the root to grow to an 

 excessive bigness. The cause is, for that being 

 itself of a spongy substance, it draweth the moisture 

 of the earth to it, and so feedeth the root. This 

 is of greatest use for onions, turnips, parsnips, and 

 carrots. 



439. The shifting of ground is a means to better 

 the tree and fruit ; but with this caution, that all 

 things do prosper best when they are advanced to 

 the better ; your nursery of stocks ought to be in a 

 more barren ground than the ground is whereunto 

 you remove them. So all graziers prefer their 

 cattle from meaner pastures to better. We see 

 also, that hardness in youth lengtheneth life, because 

 it leaveth a cherishing to the better of the body in 

 age : nay, in exercises, it is good to begin with the 

 hardest, as dancing in thick shoes, &c. 



