242 NATURAL HISTORY. 



part, than flowers of the same kind coloured ; as is 

 found in single white violets, white roses, white gilly 

 flowers, white stock-gilly-flowers, c. We find also 

 that blossoms of trees, that are white, are commonly 

 inodorate, as cherries, pears, plums ; whereas those 

 of apples, crabs, almonds, and peaches, are blushy, 

 and smell sweet. The cause is, for that the sub 

 stance that maketh the flower is of the thinnest and 

 finest of the plant, which also maketh flowers to be 

 of so dainty colours. And if it be too sparing and 

 thin, it attaineth no strength of odour, except it be 

 in such plants as are very succulent ; whereby they 

 need rather to be scanted in their nourishment than 

 replenished, to have them sweet. As we see in 

 white satyrion, which is of a dainty smell ; and in 

 bean-flowers, Sec. And again, if the plant be of 

 nature to put forth white flowers only, and those not 

 thin or dry, they are commonly of rank and ful 

 some smell ; as may-flowers, and white lilies. 



o08. Contrariwise, in berries the white is com 

 monly more delicate and sweet in taste than the co 

 loured, as we see in white grapes, in white rasps, in 

 white strawberries, in white currants, &c. The cause 

 is, for that the coloured are more juiced, and coarser 

 juiced, and therefore not so well and equally con 

 cocted ; but the white are better proportioned to 

 the digestion of the plant. 



509. But in fruits the white commonly is mea 

 ner : as in pear-plums, damascenes, &c. and the 

 choicest plums are black ; the mulberry, which 

 though they call it a berry, is a fruit, is better the 



