270 NATURAL HISTORY. 



annual plants, if you cut them seasonably, and will 

 spare the use of them, and suffer them to come 

 up still young, will last more years than one, as hath 

 been partly touched ; such as is lettuce, purslane, 

 cucumber, and the like. And for great trees, we 

 see almost all overgrown trees in church-yards, or 

 near ancient buildings, and the like, are pollards, or 

 dottards, and not trees at their full height. 



587. Some experiment would be made, how by 

 art to make plants more lasting than their ordinary 

 period ; as to make a stalk of wheat, &c. last a whole 

 year. You must ever presuppose, that you handle 

 it so as the winter killeth it not, for we speak only of 

 prolonging the natural period. I conceive that the 

 rule will hold, that whatsoever maketh the herb 

 come later than at its time, will make it last longer 

 time : it were good to try it in a stalk of wheat, 

 &c. set in the shade, and encompassed with a case 

 of wood, not touching the straw, to keep out 

 open air. 



As for the preservation of fruits and plants, as 

 well upon the tree or stalk, as gathered, we shall 

 handle it under the title of conservation of bodies. 



Experiments in consort touching the several jigures 

 of plants. 



588. The particular figures of plants we leave to 

 their descriptions ; but some few things in general 

 we will observe. Trees and herbs, in the growing 

 forth of their boughs and branches, are not figured, 

 and keep no order. The cause is, for that the sap 



