290 NATURAL HISTORY. 



keep better in a vessel half full of wine, so that the 

 grapes touch not the wine. 



628. It is reported, that the preserving of the 

 stalk helpeth to preserve the grape ; especially if the 

 stalk be put into the pith of elder, the elder not 

 touching the fruit. 



629. It is reported by some of the ancients, that 

 fruit put in bottles, and the bottles let down into 

 wells under water, will keep long. 



630. Of herbs and plants, some are good to eat 

 raw ; as lettuce, endive, purslane, tarragon, cresses, 

 cucumbers, musk-melons, radish, &c. others only 

 after they are boiled, or have passed the fire ; as 

 parsley, clary, sage, parsnips, turnips, asparagus, 

 artichokes, though they also being young are eaten 

 raw : but a number of herbs are not esculent at all ; 

 as wormwood, grass, green corn, centaury, hyssop, 

 lavender, balm, &c. The causes are, for that the 

 herbs that are not esculent, do want the two tastes in 

 which nourishment resteth ; which are fat and sweet ; 

 and have, contrariwise, bitter and over-strong tastes, 

 or a juice so crude as cannot be ripened to the degree 

 of nourishment. Herbs and plants that are esculent 

 raw, have fatness, or sweetness, as all esculent fruits ; 

 such are onions, lettuce, &c. But then it must be 

 such a fatness, (for as for sweet things, they are in 

 effect always esculent,) as is not over-gross, and 

 loading of the stomach : for parsnips and leeks have 

 fatness, but it is too gross and heavy without boiling. 

 It must be also in a substance somewhat tender ; for 



