CENTURY VIII. 413 



Experiment solitary touching the gathering of manna* 



781. The manna of Calabria is the best, and in 

 most plenty. They gather it from the leaf of the 

 mulberry-tree ; but not of such mulberry-trees as 

 grow in the vallies. And manna falleth upon the 

 leaves by night, as other dews do. It should seem, 

 that before those dews come upon trees in the vallies, 

 they dissipate and cannot hold out. It should seem, 

 also, the mulberry-leaf itself hath some coagulating 

 virtue, which inspissateth the dew, for that it is not 

 found upon other trees : and we see by the silk-worm, 

 which feedeth upon that leaf, what a dainty smooth 

 juice it hath ; and the leaves also, especially of the 

 black mulberry, are somewhat bristly, which may 

 help to preserve the dew. Certainly it were not 

 amiss to observe a little better the dews that fall 

 upon trees, or herbs growing on mountains ; for it 

 may be many dews fall, that spend before they come 

 to the vallies. And I suppose, that he that would 

 gather the best May-dew for medicine, should gather 

 it from the hills. 



Experiment solitary touching the correcting of wine. 



728. It is said they have a manner to prepare 

 their Greek wines, to keep them from fuming and 

 inebriating, by adding some sulphur or alum : whereof 

 the one is unctuous, and the other is astringent. And 

 certain it is, that those two natures do best repress 

 fumes. This experiment would be transferred unto 

 other wine and strong beer, by putting in some like 



