APPLE, 41 



" We see," says the great Verulam, " that in living 

 creatures that have male and female, there is copulation 

 of several kinds, and so compounded creatures; as the 

 mule that is generated betwixt the horse and the ass ; 

 and some other compounds which we call monsters. 



" The compounding or mixture of kinds in plants is 

 not found out ; which nevertheless, if it be possible, is 

 more at command than that of living creatures ; wherefore 

 it were one of the most notable experiments touching 

 plants to find it out, for so you may have great variety 

 of new fruits, and flowers yet unknown. Grafting does 

 it not :" adds this great man : " that mendeth the fruit, 

 or doubleth the flowers, &c.; but it hath not the power 

 to make a new kind, for the scion ever overruleth the 

 stock." 



Bradley, whose works were published in 1718, about a 

 century after those of Lord Bacon, is the first author who 

 wrote on this subject as being accomplished ; but the 

 exact method was not then clearly understood, as he only 

 describes it by bringing the branches of different trees 

 together when in blossom. But, on this hint, the gar- 

 deners in Holland and the Netherlands practised before it 

 was much attended to in this country, where the discovery 

 was made and published ; and, to do them justice, they 

 have the honour to acknowledge they owe the art to the 

 English. 



In the Monthly Review for November 1750, (vol. I. 

 p. 55,) an account of the mixed breed of apples is noticed 

 by Mr. Benjamin Cooke of the Isle of Wight, and is 

 clearly explained by the editor's observation. 



It now appears to have reached its highest perfection ; 

 and we shall proceed to relate the manner in which Mr. 

 Knight has so successfully produced new varieties of 

 apples and other fruits. Although he has most clearly 

 explained himself, yet we have thought it advisable to 



