io8 Gleanings in Old Garden Literature. 



Effected by so little Wet, is stronger than the Closing 

 or Bending of the Head of a Marigold" 



His Sixth Century Bacon opens with a dis- 

 quisition on what he calls Curiosities, such 

 as the growth of several kinds of fruit on 

 one tree, coreless fruit, double flowers, and 

 flowers of special colours. I wish very 

 heartily that I had space to accommodate a 

 few more extracts from this extraordinary 

 work ; but I must ask the reader to be satis- 

 fied with one more, and that on the subject 

 of degeneration by neglect : 



" The rule is certaine, that Plants for want of Cul- 

 ture, degenerate to be baser in the same Kinde ; And 

 sometimes so farre, as to change into another Kinde. 

 I. The Standing long, and not being Removed, inaketh 

 them degenerate. 2. Drought, unlesse the Earth of it 

 selfe bee moist, doth the like. 3. So doth Removing 

 into worse Earth, or Forbearing to compost the Earth ; 

 As wee see that Water-Mint turneth into Field-Mint ; 

 And the Colewort into Rape by Neglect, &c. 



" Whatsoever Fruit useth to be set upon a. Root, or a 

 Slip, if it be sowne, will degenerate. Grapes so^vne, Figs, 

 Almonds, Pomgranate Kernels sowne ; make the Fruits 

 degenerate, and become Wilde. And againe, Most of 

 hose Fruits that use to be grafted, if they be set of 



