Plinies Natural! Hilione. 



A By this meanes efpeciallyjwe fee how corne liketh well upon the ground, and tbriveth apace 

 every wherc^unkfle it be in climates where the aire is alwaies hote^ as in /Egypt. For continu- 

 ance and ordinarie cuftomc alone effe<5leth the fame therCjwhich the feafon of the time, & mo- 

 derate temperature of the aire elfewhcre. And in one word, bee the place whatfoever, paiTing 

 good it is to keepe away the thing that is hurtfull. Forinthemoft parts of the world it happe- 

 nethjThat when either corne is winter-prowd, or other plants put forth and bud too eareiy , by 

 reafon of themildand warmeaire^if there follow any cold weather upon itjallis nipped^blatteds 

 and burnt away. Which is the caufe^that late winters doe harme unto the wild trees alfo in the 

 forreft.The more paine and for^ow likcwife fuch ttees a bide^by reafon of their owne thick bran- 

 ches fhading one anotherjand not eafily admitting the warme Sunne ; and deftitute they are be- 



B fides of mans helping hand to cure them : for growing as they doe in wild and defart forrefts^im- 

 poflTible it is to lap and wrap them about with wreaths and thumb-ropes of ftrawjand fo to che- 

 rifb and defend them when they bee yong and tender. Well then,to conclude this matter, Win- 

 ter raine principally is feafonablc and good for all plants : and next to it the dewes and fhowers 

 that fall immediately before their fprouting time. A third fort alfo there be of ihowers that come 

 when fruits hang on the treCjand are in their growth,yet not too foonc^ namely ,before they bee 

 ftrong and able to abide fomc hardneflfe. : • 



As touching trees which be late- ward and keepe their fruit long ere they ripen,rucTi alfo a^ 

 'require (tore of nourifhment and more food ftilljas namely jthe Vinc,the 01ive,and Pomgranat 

 trecsjit is good for them to be watered with raine in the latter end of the yeare. And to fay a truth, 



C every kind of tree requireth a feverall raine byitfelfcjindue feafon, for that fome lipen their 

 fruit atone time, and fome at another : fo as a man fliall fee ordinarily thcfelfefame lliowers, to 

 hurt one fort,and to heipe another : yeSjand that diverfe effed is to be (eene in trees and fruits of 

 the fame kind,as for example,in Py rries : for tlie late- ward of them call for raine at one time,and 

 the hartie or forward at another jand yet indiifcrently all doe require alike the feafonable fhowers 

 of Winter,as alfo thofe before budding time. In which regard, the winds Northeafl arc better 

 than the Southerne,and fuch Winters be mof\ kindly .Semblably,by the fame reafon the Medi- 

 terranean or mid-land parts of any countrey arc for this purpofe preferred before the maritime 

 or fca-coafls(as being for the mofl part colder :)thc high and hillie regions before theplains and 

 valleies : and laft of all,the night raines are held to be more profitable than thofe that fall by day 



X) time : for lands newfowne^and any.young plants, enjoy more benefite by fijch lliowers in the 

 night,for that the Sunne commcth not fo prefently upon them againe to drie and drinke up all 

 themoiflure. 



Hereunto ought to be annexed the confideration of Vine-yards,Hort-yards,and Groves, as 

 touching their fituation, and nameIy,whatpartol the heaven they fhould regard. Vtrgtll con- 

 demned altogether the planting of any trees, rcfpedive tothe VVef^ : fome have chofen that 

 quarter before theEail. And this have I obferved^that in moft mens opinion, the South is beft. 

 But if I fhould fpeake what is mine owne conceit indeed-thcre can no generall and infallible rule 

 be given concerning this point,for to hold alwaies. All our skill and art herein muff beedircded 

 by the nature of the foile,the difpofition of the climate and temperature of the aire.In Aifrickc, 

 E although it be nothing profitable for Vine-yards to be planted fo as they lookc into the South, 

 yetkind it is and wholcfomefor the Vine- planter and husbandman, by reafon thatall x^tfricke 

 lieth underthc Meridionall or South climate.And therefore he that fnallfet Vines therc^eithec 

 into the Weft or North (howfoever alloweth not of the Weft) fliall make an excellent 

 medley betwecne the temperature of that aire and the nature of foile together. As for the North 

 no man feemeth to make any doubt or queftion,but tl^gitVines fo planted^will proove right well. 

 And verily,there are not found any Vines to profper,or to beare more fruit in all Italie,than in 

 that trad which lieth oii this fide,ahd under the Alps : and there for the moff part the Vineyards 

 are fo planted. 



Moreovcr,in this cafe the winds would be much confide red: for in Langucdoc or the province 

 p of Narbone,inLiguria and part of Tufcane, they arc reputed unskilfull husbandmen that plane 

 any Vineyards dire<^ily upon the Northweft wind : butitiscountcdcontrariwifeafpeciall point 

 of providence and good husbandrie, to caft it fo,as the faid wind may Banke it on the fide. For 

 this is the wind,which in thofe quarters qualifieth and tempereth the excelTive heat of the Sum- 

 pier : ho wbeit .many times,fb violent and bluftetous hec is, that hee beareth downe before him 



the 



