Plim'cs Naturall Hiftofie. 



A the river overflowing the lands, is as good as a weeding . In the fame countrey the manner is in 

 midwinter to open afluce or draw up their floud-gates/or to overflow their Vine roots with the 

 river : and Co much the rather jif either it be an hard frolt^or fnow lie upon the ground : And why 

 fo ? becaule the pinching cold fhould not burne them : and this they call there by the name of 

 Tepidarcjp.to give them a kindly warmth as in a ftouve :] fee the memorable nature of this onely 

 rivetjto be warmc in winter 5 and yet the fame in fummcr is fo cold^that hardly a man can endure 

 his hand in it. 



Chap, xxvii. 



^ of caprificatiofJ or fcarifiing trees : alfo the manner of dungwg them;, 



B ^ I ^ Ouching the remedies for blafting as well by heat as cold,! will treat in the book next fol- 

 I lowing.Meane while I cannot omit one manner of cure by way of Scarification.For wheii 

 thebarkeispoorc and leanCjby reafon of fome dileafcor mifliking,fo as it clcngeth toge* 

 ther,preiring and binding the quick wood overmuch, whereby the tree is as it were hide-boundj 

 they ufe to flit the fame along with a very (harpe cutting hooke, guiding and gaging the edge 

 thereof with both hands, that it goe not over-deepe : and fo by thefe incifions they doe open it, 

 and as it were lolen and enlarge the skin . Now, when this feat is wrought, the onely figne that it 

 is well done and good for the tree, is this, if the incifions in trad of time appeare wide, and the 

 void place incarnate againe and fill up with a kind of callous fubftancejcompoundcd of the fap 

 and wood together growing betweene. Whereby it appeareth, that in many cafes the cure of 



C mens maladies and the difeaies of trees is very like: for that even their bones alfo ule to be trepa- 

 nized and bored through as well as ours. Alio for to make fweet Almonds of bitter, firft the tree 

 muft bee digged round about, and then boared through with an augoer toward the root or butt 

 endjwhereby the waterifh humor that runneth downv\ard,may ifliie forth and palTe away.More- 

 ovetjif a man would dilcharge Elmes of their fuperfluous moifture,they muft be pierced with a 

 wimblCja little above the ground, as far as to the very heart or pith , if cither they bee old, or be 

 perceived to receive overmuch nutriment. In like manner the fameexceflivehumoutislct out 

 of Figge trees by the meanesof certaine light-flits orgaflies j-nadeinthcfbarke,aflantor byas, 

 in calc it feemc to fwcll and bee over-ftreight : and by this devife they prevent the falling of 

 their fruit. 



P Generally, what trees foever bearing Apples or fuch like foft fruit without,if they ehaunce at 

 any time to prove barren,that is to fay,to put foorth leafe onely without any fruit 5 the ufe is3firft 

 to make a clift in the root \ thcujto put a ftone thereinjthat the edges meet not and rejoin again 5 

 and fo they become fruitfull.The fame is pradifcd in Almond trees alfo,but in fteed of the ttone 

 there muft a wedge of Okewood be driven in. As for Pyrries and Medlar trees,thofe wedges muft 

 be made of Pine Torch»wood. Moreover,if either Vines or Figge trees, be over ranke of wood, 

 it is very good to cut and skice their roots round about, and when they bee thus ferved, to cover 

 with allies the faid incifions : but then they muft be clofe covered with allies and earth aloft . If 

 yce would have trees beare Figges at the latter end of ihe yeare, plucke off thefirft greeneFigges 

 fb foone as they bee fbmewhat bigger than Beanes : for under them there will other come up in 



E the place,and be later ere they waxe ripe.The fame Fig-trees when they begin to fpring leafe and 

 looke greene,if the top-twigs of every bough be cut otf,become the ftronger and more fruitful! 

 by it. For as touching the ripenifig of Figges by Caprification, true it is^ that there bee certain^ 

 flies like gnats engender in greene Figs,which are the occafion thereof : for when they are flown 

 out, thcreare no graines or feedsfound within : whereby it is evident, that they bee turned into 

 thofe flies. And when they doc flieforth,fo haftie they are to be gone,ihat many of them as they 

 breakeout, leave either a foot or a wing behind them. Befides^ another kind there is of gnats,-: 

 which they call Centrina2,forflouth and fhrewdneffe like in all the world toDrone-bees,(o mif- 

 cheevous they be to the good flies or gnats indeed, that caufe the Figs to ripen : for, them they 

 killjand die themfelves when they have done.Moreover,there bee certaine wormes like mothes, 



F that ordinarily doe much hurtto the graines orfeeds within Figs,3nd cat them quite:Thc only . 

 remcdieagainftthisvermine,istotakeatwigorimpeof the Italian Lcntisketrce,and to fet or 

 couch it with the wrong or top- end downeward,in the very fame trench where the Fig tree was 

 planted.For to have Fig trees beare moftpleniifully^take ruddle or red-earth tempered well with 

 lees or grounds of oile, after that the fame is mixed with dung, poiire it to the roots of the 

 ad A a a iij trees 



