S^aturall Hiftory: 



458 

 459 



460 

 461 



462 



4<5: 



464 



4*5 



creafing the Luft or Spirit of the Root $ Thefe Things being more forcible, 

 than ordinary Compofts. 



It is reported by one of the Ancients, that Artieboakes will be lefs prick- 

 ly, and more tender, iftheSe^ have their Tops dulled, or grated off upon 

 j a Stone. 



Herbs will be tenderer , and fairer , if you take them out of Beds , when 

 j they are newly come up, and remove them into Pots, with better Earth. The 

 Remove from Bed to Bed was fpoken of before-, But that was in fever all 

 yeares -,This is upon the fudden. The Caufe is the fame with other Removes, 

 formerly mentioned. 



I Coleworts are reported by one of the Ancients,to profper exceedingly,and 

 j to be better tafted, if they be fometimes wan ed with Salt-water 5 And much 

 I more with Water mixed with Nitre; The Spirit of which is lefs Adurent than 

 Salt. 



j It is reported, that Cucumbers will prove more Tender and Dainty, if their 

 Seeds be Steeped (little ; in Milk • The Caufe may be, for that the Seed being 

 mollified with the Milk, w ill be too weak to draw the grofler Juyceof 

 the Earth, but only the finer. The fame Experiment may be made in Arti- 

 choakes •, and other Seeds, when you would take away,either their Flafhinefs, 

 or Bitternefs. They fpeak alio, that the like Effect followeth, of Steeping 

 in Water mixed with H oney •, But that feemeth to me not fo probable, becauie 

 Honey hath too Quick a Spirit. 



It is reported, that Cucumbers will be lefs Watry, and more Melon-like, if 

 in the Pit where you fet them, you fill it ( half way up ) with chaff , or fmall 

 Sticks, and then powr Earth upon them For Cucumbers, as it feemeth, do 

 extremely aftedt Moifture - 9 And over-drink themfelves ? Which this 

 Chaff, or Chips forbiddeth. Nay,it is further reported,that if when a Cucum- 

 ber is grown , you fet a Pot of water about five or fix Inches difla nee from 

 it, it will, in 24. houres, fhoot fo much out, as to touch the Pot : Which if 

 it be true, it is an Experiment of an higher Nature, than belongeth to this Ti- 

 tle .'For it difcoveretn Perception in Plants, to move towards that which fhould 

 help and comfort them, though it be at a diftance. The ancient Tradition of 

 the Vine is far more ftrange : It is, that if you fet a Stake, or Prop, fome di- 

 ftance from it, it will grow that way • Which is far ftranger ( as is laid ) than 

 the other : For that Water may work by a Sympathy ofAttraclion.-But this of 

 the Stake feemeth to be a Reafonable Dtfcourfe. 



It hath been touched before, that Terebrationot Trees doth make them 

 profper better. But it is found alfo,that it maketh the Fruit fweeter,and bet- 

 ter. The Caufe is, for that notwithftanding the T erebration, they may receive 

 j Aliment fufficient •, And yet no more than they can well turn, and difgeft •, 

 And withall do fweat out the courfeft aud unprofitableft Juyce Even as it 

 is in Living Creatures which by Moderate ¥eeding,and Exercife,and Sweat, 

 attain the foundeft Habit of Body. 



As T erebration doth Meliorate Fruit, fo, upon the like reafon,doth Letting, 

 of Plants, Bloud-, As Pricking Vines, or other 2>^.f, after they be of fome 

 Growth •, And thereby letting forth Gumme, or T eares Though this be not 

 to continue, as it is in T erebration, but at fome Seafons. And it is reported, 

 that by this Artifice, Bitter Almonds have been turned iato Sweet. 



The Ancients for the Edulcorating of Fruit, do commend Swines-Dung a- 

 bove all other Dung, Which may be, becaufe of the Moifture of that Beaft, 

 whereby the Excrement bath lefs Acrimony , For we fee Swims and Pigs 

 Flefh is the Moifteft of Flefhes. 



I 



