n8 J* 



^(aturall Hifiory 



568 



569 



570 



571 

 572 



573 



Experiments 

 in Conforc 

 touching 

 Forraine 

 Plants. 



574 



575 



57* 



It is reported by fomeof the A mi ems, and fome Moderne Tejlimonie 

 likewife, that there be fome Plants, that grow upon the Top of the Sea-, Be- 

 ing fuppofed to grow of fome Concretion of Slime from the Water, where 

 the S#0/?£ beateth hot, and where the Sea ftirreth little. As for Alga Marina, 

 Sea weed,) aud Eryngium, ( Sea-Thifile, ) both the Roots ;but have Sea-weed 

 under the Water, the Sea-Thijlle but upon the Shore. 



The Antients have noted, that there are fome Herbs, that grow out of 

 Snow^hid up clofe together, and Putrifed; And that they are all Bitter; And 

 they name one efpecially, Flomus, which we call Moth- Mullein.lt is certain, 

 that Wormes are found in Snow commonly, like Earth-Wormes; And there- 

 fore it is not unlike, that it may likewife put/orth Plants. 



The Antients have affirmed, that there are torn? He rbs, that grow out of 

 Stone-, Which may be, for that it is certain, that Toads have been found 

 in the Middle of a Free-Stone. We fee alio, that Flwts, lying above Ground, 

 gather MoJJe; And Walk Flowers, and fome other Flowers, grow upon Walls; 

 But whether upon the Maine Bricke,ov Stone, or whether out of the Lime, or 

 Chinks , is net well obferved, For and Ajhes have beenfeen to 



grow out of Steeples:Bxxt they manifeftly grow out of Clefts-, In fo much as 

 when they grow bigge, they will dif- joyne the Stone. And befides, it is 

 doubtfull, whether the Mortar it felfe putteth it forth, or whether fome 

 Seeds be not let fall by Birds. There be likewife Rock-Herbs-, But I fuppofe 

 thofe are, where there is fome Mould or Earth.lt hath likewife been found, 

 that great Trees growing upon Quarries, have put down their Moot into the 

 Stone. 



In fome Mines in Germany, as is reported, there grow in the Bottome 

 Vegetables; And the Worke-Folks ufe to fay, they have Magicall Fertue-,And 

 will not furTer men to gather them. 



The Sea-Sands feldome bear Plants. Whereof the Caufe is yeelded, by 

 fome of the Antients, for that the Sunne exhaleth the Motfture, before it can 

 incorporate with the Earth,ind yeeld a Notirijiment for the Plant. A nd it is 

 affirmed alfo, that Sand hath ( alwayes ) his Root in Clay; And that there be 

 no Veines oiSand, any great depth within the Earth, 



It is certaine, that fome Plants put forth for a time, of their own Store, 

 without any Nourishment from Earth, Water ^ Stone, &c. Of which Vide the 

 Experiment 29. 



|T is reported, that Earth, that was brought out of the Indies, and other 

 1 Remote Countries^ for Ballajl'tox Ships^ciit upon fome Grounds in Italy, did 

 put forth Forraine Herbs, to us in Europe not known And, that which is 

 moie,that of their Roots, Barks, and Seeds, contu fed together, and mingled 

 with other Earth, and well Watred with War me Water, there came forth 

 Herbs, much like the Other. 



Plants brought out of Hot Countries, will endeavour to put forth, at the 

 fame Trme , that they do ufually doe in their own Climate^ And therefore to 

 preferve them, there is no more required, than to keep them from the Inju- 

 ry of P utting back by Cold. It is r epor ted alfo, that Graine out of the Hot- 

 ter Countries tranflated into the Colder, will be more forward, than the Or- 

 dinary Graine of the Cold Countrey.lt is likely, that this will prove better in 

 Grains , than in T rees; For that Graines are but Annuall; And fo the Venue 

 of the Seed is not worne out-, Whereas in a Tree, it isembafed by the 

 Ground, to which it is Removed. 



Many Plants, which grow in the Hotter Countries, being fet in the Col- 

 der 



