236 



A DISCOURSE 



BOOK I. tainly keep the year about : It is a wonder how speedily it extracts the 

 taste and tincture of the spice. Mr. Boyle proposes a sulphureous fume 

 to the bottles : Spirit of wine may haply not only preserve, but advance 

 the virtues of saps ; and infusions of raisins are obvious, and without de- 

 coction best, which does but spend the more delicate parts. Note, that 

 the sap of the Birch Avill make excellent mead. 



5, To these observations, that of the weii^ht and virtue of the several 

 juices, would be both useful and curious : As, whether that which pro- 

 ceeds from the bark, or between that and the wood, be of the same nature 

 with that which is supposed to spring from the pores of the woody circles ? 

 And whether it rise in like quantity, upon comparing the incisures? All 

 which may be tried, first attempting through the bark, and saving that « 

 apart, and then perforating into the wood, to the thickness of the bark, 

 or more, with a like separation of what distils. The period also of its 

 current should be calculated ; as how much proceeds from the bark in 

 one hour ; how much from the wood or body of the tree ; and thus every 

 hour, with a still deeper incision with a good large auger, till the tree be 

 quite perforated ; then by making a second hole within the first, fitted 

 with a lesser pipe, the interior heart-sap may be drawn apart, and examined 

 by weight, quantity, colour, distillation, &c. and if no difference percep- 

 tible be detected, the presumption will be greater, that the difference of 

 heart and sap in timber, is not from the sap's plenty or penury, but the 

 season ; and then possibly the very season of squaring, as well as felling 

 of timber, may be considerable to the preservation of it. 



6. The notice likewise of the sap's rising more plentifully and con- 

 stantly in the sun than shade, more in the day than night, more in the roots 

 than branches, more southward, and when that and the west wind blows, 

 than northward, &c. may yield many useful observations: As for planting, 

 to set thicker or thinner, ("j'i ccetera sint p«m, namely, the nature of the tree, 

 soil, &c.) and not to shade overmuch the roots of those trees whose stems 

 we desire should mount, &c. That in transplanting trees we turn the best 

 and largest roots towards the south, and consequently the most ample and 

 spreading part of the head corresponding to the roots : For if there be a 

 strong root on that quarter, and but a feeble attraction in the branches, 

 this may not always counterpoise the weak roots on the north-side, damni- 

 fied by the too puissant attraction of over-large branches : This m.ay also 



