282 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
from its parent mould, the ftem Is tied to 
a dog’s tail, and thus it is taken from the 
earth in order to prevent the above difafter 
happening to any of the human fpecies. — 
The report of the mandrake crying like a 
child, when torn from its foil, is equally falfe 
and ridiculous ; for many of this plant have 
been removed without any other effefts than 
ihofe attendant on the removal of all deep- 
rooted vegetables. But what deferves cre- 
dit relative to the mandrake is, that the roots 
will remain found above fifty years, and re- 
tain all the vigour of the moft youthful plants: 
they fliould never be removed after their 
roots have arrived to any confiderable fize,lefl: 
the lower fibres iliould be broken, and thus 
the growth of the plant be diminilhed, and 
its firength debilitated ; if thus injured, they 
will not recover their former vigour in lefs 
than two or three years. Both the male 
and female mandrake grow in hot climates, 
and are moflly found in plains. They are 
propa*^ated in gardens by feeds, which fliould 
be Town upon a bed of light earth foon after 
they are gathered. In this fituafion they 
fliould remain until the latter end of Auguft. 
Having kept them during this time free from 
weeds, they fliould be tranfplanted into the 
places for their future vegetative exiffence. 
'i'he foil of thefe fliould be light and deep, 
in order to admit the roots penetrating lo 
low inio the earth as they arc by nature form- 
ed to fix themfelves. Thus tranfplanted, 
vbey 
