went sundry Voyages as well to your Streights which you call the Pillars of Hercules As to other parts in the Atlantique and Mediterrane Seas As to Paguin which is the same with Cambaline and Quinzy vpon the Orientall Seas as farre as to the Borders of the East Tartary At the same time and an Age after or more the Inhabitants of the great Atlantis did flourish For though the Narration and Description which is made by a great Man with you that the Descendents of Neptune planted there and of the Magnificent Temple Pallace Citie and Hill And the manifold streames of goody Nauigable Riuers which as so many Chaines enuironed the same Site and Temple And the seuerall Degrees of Ascent wherby Men did climb vp to the same as if it bad bin a Scala Caeli be all Poetical Fabulous Yet so much is true that the said Country of Atlantis As well that of Peru then Called Coya as that of Mexico then named Tyrambel were mighty proud Kingdomes in Armes Shipping and Riches So Mighty as at one time or at least within the space of 10. Yeares they both made two great Expeditions They of Tirambel through the Atlantique to the Mediterrane Sea and they of Coya through the South Sea vpon this our Island And for the former of these which was into Europe the same Authour amongst you as it seemeth had some relation from the Egyptian Priest whom he citeth For assuredly such a thing ther waâ— But whether it were the Ancient Athenians that had the glory of the Repulse and Resistance of those Forces I can say nothing But certaine it is there neuer came backe either Ship or Mâ—r from that Voyage Neither had the other Voyage of those of Coya vpon vs had better fortune if they had not met with Enemies of greater clemency For the King of this Island by name Altabin a wife Man and a great Warrier Knowing well both his owne strength and that of his Enemies handled the matter so as he cut off their Land-Forces from their Ships and encoyled both their Nauy and their Campe with a greater Power then theirs both by Sea and Land And compelled them to render themselues without striking stroke And after they were at his Mercy contenting himselfe onely with their Oath that they should no more beare Armes against him dismissed them all in safety But the Diuine Reuenge ouertooke not long after those proud Enterprises For within lesse then the space of one Hundred Yeares the Great Atlantis was vtterly lost and destroyed Not by a great Earthquake as your Man saith For that whole Tract is little subiect to Earthquakes But by a particular Deluge or Inundation Those Countries hauing at this Day farr greater Riuers and farr higher Mountaines to poure downe waters then any part of the Old World But it is true that the same Inundation was not deepe Not past fourty foote in most places from the Ground So that although it destroyed Man and Beast generally yet some few wild Inhabitants of the Wood escaped Birds also were saued by flying to the high Trees and Woods For as for Men although they had Buildings in many places higher then the Depth of the Water Yet that Inundation though it were shallow had a long Continuance whereby they of the Vale that were not drowned perished for want of Food and other things necessary So as maruaile you not at the thin Population of America nor at the Rudenesse and Ignorance of the People For you must account your Inhabitants of America as a young People Younger a thousand yeares at the least then the rest of the World For that ther was so much time betweene the Vniuersall Floud and their Particular Inundation For the poore Remnant of Humane Seed which remained in their Mountaines Peopled the Countrey againe slowly by little and little And being simple and sauage People Not like Noah and his Sonnes which was the chiefe Family of the Earth they were not able to leaue Letters Arts and Ciuillity to their Posterity And hauing likewise in their Mountanous Habitations beene vsed in respect of the Extreame Cold of those Regions to cloath themselues with the Skinns of Tygers Beares and great Hairy Goates that they haue in those Parts When after they came downe into the Valley and found the Intollerable Heates which are there and knew no meanes of lighter Apparell they were forced to beginn the Custome of Going Naked which continueth at this day Onely they take great pride and delight in the Feathers of Birds And this also they tooke from those their Auncestours of the Mountaines who were inuited vnto it by the infinite Flights of Birdes that came vp to the high Grounds while the Waters stood below So you see by this maine Accident of Time wee lost our Traffique with the Americans with whom of all others in regard they lay nearest to vs wee had most Commerce As for the other Parts of the World it is most manifest that in the Ages following whether it were in respect of Warres or by a naturall Reuolution of Time Nauigation did euery wher greatly decay And specially farre Voyages the rather by the vse of Gallies and such Vessells as could hardly brooke the Ocean were altogether left and omitted So then that part of Entercourse which could bee from other Nations to Sayle to vs you see how it hath long since ceased Except it were by some rare Accident as this of yours But now of the Cessation of that other Part of Entercourse which mought be by our Sayling to other Nations I must yeeld you some other Cause For I cannot say if I shall say truely but our Shipping for Number Strength Marriners Pylots and all things that appertaine to Nauigation is as great as euer And therefore why we should sit at home I shall now giue you an account by it selfe And it will draw nearer to giue you satisfaction to your principall Question There raigned in this Island about 1900. yeares agoe a King whose memory of all others we most adore Not Superstitiously but as Diuine Instrument though a Mortall Man His Name was Solamona And we esteeme him as the Law-giuer of our Nation This King had a large heart inscrutable for good And was wholly bent to make his kingdome and People Happy He therefore taking into Consideration how sufficient and substantiue this Land was to maintaine it self without any ayd at all of the Forrainer Being 5600. Miles in circuit and of rare Fertility of Soyle in the greatest part thereof And finding also the Shipping of this Country mought bee plentifully set on worke both by Fishing and by Transportations from Port to Port and likewise by Sayling vnto some small Islands that are not farre from vs and are vnder the Crowne and Lawes of this State And recalling into his Memory the happy and flourishing Estate wherein this Land then was So as it mought bee a thousand wayes altered to the worse but scarse any one way to
The first is Cold which doth manifestly Condense As wee see in the Contracting of the Aire in the Weather-Glasse whereby it is a Degree nearer to water Wee see it also in the Generation of Springs which the Ancients thought very probably to be made by the Version of Aire into water holpen by the Rest which the Aire hath in those Parts wherby it cannot dissipate And by the Coldnes of Rockes for ther Springs are chiefly generated Wee see it also in the Effects of the Cold of the Middle Region as they call it of the Aire which produceth Dews and Raines And the Experiment of Turning water into Ice by Snow Nitre and Salt wherof wee shall speake hereafter would be transferred to the Turning of Aire into Water The Second way is by Compression As in Stillatories wher the Vapour is turned back vpon it self by the Encounter of the Sides of the Stillatory And in the Dew vpon the Couers of Boyling Potts And in the Dew towards Raine vpon Marble and Wainscott But this is like to doe no great effect Except it be vpon Vapours and grosse Aire that are allready very neare in Degree to Water The Third is that which may be searched into but doth not yet appeare which is by Mingling of moist Vapours with Aire And trying if they will not bring a Returne of more Water then the water was at first For if so That Increase is a version of the Aire Therfore putt water into the Bottome of a Stillatory with the Nebb stopped Weigh the Water first Hang in the Middle of the Stillatory a large Spunge And see what Quantitie of Water you can crush out of it And what it is more or lesse compared with the water spent For you must vnderstand that if any Version can be wrought it will be easeliest done in small Pores And that is the Reason why wee prescribe a Spunge The Fourth way is Probable also though not Appearing Which is by Receiuing the Aire into the small Pores of Bodies For as hath been said euery thing in small Quantity is more easy for version And Tangible Bodies haue no pleasure in the Consort of Aire but endeauour to subact it into a more Dense Body But in Entire Bodies it is checked because if the Aire should Condense ther is nothing to succeed Therfore it must be in loose Bodies as Sand and Powder which wee see if they lye close of themselues gather Moisture IT is reported by some of the Ancients That Whelps or other Creatures if they be put Young into such a Cage or Boxe as they cannot rise to their Stature but may encrease in Breadth or length will growe accordingly as they can gett Roome which if it be true and faisible and that the young Creature so pressed and straightened doth not therupon die It is a Meanes to produce Dwarfe Creatures and in a very Strange Figure This is certaine and noted long since That the Pressure or Forming of Parts of Creatures when they are very young doth alter the Shape not a little As the Stroaking of the Heads of Infants between the Hands was noted of Old to make Macrocephali which shape of the Head at that time was esteemed And the Raising gently of the Bridge of the Nose doth preuent the Deformity of a Saddle Nose Which obseruation well weighed may teach a Meanes to make the Persons of Men and Women in many kindes more comely and better featured then otherwise they would be By the Forming and Shaping of them in their Infancy As by Stroaking vp the Calues of the Leggs to keepe them from falling downe too lowe And by Stroaking vp the Forehead to keepe them from being lowforeheaded And it is a common Practise to swath Infants that they may growe more straight and better shaped And wee see Young Women by wearing straight Bodies keepe themselues from being Grosse and Corpulent ONions as they hang will many of them shoot forth And so will Penniroiall And so will an Herb called Orpin with which they vse in the Country to trimme their Houses binding it to a Lath or Stick and setting it against a wall We see it like wise more especially in the greater Semper-vine which will put out Branches two or three yeares But it is true that commonly they wrapp the Root in a Cloth besmeared with Oyle and renue it once in halfe a Yeare The like is reported by some of the Ancients of the Stalks of Lillies The Cause is For that these Plants haue a Strong Dense and Succulent Moisture which is not apt to exhale And so is able from the old store without drawing helpe from the Earth to suffice the sprouting of the Plant And this Sprouting is chiefly in the late Spring or early Sommer which are the Times of Putting forth We see also that Stumps of Trtes lying out of the ground will put forth Sprouts for a Time But it is a Noble Triall and of very great Consequence to try whether these things in the Sprouting doe increase Weight which must be tried by weighing them before they be hangd vp And afterwards againe when they are sprouted For if they encrease not in Weight Then it is no more but this That what they send forth in the Sprout they leese in some other Part But if they gather Weight then it is Magnale Naturae For it sheweth that Aire may be made so to be Condensed as to be conuerted into a Dense Body wheras the Race and Period of all things here aboue the Earth is to extenuate and turne things to be more Penumaticall and Rare And not to be Retrograde from Pneumaticall to that which is Dense It sheweth also that Aire can Nourish which is another great Matter of Consequence Note that to try this the Experiment of the Semper-viue must be made without Oiling the Cloth For els it may be the Plant receiueth Nourishment from the Oile FLame and Aire doe not Mingle except it be in an Instant Or in the vitall Spiritts of vegetables and liuing Creatures In Gunpowder the Force of it hath been ascribed to Rarefaction of the Earthy Substance into Flame And thus farr it is true And then forfooth it is become another Element the Forme wherof occupieth more place And so of Necessity followeth a Dilatation And therfore lest two Bodies should be in one place ther must needes also follow an Expulsion of the pellet Or Blowing vp of the Mine But these are Crude and Ignorant Speculations For Flame if ther were nothing els except it were in very great quantity will be suffocate with any hard Body such as a Pellet is Or the Barrell of a Gunn So as the Flame would not expell the hard Body But the hard Body would kill the Flame and not suffer it to kindle or spread But the Cause of this so potent a Motion is the Nitre which wee call otherwise Salt-Petre which hauing in it anotable Crude and windy Spirit first by the Heate
the effect will follow For that Artificiall Conuersion of water into Ice is the worke of a few Houres And this of Aire may be tried by a Moneths space or the like Induration or Lapidification of Substances more Soft is likewise another degree of Condensation And is a great Alteration in Nature The Effecting and Accelerating thereof is very worthy to be inquired It is effected by three Meanes The first is by Cold vvhose Property is to Condense and constipate as hath beene said The Second is by Heat which is not proper but by consequence For the Heat doth attenuate And by Attenuation doth send forth the Spirit and moister Part of a Body And vpon that the more grosse of the Tangible Parts doe contract and serre themselues together Both to Auoid Vacuums as they call it And also to Munite themselues against the Force of the Fire which they haue suffered And the Third is by Assimilation when a Hard Body Assimilateth a Soft being contiguous to it The Examples of Induration taking them promiscuously are many As the Generation of Stones within the Earth which at the first are but Rude Earth or Clay And so of Mineralls which come no doubt at first of luyces Concrete which afterward indurate And so of Porcellane which is an Artificiall Cement buried in the Earth a long time And so the Making of Bricke and Tile Also the Making of Glasse of a certaine Sand and Brake-Roots and some other Matters Also the Exudations of Rock-Diamonds and Crystall which harden with time Also the Induration of Bead-Amber which at first is a soft Substance As appeareth by the Flies and Spiders which are found in it And many more But wee will speake of them distinctly For Indurations by Cold there bee few Trialls of it For wee haue no strong or intense Cold here on the Surface of the Earth so neare the Beames of the Sunne and the Heauens The likeliest Triall is by Snow and Ice For as Snow and Ice especially being holpen and their Cold actiuated by Nitre or Salt will turne Water into Ice and that in a few houres So it may be it will turne wood or Stiffe Clay into Stone in longer time Put therefore into a Conseruing Pit of Snow and Ice adding some quantity of Salt and Nitre a Peece of Wood or a Peece of Tough Clay and let it lye a Moneth or more Another Triall is by Metalline Waters which haue virtuall Cold in them Put therefore Wood or Clay into Smiths water or other Metalline water And try whether it will not harden in some reasonable time But I vnderstand it of Metalline waters that come by Washing or Quenching And not of Strong Waters that come by dissolution for they are too Corrosiue to consolidate It is already found that there are some Naturall Spring-waters that will Inlapidate Wood So as you shall see one peece of Wood whereof the Part aboue the Water shall continue Wood And the Part vnder the Water shall be turned into a kinde of Grauelly Stons It is likely those Waters are of some Metalline Mixture But there would be more particular Inquiry made of them It is certaine that an Egge was found hauing lien many yeeres in the bottome of a Moate where the Earth had somewhat ouergrowen it And this Egge was comen to the Hardnesse of a Stone And had the Colours of the white and Yolke perfect And the Shell shining in small graines like Sugar or Alablaster Another Experience there is of Induration by Cold which is already found which is that Metalls themselues are hardned by often Heating and Quenching in Cold Water For Cold euer worketh most potently vpon Heat Precedene For Induration by Heat it must be considered that Heat by the Exhaling of the Moister Parts doth either harden the Body As in Bricks Tiles Or if the Heat be more fierce maketh the grosser part it selfe Runne and Melt As in the making of ordinary Glosse And in the Vitrification of Earth As wee see in the Inner Parts of Farneces And in the Vitrification of Brick And of Mettals And in the former of these which is the Hardening by baking without Melting the Heat hath these degrees First it Indurateth and then maketh Fragile And lastly it doth Inciuerate and Calcinate But if you desire to make an Induration with Toughnesse and lesse Fragility A middle way would be taken Which is that which Artistotle hath well noted But would be throughly verified It is to decoct Bodies in water for two or three dayes But they must bee such Bodies into which the Water will not enter As Stone and Metall For if they be Bodies into which the Water will enter then long Seething will rather Soften than indurate them As hath beene tried in Eggs c. Therefore Softer Bodies must be put into Bottles And the Bottles hung into Water seething with the mouths open aboue the Water that no Water may get in For by this Meaues the virtuall Heat of the Water will enter And such a Heat as will not make the Body adust or fragile But the Substance of the Water will be shut out This Experiment wee made And it sorted thus It was tried with a Peece of Free-stone and with Pewter put into the Water at large The Free-stone we found receiued in some water For it was softer and easier to scrape then a peece of the same Stone kept drie But the Pewter into which no water could enter became more white and liker to Siluer and lesse flexible by much There were also put into an Earthen Bottle placed as before a good Pellet of Clay a Peece of Cheese a Peece of Chalke and a Peece of Free-stone The Clay came forth almost of the Hardnesse of Stone The Cheese likewise very hard and not well to be cut The Chalke and the Free-stone much harder than they were The colour of the Clay inclined not a whit to the Colour of Bricke but rather to white as in ordinary Drying by the Sunne Note that all the former Trialls were made by a Boyling vpon a good hot Fire renewing the water as it consumed with other hot water But the Boyling was but for twelue houres onely And it is like that the Experiment would haue beene more effectuall if the Boyling had beene for two or three daies as we prescribed before As touching Assimilation for there is a degree of Assimilation euen in Inanimate bodies wee see Examples of it in some Stones in clay-Clay-Grounds lying neare to the top of the Earth where Pebble is In which you may manifestly see diuers Pebbles gathered together and a Crust of Cement or Stone betweene them as hard as the Pebbles themselues And it were good to make a Triall of purpose by taking Clay and putting in it diuers Pebble-Stones thicke set to see whether in continuance of time it will not be harder then other Clay of the same lump in which no Pebbles are set Wee see also in Ruines of old Walls especially towards
Mouldie or Rotten but were become a little harder than they were Otherwise fresh in their Colour But their Iuyce somewhat flatted But with the Buriall of a Forthnight more they became Putrified A Bottle of Beere buried in like manner as before became more liuely better tasted and Clearer than it was And a Bottle of Wine in like manner A Bottle of Vinegar so buried came forth more liuely and more Odoriferous smelling almost like a Violet And after the whole Moneths Buriall all the Three came forth as fresh and liuely if not better than before It were a profitable Experiment to presrue Orenges Limons and Pomgranates till Summer For then their Price will be mightily increased This may be done if you put them in a Pot or Vessell well couered that the Moisture of the Earth come not at them Or else by putting them in a Conseruatorie of Snow And generally whosoeuer will make Experiments of Cold let him be prouided of three Things A Conseruatorie of Snow A good large Vault twenty foot at least vnder the Ground And a Deepe Well There hath beene a Tradition that Pearle and Coraâ— and TurchoisStone that haue lost their Colours may be recouered by Burying in the Earth Which is a thing of great profit if it would sort But vpon Triall of Six Weekes Buriall there followed no Effect It were good to trie it in a Deepe Well Or in a Conseruatory of Snow where the Cold may be more Constringent And so make the Body more vnited and thereby more Resplendent Mens Bodier are heauier and lesse disposed to Motion when Sâ—â—ther â—â— Winds blow than when Northerne The Cause is for that when the Southerne Winds blow the Humours doe in some Degree melt and waxe fluide and so flow into the Parts As it is seene in Wood and other Bodies which when the Southerne Winds blow doe swell Besides the Motion and Actiuity of the Body consisteth chiefly in the Sinewes which when the Southerne Wind bloweth are more relaxe It is commonly seene that more are Sick in the Summer and more Dye in the Winter Except it be in Peslilent Diseases which commonly raigne in Summer or Autumne The Reason is because Diseases are bred indeed chiefly by Heat But then they are Cured most by Sweat and Purge which in the Summer commeth on or is prouoked more Easily As for Pestilent Diseases the Reason why most Dye of them in Summer is because they are bred most in the Summer For otherwise those that are touched are in most Danger in the Winter The Generall Opinion is that Yeares Hot and Moist are most Pestilent Vpon the Superficiall Ground that Heat and Moisture cause Putrefaction In England it is found not true For many times there haue beene great Plagues in Dry Yeares Whereof the Cause may be for that Drought in the Bodies of Islanders habituate to Moist Aires doth Exasperate the Humours and maketh them more apt to Putrifie or Enflame Besides it tainteth the Waters commonly and maketh them lesse wholesome And againe in Barbary the Plagues breake vp in the Summer-moneths when the Weather is Hot and Dry. Many Diseases both Epidemicall and others breake forth at Particular times And the Cause is falsely imputed to the Constitution of the Aire at that time when they breake forth or raigne whereas it procâ—edeth indeed from a Precedent Sequence and Series of the Seasons of the Yeare And therefore Hippocrates in his Prognosticks doth make good Obseruations of the Diseases that ensue vpon the Nature of the Precedent foure Seasons of the Yeare Triall hath beene made with Earthen Bottles well stopped hanged in a Well of Twenty Fathome deepe at the least And some of the Bettles haue beene let downe into the Water some others haue hanged aboue within about a fathome of the Water And the Liquours so tried haue beene Beere not New but Ready for drinking and Wine and Milke The Proofe hath beene that both the Beere and the Wine as well within Water as aboue haue not beene palled or deaded at all But as good or somewhat better than Bottles of the same Drinks and Stalenesse kept in a Celler But those which did hang aboue Water were apparently the best And that Beere did flower a little whereas that vnder Water did not though it were Fresh The Milke sowred and began to Purrifie Neuerthelosse it is true that there is a Village neare Blois where in Deepe Canes they doe thicken Milke In such sort that it becommeth very pleasant Which was some Cause of this Triall of Hanging Milke in the Well But our proofe was naught Neither doe I know whether that Milke in those Caues be first boysed It were good therefore to try it with Milke Sodden and with Creame For that Milke of it selfe is such a Compound Body of Creame Curds and Whey as it is easâ—ly Turned and Dissolued It were good also to try the Beere when it is in Wort that it may be seene whether the Hanging in the Well will Accelerate the Ripening and Clarifying of it Diuers we see doe Stut The Cause may be in most the Refrigeration of the Tongue Whereby it is lesse apt to moue And therfore we see that Naturalls doe generally Stut And we see that in those that Stut if they drinke Wine moderately they Stut lesse because it heateth And so we see that they that Stut doe Stut more in the first Offer to speake than in Continuance Because the Tongue is by Motion somewhat heated In some also it may be though rarely the Drinesse of the Tongue which likewise maketh it lesse apt to moue as well as Cold For it is an Affect that commeth to some Wise and Great Men As it did vnto Moses who was Lingâ—epr apedita And many Stutters we finde are very Cholericke Men Choler Enducing a Drinesse in the Tongue Smells and other Odours are Sweeter in the Aire at some Distance than neare the Nose As hath beene partly touched heretofore The Cause is double First the finer Mixture or Incorporation of the Smell For we see that in Sounds likewise they are Sweetest when we cannot heare euery Part by it selfe The other Reason is for that all Sweet Smells haue ioyned with them some Earthy or Crude Odours And at some distance the Sweet which is the more Spirituall is Perceiued And the Earthy reacheth not so farre Sweet Smells are most forcible in Dry Substances when they are Broken And so likewise in Orenges or Limons the Nipping of their Rinde giueth out their Smell more And generally when Bodies are Moued or Stirred though not Broken they Smell more As a SweetBagge waued The Cause is double The one for that there is a Greater Emission of the Spirit when Way is made And this holdeth in the Breaking Nipping or Crushing It holdeth also in some Degree in the Mouing But in this last there is a Conâ—urrence of the Second Cause Which is the Impulsion of the Aire that bringeth the Sent
Mediate Cause But some Organs are so peremptorily necessary that the Extinguishment of the Spirits doth speedily follow But yet so as there is an Interim of a Small Time It is reported by one of the Ancients of credit that a Sacrificed Beast hath lowed after the Heart hath beene feuered And it is a Report also of Credit that the Head of a Pigge hath beene opened and the Braine put into the Palme of a Mans hand trembling without breaking any part of it or feuering it from the Marrow of the Back-bone During which time the Pigge hath beene in all appearance starke dead and without Motion And after a small Time the Braine hath beene replaced and the Skull of the Pigge closed and the Pigge hath a little after gone about And certaine it is that an Eye vpon Reuenge hath beene thrust forth so as it hanged a pretty distance by the Visuall Nerue And during that time the Eye hath beene without any Power of Sight And yet after being replaced recouered Sight Now the Spirits are chiefly in the Head and Cells of the Braine which in Men and Beasts are Large And therefore when the Head is off they moue little or Nothing But Birds haue small Heads and therefore the Spirits are a little more dispersed in the Sinewes whereby Motion remaineth in them a little longer In so much as it is Extant in Story that an Emperour of Rome to shew the Certainty of his Hand did Shoote a great Forked Arrow at an Estrich as shee ranne swiftly vpon the Stage and strooke off her Head And yet shee continued the Race a little way with the Head off As for Wormes and Flies and Eeles the Spirits are diffused almost all ouer And therefore they moue in their Seuerall Pieces NATVRALL HISTORIE V. Century WE will now enquire of Plants or Vegetables And we shall doe it with diligence They are the principall Part of the Third Dayes Worke. They are the first Producat which is the Word of Animation For the other Words are but the Words of Essence And they are of excellent and generall Vse for Food Medicine and a Number of Mechanicall Arts. There were sowen in a Bed Turnip-Seed Radish-Seed Wheat Cucumber-Seed and Pease The Bed we call a Hot-Bed and the Manner of it is this There was taken Horse-dung old and well rotted This was laid vpon a Banke halfe a foot high and supported round about with Planks And vpon the Top was cast Sifted Earth some two Fingers deepe And then the Seed Sprinkled vpon it hauing beene steeped all night in Water Mixed with Cow dung The Turnip-Seed and the Wheat came vp halfe an Inch aboue Ground within two dayes after without any Watring The Rest the third day The Experiment was made in October And it may be in the Spring the Accelerating would haue beene the speedier This is a Noble Experiment For without this helpe they would haue beene foure times as long in comming vp But there doth not occurre to me at this present any vse thereof for profit Except it should be for Sowing of Pease which haue their Price very much increased by the early Comming It may be tried also with Cherries Strawberries and other Fruit which are dearest when they come early There was Wheat steeped in Water mixed with Cow-Dung Other in Water mixed with Horse-Dung Other in Water mixed with Pigeon-Dung Other in Vrine of Man Other in Water mixed with Chalke powdred Other in Water mixed with Soot Other in Water mixed with Ashes Other in Water mixed with Bay-Salt Other in Claret Wine Other in Malmsey Other in Spirìt of Wine The Proportion of the Mixture was a fourth Part of the Ingredients to the Water Saue that there was not of the Salt aboue an eighth Part. The Vrine and Wines and Spirit of Wine were Simple without Mixture of Water The Time of the Steeping was twelue houres The Time of the Yeare October There was also other Wheat sowen vnsteeped but watred twice a day with Warme water There was also other Wheat sowen Simple to compare it with the rest The Euent was That those that were in the Mixture of Dung and Vrine and Soot Chalke Ashes and Salt came vp within fix dayes And those that afterwards proued the Highest Thickest and most Lustie were First the Vrine And then the Dungs Next the Chalke Next the Soot Next the Ashes Next the Salt Next the Wheat Simple of it selfe vnsteeped and vnwatered Next the Watered twice a day with warme water Next the Claret Wine So that these three last were slower than the ordinary Wheat of it selfe And this Culture did rather retard than aduance As for those that were steeped in Malmsey and Spirit of Wine they came not vp at all This is a Rich Experiment for Profit For the most of the Steel pings are Cheape Things And the Goodnesse of the Crop is a great Matter of Gaine If the Goodnesse of the Crop answer the Earlinesse of the Comming vp As it is like it will Both being from the vigour of the Seed Which also partly appeared in the Former Experiments as hath beene said This Experiment would be tried in other Graines Seeds and Kernells For it may be some Steeping will agree best with some Seeds It would be tried also with Roots steeped as before but for longer time It would be tried also in Seuerall Seasons of the yeare especially the Spring Strawberries watered now and then as once in three dayes with Water wherein hath beene steeped Sheepes-dung or Pigeons-dong will preuent and come early And it is like the same Effect would follow in other Berries Herbs Flowers Graines or Trees And therefore it is an Experiment though vulgar in Strawberries yet not brought into vse generally For it is vsuall to helpe the Ground with Mucke And likewise to Recomfort it sometimes with Mucke put to the Roots But to water it with Mucke water which is like to be more Forcible is not practised Dung or Chalke or Bloud applied in Substance seasonably to the Roots of Trees doth set them forwards But to doe it vnto Herbs without Mixture of Water or Earth it may be these Helpes are too Hot. The former Meanes of Helping Germination are either by the Goodnesse and Strength of the Nourishment Or by the Comforting and Exciting the Spirits in the Plant to draw the Nourishment better And of this latter kinde concerning the Comforting of the Spirits of the Plant arealso the experiments that follow Though they be not Applications to the Root or Seed The Planting of Trees warme vpon a Wall against the South or South-East Sunne doth hasten their Comming on and Ripening And the South-East is found to be better than the SouthWest though the South-West be the Hotter Coast. But the cause is chiefly for that the Heat of the Morning succeedeth the Cold of the Night and partly because many times the South-west Sunne is too Parching So likewise the Planting of them vpon the Backe of a Chimney
a wall the greatest Fruits towards the Bottome And in France the Grapes that make the Wine grow vpon low Vines bound to small Stakes And the raised Vines in Arbours make but Veriuyce It is true that in Italy and other Countries where they haue hotter Sunne they raise them vpon Elmes and Trees But I conceiue that if the French Manner of Planting low were brought in vse there their Wines would be stronger and sweeter But it is more chargeable in respect of the Props It were good to try whether a Tree grafted somewhat neare the Ground and the lower boughes onely maintained and the higher continually proined off would not make a larger Fruit. To haue Fruit in Greater Plenty the way is to graft not onely vpon young Stockes but vpon diuers Boughes of an old Tree for they will beare great Numbers of Fruit Whereas if you graft but vpon one Stocke the Tree can beare but few The Digging yearely about the Roots of Trees which is a great means both to the Acceleration and Melioration of Fruits is practised in nothing but in Vines Which if it were transferred vnto other Trees and Shrubs as Roses c. I conceiue would aduance them likewise It hath beene knowne that a Fruit-Tree hath beene blowne vp almost by the Roots and set vp againe and the next yeare bare exceedingly The Cause of this was nothing but the Looseming of the Earth which comforteth any Tree and is fit to be practised more than it is in Fruit-Trees For Trees cannot be so fitly remoued into New Grounds as Flowers and Herbs may To reuiue an Old Tree the Digging of it about the Roots and Applying new Mould to the Roots is the way We see also that Draught-Oxen put into fresh Pasture gather new and tender Flesh And in all Things better Nourishment than hath beene vsed doth helpe to renew Especially if it be not onely better but changed and differing from the former If an Herbe be cut off from the Roots in the beginning of Winter and then the Earth be troden and beaten downe hard with the Foot and Spade the Roots will become of very great Magnitude in Summer The Reason is for that the Moisture being forbidden to come vp in the Plant stayeth longer in the Root and so dilateth it And Gardiners vse to tread downe any loose Ground after they haue sowne Onions or Turnips c. If Panicum be laid below and about the Bottome of a Root it will cause the Root to grow to an Excessiue Bignesse The Cause is for that being it selfe of a Spungy Substance it draweth the Moisture of the Earth to it and so feedeth the Root This is of greatest vse for Onions Turnips Parsnips and Carrets The Shifting of Ground is a Meanes to better the Tree and Fruit But with this Caution That all Things doe prosper best when they are aduanced to the better Your Nursery of Stockes ought to be in a more Barren Ground than the Ground is whereunto you remoue them So all Grasiers preferre their Cattell from meaner Pastures to better We see also that Hardnesse in Youth lengthneth Life because it leaueth a Cherishing to the better of the Body in Age Nay in Exercises it is good to begin with the hardest as Dancing in Thicke Shooes c. It hath beene obserued that Hacking of Trees in their Barke both downe-right and acrosse so as you make them rather in slices than in continued Hacks doth great good to Trees And especially deliuereth them from being Hide-bound and killeth their Mosse Shade to some Plants conduceth to make them large and prosperous more than Sun As in Strawberries and Bayes c. Therefore amongst Strawberries sow here and there some Barrage-Seed And you shall finde the Strawberries vnder those Leaues farro more large than their Fellowes And Bayes you must plant to the North Or defond them from the Sunne by a Hedge-Row And when you sow the Berries weed not the Borders for the first halfe yeare For the Weed giueth them Shade To increase the Crops of Phâ—â—â— there would be considered not only the Increasing the Lust of the Earth or of the Plant but the Sauing also of that which is spilt So they haue lately made a Triall to Set Wheat which neuerthelesse hath beene left off because of the trouble and paines Yet so much is true that there is much saued by the Setting in comparison of that which is Sewen Both by keeping it from being picked vp by Birds And by Auoiding the Shallow lying of it whereby much that is sowen taketh no Root It is prescribed by some of the Ancients that you take Small Trees vpon which Figs or other Fruit grow being yet vnripe and couer the Trees in the Middle of Autamne with dung vntill the Spring And then take them vp in a warme day and replant them in good Ground And by that meanes the former yeares Tree will be ripe as by a new Birth when other Trees of the fame kinde doe but blossome But this seemeth to haue no great Probabilitie It is reported that if you take Nitre and mingle it with Water to the thicknesse of Honey and therewith anoint the Bud after the Vine is cut it will sprout forth within eight dayes The Cause is like to be if the Experiment be true the Opening of the Bud and of the Parts Contiguous by the Spirit of the Nitre For Nitre is as it were the Life of Vegetables Take Seed or Kernells of Apples Peares Orenges Or a Peach or a Plum Stone c. And put them into a Squill which is like a great Onion and they will come vp much earlier than in the Earth it selfe This I conceiue no be as a Kinde of Grafting in the Root For as the Stocke of a Graft yeeldeth better prepared Nourishment to the Graft than the Crude Earth So the Squill doth the like to the Seed And I suppose the same would be done by Putting Kernells into a Turnip or the like Saue that the Squill is more Vigorous and Hot. It may be tried also with putting Onion-Seed into an Onion-Head which thereby perhaps will bring forth a larger and earlier Onion The Pricking of a Fruit in seuerall places when it is almost at his Bignesse and before it ripeneth hath beene practised with successe to ripen the Fruit more suddenly Wee see the Example of the Biting of Waspes or Wormes vpon Fruit whereby it manifestly ripeneth the sooner It is reported that Alga Marina Sea-weed put vnder the Roots of Coleworts and perhaps of other Plants will further their Growth The vertue no doubt hath Relation to Salt which is a great Helpe to Fertilitie It hath beene practised to cut off the Stalkes of Cucumbers immediately after their Bearing close by the Earth And then to cast a prettie Quantitie of Earth vpon the Plant that remaineth and they will beare the next yeare Fruit long before the ordinary time The Cause may be for that the Sap goeth downe the sooner and is not
And besides it is doubtfull whether the Mortar it selfe putteth it forth or whether some Seeds be not let fall by Birds There be likewife Rock-Herbs But I suppose those are where there is some Mould or Earth It hath likewife beene found that great Trees growing vpon Quarries haue put downe their Root into the Stone In some Mines in Germany as is reported there grow in the Bottome Vegetables And the Worke-Folkes vse to say they haue Magicall Vertue And will not suffer Men to gather them The Sea-Sands seldome beare Plants Whereof the Cause is yeelded by some of the Ancients for that the Sunne exhaleth the Moisture before it can incorporate with the Earth and yeeld a Nourishment for the Plant. And it is affirmed also that Sand hath alwayes his Root in Clay And that there be no Veines of Sand any great depth within the Earth It is certaine that some Plants put forth for a time of their owne Store without any Nourishment from Earth Water Stone c. Of which Vide the Experiment 29. It is reported that Earth that was brought out of the Indies and other Remote Countries for Ballast of Ships cast vpon some Grounds in Italy did put forth Fortaine Herbs to vs in Europe not knowne And that which is more that of their Roots Barkes and Seeds conâ—used together and mingled with other Earth and well Watred with Warme Water there came forth Herbs much like the Other Plants brought out of Hot Countries will endeuour to put forth at the same Time that they vsually do in their owne Climate And therfore to preserue them there is no more required than to keepe them from the Iniury of Putting backe by Cold. It is reported also that Graine out of the Hotter Countries translated into the Colder will be more forward than the Ordinary Graine of the Cold Countrey It is likely that this will proue better in Graines than in Trees For that Graines are but Annuall And so the Vertue of the Seed is not worne out Whereas in a Tree it is embased by the Ground to which it is Remoued Many Plants which grow in the Hotter Countries being set in the Colder will neucrthelesse euen in those Cold Countries being sowne of Seeds ate in the Spring come vp and abide most Part of the Summer As we finde it in Orenge and Limon-Seeds c. The Seeds whereof Sowen in the End of Aprill will bring forth Excellent Sallets mingled with other Herbs And I doubt not but the Seeds of Cloue-Trees and Pepper-Seeds c. if they could come hither Greene enough to be sowen would doe the like There be some Flowers Blossomes Graines and Fruits which come more Early And Others which come more Late in the Yeare The Flowers that come early with vs are Prime-Roses Violets Anemonies Water-Daffadillies Crocus Vernus and some early Tulippa's And they are all Cold Plants Which therefore as it should seeme haue a quicker Perception of the Heat of the Sunne Increasing than the Hot Herbs haue As a Cold Hand will sooner finde a little Warmth than a Hot. And those that come next after are Wall-Flowers Cowflips Hyacinths Rosemary-Flowers c. And after them Pincks Roses Flowerdelnces c. And the latest are Gilly-Flowers Holly-oakes Larkes-Foot c. The Earliest Blossomes are the Blossomes of Peaches Almonds Cornelians Mezerions c. And they are of such Trees as haue much Moisture either Watrie or Oylie And therefore Grocus Vernus also being an Herbe that hath an Oylie luyce putteth forth early For those also finde the Sunne sooner than the Drier Trees The Graines are first Rye and Wheat Then Oats and Barley Then Pease and Beanes For though Greene Pease and Beanes be eaten sooner yet the Drie Ones that are vsed for Horse-Meat are ripe last And it seemeth that the Fatter Graine commeth first The Earliest Fruits are Strawberries Cherries Gooseberries Corrans And after them Early Apples Early Peares Apricots Rasps And after them Damasins and most Kinde of Plums Peaches c. And the latest are Apples Wardens Grapes Nuts Quinces Almonds Sloes Brier-Berries Heps Medlars Seruices Cornelians c. It is to be noted that commonly Trees that ripen latest blossome soonest As Peaches Cornelians Sloes Almonds c. And it seemeth to be a Worke of Prouidence that they blossome so soone For otherwise they could not haue the Sunne long enough to ripen There be Fruits but rarely that come twice a Teare as some Peares Strawberries c. And it seemeth they are such as abound with Nourishment Whereby after one Period before the Sunne waxeth too weake they can endure another The Violet also amongst Flowers commeth twice a Yeare Especially the Double White And that also is a Plant full of Moisture Roses come twice but it is not without Caâ—ting as hath beene formerly said In Muscbuia though the Corne come not vp till late Spring yet their Haruest is as Early as Ours The Cause is for that the Strength of the Ground is kept in with the Snow And wee see with vs that if it be a long Winter it is commonly a more Plentifull Teare And after those kinde of Winters likewise the Flowers and Corne which are Earlier and Later doe come commonly at once and at the same time Which troubleth the Husbandman many times For you shâ—ll haue Red Roses and Damaske Roses come together And likewise the Harnest of Wheat and Barley But this happeneth euer for that the Earlier staieth for the Later And not that the Later commeth sooner There be diuers Fruit-Trees in the Hot Countries which haue Blossomes and Young Fruit and Ripe Fruit almost all the Yeare succeeding one another And it is said the Orenge hath the like with vs for a great Part of Summer And so also hath the Figge And no doubt the Naturall Motion of Plants is to haue so But that either they want luyce to spend Or they meet with the Cold of the Winter And therefore this Circle of Ripening cannot be but in Succulent Plants and Hot Countries Some Herbs are but Annuall and die Root and all once a Yeare As Borrage Lettuce Cucumbers Muske-Melons Bafill Tobacco Mustard-Seed and all kindes of Corne Some continue many Yeares As Hyssope Germander Lanander Fennell c. The Cause of the Dying is double The first is the Tendernesse and Weaknesse of the Seed which maketh the Period in a small time As it is in Borrage Lettnce Cucumbers Corne c. And therefore none of these are Hot. The other Cause is for that some Herbs can worse endure Cold As Basill Tobacco Mustard-Seed And these haue all much Heat The Lasting of Plants is most in those that are Largest of Body As Oakes Elme Ches-Nut the Loat-Tree c. And this holdeth in Trees But in Herbs it is often contrary For borage Colewort Pompions which are Herbs of the Largest Size are of small Durance Whereas Hyssope Winter-Sauoury Germander Thyme Sage will last long The Cause is for that Trees last according to
in the rest And Triall would be made of Grasting of RoseMary and Bayes and Box vpon a Holly-Stocke Because they are Planes that come all Winter It were good to try it also with Grafts of other Trees either Fruit-Trees or Wilde-Trees To see whether they will not yeeld their Fruit or beare their Leaues later and longer in the Winter because the Sap of the Holly putteth forth most in the Winter It may be also a Mexerion-Tree grafted vpon a Holly will proue both an Earlier and a Greater Tree There be some Plants that beare no Flower and yet beare Fruit There be some that beare Flowers and no Fruit There be some that beare neither Flowers nor Fruit. Most of the great Timber-Trees as Oakes Beeches c. beare not apparent Flowers Some few likewise of the Fruit-Trees As Mulberry Wall-unt c. And some Shrubs as Iuniper Holly c. beare no Flowers Diuers Herbs also beare Seeds which is as the Fruit and yet beare no Flowers As Parslane c. Those that beare Flowers and no Fruit are few At the Double Cherry the Sallow c. But for the Cherry it is doubtfull whether it be not by Art or Culture For if it be by Art then Triall would be made whether Apples and other Fruits Blossomes may not be doubled There are some Few that beare neither Fruit nor Flower As the Elme the Poplers Box Brakes c. There be some Plants that shoot still vpwards and can Support themselues As the greatest Part of Trees and Plants There be some Other that Creepe along the Ground Or Winde about other Trees or Props and cannot support themselues As Vines Iuy Briar Briony Woodbines Hop 's Climatis Camomill c. The Cause is as hath beene partly touched for that all Plants naturally moue vpwards But if the Sap put vp too fast it maketh a slender Stalks which will not support the weight And therefore these latter Sort are all Swift and Hasty Commers The first and most Ordinary Holpe is Stercoration The Sheeps-Dung is one of the best And next the Dung of Kine And thirdly that of Horses Which is held to be somewhat too hot vnlesse it be mingled That of Pigeons for a Garden or a small Quantity of Ground excelleth The Ordering of Dung is If the Ground be Arable to spread it immediately before the Plonghing and Sowing And so to Plough it in For if you spread it long before the Sunne will draw out much of the Fatnesse of the Dung If the Ground be Grazing Ground to spread it somewhat late towards Winter That the Sunne may haue the lesse Power to dry it vp As for speciall Composts for Gardens as a Hot Bed c. we haue handled them before The Second Kind of Compost is the Spreading of diuers Kinds of Earths As Marle Chalke Sea-Sand Earth vpon Earth Pond-Earth And the Mixtures of them Marle is thought to be the best As hauing most Fatnesse And not Heating the Ground too much The next is Sea-Sand Which no doubt obtaineth a speciall Vertue by the Salt For Salt is the first Rudiment of life Chalke ouer heateth the Ground a little And therfore is best vpon Gold Clay-Grounds or Moist Grounds But I heard a great Husband say that it was a common Errour to thinke that Chalke helpeth Arable Grounds but helpeth not Grazing Grounds Wheras indeed it helpeth Grasse as well as Corne But that which breedeth the Errour is because after the Chalking of the Ground they weare it out with many Crops without Rest And then indeed afterwards it will beare little Grasse because the Gound is tired out It were good to try the laying of Chalke vpon Arable Grounds a little while before Ploughing And to Plough it in as they doe the Dung But then it must be Friable first by Raine or Lying As for Earth it Copasseth it Selfe For I knew a Great Garden that had a Field in a manner powred vpon it And it did beare Fruit excellently the first yeare of the Planting For the Surface of the Earth is cuer the Fruitfullest And Earth so prepared hath a double Surface But it is true as I coÌ„â—eiue that such Earth as hath Salt-Petre bred in it if you can procure it without too much charge doth excell The way to hasten the Breeding of Salt-Petre is to forbid the Sunne and the Growth of Vegetables And therefore if you make a large Houell thatched ouer some Quantity of Ground Nay if you doe but Plancke the Ground ouer it will breed Salt-petre As for Pond-Earth or Riuer-Earth it is a very good Compost Especially if the Pond haue beene long vncleansed and so the Water be not too Hungry And I iudge it will be yet better if there be some Mixture of Chalke The Third Helpe of Ground is by some other Substances that haue a Vertue to make Ground Fertile though they be not meerely Earth wherin Ashes excell In so much as the Countries about AEtna and Vesuuius haue a kinde of Amends made them for the Mischiefe the Eruptions many times doe by the exceeding Fruit fulnesse of the Soyle caused by the Ashes scattered about Soot also though thinne spred in a Field or Garden is tried to be a very good Compost For Salt it is too Costly But it is tryed that mingled with Seed-Corne and sowen together it doth good And I am of Opinion that Chalke in Powder mingled with Seed-Corne would doe good Perhaps as much as Chalking the Ground all ouer As for the Steeping of the Seeds in seuerall Mixtures with Water to giue them Vigour Or Watring Grounds with Compost-Water We haue spoken of them before The Fourth Helpe of Ground is the Suffering of Vegetables to dye into the Ground And so to Fatten it As the Stubble of Corne Especially PeaseBrakes cast vpon the Ground in the Beginning of Winter will make it very Fruitfull It were good also to try whether Leaues of Trees swept together with some Chalke and Dung mixed to giue them more Heart would not make a good Compost For there is nothing lost so much as Leaues of Trees And as they lye scattered and without Mixture they rather make the Ground soure than otherwise The Fifth Helpe of Ground is Heat and Warmth It hath beene anciâ—â—â—â—â— practised to burne Heath and Ling and Sedge with the vantage of 〈◊〉 Wind vpon the Ground Wee see that Warmth of Walls and Encloâ—â—â—es mendeth Ground We see also that Lying open to the South menâ—â—th Ground We see againe that the Foldings of Sheepe helpe Ground 〈…〉 ll by their Warmth as by their Compost And it may be doubted â—â—â—ther the Couering of the Ground with Brakes in the Beginning of the Winter where of we spake in the last Experiment helpeth it not by reasoâ— of the Warmth Nay some very good Husbands doe suspect that the Gathering vp of Flints in Flinty Ground and Laying them on Heapes which is much vsed is no good Husbandry For that they would keep the Ground Warme The
Powdring when a Shower commeth maketh a kinde of Soyling to the Tree being Earth and Water finely laid on And they note that Countries where the Fields and Wayes are Dusty beare the best Vines It is commended by the Ancients for an Excellent Helpe to Trees to lay the Stalks and Leaues of Lupines about the Roots Or to Plough them into the Ground where you will sowe Corne. The Burning also of the Cuttings of Vines and Casting them vpon land doth much Good And it was generally receiued of old that the Dunging of Grounds when the West Wind bloweth and in the Decrease of the Moone doth greatly helpe The Earth as it seemeth being then more thirsty and open to receiue the Dung. The Grafting of Vines vpon Vines as I take it is not now in vse The Ancients had it and that three wayes The First was Insition which is the Ordinary Manner of Grafting The Second was Terebration through the Middle of the Stocke and Putting in the Cions there And the Third was Paring of two Vines that grow together to the Marrow and Binding them close The Diseases and ill Accidents of Corne are worthy to be enquired And would be more worthy to be enquired if it were in Mens Power to helpe them Whereas many of them are not to be remedied The Mildew is one of the Greatest which out of question commeth by Closenesse of Aire And therefore in Hills or large Champaigne Grounds it seldome commeth Such as is with vs York's Worad This cannot be remedied otherwise than that in Countries of Small Enclosure the Grounds be turned into larger Fields Which I haue knowne to doe good in some Farmes Another Disease is the Putting forth of Wilde Oats whereinto Corne oftentimes especially Barley doth degenerate It happeneth chiefly from the Weaknesse of the Graine that is sowen For if it be either too Old or Mouldy it will bring forth Wilde Oats Another Disease is the Saciety of the Ground For if you sow one Ground still with the same Corne I meane not the same Corne that grew vpon the same Ground but the same Kinde of Graine As Wheat Barley c. it will prosper but poorely Therefore besides the Resting of the Ground you must vary the Seed Another ill Accident is from the Winds which hurt at two times At the Flowring by Shaking off the Flowers And at the full Ripening by Shaking out the Corne. Another ill Accident is Drouth at the Spindling of the Corne Which with vs is rate But in Hotter Countries common Insomuch as the Word Calamitas was first deriued from Calamus when the Corne could not get out of the Stalke Another ill Accident is Ouer-wet at Sowing-Time which with vs breedeth much Dearth Insomuch as the Corne neuer commeth vp And many times they are forced to resow Sommer-Corne where they sowed Winter-Corne Another ill Accident is Bitter Frosts continued without Snow Especially in the Beginning of the Winter after the Seed is new Sowen Another Disease is Wormes which sometimes breed in the Root and happen vpon Hot Sunnes and Showers immediately after the Sowing And another Worme breedeth in the Eare it Selfe Especially when Hot Sunnes breake often out of Clouds Another Disease is Weeds And they are such as either Choake and Ouershadow the Corne and beare it downe Or starue the Corne and deceiue it of Nourishment Another Disease is Ouer-Rancknesse of the Corne Which they vse to remedy by Mowing it after it is come vp Or putting Sheepe into it Another ill Accident is Laying of Corne with great Raines neare or in Harnest Another ill Accident is if the Seed happen to haue touched Oyle or any Thing that is Fat For those Substances haue an Antipathy with Nourishment of Water The Remedies of the Diseases of Corne haue beene obserued as followeth The Steeping of the Graine before Sowing a little time in Wine is thought a Presernatiue The Mingling of Seed-Corne with Ashes is thought to be good The Sowing at the Wane of the Moone is thought to make the Corne sound It hath not beene practised but it is thought to be of vse to make some Miscellane in Corne As if you sow a few Beanes with Wheat your Wheat will be the better It hath beene obserued that the Sowing of Corne with Honsleeke doth good Though Graine that toucheth Oyle or Fat receiueth hurt yet the Steeping of it in the Dregs of Oyle when it beginneth to Putrifie which they call Amurca is thought to assure it against Wormes It is reported also that it Corne be Mowed it will make the Graine Longer but Emptier and hauing More of the Huske It hath beene noted that Seed of a yeare old is the Best And of two or three yeares is Worse And that which is more Old is quite Barren Though no doubt some Seeds and Graines last better than others The Corne which in the Vanning lieth lowest is the best And the Corne which broken or bitten retaineth a little Yellownesse is better than that which is very White It hath beene obserued that of all Roots of Herbs the Root of Sorrell goeth the furthest into the Earth Insomuch as it hath bin knowne to go three Cubits deepe And that it is the Root that continueth fit longest to be set againe of any Root that groweth It is a Cold and Acide Herbe that as it seemeth loueth the Earth and is not much drawne by the Sunne It hath beene obserued that some Herbs like best being watred with Salt-Water As Radish Beet Rew Pennyroyall This Triall would be extended to some other Herbs Especially such as are Strong As Tarragon Mustard-Seed Rocket and the like It is strange that is generally receiued how some Poysonous Beasts affect Odorate and Wholesome Herbs As that the Snake loueth Fennell That the Toad will be much vnder Sage That Frogs will be in Cinque foile It may be it is rather the Shade or other Couerture that they take liking in than the Vertue of the Herbe It were a Matter of great Profit saue that I doubt it is too Coniecturall to venture vpon if one could discerne what Corne Herbs or Fruits are like to be in Plenty or Scarcity by some Signes and Prognosticks in the Beginning of the Yeare For as for those that are like to be in Plenty they may be bargained for vpon the Ground As the Old Relation was of Thales who to shew how easie it was for a Philosopher to be rich when he fore-saw a great Plenty of Oliues made a Monopoly of them And for Scarcity Men may make Profit in keeping better the Old Store Long Continuance of Snow is beleeued to make a Fruitfull Yeare of Corne An Earely Winter or a very Late Winter a Barren Yeare of Corne An Open and Serene Winter an ill Yeare of Fruit These we haue partly touched before But other Prognostickes of like Nature are diligently to be enquired There seeme to be in some Plants Singularities wherein they differ from all Other The Oliue hath the Oyly