Section 20

Chap. XI.
How we may caufe fruit to grow bigger then their ordinary kinde. IT remained! now that we fet down certain rules and wayes whereby fruit may be *made greater,and far exceed the ordinary bignefs of their own kind : and this may be effe&ed divers wayes* ; for it may be done cither by engrafting only (for indeed this is the chief privilcdge that engrafRng hath, to procure bigger fruit) ; orclfe by planting upon thofe Trees which bring forth greater fruit of their own kind ; or eHe by gathering of the fruit here and there fome, if the Tree be overladen, that 4b the juice may more plentifully beftow itfclf upon the fruit that is left behind ; or elfe by drefling and trimming them; or by other devices, as hereafter (hall be fhewed, Wc will firft begin with engrafting, and (hew how we may procure thereby
That apples or other like fruit jhallgrow bigger then they are wont, A tree that is pl»n-ed with a graffcof her own kinde, will alwayes bring forth greater fruit, then if it were not fo planted. We brought an example hereof out of Vlinj , that CortUius took a Scion of a Cheftnut-trce, and engrafted the fame into the tree again,and thereby produced a greater and a bet- ter Chcftjiut. And for rny own part, I have oft-times made the like proof in many other fruits, and by experience have found that all fruits may be made greater by engrafting, and carefu looking unto, but efpecially Citrons. Secondly, we may procure fruits to be greater then ordinary, by graf- fing upon another Tree, whofe kind is to bear bigger fruit. As for example, if wc would produce
Pf ars that [hoidd be greater then ordinary,
O efpecially
8x NatuulMagick.
efpecially the kaft fort of Pears called Myrapia, or Musk- pears , we may effect it by er^raffing them into a Quince-tree • bccaule the Quince- tree, of all o;her, bears the greateft faut : and tuereby the leaft Pears that are may be fo augmented, thac they will become a very goodly fruit, ; experience whereof,we have in many places in our Country. So we may caufe
The (JWedlar-tree to bear huge Medlar s, greater then any man would imagine, if we engraft it into the Quince-tree : the proof whereof both I have made my felf, and feett it tried by many others •> and the oftener we fo engraft it, the greater Medlars we (hall procure. Likewife
The [mall Ayrtcockmay be made greater ^ whereas they are the fmalleit kinde of Peaches that are. I have oftentimes engraf- fed it upon that kinde of Damofin-tree which bears a Plum like a Goats Hone both in fliape and greatnefs, (it may be it is our Scig-tree) and by this means I procured great Apricocks : but if you ingriff it into any other Damofin-tree, it will yeeld bnt a batfard fruit : for the Apricock doth not endure kindly, to be engraffed into any other trees beiides. In our Naples and Surrentine orchards , there is excellent fruit of this kinde ; and I never law any elfewhere. We may alio
augment the fruit of the Myrtle-tree, The Pomegranate-tree and the Myrtle-tree are each delighted with others compa- ny, as Didymus wtiteth in his Georgicks j where he faith plainly, that the Pomegra- nate-tree being engraff-d into the Myrtle-tree , and likewife the Myrtle-tree into the Pomegranate-tree, do each of them bring forth a greater fruit. But I am per- fwaded that the Myrtle-tree brings forth greater fruit in proportion to her body when it is engraffed upon the Pomegranate-tree, becaul'e the kinde of this is greater then the kinde of that, then the Pomegranate-tree doth when h is engraffed npon the Myrtle- tree. By fuch a kinde of means we may alfo procure
Mulberries greater then ordinary^ if we engraff a Mulberry into a Fig-tree : for fo Pailaditu hath written, That if the Mu berry be engraffed into a Fig-tree,the Fig-tree will caufe it ro change his colour, and will fill up the fruit thereof with a fat juyce, fo that they fhall be greater Mul- berries then ordinarily their kinde is wont to yeeld. A third means whereby Ap- ples or luch-like fruit may be augmented, is, by plucking off fome of the fruit here and there,and leaving fome few upon the trees : for fo (hall the juyce of the tree be- ftow it felf more liberally upon the fruit that is left,and make ic greater : as a mother doth more bountifully feed one childe with her milk , then fhe can feed twain. Wherefore if we would procure
Citrons greater then their ktxde, Threntinw counfelleth us, that when the fruit beginneth to weigh down the boughs, we fhouid pluck off here and there fome, and leave but a few behinde ; fo (hall they that are left be thicker and bigger every way. Vontanta alfo faith the fame. If, faith he, you would have great Citrons, big enough to fill your hand, you muft fhake eff a great many from all the boughs, onely leaving fome few , (but you muft leave both the greatelf , and thofe alfo that grow in the chiefeft and likelieft parts of the tree : ) for, faith he, the heir which is left, will make himfelf merry and fat with his brothers milk, and thrive much the better. Pailaditu fhews \
flow to make Apples greater then ordinary , and it is by this fame means. For when they hang thick upon the boughs, you muft gather away the worft, that fo the nourifhing juyce may be converted to the beft, and the faired may thereby be the better augmented. There is vet another means whereby w? may caufe fruit to be the greater ; and this by duffing and trimming, when we dig about them,and water them, and lay muck about them. And firtt, by this means
Citrons may be made greater : for, as Palladia faith , they are much holpen and delighted with continual digging about them. And
Quince-pears may be augmented^ as the Tame Author fheweth, by watering them continually. And
Teaches may be augmented much, if
Of the TroduBion of neve Tlants. 8$
if we plant them in moift places , and fupply them with continual watering. But if you would have the Peach-trees
Bring forth ver) great oms$ you muft watch the time when they bloflom , and fuckle them three days together with three pintes of Goats mlk, as Palkditu (heweth. We have pra&ifed to caufe
7 he T omegranate-tree to bear a mighty fruit • :nd that by this means. We took a good portion of fat muck, whereunto we put an equal portion of Swines dung, «nd the lees of Wine and Barley-bran ; and we kept all this in a dry place for a year together, evety month manging them again one with another ; and at laft we put Vineger to it, and made it like an Ointment. Afterward in O&ober and November, we digged away the earth from about fome parts of the Pomegranate-tree-roots, and there wrapt in this Ointment round about them, and at length covered them again with earth ; and by this Device I had greater Pome- granates then ever the tree bare before. But now if you would go forward, and praftife the fame upon it the two next years following , queftionlefs you might pro- duce very huge Pomegranates, wonderful to be feen,as big as Gourds. Likewife we have caufed Beans to bring forth great cods,
by anointing them with this fame ointment,and afterward fowing them in the earth : whereby we had great, increafe , both for the bignefs of the Bean , and alfo of the cod. Alfo
Leeks and roots of Radijh may be made greater • if we tranflate them out of one place, and fet them in another, as Theophraftu* (heweth. If you would have
A Rape grow bigger and rounder y you muft fow it affoon as ever it is ready to be taken out of the husk : for by the ad- vantage and benefit of the feafon wherein it isfowed,itwill be the more augmented; becaufe the root will thereby be the better filled , and the larger grown. Likewife Florentine fheweth, how to make a
Teafe of a bigger growth. If, faith he, you take Peafe , and iieep them in warm water the day before you fow them, they will grow the greater. Some men take more pains thenneedeth j who, becaufe they would have a greater Peafe growing, they fteep them Chclls and all, and put Nitre into the water wherein they are fteeped, and fow them in their (hells.
Vttches may be made bigger^ it they be fet with a little pole, to grow up thereby : for this will caufe them to thicken, as Iheophraftus faith. So alfo
Onions may be thic\ned^ as Sotion (heweth. About fome twenty days before you tranflate them from the place where they firft grew , you muft dig away the earth about them, and let them lie a drying, that all moifture may be kept from them ; and then plant them again, and they will grow much bigger. But if withal you pill of the top-skin , and io plant them, they will be far greater. Likewife we may caufe
tArtichockj to bear a fuller fruity as Varro fheweth. If you plant them in a well-foiled place, and cover them with old dung, and water them often in the fummer-time , you (hall by this means have a fuller and a more tender Artichock. We may alfo pra&ife another Device whereby to make greater fruit, which Theo^hraflm hath fet down • and he brings an Example, how to make Pomegranates to grow greater then ordinary:
for Art may caufe the greatnefs of Fruit. When the firft buds be formed upon the boughs , they muft be put into an earthen veffel that is made with a hole quite thorow ; and the bough whereon they grow, muft be fwayed downward with- out hurting it : then cover the pot with earth, and fo you (hall have exceeding great Pomegranates. The reafon whereof is this : The pot preferves the fruit from the va- pours that would otherwife annoy it : and befides, the earth miniftreth fome moi- fture unto it • fo that the bignefs thereof is increafed by the ftore of nourifiV ment. It receives no more help from the tree, then if it were out of the earth. *nd therefore the kernels are no greater then ordinary ; but the pill h much
O 2 thicker:
84. Natural Magick. Sgo^j.
thicker : the proper juice of it is fomewhat wafted andconfumed ; for which caufe the tafte of this fruit fo handled, is waterilh and worfe then others: but thenne receives outward nourifhment, and fpends none ; for which caufe that is much thicker. The like pra&ife Palladius and Martial ufe, thereby to procure
A great Citron.
They take a Citron when it is young,and fiiut it up f aft in an earthen veffel : for the Citron will increafe continually, till it come to be of the bignefs and fafhion of the veffel wherein it is puc : but there muft be a hole made thorow the veffel, whereby the air may get in unto it. By the like device, Theopkraftns allays to produce
Cucumbers and Gourds greater then ordinary by hiding them while they are young, both from Sun and from Winde, that nothing may come at them to hinder their growth. Like to this Device, is the fetting of them in Fennel-ftalks, or in earthen Pipes •, whereby the natural Juyce and Nou- rifhment is kept in, to the increafing of their gtowth. We will alfo (hew, out of 'fheophrafimi a like Device, whereby the Herb
tAli fender or 'Par (Ley may he made greater. You muft dig the Alifander round about the root, and cover it with Cachryl , and then heap earth upon it. For the roots fpend all the moifture themielves, and fuffer no nourifhment to afcend into the buds. This Cachryl is hot and thick : and as by the thicknefs it draws nourifhment to it, foby venue of the heat it doth con- coct and digeft that which it hath attracted : and therefore feeing this doth both draw more nouriftiment to the Alifander, and alfo concoct it , there muft needs be a greater augmentation of that herb. This practice he borrowed of AnHotle. This herb may alfo be made bigger by another means , namely, if when you plant it, you make a hole for it in the ground with a great ftake : for the root will at length fill up the hole. So there is a means to make
A %*di]h- root grow bigger, if it be planted in a cold ground, as 'Pliny fheweth. For Radifties are much cherifh- edand delighted with cold ; as in fome cold places of Germany there be Radifhes growing as big as a little childe. Some have reported, that if you drive a ftake into the ground fix inches deep, and put chaff into]the pit which the ftake hath made, and then put in the Radifh-feed,covering it over with earth and muck , the Radifh will grow Up to the bignefs of the pit. By a Device not much unlike to this,FlorentinHf
fheweth how to
Make great Lettife.
You muft remove them, and water them well ; and when they are grown half a handful high, you muft dig round about them,that the roots may be feen : then wrap them in Ox-dung, and cover them over again, and water them ftill ; and when they arc waxen bigger, cut the leaves crofs with a (harp knife, and lay upon them a little barrel or tub that never was pitched, (for Pitch will hurt the herb) that fo it may grow not in height, but onely fpread forth in breadth. So the herb
Beet may be made greater^ as Sotion fheweth. To make Beet grow in bignefs, faith he,' thou muft cover the roots over with fome frefh Ox-dung, and divide the leaves or buds, and lay a broad ftone or a tyle upon it, to caufe it to fpread forth in bredth. You may alfo make
Leeks greater ,
by removing them, and laying a great ftone or abroad tyle upon them : but in no cafe muft they be watered. By the very fame Dcvice^Anatolitu fheweth how to make
(jdrltcf^ greater y
Of the TroduBion of nevs> Tlants. 8f
by laying tyles upon the roots thereof, as upon Leeks. Thcophraflut fheweth ano- ther kinde of Device, whereby to make
%^difhes greater j
and he faith that the Gardeners of his time were wont to pradtife ir. They took away the leaves in the Winter-time, when they flourifh molt, and caft the Radiihes into the ground, covering them over with earth ; and fo they lafted and grew rill Summer came again , never (hooting forth either into buds or leaves,excepr it were where the earth was gone, that they lay uncovered. The like Experiment doth Pal- ladius teach, concerning the Rape-root, whereby to make
^ape-roots greater.
AfToon as you have plucked them up , you muft ftrip off all the leaves, and cut off the ftalk about half an inch above the root : then make certain furrows for them in the ground, for every one of them a feveral furrow ; and there bury them afunder, about eight inches deep : and when you have caft earth upon them, tread it in ; and by that means you fhall have great Rape-roots. By the like means , Jheophrcflm thinks, we may procure
The herb Wakf-robbin to grow greater. When it is moft full of leaves , and when the leaves be at the broadeft, we muft bow them downward, winding them round about the root within the earth, that fo the herb may not bud forth , buc all the nourishment may be converted to the head of the herb. So may we make
Onions to grow bigger ,
as Theophrafim fuppofeth , if we take away all the ftalk, that the whole force of the nouriftiment may defcend downwards ; left if it fhould be diffufed, the chief vertue thereof fhould fpend it felf upon the feeding. Sotion faith,that if a man plant Oni- ons, he muft cut eff both the tops and the tails thereof , that fo they may grow to a greater bignefs then ordinary. Palladim faith, that if we defire to have great-head- ed Onions , we muft cut off all the blade, that fo the juyce may be forced down to the lower parts. In like manner, if we would have
Cjarltckiheads greater then conm$M, we muft take all the greenifh fubftance thereof, before it be bladed , and turn it downward , that fo it may grow into the earth. There is yet another Device, whereby to make herbs and roots grow bigger then ordinary \ but yet I like not fo well of it , howfoever many ancient Writers have fet it down : and firft,
How to make Leeks grow greater. Columella hath prefcribed this courfe : you muft take a great many Leek-feeds , and binde them together in thin linen clouts , and fo caft them into the ground , and they will yeeld large and great leeks. Which thing Palladia alfo confirms by his authority , in the very fame words. But both of them had it out of Theophraftw, who putreth h for a general Rule , That if a man fowe many feeds bound up toge- ther in a linen cloth , it will caufe both the root to be larger, and the buds to be larger alio . and therefore in his time they were wont to fow Leeks, Parfly,and other herbs after the fame manner : for they are of more force when there be many feeds together, all of them concurring into one nature. Moreover , it makes not a little to the enlarging of fruits, to take the feeds which we would fow, our of fome certain part of the former fruit. As for example : we fhall procure