Section 26

*Tke fame by another means ; I pierced the Vine with a wimble, even unto the very marrow, and put into it cer- tain ointments fit for fuch an effect; (it williuffke,ifyou put them within the rine;) andthi I did in divers parts of the Vine, here and there about the whole body of* t he Vine, and that about grafting time by Inoculation ; for then the Vine is full of"- moidure j whereby it cometh to pafs, that the moifture it lelf afcending ac thac time into the fuperior parts, doth carry up with it the vertuc of the ointmenf:,and conveys it into the fruit, fo that the fruit will be operative either for purgation or tor childe-bearing, either to hurt or help,either to kill or preierve, according as the nature and quality of the ointment is , which was poured upon the roots of the Vine.
Chap. XXI.
How to plant Fruits and Vtnes^ that they may yield greateft encreafe.
mi : w o .si'Jiii1 •> • d •IT* Hat we may conclude this whole book, with a notable and much defired ex- X periment, we will now fliew in the laft place, how we may receive a large en- creafe
Of the TroduaionofneifrTlants. iop
jreafefrcm the fruits, and pulfe, and Vines which we have planted. A maiter iurely tnat mint needs be exceeding profitable, for a man 10 receive an hundred bufhels in usury ask were, for one bufhel chac he harh lowed. VVnich yet I wculd not hive to befounderfiood, as if a man fhould Hill expect to receive an hun- dretb for one, precifely or exa&ly lb much ; for fometimes the year, or the air and weather, or cifc the ground, or elfe the plants may nor perform their parts kindly ; and in this cafe, the encreafe cannot be lb great . (but yet it fhall never be fo little, but that it fhall be five times more then ordinary ;) but if thole things do perform their parts kindly together, you fhall receive lometimes for one bufhel, an hun- dred and fifty by encreafe. This may feem a paradox to fome, and they will think that we promife impoffibilities ; burfurely if they would confided all things rightly, they fhould rather think it a paradox, why half a bufhel well lown or planted,fhouid not yield two hundred bufhels encreafe, feeing that one grain or kernel that is planted and takes kindly, doth oft-times fpread his roor, as we fee, and frutf ifie in- to fundry and many Item?, fometimes into fifteen, amd in the ear of every one of thole Halks, are contained fometimes threelcore grains? I fpare to mention here the ground that lies inByzatiumin Africa, whereof Plir.y fpcaks, which, for cne grain that was planted in it, did yield very neer four hundred fialks, and the Gover- nour of that Country fent unto Nero three hundred andfourty Items growing out of one grain. But let us fear_h out the caufe whereby this comes to pais. Some think that the encreafe commonly falls out to be fo little, becaufe the greater part of the fruit which is caft into the ground, is eaten up of worms, or birds, or moles, and of other creatures that live in the earth. But this appears to be falfe, becaufe one bufhel of Pulfe being planted, never yields above fifteen. Now the Pulfe or Lu- pines, is of it felffo bitter, that pone of thjofe devouring creatures will tafte of ir, but let it lie fafe and untouched s and when they are grown up, you fhail common- ly finde about an hundred grains in the cods of every ilalk. Others referre the caufe hereof unto the weather, as if the fruit were annoyed with over much cold, or heat, or rain, fo that the fields are fometimes frozen with cold, and fometimes parched with hear, whereby they are fometimes more fruitful, and fometimes more barren. But this cannot be the true realbn, becaufe that though the weather be never fo kindly, ye that cannot make one encreafe into thirty. But not to wan- der or range any further about, we tnuft know that all grains that grow within the ear or the husk, are not prolifical, that is, they are not all fit to yield encreafe ; for God hath appointed fome of them for the food and fuftenance of living crea- tures, and others for feed. There are fome grains in an ear, which areas it were abortives, fuch as degenerate from their natural kind, and will not fru but rot and wafte away into putrefaction. There are other grains in an ear, fuch asareeafier to be ftript out of their husk, which are fitter for propagation, and are better enabled by nature thereunto. Befides that, fometimes it falls out, that feeds or grains are not planted in due feafon ; or if they be, yet fometimes the Husband- man doth not beftow that due labour and induftry in looking unto them, which the kind of the fruit requires. Wherefore if we can meet with all thefe impedi- ments, we may procure encreafe according to our hearts defire. For the feeds will be larger in the roots, and when they have fpread their roots under the earth of a good length, then will they fend up a greater number of flems, and bring forth good (lore of ears. Therefore you muft make choice of your feeds or grains, rot of the forwarded , nor yet of the backwardefi , becaufe they commonly are weakeft, but of the middle fort: then wafh them and dcanfe them from allo- ther feeds; andbefmear them with fat ointments, and with the greafe of old Goats ; and let them be continually fupplied with fufficient heat, and fuffuient moifmre ; then lay them in foft and warm mould carefully manured ; for the live- lier that the heat of the mould is , the better will the feeds clofc with ir, and become more eager to propagation , and embrace it more fweetly, as ihe male would do by his female. So fhall your your feeds be more enlivcd,and bring forth a more legitimate and a larger encrealV. Let them be plante I in
IIO JXATURAL iVlAGICK. 'jlOOfa.
the full of the Moon or thereabout t for the larger the Moon is, the more bounti- ful encreafe foe will procure. Concerning the Vine, you muft fee that her leaves be not wanting, if you would have good ftore of Wine; for, if the leaves be away, the Vine hath little heart to bear • and befides, (he.Giould be without an uTuefor her fuperfluities, which commonly the leaves do receive into themfelves : onely you muft pare off thofe twifted curies that are wont to grow upon it ; for fo, her pride being taken away from her, the juice will be more delightful, and more plcafanr.
THE
Ill
THE
FOURTH BO OK
O F
ywvt
Natural Mag-ick :
Which teacheth things belonging to Houfe-keeping 5 how to prepare domeftical neceflaries with a fmall coft j and how to keep them when they are procured.
The P R O E M E.
FT^m %/fnimals and flants,we are come to Homfhold- affairs ; there we provided di* verftty of new fruits fit for our u ft: now wefiiallfccm to have J owed nothings and pro dw ced nothings unlefs we fhew how,& what we fowed and produced at great charge and pa$nst may be treferved agaihft the cold, and injuries of the outward air, that the) may come forth inihetr feafons. It were the part of a wicked and fiothful man carelefsly to let that dye and come to nothing, which he had provided with Jo much care and yams : wherefore at you Were witty to produce them, yon triufi be as diligent to prefrve them. And the Hus- band-man that ftores up fruit, {ball have good provifionfor the lYtnter. For faith Marcus Varro, they fervefor fever al meats, and uo man ftores them up but to produce them when he hath need of them, to defend, or ttfe9or fell them. I fhaHfirfi fet down the inventions of tur Ancefiors, who were very diligent herein, for tbej found fundry things by dtvers means, and faithfully delivered the know/edge of them to pofierity- Then Ifhatt relate what I know to be true) intermixing fome of my own inventions, and fuch as I thinkjo be of greatefi concernment, and that 1 have often tried. J fh all be fides add fome eonfi derations of pread, wine, and oyle, and fuch as are of great profit for the Hutband-man to provide for his family with the leffir cofi, alwayes fetting down the natural caufes; that they being per* fcttly known, a man may eafily invent and make them. But te proceed to the works
Chap. I.
How Fruits may be long preferred upon their Trees.
\ E will begin with Fruits : And whereas fruits and flowers both may be preferved cither upon their own mother Tree which bear them, or elfe being pluckc off from it, we will firtt fhew, how fruits may be preferved upon their own Tree, and firtt rehearlc thole things which the Ancients have fet down con- cerning this matter, and next, what we our felves have found out by our own experience. Our Anccftor?, when they would have fruit to laft long upon the Tree, were wonc firft of all to bind them to the ftock or to the boughs, lelt any tempeft Ihould ftrike them off, or tofs them up and down. Befides, they did intercept that juice from them, which fhould ripen them : for there are fome kinds of fruits, which, as foon as ever they be ripe, willftay bo longer upon the Tree, but fall down of them- felves, though they are not fo much as (haken : other fruits there are that will (lick longer and fafter to their hold. Befides, they were wont to cover them with cer- tain cafes or (hells as it were ; thereby guarding them from the injuries of the wea- ther, both hot and cold, and aifo from the mouths of devouring birds. Where- fore to make Tome'
in Natural Magick. jBoof^q..
Pomegranates hang long upon their Trees • Some hi c wreathed and platted about the fruit the fmaller boughs that grow hard By, that^he rain may not come forcibly upon it to break [ or chopir, for.if it^be Qfate brufced, or thaV it-*do but gaps and have any chopsin it, it will foon^penfh ; and Whenthe^f havefo done, they tyetbem faft to the ftronger boughs, that they may not be fruken ; and then they bind the Tree about with a kindjof broom withes, that the Daw?, or Crows, or other' birds may not. come at the fruit to gnaw it. Some do frame earthen cafes fit for^the frnitj and cp_vcr the famewith ftrawie mor- tcr, and let the fruit hang ftill upon the Tree in them. Others do wrap up every one of the Pomegranates in hay or holm, and then daube it thick over withmor- terwhich hath cbopt ftraW ink, andfo faften them to the ftronger boughes, that the winde may not (hake them. But all threfe pracVifes muft be uled when the yvea- ■theris fair, and there is;ncither rain nor d^w ftirririg, as Columella teachetb.. Buc BetitiHi ufeth this means to makcthem ftay long on their Tree.-Jdk take* the blof- foms of the Tree when they begin bo wither, and wraps in them every Pomegra- nate by it fclf, and then binds them about with bonds ; thereby preventing their putrefaction, and their chawns and chops which otherwife would be in them. O- thers put them in earthen pots every one by itfelf, and cover them well, and fettle them faft, that they may not be broken by knocking againft the flock or arms,- of the Tree, nor by hitting one againft the other: for by this means yon (ball hafc them alwayes better grown then by any other. Var.ro faith, that if you take pome- granates before they be ripe, as they ftick upon their (talks, and put them into a pcttomlcfs pot, and cover them, boughs and all, in the ground, fo that no winde may come at them, you fhall not only finde them whole when you take them out, but they will be greater alfo then if they had hong ftill upon the Tree. PalU-
Citrons ma; Be preferved upon the Tree ;
even by (butting them up in certain earthen veflels fit for fuch a purpofe ; for fo yott may keep them upon their Tree almoft all the year long. If you would have
Grapes hang upon the Vine^freflo and good, even till the Spring of thejeary JSerititts prefcribes you this courfe. You muft dig a pit in a very fhadowy place peer to the Vines, about a yard deep, and fill it up with fand , and fet up fomc props in k : then you muft loofen the j oinrs of the Vine? branches, and winde them in to- gether with the clufters of grapes to be tied to the props, and then cover them, that no water may come at them. You muft take heed alfo that the grapes do not touch the ground. A thing which I have oft-times put in pra out to my expectation: for ftill the grapes were halfrotten, and their colour quite faded. Colftn*e^ which may hold each, of them a clufter of grapes, fo that they may have lcope e- nouih ; and they muft have every one four handles, whereby they may be tied to the Vine, and their lids or coverings muft be fo framed that the middle may be the place of clofing, where both fides of the cover may fall clofe together when the clu- fters are in, and fo meeting may hide the grapes. But you muft fee that both the veflels themfclves, and alfo their coverings be well pitched both within and with- out ; for the pitch will do good fervicc herein. When you have thus covered and fhut up.y" our grapes , then you muft lay good (tore f morter with ft raw chopt in it upon the veflels. But in any cafe, look that the grapes be fo placed in the veflels, that they touch no part thereof, larentinvu gives this connfel. The clutters that firft grow, you muft pluck eff, and then others will ccme up in their fteads, if yon look carefully to the Vine : now thefc later clutters will be very backward and long 4rc they be ripe : take fomc earthen veflels, and let them be fomewhat open be- low : put into them your later clutters, and let the upper part of them be very clofe covered, and then bind your veflels faft unto the Vine, that fo the wind may noc fluke them. Palladia faith; If you be defirous to keep grapes upon the Vine till
the.
Of increafing HouJhold^Jlujfe. no
the Spring-time, you mutt take this courfe. Neeruntoa Vine that is laden with •grapes, you muli make a ditch about three foot deep and two foot broad in a very ihadowy place ; and when you have caft fand into ir, Itick up certain props, and winde the bunches daily towards them, and when you have wrought them to ftand that way, bind them to your props without hurting the grapes, and then cover them to keep them from the rain. The Grxcians likewife counfel you to flint up your grapes into certain earthen veflels which are fomewhat open beneath, but very clofe and fad (hue above, and lb you may prcfervc them long upon the Tree. If you would prcfervc
Grapes upon the fwe till new come again, fo that upon one and the [ante Vine-branch, may
be [een o 'd and new grapes both together, you may effect it by this device, which I my felf have ufed i for, all the former experiments are the inventions of Antiquity, and, becaufe there is great difficul- ty in working them, and fmall profit when they are wrought, therefore I cfteem them as toyes and matters of little worth. Buc this I have experienced my felf, and preferved good grapes upon a Vine until May and June, and fo have feen both new grapes, and grapes alio of the former year together upon one and the fame br inch. When Vintage time is paft, you rrsuft take the tops and pliant twigs of fuch Vines as grow by the honfe fide, and winde them in at the window into the houfe, and binde them fad to the fummers or beams with the fprigs of Broom, as with firings or thongs, that they may be furely Hayed from wagging up and down : but- you mult let them in handfomely that the windows may be opened and fhut con- veniently. By this means you fliall keep them fafe from the injury both of the cold weather, and alfo of the devouring birds. When there isanyfrofts or winds abroad, keep the windows clofe four, and open them again when the air is waxed any thing calm and warm ; and fo deal by them till the Spring come. And when the Vine begins to bear new buds and new leaves, then let your twigs out of prifon, and bring them back again into the open air, and there let them take the comfort of the warm Sun. So (hall there grow new grapes upon the fame twigs where the old grapes are. I have alfo effected the fame
By another means.
Becaufe it was a great trouble, and a very irkfome piece of work, to take that courfe every year, I have thought of another device whereby the fame effect maybe at* tained both more prettily and miraculoufly. About the time wherein they are wont to prune Vines, make choice of two fpecial branches upon the Vine, fuch as aremoft likely to bear fruit. Cut tff the tops of either of them, but leave the branches ftil I growing upon the Vine, and leave two or three buds upon either branch.Tf.en take a vcff^i made of chalk or white clay,and let there be a hole bored quite thorough the bottom of it, and fo place it , that it may ftand fit for the branches to be drawn thorough ir, fo that they may ftand a little out above the brims thereof. When your branches are fo feared, then fill up the veficl with earth; aad, that you m-:y work more fnrely and fpt edily too, you mult fct over your ear- then veffcl another veff 1 full of water, all the Summer long, which muft be ftopc toward the bottom with a clout fomewhat lcoiely, that the clouts end hanging down into the earthen veffel, may bedew the earth that is in it continually by little and little; to (hall your iprigs or branches bring forth both fruic and leaves, and moreover (hail take roo- within the veffel that will (hoot out into new twigs. Af- ter Vintage-time, cut off the branches from the Vine a little beneath the earthen veffcl, and lb carry them into a clofe houfe that isfituateina dry place where no tempefts can come at it, as in Wine-cellars, or fuch like : Let the windows be net- ted over, that the bird? may not come at them: In the Winter-time, if there come any fair dayes, bring them forth into the Sun • andj when the weather is ex- tream cold, keep them in fo much the clofer and warmer rooms. If you preferve them thus until Auguft, you fliall have old and new grapes both together upon on^ branch, and each of them will be quick and well-coloured.