Section 29

Chap. VII.
How fruits muft be (hut up and kept clofe that the air come not at them,
have fhewed before, that, if we would preferve fruit long, we muft keep away both heat and moifture from them; both which qualities arc found in
the
the air. Wherefore we will firlt fet down the devices of Antiquity in this behalf and then our own devices and experiments. And tint
How to keep Apples ctofg without putrifying. We will begin with Ariftotle-> who faith, thatfruicsaretobekeptin bottles full of air, that lb the extrinlecal air may be excluded ; for thus he fpeaks in his Problems. Wbcnce Cometh it, that the fruits of Trees, andfLfli, and luch like, do laft with- out putrcf ad ion, when they are fhut up in bottles full of air, or in other veflels that are well covered, and clofed up on every fide ? It is becaufc all things are wont to be corrupted when they are ftirred or removed, but when things axe filled, they (tand unmoveable ? for it cannot be, that any thins* Should be moved, unlefs there be fome vacant fpace to be moved in .• now thofe things which are fo (hut up, are every way full, and therefore are prelcrved without corruption. As if he {hould £ay ; the air which is To enclofed, cannot fofoon procure putrefaction , by xeafon that it is not fo fubje& to the daily alterations of the circumftant air. Or, if the fruit could fend forth rheir Heat and moiHure which is in them, yet it (hould be kept in upon them by the fulnefs of the bottles. But let us fee what the Ma. iters of Husbandry do teach concerning this matter. As for example
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How to preferve Citrons do ft without pmrifying.
PaBadst* doth thus preferve them from the air. He (huts up every Citron in a feve- ral veffei by it feif, and plaiters them up, and fets them ord rly in a fit place pre- pared for that purpofe. Sotiom faith, that the Pome-Citron muft be very well plat- Itered over with ftampt m )rter, that fo it may keep one whole year logethc^wkh* out any harm or blcmifh. So have others caught us the way
How to k*tf -Apples {but Up cbfe.
Columella faith, that every feveral kind of Apples is to be placed in a feveral celt by themfelves ; for when divers kinds arc (hut up in one and the fame cell, they will not agree fo well together, but will foon put rifle : Bsc when you have dif- pofrd of your Apples that they are fet in good order, then (hut up the lids of the cc ff:r or cell upon them • and plaifter the lids over with lome, that hatb ftrav* chopt in it, left the air get in. Palladia would have every apple placed by ic felf in a feveral earthen vtflel, which muft be pitched within, and plailtered over with morter, or elfe t hey may be lapt up in clay, and fo preferved. IP liny fait h, that the cultom in his time was, to make choice of the goodlicft apples , and 10 plaifter them over with morter or wax, that it may be like a cruftupon them: but, faith he, thev mult be fully ripe firft ; for otherwife they will grow and wax bigger, and fo break our of their homes. Others put every feveral Apple or Pear into a feveral earthen veffcl, and befmear the veffels all over with pitch, and then put the veflTela with the fruit in them, into a barrel or tub, andfo preferve them. Apuletm was wont to preferve them in an earthen pot laid all about on the infide with wax. Some preferve them by lapping them up in Rcits or Sea- weed, and fo (hutting them up into earthen pitchers: but they mult be every one wrapt upfeverally by it felf, and fo laid, that they may not touch each other j and befides, the pitchers mult be very well andclofe covered. Columella prefcribes this courfe whereby
Quinces are to befnut up, that they may lafi,
■
They muft be wrapt up in Fig-leaves • and you muft take fome Potters white earth and cut in Wine- Ices to it, to make morter of them , and with that morter be- fm=«r the Quinces : then you mult puc them into fome new veifel^nd cover them all over with tome dry plaiftering that they may not touch one another. dius puts them between two tile-fheards , and clofes them upi with Lome round about j and then covers them over with dry pUiftering > and fo
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Natural Magic k. 'Boot^ 4,.
Hayes them up in a New pot or bafeo, that they may be kept afunder. Vemocrittts doth firft cover them over with leaves, and then he makes morter of clay or of fome Potters chalk with hair chopt into it, wherewith he beiinears the Quinces j and when he hath dryed them in the Sun, helaycs them up: and whenfoever he would ufc any of them, he breaks up their cafe, and there finds his Quinces in the fame taking as they were, when he put them in. But TUny teacieth as very briefly, that if we would keep Quinces long, we muft (hut them up fo clofe, that no air may come at them. By the like means, you may prefervc
All things clofe exceeding wellj
'M*goy when he would preferve any fruit clofe, he covers them all over very careful- ly with Potters chalk, and then dries it in the Sun ; and if there happen to be any thap in the mould, he ftoppeth it up with lome, and fo when it is dcie, layes it «p. Others take a new earthen pitcher, and ftrew it with the duft or (havings of Poplar, or clfe of the Holm-tree ; and then they place the fruit in it, in fuch fore that there lies fome of the duft betwixt every fruit: then they boord that fpace, and snake a floor over that ftoary ; and having fo done, they ftrew the fecond ftoary with the like duft, and there alfo difpofe of their fruit as in the other ftoary: then they boord that fpace too , and make a third ftoary , and fo a fourth , and fo for- ward till the pitcher be filled up : and when it is full, they lay a covering upon it, and plaifter it over very carefully with thick lome. Others pu: their fruit into a bar- rel, but they place them in fuch order, that the one may not touch the other ; and ahen they clofe up the barrel again, as Palladia* reporteth. Africanm ceacheth a way
ttgs may be (but up to be preferred long,
[You muft take a green Gourd, and make in it certain cells or hollow places of re- ceipt, for every feveral fig a feveral cell; Into ihcfecells yon muft put your fig?, and wrap the gourd about with a fwathe of cloath or leather, and then hang up the gourd in a dark place where neither fire nor fmoak may come at them : But yon tnuft fee that the figs which you would thus preferve,, have their tails ar ftalks upon fehem. Others take 1 cup of glaflc, or fome 01 her cup that you may fee thorough, Jand fet it upon the figs with the oaouth downward,and flop up with wax every place ground about, that no air may come within the cups mouth; and fo the figs are preferved without any corruption. VaUdim rehcaifeth the very fame experiment SDUt of the fame Author, Likewifc
Cervices may be pout up in barrels-, and thereby be preferved a great while.You muft take Cervices prefently as they are gathered, and make choice of thofe that are not bruifed nor blemifhed any way : Thefe you muft put into a barrel, andftiutup the mouth af the barrel verv clofe, and plaifter it over with morter. Orelfeycu may take clay morter, that is well made, and beaten together, that it may be about the thicknefs of horey , and drench yourCervifes in it, and then hang them up ifo you may preferve them found awhile; and afterward you muft wafli them, that the morter which (ticks upon them, may fall c£ So, the fruit
Ziz,iphum may be fhiit up in earthen veffets to be long preferved, as TaBadtus fheweth. But they muft be gathered by hand, and that not before they be ripe; and you mnft foot them up in long earthen vef- fcls,and plaifter them over, and fo lay them up. He ftieweth ajfothat
Medlars j And the fruit Tuber may be Jhut up in pitchers, fo to be preferved.
You muft put your Medlars into pitchers, that are befmeared with pitch on the in- fidc ; bat the pitchers wherein you put your Tubers, muft not only be pitched on thcin-fidc, but alio daubed aver on the out-fide. So Di&yimu (he wetb, that
Myrtle-bcrrie-c
Of increaftng of Houfhold 125
Myrtle-berries may be very well kept to lift lono, if you gather them when they are green, and put them into a vefTel,. that is not pitched, and Co cover iccloie, and lay the n up. Others lay them up w ith tails or ftalks upon them. Palladia fheweth, that
Klits may be long prefervsdy if you (hot themupdofe in coffers ; but the coffers muft be made of Nut-trce6* The lame Talltdinthzws, thac
Chefi-nuts maybe long preferred, if you put them in wicker baskets, and plaifter up the baskets round aboit : but the rods which the baskets be made of muft be Beechen-rods; and they mult be cna4c up fo ciofc, that no air stay come at that fruit which is in them. Like wile
Rofes may be (hut up to beprefervedy if you take green Barley bem* pluckt up by the roots, and put them into a barrel that is not pitched, and lay Rofes in amongft it before they be blown: for by this means you may keep them long. So alfo you may (hut up
Ltlliesit0 make them lafi a whole year. You muft gather them with their boughs,as they grow,bcfore they be biown,and put them into new earthen veffcls that were never pitched, and when you have cover- ed the veffels, lay them up ; and fo (hill you have Lillies of a year old. But if you have ufc for aay of rhemia the mean time, bring them forth into the Sun, and by the heat thereof they will be opened and blown. Wc Will fliew alfo out of Didj* mtU) how
[Crapes may be (hut tip to laU hkgj
Some take certain cafes that arc pitched ill within, aid when they have ftrewed them with the daft or dry powder of the Pitch-tree, er the Firre-tree, or the black! Poplar-tree, or elfe with the dry flower of Millet, then they put in their grapes , and fothey laft long : but they take their grapes prefently after the time of Vin- tage, and make fpecial choice of thofe grapes that ire without any bruife or ble- mifh, andtheyfliutup the mouth of the veffels very dole, and overlay them with morter. Or elfe they may be drenched in clay-morter , that is Well beaten , and fome what liquid, and then be hanged up, and fokept for a while, and afterward when you would nfe them, wafhthem over, that the morter may fall off. Colftmel~ la iaith;you muft take the great Teat-grape,Or elfe the hard-skinned grape,or elfe the fair purple-grape, from the Vine> and prefently pitch their ftalks with hard pitch: then take a new earthen Vatt, and fill it with dry chaffc well fifted,that it be with- out duft, and fo hangup your grapes upon it: then take another Var, and covet therewith the former, grapes and all : and when you have laid the brims of both vatts rogether, then daube them up with more that is made with chopped ftraw l and when you have fo done, place them in a very dry loft * and cover them all over with dry chaff e.
Wheat may be laid up clofe to be preferred,
by putting it into caves or pits of the earth, a« we have (hewed out of Varro ; for the Cappadocians and Thracians put their Com into Caves and Dens ; the Spani- ards put it into certain pits, and make fpecial provifion that the moilture and air may not come at them ; except it be when they take our. any for their ufe; for if the air do not breath upon it, it will be free from the mice a in U like v ermine : and it is known, that Corn being thus laid up, harh been kept clean and lweet fifty years together. Marcus Varro faith, that
Beans and Pulfe have been laid up in veffels^ and fo preferred fit a Ion? time i
n6 Natural Magick. cBoo^.
but they muft be oyle-veflcls., and they muft be covered ov r wiih zChzs.P!iny writes the very fame experiment out of Varro \ that Beans and Puiie being laid up in oyle- buis, and covered over with afhes, have laficd a great while; and being laid up in fome hole of the earth, they have lafted an hundred and twenty years. So the
Pulfc called
JLintels^have been prcfervtd long,
as CohimclU (lie weth : for if you puc them into oyle-vcffcls, or elfe into falting-tubs, chat they may be-full, and fo plaifterthem over with morter, whenfoever you take them forth again for your ufe, you fha.ll find your Lintels fwect and good.
Chap. VIII.
How the tAncients^when they had put their frwt tnto certaiuveffehy and fo {hut them ftp
cl.fe, did put them alfo into fome other vejfels fuU of liquor*
HOwfoever the Ancients, by making up their veflels clofe, did fhut out and keep away the air as being the Author of all putrefaction, fo chat it could not come in to the fruit : yet they did not by this means keep away the air out of thole places where the veflels were laid,but that as the circumftant air was changed,eithcr being drfpofed to heat ,or cold, or drouth,or moifture,lo the air alfo that is within,muftneeds be changed , and confequently, the fruit alfo mud be affected with the fame change. Wherefore, for the avoiding of all inconveniences which this way might eniue, after they had plaiftered their fruit-\ effels^nd fo made them up fall, they did drown thefe veflels in divers and fnndry kinds of liquors And furcly not without great reafon, as experience fhews. For I have oft-times oblerved it, being fenoufl ira- ployed in thefe affairs, that if the air he uniform, and without alteration, the fruits and flowers that have been fhut up in veflels of glals, have laHed long without any putrefaction :but when once they felt any alteration in the air, prefently they began to putrifie. For this caufe are thofe vtflels to be drowned in CWerny, or ditches, or fome places underneath the ground, that fo the variable alterations of the air may not be felt by the fruit. And, to defcend to experiments, we will firft (hew,
How Quince-pears being font ftp clofe, may be drowned for their better prefcrvathu, 'An experiment which Democritus hath fet down. You muft put your Quince-pears into a new eartben-veflel, and then cover it, and pitch it all over, and fo put it into a but of wine ; but fo, that they may have (cope to fwim upon the top of the Wine : for by this means fhail you keep your fruit frefh and good for a long time ; and beiidcs, the w inc w herein they float, will have a very fragrant favour. Llkcwile
Apples being (hut up clofe, and then put into Cifierns, wiUlaft long, As Palladttufhewcih. You muft put your apples, faith he, into earthen veffels, well pitched and made up clofe : and when you have fo done, drown thofe uffels in a Ciftern, or elfe in a pit. /7/*;putteth apples in earthen Bafons, and fo let^ them fwim in wine j for, faith he, the wine by this means will yield a more odoriferous i'mell. Apuleiu* faith. that Apples aretobe pminto anew pot, and the pot robe put into a Hogs head of wine that there it may fwim, and play on the top of the wine; for fo, the App'es will be preierved by the wine, and the wine will be the better for the Appl :s. So
Figs being (hut up clofe, may be drowned for their better prefervation, As Jfricanm affi meth. They take figs, faith he, that are nor very ripe, and put them into anew earthen veflel ; but they gather them with their tails or ftalks up- on them, and lay them up everv one in a feveral cell by it felf ; and when they havefo done , they put the veflel into an Hogs-head of wine, and fo prelcive their figs, I have alio proved it by experience, that
Teathft
Of increaftng Houfhold^ fluff e. nj
Peades being flow up tn wooden Cifiernsy have been well preferred by drowning,
A^ d I have proved ii aifoin oihcr kinds of Apples, that if they be four up in a fir i veffel that is very well pitched on the inter fide, and fo drowned in the bot- tom of a Cittern of water, andk ;pt down by fome weights within the water, that it m v. not float, they may be preferved many raoncths without any putrefa&ion. By a fleight not much unlike to this,