Bacon, Francis, Sylva sylvarum : or, a natural history in ten centuries

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12793Century V. theſe means may be practiſed upon other, both Trees, and Flowers, Mutatis
mutandis.
Men have entertained a conceit that ſheweth prettily, namely, That if
11421. you graft a Late coming Fruit, upon a Stock of a Fruit-tree that cometh ear-
ly, the Graft willbear Fruit early, as a Peach upon a Cherry:
And contrari-
wiſe, if an Early coming-Fruit upon a Stock of a Fruit-tree that cometh late,
the Graſt will bear Fruit late;
as a Cherry upon a Peach. But theſe are but
imaginations, and untrue.
The cauſe is, for that the Cions over-ruleth the
Stock quite, and the Stock is but Paſſive onely, and giveth Aliment, but no
Motion to the Graft.
WE will ſpeak now, how to make Fruits, Flowers, and Roots larger, in
22Experiments
in Conſort,
touching the
Malioration
of Fruit Trees,
and Plants.
more plenty and ſweeter than they uſe to be;
and how to make the
Trees themſelves more tall, more ſpred, and more haſty and ſudden, than
they uſe to be.
Wherein there is no doubt, but the former Experiments
of Acceleration will ſerve much to theſe purpoſes.
And again, that theſe
Experiments which we ſhall now ſet down, do ſerve alſo for Acceleration, be-
cauſe both Effects proceeds from the encreaſe of Vigor in the Tree;
but yet
to avoid confuſion.
And becauſe ſome of the Means are more proper for the
one effect, and ſome for the other.
We will handle them aparr.
It is an aſſured Experience, That an heap of Flint or Stone, laid about the
33422. bottom of a wilde Tree, (as in Oak, Elm, Aſh, &
c.) upon the firſt planting,
doth make it proſper double as much as without it.
The cauſe is, for that
it retaineth the moiſture which falleth at any time upon the Tree, and ſuffer-
eth it not to be exhaled by the Sun.
Again, it keepeth the Tree warm from
cold Blaſts and Froſts, as it were in an Houſe.
It may be alſo, there is ſome-
what in the keeping of it ſteady at the firſt.
Quare, if laying of Straw ſome
height about the Body of a Tree, will not make the Tree for wards:
For
though the Root giveth the Sap, yet it is the Body that draweth it.
But you
8383[Handwritten note 83] muſt note, that if you lay Stones about the Stalk of Lettuce, or other Plants
that are more ſoft, it will over-moiſten the Roots, ſo as the Worms will eat
them.
A Tree at the firſt ſetting, ſhould not be ſhaken, until it hath taken Root
44423 fully;
And therefore ſome have put too little Forks about the bottom of
their Trees, to keep them upright;
but after a years rooting, then ſhaking
doth the Tree good by looſning of the Earth, and (perhaps) by exer ciſing
(as it were) and ſtirring the Sap of the Tree.
Generally, the cutting away of Boughs and Suckers at the Root and
55424. Body, doth make Trees grow high;
and contrariwiſe, the Poling and Cut-
ting of the top, maketh them grow, ſpred, and buſhy;
as we ſee in Pol-
lords, &
c.
It is reported, That to make haſty growing Coppice wood, the way is,
66425. to take Willow, Sallow, Popler, Alder, of ſome ſeven years growth;
and
to ſet them, not upright, but a-ſlope, a reaſonable depth under the Ground;
and then inſtead of one Root they will put forth many, and ſo carry more
ſhoots upon a Stem.
When you would have many new Roots of Fruit-Trees, take alow
77426. Tree, and bow it, and lay all his Branches a flat upon the ground, and caſt
Earth upon them, and every twig will take Root.
And this is a very proſitable
Experiment for coſtly Trees;
(for the Boughs will make Stocks without
charge) ſuch as are Apricots, Peaches, Almonds, Cornelians, Mulberries,

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