Natural magick by John Baptista Porta, a Neapolitane ; in twenty books ... wherein are set forth all the riches and delights of the natural sciences.

CHAP. I.

How Fruits may be long preserved upon their Trees.

WE will begin with Fruits: And whereas fruits and flowers both may be preserved either upon their own mother Tree which bear them, or else being pluckt off from it, we will first shew, how fruits may be preserved upon their own Tree, and first rehearse those things which the Ancients have set down con∣cerning this matter, and next, what we our selves have found out by our own experience. Our Ancestors, when they would have fruit to last long upon the Tree, were wont first of all to bind them to the stock or to the boughs, lest any tempest should strike them off, or toss them up and down. Besides, they did intercept that juice from them, which should ripen them: for there are some kinds of fruits, which, as soon as ever they be ripe, will stay no longer upon the Tree, but fall down of them∣selves, though they are not so much as shaken: other fruits there are that will stick longer and faster to their hold. Besides, they were wont to cover them with cer∣tain cases or shells as it were; thereby guarding them from the injuries of the wea∣ther, both hot and cold, and also from the mouths of devouring birds. Where∣fore to make

Pomegranates hang long upon their Trees;

Some have wreathed and platted about the fruit the smaller boughs that grow hard by, that the rain may not come forcibly upon it to break it or chop it, for if it be once bruised, or that it do but gape and have any chops in it, it will soon perish: and when they have so done, they tye them fast to the stronger boughs, that they may not be shaken; and then they bind the Tree about with a kind of broom withes, that the Daws, or Crows, or other birds may not come at the fruit to gnaw it. Some do frame earthen cases fit for the fruit, and cover the same with strawie mor∣ter, and let the fruit hang still upon the Tree in them. Others do wrap up every one of the Pomegranates in hay or holm, and then daube it thick over with mor∣ter which hath chopt straw in it, and so fasten them to the stronger boughes, that the winde may not shake them. But all these practises must be used when the wea∣ther is fair, and there is neither rain nor dew stirring, as Columella teacheth. But Beritius useth this means to make them stay long on their Tree. He takes the blos∣soms of the Tree when they begin to wither, and wraps in them every Pomegra∣nate by it self, and then binds them about with bonds; thereby preventing their putrefaction, and their chawns and chops which otherwise would be in them. O∣thers put them in earthen pots every one by it self, and cover them well, and settle them fast, that they may not be broken by knocking against the stock or arms of the Tree, not by hitting one against the other: for by this means you shall have them alwayes better grown then by any other. Varro saith, that if you take Pome∣granates before they be ripe, as they stick upon their stalks, and put them into a bottomless pot, and cover them, boughs and all, in the ground, so that no winde may come at them, you shall not only finde them whole when you take them out, but they will be greater also then if they had hung still upon the Tree. Palla∣dius shews,

Citrons may be preserved upon the Tree;

even by shutting them up in certain earthen vessels fit for such a purpose▪ for so you may keep them upon their Tree almost all the year long. If you would have

Grapes hang upon the Vine, fresh and good, even till the Spring of the year,

Beritius prescribes you this course. You must dig a pit in a very shadowy place neer to the Vines, about a yard deep, and fill it up with sand, and set up some props in it: then you must loosen the joints of the Vine-branches, and winde them in to∣gether with the clusters of grapes to be tied to the props, and then cover them, that no water may come at them. You must take heed also that the grapes do not touch the ground. A thing which I have oft-times put in practise, but it fell not out to my expectation: for still the grapes were half rotten, and their colour quite faded. Columella saith, There is no surer way then to prepare certain earthen vessels which may hold each of them a cluster of grapes, so that they may have scope e∣nough; and they must have every one four handles, whereby they may be tied to the Vine, and their lids or coverings must be so framed that the middle may be the place of closing, where both sides of the cover may fall close together when the clu∣sters are in, and so meeting may hide the grapes. But you must see that both the vessels themselves, and also their coverings be well pitched both within and with∣out; for the pitch will do good service herein. When you have thus covered and shut up your grapes, then you must lay good store ••f morter with straw chopt in it upon the vessels. But in any case, look that the grapes be so placed in the vessels, that they touch no part thereof. Tarentinus gives this counsel. The clusters that first grow, you must pluck off, and then others will come up in their steads, if you look carefully to the Vine: now these later clusters will be very backward and long ere they be ripe: take some earthen vessels, and let them be somewhat open be∣low▪ put into them your later clusters, and let the upper part of them be very close covered, and then bind your vessels fast unto the Vine, that so the wind may not shake them. Palladius saith; If you be desirous to keep grapes upon the Vine till

the Spring-time, you must take this course. Neer unto a Vine that is laden with grapes, you must make a ditch about three foot deep and two foot broad in a very shadowy place; and when you have cast sand into it, stick up certain props, and winde the bunches daily towards them, and when you have wrought them to stand that way, bind them to your props without hurting the grapes, and then cover them to keep them from the rain. The Graecians likewise counsel you to shut up your grapes into certain earthen vessels which are somewhat open beneath, but very close and fast shut above, and so you may preserve them long upon the Tree. If you would preserve

Grapes upon the Vine till new come again, so that upon one and the same Vine-branch, may be seen old and new grapes both together,

you may effect it by this device, which I my self have used: for, all the former experiments are the inventions of Antiquity, and, because there is great difficul∣ty in working them, and small profit when they are wrought, therefore I esteem them as toyes and matters of little worth. But this I have experienced my self, and preserved good grapes upon a Vine until May and June, and so have seen both new grapes, and grapes also of the former year together upon one and the same branch. When Vintage time is past, you must take the tops and pliant twigs of such Vines as grow by the house side, and winde them in at the window into the house, and binde them fast to the summers or beams with the sprigs of Broom, as with strings or thongs, that they may be surely stayed from wagging up and down: but you must let them in handsomely that the windows may be opened and shut con∣veniently. By this means you shall keep them safe from the injury both of the cold weather, and also of the devouting birds. When there is any frosts or winds abroad, keep the windows close shut, and open them again when the air is waxed any thing calm and warm; and so 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 prison, and bring them back again into the open air, and there let them take the comfort of the warm Sun. So shall there grow new grapes upon the same twigs where the old grapes are. I have also effected the same

By another means.

Because it was a great trouble, and a very irksome piece of work, to take that course every year, I have thought of another device whereby the same effect may be at∣tained both more prettily and miraculously. About the time wherein they are wont to prune Vines, make choice of two special branches upon the Vine, such as are most likely to bear fruit. Cut off the tops of either of them, but leave the branches still growing upon the Vine, and leave two or three buds upon either branch. Then take a vessel made of chalk or white clay, and let there be a hole bored quite thorough the bottom of it, and so place it, that it may stand fit for the branches to be drawn thorough it, so that they may stand a little out above the brims thereof. When your branches are so seated, then fill up the vessel with earth; and, that you may work more surely and speedily too, you must set over your ear∣then vessel another vessel full of water, all the Summer long, which must be stopt toward the bottom with a clout somewhat loosely, that the clouts end hanging down into the earthen vessel, may bedew the earth that is in it continually by little and little; so shall your sprigs or branches bring forth both fruit and leaves, and moreover shall take root within the vessel that will shoot out into new twigs. Af∣ter Vintage-time, cut off the branches from the Vine a little beneath the earthen vessel, and so carry them into a close house that is situate in a dry place where no tempests can come at it, as in Wine-cellars, or such like: Let the windows be net∣ted over, that the birds may not come at them: In the Winter-time, if there come any fair dayes, bring them forth into the Sun: and, when the weather is ex∣tream cold, keep them in so much the closer and warmer rooms. If you preserve them thus until August, you shall have old and new grapes both together upon o••e branch, and each of them will be quick and well-coloured.