The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

CENT. V. NATURAL HISTORY. 61
tried with grapes, insomuch as they will come a &c. come in a month, that in other grounds will
month earlier than the grapes abroad. not come in two, and so make double returns.
406. Besides the two means of accelerating 410. Wheat also was put into the water, and
germination formerly described; that is to say, came not forth at all; so as it seemeth there must
the mending of the nourishment; and comforting be some strength and bulk in the body put into
of the spirit of the plant: there is a third, which the water, as it is in roots, for grains, or seeds,
is the making way for the easy coming to the the cold of the water will mortify. But casually
nourishment, and drawing it. And therefore some wheat lay under the pan, which was somegentle digging and loosening of the earth about what moistened by the suing of the pan; which
the roots of trees: and the removing herbs and in six weeks, as aforesaid, looked mouldy to the
flowers into new earth once in two years, which eye, but it was sprouted forth half a finger's
is the same thing, for the new earth is ever looser, length.
doth greatly further the prospering and earliness 411. It seemleth by these instances of water,
of plants. that for nourishment the water is almost all in all,
407. But the most admirable acceleration by and that the earth doth but keep the plant upright,
facilitating the nourishmentis thatof water. For and save it from over-heat and over-cold; and
a standard of a damask rose with the root on, was therefore is a comfortable experiment for good
set in a chamber where no fire was, upright in an drinkers. It proveth also that our former opinion,
earthen pan, full of fair Water, without any mix- that drink incorporate with flesh or roots, as in
ture, half a foot under the water, the standard be- capon-beer, &c., will nourish more easily than
ing more than two foot high above the water: meat and drink taken severally.
within the space of ten days the standard did put 412. The housing of plants, I conceive, will
forth a fair green leaf, and some other little buds, both accelerate germination, and bring forth
which stood at a stay, without any show of decay flowers and plants in the colder seasons: and as
or withering, more than seven days. But after- we house hot-country plants, as lemons, oranges,
wards that leaf faded, but the young buds did myrtles, to save them; so we may house our own
sprout on, which afterward opened into fair leaves country plants, to forward them, and make them
in the space of three months, and continued so a come in the cold seasons; in such sort, that you
while after, till upon removal we left the trial. may have violets, strawberries, peas, all winter:
But note, that the leaves were somewhat paler so that you sow or remove them at fit times.
and lighter-coloured than the leaves used to be This experiment is tobe referred unto the comfortabroad. Note, that the first buds were in the end ing of the spirit of the plant by warmth, as well
of October; and it is likely that if it had been in as housing their boughs, &c. So then the means
the spring time, it would have put forth with to accelerate germination, are in particular eight,
greater strength, and, it may be, to have grown in general three.
on to bear flowers. By this means you may have,
as it seemeth, roses set in the midst of a pool, be- Experiments in consort touching the putting back
ing supported with some stay; which is matter or retardation of germination.
of rareness and pleasure, though of small use. 413. To make roses, or other flowers come
This is the more strange, for that the like rose- late, it is an experiment of pleasure. For the anstandard was put at the same time into water cients esteemed much of 4 rosa sera." And inmixed with horse-dung, the horse-dung about the deed the November rose is the sweetest, having
fourth part to the water, and in four month's space, been less exhaled by the sun. The means are
while it was observed, put not forth any leaf, these. First, the cutting off their tops immethough divers buds at the first, as the other. diately after they have done bearing, and then
408. A Dutch flower that had a bulbous root, they will come again the same year about Nowas likewise put at the same time all under water, vember: but they will not come just on the tops
some two or three fingers' deep, and within seven where they were cut, but out of those shoots
days sprouted, and continued long after further whichwere,as it were, water boughs. The cause
growing. There were also put in, a beet-root, a is, for that the sap, which otherwise would have
borage root, and a radish-root, which had all their fed the top, though after bearing, will, by the
leaves cut almost close to the roots, and within discharge of that, divert unto the side sprouts,
six weeks had fair leaves, and so continued till and they will come to bear, but later.
the end of November. 414. The second is the pulling off the buds of
409. Note, that if roots, or peas, or flowers, the rose, when they are newly knotted; for then
may be accelerated in their coming and ripening, the side branches will bear. The cause is the
ihere is a double profit; the one in the high price same with the former; for cutting off the tops,
that those things bear when they come early: the and pulling off the buds, work the same effect, in
other in the swiftness of their returns: for in some retention of the sap for a time, and diversion of it
grounds which are strong, you shall have a radish, to the sprouts that were not so forward.
F