The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

82 NATURAL HISTORY. CENT. VII.
copulation certainly extendeth not to plants. The that of the Indian fig, the hasty and plentiful
nearest approach of it is between the he-palm and I putting forth of the sap.
the she-palm, which, as they report, if they grow 612. There be three things in use for sweetnear, incline the one to the other, insomuch as that, ness; sugar, honey, manna. For sugar, to the
which is more strange, they doubt not to report, ancients it was scarce known, and little used.
that to keep the trees upright from bending, they It is found in canes: Query, whether to the first
tie ropes or lines from the one to ihe other, that knuckle, or further up? And whether the very
the contact might be enjoyed by the contact of bark of the cane itself do yield sugar or no? For
a middle body. But this may be feigned, or at honey, the bee maketh it, or gathereth it; but I
least amplified. Nevertheless I am apt enough have heard from one that was industrious in husto think, that this same binarium of a stronger bandry, that the labour of the bee is about the
and a weaker, like unto masculine and feminine, wax; and that he hath known in the beginning
doth hold in all living bodies. It is confounded of May honeycombs empty of honey; and withsometimes, as in some creatures of putrefaction, in a fortnight, when the sweet dews fall, filled
wherein no marks of distinction appear: and it is like a cellar. It is reported also by some of the
doubled sometimes, asin hermaphrodites: but ge- ancients, that there is a tree called occhus, in the
nerally there is a degree of strength in most species. valleys of Hyrcania, that distilleth honey in the
609. The participles or confiners between plants mornings. It is not unlike that the sap and tears
and living creatures, are such chiefly as are fixed, of some trees may be sweet. It may be also,
and have no local motion of remove, though they that some sweet juices, fit for many uses, may be
have a motion in their parts, such as are oysters, concocted out of fruits, to the thickness of honey,
cockles, and such like. There is a fabulous nar- or perhaps of sugar; the likeliest are raisins of
ration, that in the northern countries there should the sun, figs, and currants; the means may be inbe an herb that groweth in the likeness of a lamb, quired.
and feedeth upon the grass, in such sort as it will 613. The ancients report of a tree by the Perbare the grass round about. But I suppose that sian sea, upon the shore sands, which is nourishthe figure maketh the fable; for so, we see, there ed with the salt water; and when the tide ebbeth,
be bee-flowers, &c. And as for the grass, it seem- you shall see the roots as it were bare without
eth the plant having a great stalk and top doth bark, being as it seemeth corroded by the salt,
prey upon the grass a good way about, by draw- and grasping the sands like a crab; which neing the juice of the earth from it. vertheless beareth a fruit. It were good to try
some hard trees, as a service-tree, or fir-tree, by
Experiments promiscuous touching plants. setting them within the sands.
610. The Indian fig boweth its roots down so 614. There be of plants which they use for
low in one year, as of itself it taketh root again, garments, these that follow: hemp, flax, cotton,
and so multiplieth from root to root, making of nettles, whereof they make nettle-cloth, sericum,
one tree a kind of wood. The cause is the plenty which is a growing silk; they make also cables
of the sap, and the softness of the stalk, which of the bark of lime trees. It is the stalk that
maketh the bough, being over-loaden, and not maketh the filaceous matter commonly; and somestiffly upheld, weigh down. It hath leaves as times the down that groweth above.
broad as a little target, but the fruit no bigger 615. They have in some countries a plant of
than beans. The cause is, for that the continual a rosy colour, which shutteth in the night, openshade increaseth the leaves, and abateth the fruit, eth in the morning, and openeth wide at noon;
which nevertheless is of a pleasant taste. And which the inhabitants of those countries say is a
that no doubt is caused by the suppleness and plant that sleepeth. There be sleepers enough
gentleness of the juice of that plant, being that then; for almost all flowers do the like.
which maketh the boughs also so flexible. 616. Some plants there are, but rare, that have
611. It is reported by one of the ancients, that a mossy or downy root; and likewise that have a
there is a certain Indian tree, having few but very number of threads, like beards, as mandrakes,
great leaves, three cubits long and'two broad, and whereof witches and impostors make an ugly
that the fruit, being of good taste, groweth out image, giving it the form of a face at the top of the
of the bark. It may be, there be plants that pour root, and leaving those strings to make a broad
out the sap so fast, as they have no leisure either beard down to the foot. Also there is a kind of
to divide into many leaves, or to put forth stalls nard in Crete, being a kind of phu, that bath a
to the fruit. With us, trees, generally, have root hairy, like a rough-footed dove's foot. So
small leaves in comparison. The fig hath the as you may see, there are of roots, bulbous roots,
greatest; and next it the vine, mulberry, and fibrous roots, and hirsute roots. And, I talke it,
sycamore, and the least are those of the willow, in the bulbous, the sap hasteneth most to the air
birch, and thorn. But there be found herbs with and sun; in the fibrous, the sap delighteth more
far greater leaves than any tree; as the bur, gourd, in the earth, and therefore putteth downward; and
cuclmber, anl colewort. The cause is, like to the hirsute is a middle between both, that besides