The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

72 NATURAL HISTORY. CENT. VI.
pleasure to see, especially in apple-trees, peach- though it giveth a finer nourishment, yet it giveth
trees, and almond-trees, that have blossoms blush- a scanter than the earth at large.,-oloured. 520. Seeds, if they be very old, and yet have
514. The making of fruits without core or strength enough to bring forth a plant, make the
stone, is likewise a curiosity, and somewhat bet- plant degenerate, And therefore skilful gardenter; because whatsoever maketh them so, is like ers make trial of the seeds before they buy them,
to make them more tender and delicate. If a cion whether they be good or no, by putting them into
or shoot, fit to be set in the ground, have the pith water gently boiled; and if they be good, they
finely taken forth, and not altogether, but some will sprout within half an hour.
of it left, the better to save the life, it will bear a 521. It is strange which is reported, that basil,
fruit with little or no core or stone. And the too much exposed to the sun doth turn into wild
like is said to be of dividing a quick tree down thyme; although those two herbs seem to have
to the ground, and taking out the pith, and then small affinity; but basil is almost the only hot
binding it up again. herb that hath fat and succulent leaves, which
515. It is reported also, that a citron grafted oiliness, if it be drawn forth by the sun, it is like
upon a quince will have small or no seeds: and it will make a very great change.
it is very probable that any sour fruit grafted upon 522. There is an old tradition, that boughs of
a stock that beareth a sweeter fruit, may both oak put into the earth will put forth wild vines:
make the fruit sweeter, and more void of the harsh which, if it be true, no doubt it is not the oak that
matter of kernels or seeds. turneth into a vine, but the oak-bough putrefying,
516. It is reported, that not only the taking out qualifieth the earth to put forth a vine of itself.
of the pith, but the stopping of the juice of the 523. It is not impossible, and I have heard it
pith from rising in the midst, and turning it to verified, that upon cutting down of an old timber
rise on the outside, will make the fruit without tree, the stub hath put out sometimes a tree of
core or stone: as if you should bore a tree clean another kind; as the beech hath put forth birch;
through, and put a wedge in. It is true, there is which, if it be true, the cause may be, for that the
some affinity between the pith and the kernel, be- old stub is too scant of juice to put forth the forcause they are both of a harsh substance, and both mer tree; and therefore putteth forth a tree of a
placed in the midst. smaller kind, that needeth less nourishment.
517. It is reported, that trees watered perpe- 524. There is an opinion in the country, that
tually with warm water, will make a fruit with if the same ground be oft sown with the grain
little or no core or stone. And the rule is gene- that grew upon it, it will in the end grow to be
ral, that whatsoever will make a wild tree a gar- of a baser kind.
den tree, will make a garden tree to have less core 525.. It is certain, that in very sterile years corn
or stone. sown will grow to another kind.
" Grandia siepe quibus mandavimus hordea sulci.xperiments in consort touching the degenerating Infelix lolium, et steriles dominantur avene."
of plants, and of the transmutation of them into And generally it is a rule, that plants that are
one another. brought forth by culture, as corn, will sooner
518. The rule is certain, that plants for want of change into other species than those that come
culture degenerate to be baser in the same kind; of themselves; for that culture giveth but an adand sometimes so far as to change into another ventitious nature, which is more easily put off.
kind, 1. The standing long, and not being re- This workl of the transmutation of plants one
moved, maketh them degenerate. 2. Drought, into another, is "6 inter magnalia natures:" for the
unless the earth of itself be moist, doth the like. transmutation of species is, in the vulgar philo3. So doth removing into worse earth, or forbear- sophy, pronounced impossible, and certainly it is a
ing to compost the earth; as we see that water- thing of difficulty, and requireth deep search into
mint turneth into field-mint, and the colewort into nature; but seeing there appear some manifest
rape, by neglect, &c. instances of it, the opinion of impossibility is to
519. Whatsoeverfruituseth to be setupon aroot be rejected, and the means thereof to be found
or a slip, if it be sown, will degenerate. Grapes out. We see, that in living creatures, that come
sown, figs, almonds, pomegranate kernels sown, of putrefaction, there is much transmutation of
make the fruits degenerate and become wild. one into another, as caterpillars turn into flies,
And again, most of those fruits that use to be &c. And it should seem probable, that whatsografted, if they be set of kernels, or stones, dege- ever creature, having life, is generated without
nerate. It is true that peaches, as hath been seed, that creature will change out of one species
touched before, do better upon stones set than into another. For it is the seed, and the nature
upon grafting; and the rule of exception should of it, which locketh and boundeth in the creature,
seem to be this: that whatsoever plant requireth that it doth not expatiate. So as we may well
much moisture, prospereth better upon the stone conclude, that seeing the earth of itself doth put
or kernel than upon the graft. For the stock, forth plants without seed, therefore plants may