The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

CENT. VII. NATURAL HISTORY. 83
the putting forth upwards and downwards put- lemons, and pomegranates; for the powder of
teth forth in round. sugar,'and syrup of wine, will serve for more
617. There are some tears of trees, which are times than once.
combed from the beards of goats: for when the 625. The conservation of fruit would be also
goats bite and crop them, especially in the morn- tried in vessels filled with fine sand, or with
ings, the dew being on, the tear cometh forth, powder of chalk; or in meal and flour; or in dust
and hangeth upon their beards: of this sort is of oak wood; or in mill.
some kind of laudanum. 626. Such fruits as you appoint for long keep618. The irrigation of the plane-tree by wine, ing, you must gather before they be full ripe;
is reported by the ancients to make it fruitful. and in a fair and dry day towards noon; and
It would be tried likewise with roots; for upon when the wind bloweth not south; and when the
seeds it worketh no great effects. moon is under the earth, and in decrease.
619. The way to carry foreign roots a long 627. Take grapes, and hang them in an empty
way, is to vessel them close in earthen vessels. vessel well stopped; and set the vessel not in a
But if the vessels be not very great, you must cellar, but in some dry place, and it is said they
make some holes in the bottom, to give some re- will last long. But it is reported by some, they
freshment to the roots; which, otherwise, as it will keep better in a vessel half full of wine, so
seemeth, will decay and suffocate. that the grapes touch not the wine.
620. The ancient cinnamon was, of all other 628. It is reported, that the preserving of the
plants, while it grew, the dryest, and those things stalk helpeth to preserve the grapes; especially if
which are known to comfort other plants did the stalk be put into the pith of elder, the elder not
make that m-ore sterile; for in showers it pros- touching the fruit.
pered worst: it grew also amongst bushes of 629. It is reported by some of the ancients, that
other kinds, where commonly plants do not thrive, fruit put in bottles, and the bottles let down into
neither did it love the sun. There might be one wells under water, will keep long.
cause of all those effects; namely, the sparing'630. Of herbs and plants, some are good to
nourishment which that plant required. Query, eat raw; as lettuce, endive, purslane, tarragon,
how far cassia, which is now the substitute of cresses, cucumbers, musk-melons, radish, &c.;
cinnamon, doth participate of these things 1 others only after they are boiled, or have passed
621. It is reported by one of the ancients, that the fire; as parsley, clary, sage, parsnips, turnips,
cassia, when it is gathered, is putinto the skins of asparagus, artichokes, though they also being
beasts newly flayed; and that the skins corrupting young are eaten raw: but a number of herbs are not
and breeding worms, the worms do devour the pith esculent at all; as wormwood, grass, green corn,
and marrow of it, and so make it hollow, but meddle centaury, hyssop, lavender, balm, &c. The causes
not with the bark, because to them it is bitter. are, for that the herbs that are not esculent do
622. There were in ancient time vines of far want the two tastes in which nourishment restgreater bodies than we know any, for there have eth; which are fat and sweet; and have, contrabeen cups made of them, and an image of Jupiter. riwise, bitter and over-strong tastes, or a juice so
But it is like they were wild vines; for the vines crude as cannot be ripened to the degree of nourthat they use for wine, are so often cut, and so ishment. Herbs and plants that are esculent
much digged and dressed, that their sap spendeth raw have fatness, or sweetness, as all esculent
into the grapes, and so the stalk cannot increase fruits: such are onions, lettuce, &c. But then it
much in bulk. The wood of vines is very dura- must be such a fatness, (for as for sweet things,
ble, without rotting. And that which is strange, they are in effect always esculent,) as is not overthough no tree hath the twigs, while they are gross, and loading of the stomach: for parsnips
green, so brittle, yet the wood dried is extreme and leeks have fatness, but it is too gross and
tough, and was used by the captains of armies heavy without boiling. It must be also in a subamongst the Romans for their cudgels. stance somewhat tender; for we see wheat, barley,
623. It is reported, that in some places vines artichokes, are no good nourishment till they
are suffered to grow like herbs, spreading upon have passed the fire; but the fire doth ripen, and
the ground, and that the grapes of those vines are maketh them soft and tender, and so they become
very great. It were good to make trial, whether esculent. As for radish and tarragon, and the
plants that use to be borne up by props will not put like, they are for condiments, and not for nourishforth greater leaves and greater fruits if they be laid ment. And even some of those herbs which are
aloni the ground; as hops, ivy, woodbine, &c. not esculent, are notwithstanding poculent; as
624. Quinces, or apples, &c., if you will keep hops, broom, &c. Query, what herbs are good for
then long, drown them in honey; but because drink besides the two aforenamed; for that it may,
honey, perhaps, will give them a taste over-lus- perhaps, ease the charge of brewing, if they make
cious, it were good to make trial in powder of beer to require less malt, or make it last longer.
sugar, or in syrup of wine, only boiled to height. 631. Parts fit for the nourishment of man in
Both these would likewise be tried in oranges, plants are, seeds, roots, and fruits; but cliefliy