105

Of the Production of new Plants*

Endive to be tenderer and broader.

When it is grownup to a pretty bignesle, then lay a small tile-sheard on the mid-dle of it,and the weight of that will cause the Endive to spread broader. So alsoyou procure

Coleworts to be more tender , 1

is you bedew them with salt water, as Theophrasius writes. The Ægyptians,to maketheir Coleworts tender, do water them with Nitre and Water raixt together. So

Cucumbers will be tenderer ,

if you steep the feeds in milk before you set them, as Columella reportetb. If youwould have

Lee\s to grow Cloven ,

the Antients have taught you, that first you must sow them very thick, and so letthem alone for a while ; but afterward when they are grown, then cut them, andthey will grow cloven. Or else, you must cut it about some two monechs after it wasset, and never remove it from the owd bed, but help it Hill with water and muck,aud you shall have your purpose, as Talladius faith. Now we will speak of somemonstrous generations; as of the generation of the herb Dragon, and of a clovenOnion. And first

How to produce the herb CDragon.

Jt is a received opinion amongst Gardeners, that if you take Hemp-seed or Line-feed,and engraffe it into an ordinary Onion, or else into a Sea-onion as it grows neer theSea, or else into the Radish root, thence will grow the herb Dragon, which is a no-table and famons Sallet-herb. But surely, howsoever they boast of it chat this hathbeen oftentimes done, yet I have made sundry trials hereof, and still failed of mypurpose. By the like setting of seeds, they (hew

How to produce cloven Onions , !

by making a hole into an Onion, and putting into it acloveofGarlick,and so plan-ting it; for that will grow to be an Afcalonian, or a cloven Onion. Now let us fee,how to make

Tar (ley to grow frilled or curled.

Theophrasiue writes that Parsley will grow frizled, if you pave the ground where youhave sowed it, and ram it in with a roller ; for then the ground will keep it in so bard,that it it must needs grow double. Columella faith; If you would have Parsley tobear curled leaves, you must put your Parst-y-seed into a morter, and pown it witha Willow pestle, and when you have so bruised it, wrap it up in linen clouts, and soplane it. You naay effect the fame also without any such labour; even by rollinga cylinder or roller over it after it is a little grown up, wheresoever or howsoeverit is sowed. Talladim and Pliny record the lame experiment out of the fame Au-thor. I have often-times seen

Bajil growing with a kind of brush like hairs upon it.

The seed of withy-windebeing planted neer to Basil, as soon as it (hoots tip, willpresently winde it self round about the stalks of the Basil, and by often winding a-bout them, will wrap them all into one. The like will be effected also, if the wi-thy-winde grow elsewhere , and a twig of it be brought and planted neer to Basil:for by either of these means, the Basil will grow so bushy and so thick of hair, andthat in a very short time, that it will be most pleasant to be lookt upon. So youmay make the

Ivy tv bear very sightly berries ,

^ y° n ^ urB three shell-fish, especially os that kind which is called Murex,and when you have powned them together, cast the ashes thereof opomhelvy-

R berries;