V

Or, An Appendix concerning Fruit-Trees, &c.

. And from some such Observation might the Production of Berber -r *es, 2c Ct without Stones be happily attempted ; an Instrument tit-led to take out the Marrow or Tith of the Branches, ( as the lamepr. Beat perform’d it;) for from the numerical Buss of that Fruit hefound some Branches produce Berberries that had no Stones, otherswhich had; and in searching for the Cause of the Ejfett, perceived,that the Pith or Heart was taken from the Rddicat, or main Branches,as the other was full of Pith, and consequently the Fruit in Perfecti-°u; of all which ( he writes me word ) he made several Trials on otherFruit, but left the Place before he could fee the Event. But he adds:

These many Tears (almost twenty) I have yearly try'd Kernels inBeds of clean Earth, Pots and Pans, and by the very Leaves (as theyappear'd in first springing for one Month ) I could discern how far myEssays had civiliz’d 'em i The Wilder had Jhorter, siifser, brown orfix colour'd Leaves ; the more ingenuous had more tender , morespreading Leaves, and approaching the lighter Verdure of the*- Ber-berry Leaf when it first appears. He adds:

Some Apples are call'd Rose-Apples, Rosemary-Apples, Gilly-flow-e r-Apples, Orange-Apples, with several other Adjuncts denominatingthem , from what Reason I know not. But if we intended to try suchInfusions upon the Kernels ( as should endeavour to alter their Kinds )We should not approve of the bedabbling them With such Infusions,

(for over-moisture would rather enervate than strengthen them ) butrather prepare the Earth the Tear before with such Infuc cat ions, andthen hinder it from producing any Weeds, till ready for the Kernels;and then in dewy Times, and more frequently when our Climate werefurcharg’d with Rain, cover the Beds and Tots with the small Leavesof Rosemary, Gilly-flowers, or other odoriferous Blojfoms, and repeat itoften, to the end the Dews may meteorize, and emit their finer Spirits,£tc. Or if any shall please to be so liberal of their Salts and Calcinationsof peculiar Virtues , (though possibly the Ejfay may endanger theirSeeds ) yet the Mixture of such Salts finely reduced and ftrew’d dis-creetly on their Beds may be a more probable Means, than thoseLiquid Infjifions which have hitherto been ib confidently boasted.For thus also we. are in this Age of ours provided of more vigorous In zgredients for Trials , than were known to the Antients. Finally,

• From what has been dedue’d from the wilding of several Parts, itway manifestly appear, how much more congeneal some Soil is thanother, to yield the best Cider-fruit from the Kernel ; and the hazleGround, or quicker Mould warm and light, much better thanthe more obstinate Clay, or ranker Earth, heavy, cold, or wet. In hotGravelly-Grounds, where almost no sort of Fruit will grow, TearsWill thrive ; and a Friend of mine assures me of One that clave a Rock,and filling it- with a little good Earth, planted a Tear-Tree therein,Which profper'd exceedingly; and at this Time, in the Town not farfrom my Dwelling, there is a Bonne Chrestienne Pear-Tree plentifullybearing very goodly Fruit, which grows in a narrow Court pav'd withFlint and Pebbles, and unless a little in the Morning, shades from allthe benign Aspects. I add this, that none may go hence without En-couragement.

5 H

CHAP.