Book III, chapters 1–3: Husbandry and the production of new plants

THE THIRD BOOK OF Natural Magick: Which delivereth certain precepts of Husbandry; and sheweth how to intermingle sundry kinds of Plants, and how to produce new kinds.

The PROEME.

WE have rehearsed concerning divers kinds of new living Creatures; now shall I speak of Plants, which ravish with admiration the eyes and minds of those that contemplate on them, with their abundant pleasantnesse, and wonderful Elegancy. These bring more profit, and by these a natural Philosopher may seem more admirable. For use made with the earth, is more honest and honourable then with other things, and the ground never grows old or barren, but is everywhere naturally rank to receive new seed, and to produce new; and is ever unsatisfied in fruitfulnesse, and brings perpetual increase: and if nature be alwayes admirable, she will seem more wonderful in Plants. Copulation was but of one kind, here it is almost infinite; and not onely every Tree can be ingrafted into every Tree, but one Tree may be adulterated with them all. Living Creatures of divers kinds were not easily produced, and those that come from other Countries were hard to get: here is no difficulty at all; grafts are fetcht and sent, if need be, to any part of the world. And if diversity of Creatures are made in Africa, by their copulating when they meet at the Rivers, that so new creatures are alwayes produced; here in Italy, where the Air is alwayes calme, and the Climate very indulgent, strange and wilde plants find a good harbour, and ground to grow in, which is the mother and nourisher of all, and so fruitful to produce new and diversity of plants, that it can hardly be exhausted. And we can better write of them, and know the truth more then others, because we have them still before our eyes, and an opportunity to consider of their effects. And if our Ancestors found many new things, we by adding to theirs, have found many more, and shall produce more excellent things overpassing them, because daily by our art, or by chance; by nature, or new experience, new plants are made. Diodorus writes, that the Vine at first was but one, and that was wilde; but now by the help of Bacchus alone, from the quality of the ground, the nature of the climate, and the art of planting, it is varied into many kinds, that it were madnesse to number them up, and not worth our time. Nature brought forth but one kind of Pear-tree: now so many mens names are honoured by it, that one is called Decumana, another Dolabelliana, and another is named from Decumius and Dolabella. The same thing is observed in Figges, of Livy and Pompey. Quinces are of many kinds; some called Mariana from Marius, Manliana from Manlius, Appiana Claudiana from Appius Claudius, Cestiana from Cestius: their varieties have made the Authers names immortal. What shall I say of Laurel cherries, found in Pliny his time? what of Citrons? which as Athenaeus saith, were too sharp to eat in the days of Theophrastus, and the ancestors of Plutark and Pliny; but Palladius made them to become sweet. What of the Peach, and Almond-peach Nuts, fruits our fore-fathers knew not, yet now are they eaten, being pleasant and admirable? what of Clove-gilliflowers, that the Gardrers Art hath made so dainty and sweet scented? and so of other plants I have everywhere set down in this work? Our Naples abounds so with them, that we would not go forth to see the Orchards of the Hesperides, Alcinus, Semiramis, and at Memphis, that were made to hang above ground. But I shall briefly and plainly relate the History.

CHAP. I.

How new kinds of Plants may be generated of putrefaction.

AS we have shewed before, that new kinds of Living Creatures may be generated of putrefaction; so, to proceed in the same order as we have begun, we will now shew that new kinds of Plants may grow up of their own accord, without any help of seed or such like. The Antients questionless were of opinion, that divers plants were generated of the earth and water mixt together; and that particular places did yield certain particular plants. We rehearsed the opinion of Diogenes before, who held that plants are generated of water putrified in it self, and a little earth tempered therewith. Theophrastus held, that the rain causeth much putrefaction and alteration in the earth, and thereby plants may be nourished, the Sun working upon it with his heating, and with his drying operation. They write also, that the ground when it is stirred, brings forth such kinds of Plants alwaies, as are usuall in the same place. In the Isle Creta, the ground is of that nature, that if it be stirred anywhere, and no other thing sown or planted in it, it will of it self bring forth a Cypresse-tree: and their tilled lands, those that are somewhat moist, when they lie fallow, bring forth thistles. So the herb Laser in Africa, is generated of a kind of pitchy or clammy rain and thick dirt; and the herb will shew it self out of the earth presently after the rain is fallen. Pliny said, that the waters which fall from above, are the cause of every thing that grows upon the earth, nature shewing therein her admirable work and power: and many such things they report, which we have spoken of in the books of the knowledge of Plants. And I my self have oft-times by experience proved, that ground digged out from under the lowest foundations of certain houses, and the bottom of some pits, and laid open in some small vessel to the force of the Sun, hath brought forth divers kinds of Plants. And whereas I had oftentimes, partly for my own pleasure, and partly to search into the works of Nature, sought out and gathered together earths of divers kinds, I laid them abroad in the Sun, and watered them often with a little sprinkling, and found thereby, that a fine light earth would bring forth herbs that had slight stalkes like a rush, and leaves full of fine little ragges; and likewise that a rough and stiff earth full of holes, would bring forth a slight herbe, hard as wood, and full of crevises. In like manner, if I took of the earth that had been digged out of the thick woods, or out of moist places, or out of the holes that are in hollow stones, it would bring forth herbs that had smooth blewish stalkes, and leaves full of juice and substance, such as Peny-wort, Purslane, Senegreek, and Stone-croppe. We made trial also of some kinds of earth that had been farre fetcht, such as they had used for the ballast of their Shippes; and we found such herbs generated thereof, as we knew not what they were. Nay further also, even out of very roots and barks of Trees, and rotten seeds, powned and buried, and there macecrated with water, we have brought forth in a manner the very same herbs; as out of an Oken root, the herb Polypody, and Oak-fern, and Splenewort, or at least such herbs as did resemble those, both in making and in properties. What should I here rehearse, how many kinds of toad-stools and puffs we have produced? yea, of every several mixture of putrified things, so many several kinds have been generated. All which I would here have set down, if I could have reduced them into any method; or else if such plants had been produced, as I intended: but those came that were never sought for. But happily I shall hereafter, if God will, write of these things, for the delight, and speculation, and profit of the more curious fort: which I have neither time nor leisure now to mention, seeing this work is ruffled up in haste. But let us see

How Toad-stools may be generated.

Dioscorides, and others have written, That the bark of a white Poplar-Tree, and of a black, being cut into small pieces, and sowed in dunged lands or furrows, will at all times of the year bring forth mushromes or toad-stools that are good to be eaten. And in another place he saith, that they are more particularly generated in those places, where there lies some old rusty iron, or some rotten cloth: but such as grow neer to a Serpents hole, or any noisome Plants, are very hurtful. But Tarentinus speaks of this matter more precisely. If, saith he, you cut the stock of a black Poplar peece-meal into the earth, and pour upon it some leaven that hath been steeped in water, there will soon grow up some Poplar toad-stools. He addeth further; If an up-land or hilly field that hath in it much stubble and many stalks of corn, be set on fire at such time as there is rain brewing in the clouds, then the rain falling, will cause many toad-stools there to spring up of their own accord: but if, after the field is thus set on fire, happily the rain which the clouds before threatned doth not fall; then, if you take a thin linnen cloth, and let the water drop through by little and little like rain, upon some part of the field where the fire hath been, there will grow up toad-stools, but not so good as otherwise they would be, if they had been nourished with a showre of rain. Next we will shew

How Sperage may be generated.

Dydimus writes, That if any man would have good store of Sperage to grow, he must take the horns of wilde Rams, and beat them into very small powder, and sow them in eared ground, and water it, and he shall have his intent. There is one that reports a more strange matter; that if you take whole Rams horns not powned into small pieces, but only cut a little, and make a hole in them, and so set them, they will bring forth Sperage. Pliny is of Didymus opinion, that if the horns be powned and […]igged into the earth, they will yield Sperage; though Dioscorides thinks it to be impossible. And though I have made often trial hereof, but could not find it so to be, yet my friends have told me of their own experience, that the same tender seed that is contained within the Rams horn, hath produced Sperage. The same my friends also have reported

That Ivy doth grow out of the Harts horn;

and Aristotle writes of an Husband-man that found such an experiment; though for my own part I never tried it. But Theophrastus writes, that there was Ivy found growing in the Harts horn; whereas it is impossible to think how any Ivy seed could get in there: and whereas some alledge, that the Hart might have rubbed his horn against some Ivy roots, and so some part of the horn being soft and ready to putrifie, did receive into it some part of the root, and by this means it might there grow; this supposal carries no shew of probability or credit with it. But if these things be true, as I can say or see nothing to the contrary, then surely no man will deny but that divers kinds of plants may be generated of divers kinds of living Creatures horns. In like manner, may plants be generated of the putrified barks and boughs of old Trees: for so is

Polypody, and the herb Hyphear generated;

for both these, and divers other plants also, do grow up in Firre-trees, and Pine-trees, and such other: for in many Trees, neer to the bark, there is a certain flegmatick or moist humour, that is wont to putrifie; which, when it abounds too much within, breaks forth into the outward shew of the boughs and the stock of the Tree; and there it meets with the putrified humour of the bark; and the heat of the Sun working upon it there, quickly turns it into such kinds of herbs.

CHAP. II.

How Plants are changed, one of them degenerating into the form of the other.

TO work Miracles, is nothing else (as I suppose) but to turn one thing into another, or to effect those things which are contrary to the ordinary course of Nature. It may be done by negligence, or by cunning handling and dressing them, that plants may forsake their own natural kind, and be quite turned into another kind; wholly degenerating, both in taste, and colour, and bignesse, and fashion: and this I say may easily be done, either if you neglect to dresse or handle them according to their kind, or else dresse them more carefully and artificially then their own kind requires. Furthermore, every plant hath his proper manner, and peculiar kind of sowing or planting, for some must be sowed by seed, others planted by the whole stem, others set by some root, others graffed by some sprig or branch: so that if that which should be sowed by seed, be planted by the root, or set by the whole stock, or graffed by some branch; or if any that should be thus planted be sowed by seed; that which cometh up will be of a divers kinde from that which grows usually, if it be planted according to its own nature, as Theophrastus writes. Likewise if you shall change their place, their air, their ground, & such like, you pervert their kind; and you shall find that the young growing plant will resemble another kind, both in colour and fashion; all which are clear cases by the books of Husbandry. Some examples we will here rehearse. If you would change

A white Vine into a black, or a black into a white;

sow the seed of a white Garden-Vine, and that which cometh of it, will be a black Wilde-vine; and so the seed of a black Garden-vine will bring forth a white Wilde-vine, as Theophrastus teacheth. The reason is, because a Vine is not sowed by seed, but the natural planting of it is by sprigs and roots. Wherefore if you deal with it otherwise then the kind requires, that which cometh of it must needs be unkindly. By the like means

A white Fig-tree may degenerate into a black.

for the stone of a Fig, if it be set, never brings forth any other but a wilde or a wood Fig-tree, and such as most commonly is of a quite contrary colour; so that of a white figtree it degenerates into a black, and contrariwise a black fig-tree degenerates into a white. Sometimes also, of a right and noble Vine is generated a bastard Vine, and that so different in kind oftentimes, that it hath nothing of the right garden-vine, but all meerly wilde. In like manner also are changed

The red Myrtle and the red Bay-tree into black,

and cannot chuse but lose their colour: for these likewise degenerate, as the same Theophrastus reports to have been seen in Antandrus; for the Myrtle is not sowed by seed, but planted by graffing; and the Bay-tree is planted by setting a little sprig thereof that hath in it some part of the root, as we have shewed in our discourse of Husbandry. So also are

Sweet Almonds and sweet Pomegranates changed into sowre ones.

for the stones or kernels of the Pomegranates are changed from their right blue, into a baser colour; and the Pomegranate it self, though it be never so good, degenerates into a hard, and commonly a sharp fruit. The Almond degenerates likewise both in taste, and also in feeling; for of a soft one cometh a harder: therefore we are counselled to graffe him when he is prettily well grown, or else to change him, and shift him oft. An Oak likewise will become worse: and therefore whereas the best grows in Epyrus, and many have planted the same elsewhere, yet they could never produce the like of that. In like manner, of the kernel of the natural Olive cometh a wilde Olive; (and they that say that the male Cypresse-tree for the most part degenerates into a female;) and in processe of time there is such a change, that it agreeth in nothing with the natural Olive, but is so stark wilde, that sometimes it cannot bring forth fruit to any perfection. Varro saith that

Coleworts are changed into Rape, and Rape into Coleworts.

Old seed is of so great force in some things, that it quite changeth the nature; for the old seed of Coleworts being sowed, brings forth Rape; and contrariwise, old Rape-seed degenerates into Coleworts. By labour also and dressing

The Corn Typha, and Spelt, are changed into Wheat, and Wheat into them;

for this may be done, if you take them being of a thorough ripenesse, and knead them, and then plant them; but this will not so prove the first nor the second year; but you must expect the proof of it in the third year, as Theophrastus sheweth. Pliny writeth, that the Corn Siligo is changed into Wheat the second year. So all seeds, either by reason that they are neglected, or because there is some indisposition either in the earth, or the air where they are, do oft-times degenerate from the excellency and goodnesse of their kind, and become worse. Virgil hath observed it: I have seen, saith he, the best and choicest things that were most made of, at length yet to degenerate, unlesse mans industry did yearly supply them with his help: so fatal it is for all things to wax worse and worse, and still to have need to be renewed. Galens father, a man very studious of Husbandry, especially in his old age, bestowed great pains and diligence to find out, whether the annoyances of fruits, that which mars their pure goodnesse, did spring up of it self, or arise out of any seeds of the fruits themselves, which did degenerate into other kinds. Wherefore he took the purest, and the cleanest Wheat and Barley that he could get, and having picked out all other seed whatsoever, sowed them in the ground: and when he found much Tares growing in the Wheat, but very little in the Barley, he put the same experiment in other grain in practice; and at last found in Pulse a hard and round Fetch; and moreover, that the herb Axesceed did grow among Pulse, by a kind of degeneration of the Pulse into Axesceed. So, unlesse it be prevented by skill and pains,

The herb Ballamint will turn into a Mint.

Wherefore it must be often shifted and translated from place to place, lest it so degenerate, as Theophrastus counselleth; for when a man doth not look to it and dresse it, the roots thereof will grow very large, and thereby the upper part being weakned, loseth the ranknesse of his savour; and that being lost, there remains in it but a weak smell, the very same in a manner that is in a common Mint. I my self have sowed Mint seed, and it hath been changed into wilde Peny-roial; I mean, in savour onely: for the fashion of the Mint remained still in it. Martial writes, That

Basil-royal degenerates into-wilde Betony,

if it be laid open to the Suns hotest and greatest force: for then it will bring forth sometimes purple flowers, sometimes white, and sometimes of a Rosie colour. And it will not only degenerate into Betony, but into Ballamint also. Likewise the boughs of the shrub Casia, as Galen reporteth, will degenerate into Cinamon. Likewise

Cloves, Roses, Violets, and Gilli-flowers, of purple, will become white,

either by reason that they are old, or else if they be not well looked unto. For Theophrastus records, that Violets, Roses, and Gilli-flowers, if they be not well heeded, in three years will wax white; and the experience thereof I my self have plainly seen. Neither yet will Plants degenerate one into another, only in such case as where there is a kind of vicinity and likenesse of nature, but also where there is no such vicinity, one plant may be changed into another of a quite different kind: for

An Oak may be changed into a Vine.

Albertus reporteth, (if the thing be as true as it is strange; but let the truth thereof lie upon his credit) he reports, I say, that Oaken or Beechen boughs being ingraffed into the Tree Myrica, is quite changed into it; and so into the Tree called Tremisca, which is a baser kind of wood: and likewise if Oaken boughs be set in the ground of Alummum, a place so called, they will be quite altered into right Vines, such as their grapes yeeld good wine; and sometimes the old Oaks, if they be pared, degenerate into Vines. But we must not think that this change is made while those Trees or boughs last; but when once they are putrified, then the nature of the ground works into them, and changeth them into Vines.

CHAP. III.

How to make one fruit compounded of many.

AS we heard before of divers living Creatures, that they might be mingled into one, by copulation; so now we will shew also how to contrive divers kinds of fruits, by graffing into one fruit: for graffing is in plants the same that copulation is in living creatures: yet I deny not, but there are other means whereby this may be effected, as well as by graffing. But above all other, graffing is most praise-worthy, as being the best and fittest means to incorporate one fruit into another, and so of many to make one, after a wonderful manner. And whereas it may be thought a very toilsome, and indeed impossible matter, here the excellent effect of the work must sweeten all thy labour, and thy painful diligence will take away the supposed impossibility of the thing, and perform that which a man would think were not possible to be done. Neither must thou suffer thy self to be discouraged herein by the sayings of rude Husband-men which have attempted this thing, but for want of skill could not perform it, seeing experience teacheth thee that it hath been done. Wherefore against such discouragements, thou must arm thy self with a due consideration of such experiments as the Antients have recorded: as for example, that the Figge-tree may be incorporated into the Plane-tree, and the Mulberry-tree; and likewise the Mulberry-tree into the Chestnut-tree, the Turpentine-tree, and the white Poplar, whereby you mayest procure white Mulberries; and likewise the Chestnut-tree into a Hasel, and an Oak; and likewise the Pomegranate-tree into all Trees, for that it is like to a common whore, ready and willing for all Comers; and likewise the Cherry-tree into a Turpentine-tree: and to conclude, that every Tree may be mutually incorporated into each other, as Columella supposeth. And this is the cause of every composition of many fruits into one, of every adopted fruit which is not the natural child, as it were, of the Tree that bare it; and this is the cause of all strange and new kinds of fruits that grow. Virgil makes mention of such a matter, when he saith, that Dido admired certain Trees which she saw, that bare new kinds of leaves, and apples that naturally were not their own. And Palladius saith, that Trees are joined together as it were, by carnal copulation, to the end that the fruit thereof might contain in it, all the excellencies of both the parents: and the same Trees were garnished with two sorts of leaves, and nourished with two sorts of juices, and the fruit had a double relish, according to both the kinds whence it was compounded. But now, as we did in our tract of the commixtion of divers kinds of living Creatures; so here also it is meet to prescribe certain rules, whereby we may cause those divers plants which we would intermingle, to join more easily, and to agree better together, for the producing of new and compounded fruits. First therefore, we must see that either of the Trees have their bark of one and the same nature: and both of them must have the same time of growing and shooting out of their sprigs; as was required in living creatures, that both of them should have the same time of breeding their young ones: for if the graffe have a dry or a hard bark, and the stock have a moist or soft bark, or that they be any way contrary each to other, we shall labour in vain. Then we must see that the ingraffing be made in the purest and soundest place of the stock, so that it neither have any tumors or knobs, or any scars, neither yet hath been blasted. Again, it is very material, that the young graffes or shoots be fetcht from the most convenient place or part of the Trees; namely, from those boughs that grow toward the East, where the Sun is wont to rise in the Summer-time. Again, they must be of a fruitful kind, and be taken off from young plants, such as never bare fruit before. They must also be taken in their prime, when they are beginning first to bud, and such as are of two years growth, and likely to bear fruit in their second year. And the stocks into which they are to be engraffed, must likewise be as young as may be graffed into; for if they be old, their hardnesse will scarce give any entertainment to strange shoots to be planted upon them. And many such observations must be diligently looked into, as we have shewed in our book of Husbandry. But we must not here omit to speak of the lome, or that clammy morter, which makes

The Graffe and the stock to close more easily together;

for it is very helpful to glew or fasten the skins of both the barks one into the other: and if the barks be of a divers nature, yet by this lome they may be so bound into one, that they will easily grow together. And surely it is commodious in many respects. First, because, as in mans body, the flesh being wounded or pierced into, is soon closed up again with stiffe and clammy plaisters applyed thereunto; so the bark or the boughs of Trees being cut or rent, will close together again very speedily, by the applying of this morter. For if you pill the bark off from a Tree, or slip off a little sprig from a bough, unlesse you close it up so cunningly, that it may stick as fitly every way in the graffing as whilst it grew, it will soon wither, and fade, and lose the natural juice and moisture; which inconvenience this lome will prevent, and fit them one into another. Moreover, if there be any open chink betwixt the bark and the Tree, presently the air getteth in, and will not suffer them to close; therefore to make it sure that they may close without fail, this lome is needful. And whereas there are some Trees which cannot away to be harboured in any of another kind, this lome knit them so strongly into the stock, that they cannot but bud and blossom. But here we must observe, that this glue or morter must be as neer of the nature of the thing engraffed as may be; for then it will perform this duty more kindly. If you be diligent herein, you may do many matters. We will give you a taste of some, that by these you may learn to do the like. Pill off the bark of Holly, and make a pit in some moist ground, and there bury your Holly rines, and let them there putrifie, which will be done in twelve daies: then take them forth, and stamp them till you see they are become a clammy slime. This is also made of the fruit Sebesten in Syria; and likewise it may be made of ordinary birdlime: but the best of all is made of the rines of Elm-roots stamped together; for this hath a special quality, both to fasten, and also to cherish. But let us return to graffing, which is of such great force, that it hath caused a new kind of a bastard fruit that was never heard of before, namely

An Apple compounded of a Peach-apple, and a Nut-peach;

which kind of compound generation, was never seen, nor heard of, nor yet thought upon by the Ancient. This is to be done by a kind of graffing which they call emplastering. Take off two young fruitful sprigges, one from a Peach-apple Tree, and the other from the Nut-peach Tree; but they must be well growen, and such as are ready to budde forth. Then pare off the bark of them about two fingers breadth in compasse, so that the budde to be graffed may stand fitly in the midst betwixt them both; but you must do it charily, lest you perish the wood. Then cleave them thorough the middle a little way, that they may be let one into another, and yet the cleft not seen, but covered with the bud. Then take off a bud from one of those Trees, with the bark round about the bud, and set it into the midst of the boughs which we spake of before; and so engraffe them together into the other Tree, having first cut out a round fit place for them therein. They must be engraffed in that part of the Tree, which is most neat and fresh-coloured; the sprigs that grow about that place must be cut off, lest they withdraw the nourishment from the graffe, which requires it all for it self. And when you have so done, binde it about gently, that you hurt it not; and cover it with somewhat, lest the rain fall down upon it; but especially take heed to the cleft, and the place where you pilled off the bark, that you plaister it up well with morter. Thus if you do, the graffe will very kindly prosper, and the bud grow forth into a fruit that is compounded of both kinds, and it shall carry the hue both of the Peach-apple and the Nut-peach by equal proportion, such as was never seen before. By this means also we may procure the bringing forth

Of a Figge halfe white and half black;

for if we take the buds of each of them, paring them off together with the bark round about them, and then cut them in the middle, and put the half of one, and the half of the other together, and so emplaister them into the Tree, as we spake before, the fruit thereof will be a Figge half white and half black. So also

Pomegranates may be brought forth, which will be sweet on the one side, and sowre on the other;

If you take either the shoots or the buds of each of them, and after you have divided them in the midst, put the half of each together, as before was spoken. But this may be done best upon the shoots or sprigs; for the bud can hardly be pared off, nor well divided, because the bark is so weak, and so thin, and slender, that it will not endure to be much or long handled. Likewise

Orenges compounded of divers kinds, and such as are half Limons; as also Limons half sweet, and half sowre, may be produced,

if we mix them after the same manner as we spake before; for these are very fit to be graffed by emplastering; and these kinds of compound Orenges and Limons are very commonly to be seen in many Orchards in Naples, In like manner we may mingle and compound

A Peach of the white and the red Peach,

if we put those two kinds together, by such emplastering: for there are of this compound fruit to be sold in Naples at this day. Likewise we may procure

A grape that hath a kernel or stone half black, and diversly coloured.

We must deal by the shoots of Vines, as we shewed before was to be done by the buds of other Trees; cleave them in the middle, and binde two shoots or more of divers sorts of Vines handsomely together, that they may grow up in one, and graff them into a fruitful Vine of some other kind. And the same which we have shewed concerning fruits, may be as well practised also upon flowers. As for example; If we would produce

Roses that are half white and half red;

we must take the sprigs of white Rose, and of a red, and pare off the buds of each of them; and having cut them asunder in the middle, put the halfs of each together, as we spake before, and engraffe them artificially into the bark, and then have a diligent care still to cherish them, the compound bud wil in due season bring forth Roses which will be white of the one side, and red of the other. But if you would make trial hereof in Clove-gilli-flowers, and desire

To produce some that are half red,

seeing they have no buds at all, you must practise this experiment upon their root; you must take two roots of them, and cleave them in the middle, and match them fitly together, that they may grow each to other; and binde them up well, and then will they yeeld compound Clove-gilli-flowers: of which kind we have great store, and they are common amongst us everywhere; and they do not onely bring forth party-coloured flowers, but the very same bough, and one and the same sprig, will bear white ones and red ones, and such as are wrought and as it were embroidred with divers goodly colours, most pleasant to be seen.