Point XXV

Gardeners by this subject may destroy all Insects, by mixing it with water, and pouring it into those places where they breed, for they will either die in their holes, or run out to die, because they are not able to abide that fire. It also ripeneth Fruits, if a little of this Menstruum be applied to their Roots, at the entrance of the Spring; and if a large quantity of Apples be well covered over with it, they may thence prepare a lasting Wine, Vinegar, or burning Spirit.

It is not to be doubted, but that fixed Nitre will kill all Worms in the Earth; I have often tried it with good advantage, and found it true, in this manner: Many years ago, I had a Garden, in which was a Bed of Asparagus, which I covered all over in the Winter with Horse-dung, to defend it from the Frost, which occasioned the breeding of many small Worms like Threads, sticking to the Roots of the Asparagus, so that they could by no means grow or increase, only by reason of the great quantity of Worms, which took away the nutriment of the Vegetable for themselves. And once by chance throwing some fixed Nitre exposed to the Air, and turned into a Liquor, out at a Window into the Garden, it fell upon that place where these Worms were, the fixed Nitre was dissolved by the following Rain, and penetrated the earth; which done, the Worms in great numbers crept out of the earth, because they could not abide that fiery Liquor, the Asparagus grew up in the same place more plentifully and perfectly than before, which moved me also to apply this Liquor in other places; by this means the whole Garden was in a very short time freed from Worms.