To graffe one Vine upon another.

YOu that will graffe one Vine upon another, ye shall (in January) cleave the head of the Vines, as ye doe other stocks, and then put in your Vine Graffe or Cion, but first you must pare him thin, ere ye set him in the head, then clay and mosse him as the other.

Chosen dayes to graffe in, and choose your Cions.

ALso whensoever that ye will graffe, your choicest time will be on the last day before the change, and also in the [Page 62] Change, as also upon the second day after the change, if ye graffe (as some report) on the third, fourth, or fifth day after the change, it will be many years ere those trees bring forth fruit. Ye may believe it, but I will not. Some think it is good graffing from the change unto the xviii day thereof, this I think good the Moon increasing, the sooner the better.

To gather your Cions.

ALso such Cions or Graffs, which you get on other trees, the young Trees of three, four, five or six years growth are best to take graffs. Take them of no under boughs, but in the top on the East side, if ye can, and the fairest and greatest. Ye shall cut them two inches long of the old wood beneath the joynt. And when you graff, cut them taper-wise from the joynt two inches or more of length, which set into the stock, and before you set it in, open your stock with a wedg of Iron or hard wood softly; then if the sides of your clefts be rag­ged, pare them on both sides with the point of a sharp knife within and above, then set in your graffes close on the out­sides, and also above, but let your stock be as little while o­pen as ye can, and when your graffs be well set in, pluck out your wedge, and if your stocks do pinch your graffs much, then ye must put in a wedge of the same wood to help your graffs: then lay a thick bark or peel over the cleft from the one graff to the other, to keep out the clay and rain, and clay them two fingers thick round about the clefts, then lay on mosse, but wool is better next your clay, or temper your clay with wool or hair, for it will abide closer and stronger on the stock head, some take wool next the clay, and wrap it all over with linnen cloths, for the wool being once moist will keep the clay so a long time. Others take woollen clouts, that have been laid in the juyce of Worm-wood or such like bitter thing, to keep creeping worms from coming under to the graffs. If ye graff or plant in the Winter, put your clay uppermost, for Summer your Mosse. For in Winter the Mosse is warme, and your clay will not cleave. In Summer [Page 63] your clay is cold, and your Mosse keeps him from cleaving or chapping. To bind them take Willow peels, cloven B [...]y­ars, Oziars and such like. To gather your graffe on the East part, of the Tree is counted best; if ye gather them below on the under-boughs, they will grow flaggie and spreading a­broad: If ye take them in the top of the Tree, they will grow upright. Yet some doe gather their Cions or graffes on the sides of the Trees, and so graffe them againe on the like sides of the stocks, which by some men is not counted so good for fruit. It is not good to graff a great stocke, for they will be long ere they cover the head thereof.

Of Worms in Trees or Fruit

IF ye have any Trees eaten with worms, or bring wormy fruit, wash his body and great branches with two parts of Cow-pisse and one of Vinegar, and if you can get no Vine­gar, with Cow-pisse alone tempered with common Ashes. This must be done before the Spring, in the Spring or Sum­mer. Anniseeds sown about the Trees roots drive away worms, and the fruit will be the sweeter.

The setting of Stones and ordering of them.

AS for Almond Trees, Peach▪trees Cherry-trees Plum-trees, or other, plant or set them thus. Lay first the stones in water three dayes and four nights until they sinke therein, then take them betwixt your finger and your thumb with the small end upward, and so set them two fingers deep in good earth, and when ye have so done, ye shall rake them all over, and so cover them, and when they begin to gr [...]w or spring, keep them from weeds, and [...]hey will prosper the bet­ter, specially in the first yeare. And within two or three year after ye shall set or remove them where you list, if ye re­move them after that, ye must proin off all his twigs, as ye see cause, nigh the stock: This ye may doe with all kind of Trees, chiefly such as have the great Sap, as the Mulberry or Fig-trees, or such like.

his twigs, as ye shall see cause, nigh the stock: this ye may doe of all kind of Trees, but especially those which have the great Sap, as the Mulberry or Fig-trees or such like.

Togather Gumme of any Tree.

IF ye list to have the Gum of an Almond tree, ye shall stick a great naile into the Tree a good way, and so let him rest, and the Gumme of the Tree shall issue out thereat, thus doe men gather Gumme of all sorts of Trees: yea, the common Gumme that men doe use and occupy.

To set a whole Apple.

ALso some say, that if ye set a whole Apple four fingers in the earth, all the P [...]pins or Curnels in the same Apple, will grow up together in one whole stock or Cion, and all those Apples shall be much fairer and greater than others: but ye must take heed how you set those Apples, which doe come in Leap-year, for in Leap-year (as some doe say) the Curnels or Pepins are turned contrary, for if ye would so set, as commonly a man doth, ye shall set them contrary.

Of setting the Almond.

ALmonds doe come forth and grow commonly well, if they be set without the shell or husk, in good earth or in rotten Hogs dung: If ye lay Almonds one day in Vine­gar, then shall they (as some say) be very good to plant, or lay him in milk or water until he doe sinke, it shall be the better to set, or any other Nut.

Of Pepins watered.

THe Pepins and Curnels of those Trees, which have a thick or rough bark, if ye lay them three dayes in water, or else untill they sink therein, they shall be the better, than set them, or sow them, as is before mentioned, and then re­move them when they be well rooted, or of three or four years growth, and they shall have a thin bark.

To plant or set Vines.

IF ye plant or set Vines, in the first or second year they will bring no fruit, but in the third year they will bear, if they [Page 65] be well kept: ye shall cut them in January, and set them soon after they be cut from the Vine, and ye shall set two together, the one with the old wood, and the other without, and so let them grow, plucking away all weeds from about them, & when ye shall remove them in the second and third year, be­ing well rooted, ye shall set them well a foot deep, (in good fat earth) with good dung, as of one foot deep or therea­bouts, and keep them clean from weeds, for then they will prosper the better, and in Summer, when the Grape is knit, then ye shall break off his top or branch, at one or two joints after the Grape, and so the Grape shall be the greater, and in the Winter when ye cut them, ye shall not leave past two or three leaders on each branch, on some branch but one leader, w^ch must be cut betwixt two joynts, & ye shall leave the yong Vine to be the leader. Also ye shall leave thereof three or four joynts at all times, if a young Cion do come forth of the old branch, or side thereof, if ye do cut him, ye shall cut him hard by the old branch, and if ye will have him to bring the Grape next year, ye shall leave two or three joynts thereof; for the yong Cion alwayes bringeth the Grape: ye may at all times, so that the Grape be once taken and knit, ever as the superflu­ous Cions do grow, break them at a joynt, or hard by the old branch, and the Grape will be the greater: thus ye may order your Vine all the Summer long without any hurt

To set or plant the Cherry.

CHerry-trees, and all trees of stone-fruit would be planted or set of Cions, and cold Grounds, and places of good earth, and likewise in high or hilly places, dry and well in the shade, if ye do remove, ye ought to remove them in Novem­ber and January, if ye shall see your Cherry-tree wax rotten, then shall ye make a hole in the middest of the body two foot above the ground with a big Piercer, that the humour may passe forth thereby, then afore the Spring shut him up again with a pin of the same tree: thus ye may do unto all other sorts of trees when they begin to rot, is also good for them [Page 66] which bear scant of fruit or none.

To keep Cherries good a year.

FOr to keep Cherries good a year, ye shall cut off the stalks, and then lay them in a well leaded pot, and fill the said pot therewith, then put into them of good thin Honey, and fill the said pot therewith, then stop it with clay that no aire enter in, then set them in some fair Sellar, and put of Sand under and all about it, and cover the pot well withall, so let it stand or remain; thus ye may keep them a year, as fresh as though they came from the Tree, and after this sort ye may keep Pears or other fruit.

Against Pismires.

IF ye have Cherry-trees laden or troubled with Pismires or Ants, ye shall rub the body of the Tree, and all about the root with the juice of Purslane mingled half with Vineger. Some do use to anoint the Tree beneath all about the body with t [...]rr and birds-lime, with wool, oyl, boiled together, and anoint the tree beneath therewith, and lay the Chalk stones all about the Tree root, some say it is good therefore.

The setting of Chesnuts.

THe Chesnut-tree men do use to plant like unto the Fig-tree. They may be both planted and graffed well, they wax well in fresh and fat earth, for in Sand they like not. If ye will set the Curnells, ye shall lay them in water untill they do sink, and those that do sink to the bottome of the water be best to set, which ye shall set in the Moneth of November, and December, foure fingers deep, a foot one from another, for when they be in these two Moneths Set or Planted, they shall endure long, and bear also good fruit, yet some there be that Plant or Set them first in dung like Beans, which will be sweeter than the other sort, but those which be set in these two Moneths aforesaid, shall first bear their fruit, men may prove which is best, experience doth teach.

This is another way to prove and know, which Chesnuts be best to plant or set, that is, ye shall take a quantity of nuts, [Page 67] then lay them in Sand the space of thirty dayes, then take and wash them in water fair and clean, and throw them into water again, and those which do sink to the bottome, are good to plant or set, and the other that swim are naught; thus may ye do with all other Curnels or nuts.

To have all stone fruit taste, as ye shall think good.

IF ye will have all stone-fruit tast as ye shall fansie or think good, ye shall first lay your stones to soke in such liquor or moisture, as ye will have the fruit tast of, and then set them, as for the Date tree (as some say) he bringeth no fruit, except he be a hundred year old, and the Date-stone must soke one Moneth in the water before he be set, then shall ye set him with the small end upward in good fat earth, in hot Sandy ground four fingers deep, and when the boughs do begin to spring, then shall ye every night sprinckle them with rain water, or other (if ye have none) so long till they be come forth and grown.

Of graffing the Medlar and Misple.

FOr to graffe the Medlar or Misple: men do use to graffe them on the White Hathorn Tree, they will prove well, but yet small and sowr fruit, to graffe one Medlar upon a­nother is the better, some men do graffe first the Wilding Ci­on upon the Medlar stock, and so when he is well taken and grown, then they graffe thereon the Medlar again, the which doth make them more sweet, very great and fair.

Of the Fig-tree.

THe Fig-tree in some Country beareth his fruit foure times a Year, the black Figges are the best being dryed in the Sunne, and then laid in a Vessell in beddes one by another, and then sprinckled or strawed all over, every Lay with fine Meal, then stop it up, and so it is sent out of that Land. If the Fig-tree will not beare, ye shall digge [Page 68] him all about, and under the roots in February, and take out then all his earth, and put unto him the dung of a Privy, for that he liketh best: ye may mingle with it other fat earth, as Pigeons Dung mingled with Oyl, and Pepper stampt, which shall forward him much to anoint his roots therwith: ye shall not plant the Fig-tree in cold times, he loveth hot, stony, or gravelly ground, and to be planted in Autumne is best.

Of the Mulberry-tree.

IF ye will plant the Mulberry-tree, the Fig-tree, or others which bring no seed, ye shall cut a twig or branch (from the tree root) of a years growth, with the old wood or bark, about a cubit long, which ye shall plant or set in all the earth saven shaftment long to it, and so let it grow, water­ing it as ye shall see need. This must be done before the leaves be in to spring, but take heed ye cut not the end or top a­bove, for then it shall wither and dry.

Of trees that bear bitter fruit.

OF all such Trees as bear bitter fruit, to make them bring sweeter, ye shall uncover all the roots in January, and take out all that earth, then put unto them of Hogs dung great plenty, and then after put unto them of other good earth, and so cover them therewithall well again, and their fruit shall have a sweeter taste. Thus men m [...]y do with other Trees which bring bitter fruit.

To help barren Trees.

HEre is another way to help barren Trees, that they may bring fruit, if you see your Tree not to bear scaree in three or four years good plenty, ye shall bore an hole with an Auger or Piercer in the greatest place of the body, (within a yard of the ground) but not through, but unto or past the heart, ye shall bore him aslope; then take Hony and water mingled together a night before, then put the said Ho­ny [Page 69] and water into the hole, and fill it therewith, then stop it close with a short pin made of the same Tree, not stricken in too far for piercing the liquour.

Another way.

IN the beginning of Winter, ye shall dig those Trees round about the roots, and let them so rest a day and a night, and then put unto them of good earth, mingled well with good store of watred Oats, or with watred Barley or Wheat, laid next unto the roots, then fill it with other good earth, and he shall bear fruit, even as the boring of a hole in the master root, and striking in a pin, and so fill him again, it shall help him to bear, as before is declared.

To keep your fruit.

ALL fruit may be the better kept if ye lay them in dry places, in dry Straw or Hay, but Hay ripeth too sore: or in a Barly mow, not touching one the other, or in Chaffe or in vessels of Juniper, and Cipresse wood: ye may so keep them well in dry Salt or Hony, and upon boards, whereas fire is nigh all the Winter, also hanging nigh fire in the Winter in Nets of Yarn.

The Mulberry-tree.

THe Mulberry-Tree is planted or set by the Fig-tree: his fruit is first sower and then sweet, he liketh neither Dew nor Rain, for they hurt him, he is well pleased with foul earth and dung: his branches will wax dry within every six years, then must ye cut them off, as for other Trees they ought to be proined every year, as yeshall see cause, and they will be the better, and to plant them from the midst of February to the midst of March is best.

Of Mosse of the Tree.

OF the Mosse on your Trees, ye must not let it too long be uncleansed, ye must rub it off with a grate of wood, or arough Hair, or such like, in Winter when they be moist [Page 70] or wet, for then it will off the sooner, for Mosse doth take away the strength and substance of the fruit, and makes the Trees barren at length: when you see your Trees begin to wax Mossie, ye [...]ust in the Winter uncover their roots, and put them under good earth, this shall help them and keep them long without Mosse: for the earth, not stirred about the root, is one cause of Mossinesse, and also the barrennesse of the ground whereon he standeth, and your Mosse doth succour in Winter flies and other Vermin, and so doth therein hide them in Summer, which is occasion of eating the blossomes, and tender Cions thereof.

To keep nuts long.

FOr to keep nuts long, ye shall dry them, and cover them in dry Sand, and put them in a dry Bladder, or in a Fatte made of Walnut-tree, and put of dry Ivie-berries therein, and they shall be much sweeter. To keep Nuts green a year and also fr [...]sh, ye shall put them into a pot with Honey, and they shall continue fresh a year, and the said Hony will be gentle and good for many Medicines. To keep Walnuts fresh and green: in the time of straining of Verjuice, ye shall take of the Pommis, and put thereof in the bottom of a Barrell, then lay your Walnuts all over with Pommis over them, and so Walnuts again, and then of the Pommis, as ye shall see cause to fi [...]l your Uessell. Then stop it close as ye do a Barrell, and set him in your Sellar or other place, and it shall keep your Nuts fresh and green a year. Some use to fill an earthen pot with small Nuts, and put to them dry Sand, and cover them with a Lidde of earth, or stone, and then they clay it, set­ting the mouth of the Pot down-ward, two foot within the earth, in their Garden or other place, and so they will keep very moist and sweet, untill new come.

To cut the Peach-tree.

THe Peach-trree is of this nature, (if he be cut as some say) green, it will wither and dry. Therefore if ye cut any [Page 71] small branch, cut it hard by the body: the withered twigs e­ver as they wither, must be cut off hard by the great branch, or body thereof, for then they prosper the better. If a Peach-tree do not like, ye shall put to his roots the Lees of Wine mingled with water, and also wash his roots therewi [...]h, and likewise the branches; then cover him again with good earth, mingled with his own Leaves, for those he liketh best. Ye may graffe Peach upon Peach, upon Hasel, or Ash, or upon Cher­ry-tree, or ye may graffe the Almond upon the Peach-tree. And to have great Peaches, ye must take Cowes milk, and put good earth thereto, then all to strike the body of the Tree therewith, both upward and downward, or else open the root all bare, three dayes and three nights; then take Goats milk and wash all the roots therewith, and then cover them again; this must be done when they begin to blossome, and so shall he bring great Peaches.

To colour Peach-stones

TO colour Peach-stones that all the fruit therof shall have the like colour here after, that is, ye shall lay or set Peach-stones in the earth seven dayes or more, untill ye shall set the stones begin to open, then take the stones and the curnells softly forth thereof, and what colour ye will colour the cur­nell therewith, and put them into the shell again, then bind it fast together, and set it in the earth, with the small end up­ward, and so let him grow, and all the Peaches which shall come of the same fruit, (graffed or ungraffed) will be of the same colour. The Peach-tree ought to be planted in Autumn, before the cold do come, for he cannot abide the cold.

If Peach-tree be troubled with Worms.

ALso if any Peach-tree be troubl [...]d with worms, ye shall take two parts of Cow-pisse, with one part of Vineger, then shall ye sprinkle the tree all over therewith, and wash his roots and branches also, and it will kill the worms; this may ye do unto all other Trees, which be troubled with Worms.

To have the Peach without stones.

FOr to make the Peach grow without stones, ye shall take a Peach-tree newly planted, then set a Willow hard by, which ye shall bore a hole through, then put the Peach-tree through the said hole, and so close him on both sides thereof Sap to Sap, and let him so grow one year, then the next year ye shall cut off the Peach-stock, and let the Willow feed him, and cut off the upper part of the Willow also three fin­gers high, and the next Winter saw him off nigh the Peach, so that the Willow shall feed but the Peach onely: and this way ye have Peaches without stones.

Another way for the same.

YE shall take the Graffes of Peaches, and graffe them upon the Willow-stock, and so shall your Peaches be likewise without stones.

If Trees do not prosper.

IF ye see that your Trees do not wax nor prosper, take and open the roots in the beginning of January or afore, and in the biggest root thereof, make an hole with an Auger, to the pith or more, then strike therein a pin of Oke, and so stop it again, and let it be well waxt all about the pin, then cover him again with good earth, and he shall do well, some do use to cleave the root.

How to graffe Apples to last on the tree till Alhallontide.

HOw ye may have many sorts of Apples upon your Trees untill Alhallontide, that is, ye shall graffe your Apples upon the Mulberry-tree, and upon the Cherry-tree.

Many Apricot trees of one.

PLant an Apricot in the midst of other Plum-trees round about it, at a convenient distance; then in an apt season, bore through your plum-trees, and let into every one of them, one or two of the branches of your Apricot tree, through those holes, taking away the Bark on both sides of your branches, which you let in, joyning Sap to Sap, and lute [Page 73] the holes up with tempered loam; and when they are well knit, the next year cut off the branch from the Apricot-tree: and so you have gotten many Apricot trees out of one. Take away in time all the head of your plum-tree, and all o­ther branches, maintaining onely that which is gotten from the Apricot. But some commend rather the letting in of a branch of one tree, into the other workmanlike, for the more certain kind of graffing.

To graffe an Apple which shall be half sweet, and half sower.

TO graffe that your Apples shall be the one half sweet, and the other half sower, ye shall take two Cions, the one sweet and the other sower, some do put the one Cion through the other, and so graffe them between the Bark and the Tree; and some again do pare both the Cions finely, and so sets them joyning into the stock, inclosing Sap to Sap, on both the outsides of the graffes, unto the outsides of the stock, and so sets them into the head as the other, and they shall bring fruit, the one half sweet, and the other half sower.

To graffe a Rose on the Holly.

FOR to graffe the Rose, that his leaves shall keep all the year green; Some do take and cleave the Holly, and so graffe in a white or red Rose bud, and then put clay and mosse to him, and let him grow, and some put the Rose bud into a sli [...] of the Bark, and so put Clay and Mosse and bind him featly therein, and let him grow, and he shall carry his leaf all the year.

Of keeping of Plummes

OF Plums there be many sorts, as Damsons which be all black, which be counted the best: All manner of other Plums a man may keep well a year, if they be gathered ripe, and then dryed, and put into Vessels of glasse, if ye can­not dry them well in the Sun, ye shall dry them on hur­dels of Oziers made like Lattice Windows, in a hot Oven after Bread is drawn forth, and so reserve them. If a Plum­tree like not, open his roots, and pour in all about the dregs of Wine mixt with Water, and so cover him well again, or [Page 74] powr on them stale Urine, or stale pisse of old men mixt with two parts of water, and so cover him as before.

Of altering of Pears and stony fruit.

IF a Pear tast hard or gravelly about the core, like small stones, ye shall uncover his roots (in the Winter or afore the Spring) and take out all the earth thereof, and pick out all the stones, as clean from the earth as ye can, about his root then sift that earth, or else take of other good fat earth with­out stones, and fill all his roots again therewith, and he shall bring a soft and gentle Pear to eat, but you must see well to the watering of him often.

The making of Syder and Perry.

OF Apples and Pears men do make Cyder and Perry, and because the use thereof in most places is known, I will here let passe to speak any further thereof, but (in the pressing your Cyder) I will counsell you to keep cl [...]an your vessels, and the place whereas your fruit doth lye, and specially after it is bruised or broken, for then they draw fil­thy air unto them, and if it be nigh, the Cyder shall be infected therewith, and also bear the taste after the infection thereof: therefore tun it as soon as you can into clean and sweet vessels, as into vessels of white wine, or of Sack or of Claret, and such like, for these shall keep your Cyder the better and stronger a long time after: ye may hang a small bag of linnen by a threed down into the lower part of your Vessel, with Powder of Cioves, Mace, Cinamon and Ginger, and such like, which will make your Cyder to have a pleasant t [...]ste.

To help frozen Apples.

OF Apples that be frozen in the cold and extream Win­tyr, The remedy to have the Ice out of them, is this. Ye shall lay them first in cold water a while, and then lay them before the fire or other heat, and they shall come to them­selves again:

To make Apples fall from the Tree

IF ye put of fiery coles under an Apple-tree, and then cast of the powder of Brimstone therein, and the fume thereof ascend up, and touch any Apple that is wet, that Apple shall fall incontinent.

To water Trees in Summer, if they wax dry about the root.

WHereas Apple-trees be set in dry ground, and not dead in the Ground, in Summer if they want moisture, ye may take of Wheat-straw or other, and every evening (or as ye see cause) cast thereon water all about, and it will keep the Trees moist from time to time.

To cherish Apple-Trees.

IF ye use to throw (in Winter) all about your apple-trees on the roots thereof, the Urine of old men, or stale pisse long kept, they shall bring fruit much better, which is good for the Vine also, or if ye sprinckle or anoint your Apple-tree roots with the Gall of a Bull, they will bear the better.

To make an Apple grow in a Glasse.

TO make an Apple grow within a Glasse, take a Glasse what fashion ye list, and put your Apple therein when he is but small, and bind him fast to the Glasse, and the Glasse also to the Tree, and let him grow, thus ye may have Apples of divers proportions, according to the fashion of your Glasse. Thus ye make of Cucumbers, Gourds, or Pomeci­trons the like fashion.

THese three branches, and Figure of graffing in the shield in Summer is, the first branch sheweth how the Bark is taken off, the middle place sheweth how it is set too, and the last branch sheweth how to bind him on, in saving the oylet or eye from bruising.

To graffe many sorts of Apples on one Tree.

YE may graffe on one Apple-tree at once many kind of Apples, as on every branch a contrary fruit, as is afore de­clared, and of Pears the like; but see as nigh as you can, that all your Cions be of like springing, for else the one will grow, and overshadow the other.

To colour Apples.

TO have coloured Apples, with what colour ye shall think good, ye shall bore a hole slope with an Auger, in the big­gest part of the body of the Tree, unto the middest thereof, [Page 77] or thereabouts, and then look what colour ye will have them of First ye shall take water, and mingle your colour there­with, then stop it up again with a short pin made of the same, wood or Tree, then wax it round about; ye may mingle with the said colour what spice ye list, to make them taste there­after: thus may ye change the colour, and taste of any Apple: Your colours may be of Saffron, Tourn sel, Brasel, Saun­ders, or other what ye shall see good. This must be done be­fore the Spring do come: Some do say, if ye graffe on the O [...]ive stock, or on the Ald [...]r stock, they will bring red Ap­ples. Also they say, to graffe to have fruit without core, ye shall graffe in both the ends of your Cion into the stock, and when they be fast grown to the stock, ye shall cut it in the middest, and let the smaller and grow upward, or else take a Cion, and graffe the small end of the stock downward, and so shall ye have your Apple-tree on St. Lamberts day, (which is the xvii. of September) they shall never waste, consume, nor wax dry, which I doubt.

The setting of Vine Plants.

THese Figures do shew, how ye ought to Plant and set in your Vines, two or two together, the one to have a part of the old Tree, and the other may be all of the last Cion, but when ye plant him with a part of the old Tree, he shall com­monly take root sooner than the new Cion; ye must weed them every moneth, and let not the earth be too close above their roots at the first, but now & then loosen it with a Spade as ye shall see a rain past, for then they shall enlarge, and put forth better. Further herein ye shall understand after.

How to proin or cut a Vine in Winter.

THis Figure sheweth, how all Vines should be proined and cut in a convenient time after Christmas, that when ye cut them, ye shall leave his branches very thin, as ye see by this Figure, ye shall never leave above two or three Leaders at the head of any principal branch, ye must also cut them off in the middest between the knots of the young Cions, for those be the leaders which will bring the grape, the rest and order ye shall understand as followeth,

Of the Vine and Grape.

SOmewhat I intend to speak of the ordering of the Vine and Grape, to Plant or Set the Vine, the Plants or Sets which be gathered from the Vine (and so planted) are best, they must not be old gathered, nor lye long unplanted after th [...]y be out, for then they soon gather corruption, and when ye gather your Plants, take heed to cut and choose them, whereas ye may, with the young Cion take a j [...]ynt of the old [Page 79] wood with the new, for the old wood will sooner take root than the new, and better to grow than if it were all young Ci­on, ye shall leave the old wood to the young Cion a foot or half a foot, or a shaftment long, the young Cion ye must cut the length of three quarters of a yard or therereabouts, and choose of those young Cions that be thickess joynted or nigh joynts together, and when ye Plant or set them, look that your ground be well digged in the Winter before, then in January ye may both cut & Plant, but cut not in the Frost, for that is dangerous to all kind of Trees, or ye may plant in the beginning of February, and when ye do Plant, take two of those Plants, and set or lay them together a foot deep in the earth, for two Plants set together will not so soon fall, as one alone, and lay them a foot longwise in the earth, so that there may be above the earth three or four joynts: ye may plant likewise a young Cion with the old, so that it be thick or nigh joynted, for then he is better to root, and also to bring fruit, than when ye have set or layed them in the earth, then cover them well therewith, in trea­ding it fast down unto the Plants, but let the ends of your Cions or Plants be turned upright above the earth, three or four joynts, if there happen to be more when they are set, ye may cut them off, and cut them alwayes in the middest be­tween the two joynts, and then let them so grow, and see that ye weed them alwayes clean, and once a moneth loosen the earth round about them, and they shall prove the better, if it be very dry and hot in the Summer after, ye may water them, in making a hole with a Crow of Iron to the Root: and there ye may pour in water in the Evening. As for the proyning of them, thus, when the Grape is taken and clustered, then ye may break the next joynt or two after the Grape, of all such superfluous Cions as ye shall see c [...]use, which will cause the Grape to wax bigger: ye may also break away all superfluous buddes or slender branches, which cometh about the Root, or on the under branches, which ye think will have no Grape, and when ye proyn or [Page 80] cut them in Winter following, ye shall not cut the young Ci­on nigh the old, by three or four joynts, ye shall not cut them like Oziers, to leave a sort of heads together on the branch, which doth kill your Vine, ye shall leave but one head, or two at the most of the yong Cions upon the old branch, and to cut those young Cions three or four knots, or joynts off, for the yong Cion doth carry the grape alwayes, and when ye leave upon a great branch many Cions, they cannot be well nourished, and after ye have so cut them in Winter, ye shall bind them with Oziers, in placing those young branches as ye shall see cause, and in the Spring time, when the branches are tender, ye shall bind them so, that the stormy tempest or wind hurt them not, and to bind them withall great soft rushes are best, and when the Grape is clustered, then ye may break off all such branches as is afore declared: upon one old branch three or four heads be enough, for the more heads your branch hath, the worse your grape shall be nourished, & when ye cut off any branch, cut him off hard by or nigh the old branch; if your Vine wax old, the best remedy is, if there grow any yong Cion about the root, ye shall in the Winter cut off the old Vine hard by the ground, or as nigh as ye can, and let the young Vine lead, and he will continue a long time, if ye cover and fill the place about the root with good earth again. There is also upon or by every cluster of grapes, a small Cion like a Pigs Tail, turning about, which doth take away the Sap from the Grape, if ye pinch it off hard by the stalk of your Grape, your fruit shall be the greater. If your Vine wax too rank and thick of branches, ye shall dig the root in Winter, and open the earth, and fill it up again with Sand and ashes mingled together, and whereas a Vine is unf [...]uitfull and doth not bear, ye shall bore an hole (with an Auger) unto the heart or pith, in the body or thickest part thereof, then put in the said hole a small stone, but fill not the hole close therewith, that so the sicknesse of the Vine may passe there­by, Then lay all about the root of good earth mingled with [Page 81] good dung, and so shall not be unfruitfull, but bear well e­ver after: or also to caste of old mens Urine or pisse all about the root of the barren Vine, and if he were half lost or mard, he should grow again and wax fruitfull as before: this is to be done in Winter.

To have Grapes without stones.

FOr to have Grapes without stones, ye shall take young Plants or Branches, and shall Plant or set the top or small end downward in the earth, and so ye may set two of them together for failing, as I have afore declared of the others, and those branches shall bring Grapes without stones.

To make your Vine to bring a Grape to taste like Claret.

TO make your Vine to have a Grape to taste like Claret Wine, and pleasant withall, bore a hole in the stock unto the heart or pith thereof, then make an Electuary with the powder of Cloves, and Cinamon, mingled with a lit-Fountatin or running water, and fill the said hole therewith, and stop it fast and close with wax, and so bind it fast thereon with a Linnen cloth, and those Grapes will taste like Claret-Wine.

Of gathering your Grapes.

ALL Grapes that men do cut, before they are through ripe, the Wine will not be natural, neither shall it long endure good: But if ye cut or gather Grapes, to have them good, and thereby to have good Wine, ye must cut them in the Full, or soon after the Full of the Moon, when she is in Cancer, in Leo, in Scorpio, and in Aquarius, the Moon being in the Wain, and under the earth.

To know if your Grape be ripe enough.

FOr to know if your Grape be ripe enough, or not which ye shall not truly know in the taste, but in sight and taste together, as in taste if they be sweet, and full [Page 82] in eating, and in sight, if the stone will soon fall out being chafed or bruised, which is the best knowledge, and also whe­ther they be white or blue, it is all one matter: The good Grape is he which commeth out all watry, or those which be all clammy as Bird-lime: by these signes ye shall know when to cut, being through ripe or not, and whereas you do presse your Wine, ye must make your place sweet and clean, and your Vessels within to be clean also, and see that they have strong heads, and those persons, which do presse the Grape, must look their hands, feet and body be clean washed, when as they go to press [...] the Grape, and that no woman be there having her terms. Neither ought ye to eat any Chebols, Scalions, Onions, Garlike, Anniseeds, or such like: For all strong savours, your Wine will draw the infection thereof, & as soon as your Grape is cut and gathered, you may presse your Wine very speedily, which will make your Wine to be more pleasant and stronger, for the Grapes, which tarry long unprest, make the Wine to be small and ill; ye must see that your Vessels be new, and sw [...]et within, and to be washed with sweet water, and then well dryed again, and to perfume them with Mastick, and such sweet vapour, and if your Vessel chance not to be sweet, then shall ye pitch him on the sides, which pitch will take away all evill, and such stinking savour therein.

To prove or taste Wine.

ANd whensoever ye will prove or taste any Wine, the best time is early in the morning, and take with you three or four sops of bread, then dip one after another into the Wine, for therein ye shall find (if there be any) sharp taste of the Wine: Thus I leave (at this present) to speak any further here of the Wine and Grape.

If this my simple labour be taken in good part (Gentle Reader) it shall the more hereafter encourage me, to set forth another book more at large, touching the Art of Planting and Graffing, with other things necessary to be known.

Here followeth the best times how to order, choose, and to Set or Plant Hops.

IN this Figure ye shall understand the placing and making of Hop hills, by every Cypher over his head. The first place is shewed but one Pole set in the middest, and the Hop beneath: The second sheweth how some do chop down a Spade in the middest of the Hills, and therein layes his Hop roots. The third place sheweth, how other some do set out one Pole in the middest, and the Hop roots at holes put in round about. The fourth place sheweth how some chops in a Spade crosse in the top, and there layes in his roots. The fifth place sheweth, how some do set four Poles therein and put the Hop round about the Hill. The sixth place sheweth that some use to make crosse holes in the sides, and there lays [...]n the Hop roots, Thus many practises have been proved good: provided alwayes that your hills be of good fat earth, specially in the midst down unto the bottom. This I thought sufficient to shew by this figure, the diversity in setting, where­of the laying of the Hop is counted the surest way.

THe best and common setting time of Hops, is from the middest of November, to the middest of February, then [Page 84] must ye dig and cleanse the ground of weeds, and mix it well with good mold and fat earth. Then divide your Hills a yard one from another orderly, in making them a yard asun­der, and two foot and a half broad in the bottome, and when ye plant them, lay in every Hill three or four Roots: Some do in setting of them lay them crosse-wise in the midst of the Hill, and so cover them again: Some set the Roots in four parts of the Hill, others likewise do make holes round about the Hills, and put of the Roots therein, and so cover them again light with earth: of one short root in a year ye may have many Plants, to set and lay as ye shall see it good, and it shall be sufficient for every Plant to have two knots within the ground, and one without, then some do chop a Spade crosse into the Hill, and lay Hop in crosse, and so cover it.

To choose your Hop.

YE may choose your roots best for your Hop, in the Sum­mer, before ye plant them, for then ye shall see which bears the Hop, for some there is that brings none, but that which bears choose for your Plants, and set of those in your Hills, for so ye shall not be deceived and they shall prosper well.

To sow the Seeds.

SOme do hold, that ye may sow among other Seeds, the Seeds of Hops, and they will increase and be good to set, or else to make beds, and sow them alone, whereby they may encrease to be set, and when they be strong, ye may remove and set them in your Hills, and Plant them as the other be­fore mentioned.

The setting your Poles.

THe best time is in April, or when your roots be sprung half a yard long or more, then by every Plant or Hop in your Hills, set up a Pole of xiii. or xiv. foot long, or thereabouts, as cause shall require. Some do use to set but [Page 85] four Poles in every Hill, which is thought sufficient, and when ye shall set them, s [...]e that ye set them so fast that great Winds do not cast them down.

How to proyn the Hop-tree.

Observe when the Hop doth blossome, and knit in the top, which shall be perceived to be the Hop, then take and cut up all the rest growing thereabouts (not having Hop thereon) hard by the earth, that all those which carry the Hop might be the better nourished: thus do in Summer as ye shall see them increase and grow untill the time of ga­thering.

To gather the Hop.

AT such time before Michaelmasse, as ye shall see your Hop wax brown or somewhat yellow, then he is best to be gathered in a dry day, in cutting your Hop by the ground, then pluck up your Pole therewish for shaking off your Hop; so carry them into some dry house, when ye have so pluckt them, lay them on boarded [...]ofts, or on hurdl [...]s of cloaths, that the wind may dry them, and the air, but not in the Sun, for the same will take away the strength thereof, nor with fire, that will do the same, and ye must daily tosse and turn them till they be dry: to try them when they are dry, hold them in your hand a space, and if they cleave together when ye open your hand, they are not then dry; but if they shatter asunder in opening your hand, ye may be sure they are dry enough. If not, let them remain, and use them as is before said. Ye shall understand the drynesse of them is, to pre­serve them long to last, but if need be, ye may occupy them well undryed, with lesse portion to sow.

What Poles are best.

YE shall prepare your [...]oles of such Wood as is light and stiffe, and which will not bow with every Wind, the best and meetest time to get them is in Winter, when the Sap is [Page 86] gone down, and as soon as ye have taken off your Hop, lay your Poles in sundry places untill the next Spring, whereby they may endure the longer.

How to order and dresse your Hills.

AFfter the first year is past, your Hop being increased to more plenty of roots in your Hills, ye shall after Micha­el [...]masse every year open your Hills, and cast down the tops unto the roots, uncovering them, and cut away all the super­fluous roots, some do pluck away all the roots that spread abroad about the Hills, then opens the Hills, and puts good new earth unto them, and so cover them again, which shall keep them from the Frost, and also make the Ground fat, so shall ye let them remain unto the Spring of the year in February or March, then again if ye shall see any super­fluous roots, ye may take them away and cut them up, and your Hop shall be the better, then again cast up the earth about your Hills, and cleansing them from all weeds and other roots, which will take away their strength, if the herbs remain, so let them rest till your Poles may be set therein,

Of Ground best for your Hop.

THe Hop delighteth, and loveth a good and reasonable sat ground, not very cold, nor yet too moist, for I have seen them prove well in Flanders, in dry sandy fields, the Hop-hills being of good fat earth, ye may (as some say) for great need make your Hop grow and bear on any kind of Rocky ground, so that your hills be great and fat earth, but the lower ground commonly proveth best, so that it stand well and hot in the Sun.

A note of the rest abovesaid.

YE shall mark and understand, all this order abovesaid is to have many Hops and good, with a few roots and Plants placed in a small plot of ground. Ye shall understand, that wild Hops, which grow in the hedges, is as good to oc­cupie as the other to set or Plant in any other places, but look [Page 87] that ye take not the barren Hop to Plant, some Hop will be barren for want of good earth, and lack of good dressing, which ye shall perceive (as I have told you) in the Summer before, that when they should bear, they will be barren, which is for want of good fat earth, or an unkind year, or lack of weeding and good ordering. Therefore such as are minded to bestow labour on the Ground, may have as good Hop growing in this Countrey, as in other Countreys: but if ye will not go to that cost to make Hop-yards, ye may with a light charge have Hops grow in your Hedge-rows, to serve as well as the other, and shall be as good for the quantity as the other in all respects: ye may (for lack of ground plant Hop roots in hedge-rows, when you do quick-set, set up poles by them, when time shall require in the Spring, and bestow every Winter after the gathering your Hop, on every hill head a shovel-full of Dung to comfort the earth, for then they will bear the more plenty of Hops the next year following. To conclude, you that have Grounds may well practise in all things afore mentioned, and specially to have Hops in this ordering for your selves, and others: also ye shall give encouragement for others to follow hereafter, I have heard by credible persons which have known a hun­dred Hills, (which is a small plat of ground) to bear three hundred pounds of Hops, so that the commodity is much, and the gains great: and one pound of our Hops dryed and ordered, will go as far as two po [...]nd [...]f the best Hops that cometh from beyond the Seas. Thus much I thought meet and necessary to write, of the ordering and planting of the Hop.

How to pack your Hops.

WHen your Hops be well tossed and turned on boarded floores, and well dryed, (as I afore have shewed) ye may put them into great Sacks, according to the quantity of your Hops, and let them be trodden down hard together, which will keep their strength Ionger, and so ye may re­serve [Page 88] them, and take at you [...] pleasure, some do use (which have b [...]t small store) to tread them into dry Fattes, and so serve them for their use, which is counted the better way, and the lesse portion doth serve, and will longer keep their vertue and strength.

Of apt and unapt Ground for Hops.

SOme hold at this day (and ancient Writers witnesse the Virgil. same) that earth being sa [...]t and bitter of taste, is neither good, nor apt to be made good.

It is also often written, and generally received, that such earth as you shall see white and bare, (that is to say) wholly [Page 92] chalk, or all sand, lacking a mixture of perfect earth, or if it be clay, or so dry, as thereby it shall gape or coane in the Didymus, Plinius. Summer, it is nought for this, or any like purpose.

It is further said, that if you shall feel a clod (being dissol­ved with water) to be very clammy or cl [...]aving like wax to your fingers in kneading it, the same to be profitable land, &c.

I for my part rely not upon other mens opinions, neither mean to dispute with any man herein, I like not to make my mouth an arbitrator in this matter, mine ey may be deceived, and my feeling may erre in the precise distinction of good or bad land, but mine experience hath never failed in this thing (that is to say) that a barren, a moory or wet soil, (though it perhaps do content a wild Hop) shall never please nor main­tain a good Hop.

I will not say with Varro, that a good ground yieldeth Walwoorts, nor with Columella, that where Crabs or slows grow, there the ground is rich. I can say nothing of Floren­tines experience in digging a hole, and filling it up again, and by the swelling to judge the strength, or by the gaping to define the weaknesse thereof; but I can say again by sure ex­perience, that a dry ground, if it be rich, mellow, and gentle, i [...] the soil that serveth best for this purpose, and such a mould must either be sought out, or else by cost and labour be pro­voked.

If it be a very shallow rock (except you raise it with greet or good earth) you shall not set your Poles deep, steddy, and fast enough to withstand the force of the wind.

But to redresse the inconvenience hereof, you shall be taught in the Title of Poles.

A light mould (though it be very rich) is not very apt for this purpose, for it is a received and an approved rule, that the heaviest ground will bear the most weight of Hops, I say, so as it be a ground apt for this purpose.

Of the scituation.

IT were good to place your Garden, so as the Sun may have free recourse into it, either the whole day, or the greatest & [Page 93] warmest part thereof, so also as it may be armed against the violence and contagion of the wind; but this I could wish to be considered rather in the scituation of the place, natu­rally defended with hills, then artificially to be set and guar­d [...]d with Trees. Howbeit if you be driven hereunto, provide so (if you can) that your Trees may stand aloof, even that the shadow of them, reach not into your Garden, but in any wise that they drop not upon the hills.

There be many which (to purchase the favour and benefit of the Sun) lay their Gardens very open and bleak to the South, the which I would not wish to be done, for as the fore­part of the year admitteth into your Garden the cold Ea­sterly winds, whereby insues Frosts, the which ingenders Blasts, &c. So the latter part of the year maketh it subject to Southerly stormes, which do much annoy an Hop-Garden when the Poles are loaden with Hops, and then commonly no other wind hurteth.

It should also be placed near to your house, except you be able to warrant the fruit thereof from such fingers, as put no difference between their own, and other mens goods.

Also your Garden being thus placed, there may be made thereunto the more sp [...]edy and continuall recourse, besides that the Masters eye doth m [...]ny times withstand and pre­vent the Servants negligence.

By this means it may be with most ease and least charge holpen with Dung.

Finally (if it may be) let it not stand bleak to the East, West, North, or specially to the South.

Of the quantity.

THe quantity of your Garden, must either be measured by the proportion of your yearly expences of Hops in your house, or by the cost you mean to bestow in the prepara­tion and keeping thereof, or by the pains and businesse, that you are disposed, or able to employ upon it, or else ac­cording to the profit and gains, that you mean to levie [Page 94] and win by it, which later consideration pleaseth and flattereth much a covetous mans conceit, whose vein or hu­mour, (or rather vain humour) is so resisted in the Rules ap­pertaining hereunto, as many times the greedinesse of his de­sire is the overthrow of his purpose, as shall hereafter appear.

A proportion of the charge and benefit of a Hop-garden.

BUt to be resolved in all these points that concern the quantity of your Garden, you must make your account in this wise. One man may well keep two thousand hills, and yet reserve his Winters labour for any other purpose.

Upon every Acre you may erect seven, eight, or nine hun­dred hills, as hereafter shall be declared.

Upon every hill well ordered, you shall have three pounds of Hops at the least.

Two pounds and a half of these Hops will largely serve for the brewing of one quarter of Mault.

One hundred pounds of these Hops are commonly worth xxvi. Shillings viii. pence. So as one Acre of ground, and the third part of one mans labour, with small cost besides, will yield unto him that ordereth the same well, forty Marks yearly, and that for ever.

And here is to be noted, that ground orderly used doth not onely yield the more, greater, harder and weightier Hops, but also they go further, they will endure longer, be whol­somer for the body, and pleasanter of verdure or t [...]ste, than such as be disorderly handled. And in the savour of the Hop thus much more I say, that whereas you cannot make above eight or nine gallons of indifferent Ale out of one Bushell of Mault, you may draw xviii. or xx. Gallons of very good Beere, neither is the Hop more profitable to enlarge the quantity of your drink, then necessary to prolong the continuance thereof: For if your Ale may endure a fort­night, your Beere through the benefit of the Hop shall con­nue a moneth, and what grace it yieldeth to the taste, all men [Page 95] may judge that have sense in them, and if the controversie be betwixt Beer and Ale, which of them two shall have the place of preheminence, it sufficeth for the glory and com­mendation of the Beere, that here in our own Countrey Ale giveth place unto it, and that most p [...]rt of our Countreymen do abhor and abandon Ale, as a loathsome drink, whereas in other Nations Beere is of great estimation, and of strangers entertained as their most choice and delicate drink. Finally, that Ale which is most delicate and of best account, borrow­eth the Hop, as without the which it wanteth his chief grace, and best verdure.

These things considered ye may proceed to the making of your Garden, wherein you are yet to have counsell, for the laying out thereof, for the due season and the right trade to cut and set Hop-roots, what choice ye shall make of them, what charge ye shall be at for them, you are yet also to learn the time when, and the way how to prepare your ground, and to make it able to entertain and nourish them, to frame your Hils, to maintain them, pull them down, to cut, to fa­shion, to erect, to pull up, to peserve your Poles, to gather, to dry, and to pack your Hops, with many other circum­stances necessarily appertaining her [...]unto. Finally ye must be taught the reformation of many [...]normities and abuses which are received in most places for good rules, the (which God willing) I will set forth truly according to the notes of exp [...]rience although not learnedly after the rules of Rhe­torick.

Of the Preparation of a Hop-Garden.

YOu must lay forth the Ground which you determine to imploy in this way, in as levell, square, and uniform wise as you may.

If your Ground be grassie rough or stiffe, it should de first sown with Hemp or Beans, which naturally maketh the ground mellow, destroyeth weeds, and neverthelesse leaveth the same in good season for this purpose.

But in what plight, or state soever your ground be, till it [Page 96] in the beginning of Winter with the Plough, if it be great, or with the Spade if it be small, and this do not onely the year before you Plant it, but every year after, even so long as you mean to receive the uttermost commodity of your Garden, assuring your self, that the more pains you take, and the more cost you bestow hereupon, the more you do double your profit, and the nearer you resemble the Trade of the Flemming.

Howbeit in some Cases these pains may be spared (that is to say) where the mould is not deep, and the hill made both good and great, in this case (I say) the hills being pulled down, the earth contained in them, will cover the whole Garden, and all weeds growing therein, and the same will with help of dung maintain your hill for ever.

The time to cut, and set Hop-roots.

IN the end of March, or in the beginning of April, repair to some good Garden orderly kept, as wherein the Hops be all of a good kind, yearly cut and wherein all the hills are raised very high, for there the roots will be greatest) then compound with the owner or keeper thereof for choice roots, which in some places will cost six pence an hundred, but commonly they will be given unto you, so as you cut them your self, and leave every hill orderly and fully dressed, but what order you shall use herein, I will here­after shew.

Rules for the choice and preparation of roots.

ANd now you must choose the biggest roots you can find (that is to say) such as are in bignesse three or four inch­es about.

And let every root which you shall provide to be set be nine or ten inches long.

Let there be contained in every such root three joynts.

Let all your roots be but the Springs of the yeare last past.

You must have great regard that you cumber not your Garden with wild Hops, which are not to be discerned from the good by the roots, but either by the fruit, or by the stalk.

Of the Hoppe.

THe kindely Hop beareth a great and grene stalke, a large, hard, and a green bell, it appeareth out of the ground naked without leaves, until it be halfe a foot long.

Of unkindly Hopps.

THe Hop that liketh not his entertainment, namely his seat, his ground, his keeper, his dung, or the manner of his setting &c. cometh up small and green in stalk, thick and rough in leaves, very like unto a Nettle, which will com­monly be much devoured or much bitten with a little black flie, who also will do harme unto good Hops, where the garden standeth bleak, or the Hop springeth rath, but be not discomforted herewith, for the heat of the Summer will re­forme this matter, and th [...] latter Springs will be little an­noyed with this flie, who, though she leave the leafe as full of holes as a Net, yet she seldome proceedeth to the utter de­struction of the Hop.

Of the wild Hop.

OF the wild Hop, the fruit is either altogether seed, or else loose and red light bells, the [...]alk is red, howbeit, herein the difference between the good and the bad Hop is not to be discerned, until the stalk be two or three yarde high, for at their first comming up, the one aswell as the other appeareth red, and the best Hop is alwaies the most red.

Provide your roots therefore where you are assured of of their goodnesse before hand.

Of setting of Hop-roots.

HAving made your provision of roots in this wise, return therewith to your Garden speedily, and either set them immediately, or lay them in some Puddle near thereunto, or bury them in the ground untill conveniency or winde, wea­ther, and leisure (the want whereof may sometimes prevent good expedition) shall serve. Provided alwaies that you leave them not in water puddle above xxiv. hours, but in the earth you may leave them as long as the time of setting endureth, that is to say, till the middest of Aprill.

Your Garden being dressed, as before I advised you, it shall be easie for you to direct your hils aright, and that in equall distance with a Pole, or rather with a line (that will not stretch) tying thereupon short threds, or placing in it pins, according to the proportion of space which you mean to leave between your hils, whereof if one be placed out of order, it shall blemish and hurt a great part of your Garden.

The distance of the Hils.

IF your Garden be one Acre in bignesse, and lye square, leave between every hole three yards, or eight foot at the leaft in space, as well that the hils may be made the greater, and that the Hops of one pole reach not to another, as also that the Sun may the more freely, and universally passe tho­row your Garden, which by this means may yearly be plough­ed betwixt the Hills, whereas otherwise it must be digged, which is a more tedious and costly businesse.

If your Garden be very little, you may set the hills some­what nearer together, namely, seven foot asunder.

A description of the Line.

YOur line being laid levell, you must digge, underneath e­very thred or pin placed upon the same, a hole like a Pit­fall, [Page 99] one foot square, and one foot deep.

When you have made twenty or thirty holes, take up so many roots; from where you bestowed them, as ought to be therein, and go to work on this wise, alwaies watching a time (if you may) that the winde be in some part of the South or West, but be not so scrupulous herein, that you overslip the moneth of April, least Salomons saying, be spoken of you. He that regardeth the Wind shall not sow, and he that hath respect to the Clouds shall not reap. For he that neglecteth the Moneth of April, shall have a bad season to cut or plant Hops.

Take two or three of your roots (which by this time will yeeld forth green Cions or white buds, and will also have small roots or beards growing out of them, the which must be, all saving the smaller sort of white buds, pared away by the old root) joyn them close together, so as (in any wise) they may be even in the tops: set them also together bolt up­right, directly under the foresaid thred or pin, holding them hard together with one hand, while you fill the hole with the other with fine mould prepared and made ready before hand, regarding that the tops of the roots be levell with the face or uppermost part of the ground.

Take good heed also that you set not that end downward, that grew before upward, which you shall know by the buds that appear in the knots of each root, and let no part of the dead remain upon the uppermost part of the joynt thereof.

And when you have thus done, presse down the earth with your foot hard to the roots, not treading upon them, but [Page 100] driving the loose earth close to the corner where the roots are set.

And here is to be noted, that the readiest and evenest way is alwayes to set your roots at one certain corner of the hole, which corner should alwaies be right underneath the said pinne or thred, as is aforeshewed.

At this time you must make no hill at all, but onely co­ver the tops of your roots about two inches thick, with the finest mould you can get.

When you are driven to set your roots late, if there be a­ny green springs upon them, you may take the advantage thereof, leaving the same spring uncovered, otherwise you both destroy the spring, and endanger the root.

Abuses and disorders in setting,

SOme use to set at every corner of the hole one root, but this is a naughty and tedious trade, because a man shall be longer in dressing one of these, than about four other. To be short, you shall this way so cumber both your self and your Garden, that you will soon be weary with working, and your Garden as soon weary of bearing.

Some wind them and set both ends upward, and herein the cunning of the workman, and the goodness of the roots are lively expressed, for if the roots were good, they could not be so wound, or if the workman were skilful, he would not be so fond as to set them in that order.

Some use to lay them thwart or flat, but I say flatly that is a praeposterous way, for they can neither prosper well (as being set contrary to their nature, and kind of growing) nor be kept as they ought to be.

Some use to make hills and set the roots therein, but the moisture in regard of the hill, cannot administ [...]r succour to them, besides other inconveniences which may follow.

Some bury the roots under a great hill made on them af­ter the setting, this differs not much from the other, onely the hill so choaks these that they will do no good.

Finally, there be as many evill wayes to set, as there be ig­norant men to devise.

Provision against annoyance, and spoile of your Garden.

IF your Garden be small, and very nigh to your house, you may arm every hill with a few thorns to defend them from the annoyance of Poultry, which many times will scrape and bath amongst the hills, and so discover and hurt the springs, but a Goose is the most noysome vermine that can enter into this Garden, for (besides the Allegory that may be applyed in this case) a Goose will knabble upon every young science or Hop bud that appeareth out of the ground, which will never grow afterwards, and therefore as well to avoid the Goose, as other noysome cattell, let your closure be made strong, and kept tight.

Of Poles.

IT remaineth that I speak now of Poles, because Poling is the next work now to be done.

If your hils be distant three yards asunder, provide for e­very hill four poles, if you will make your hils nearer toge­ther, three poles shall suffice.

And note that in the first year you may occupy as many poles as in any year after, the reason whereof I will declare in the title of Hils.

Alder poles are best for this purpose, as whereunto the Hops seem most willingly and naturally to encline, because both the fashion of these poles being as a Taper, small above, and great below, and also the roughnesse of the Alder-ryne, stayeth the Hop stalk more firmly from sliding down, than ei­ther Ash or Ok, which for continuance be somewhat better howbeit, these with the order that I shall prescribe, will en­dure six or seven years.

These are also best cheap, and easiest to be gotten in most places, and soonest grown ready for this purpose.

There is in the Spring of these, least danger in growing, or in being destroyed, or bitten by cattell.

Finally, by the expence of these, there ensueth the least annoyance to the Co [...]mon-wealth, as well for the causes a­foresaid, as also because they grow not in so great quantity, to so good timber, nor for so many purposes as either Oke or Ash.

The best time to cut your poles, is between Alhallontide and Christmas, but you must pile them up immediately after they are cut, sharped, reformed in length, and smoothed, lest they rot before you occupy them.

You may not leave any scrags upon them, the reason whereof you shall conceive in the Title of gathering Hops.

Your Poles may not be above xv. or xvi. foot long at the most, except your ground be very rich, or that you added thereunto great labour in raising up your hills, or else except your hills stand too near together: if any of these chance to be, or if all these three things meet in one Garden, the best way of reformation, is to set the fewer poles to a hill, or to let them remain the longer. Otherwise the Hops will grow from one pole to another, and so overshadow your Garden, the fault thereof being especially to be imputed to the near­nesse of the hills. Therefore chiefly you must measure your poles by the goodnesse of your ground.

Your Hop never stocketh kindly, untill it reach higher than the Pole, and return from it a yard or two, for whilst it tendeth climbing upward, the branches, which grow out of the principal stalk (wherein consisteth the abundance of en­crease) grow little or nothing.

Let the quantity of your Poles be great (that is to say) nine or ten inches about the lower end, so shall they endure the longer, and withstand wind the better.

To describe the price of poles, or what it will cost you to furnish a Garden containing an acre of ground, it were a hard matter, because the place altereth the price of Wood. But in a Wain you may carry an hundred and fifty poles, and I see small cause why a load of these should be much dearer than a load of any other Wood.

After the first year Poles will be nothing chargeable unto you, for you may either pick them out of your own provi­sion of Fuell, or buy them of your Neighbours that have no occasion to apply them this way. For the yearly supply of two loads of Poles, will maintain one Acre continually.

Your rotten and broken Poles will do you good service, for the kindling of your fires in the Oste, whereupon you should dry your Hops, and they should be preserved chief­ly for that purpose.

At Poppering (where both scarcity and experience hath taught them to make carefull provision hereof) they do com­monly at the East and North-side of their Gardens, set and preserve Alders, wherewith they continually maintain them.

Before you set up your Poles, lay them all alongst your Garden between every row of hills by three or four toge­ther, I mean beside every hill so many Poles as you deter­mine to set thereon, so shall you make the more speed in your work.

Of the erection of Poles.

WHen your Hops appear above the ground, so as you may discern where the principall roots stand, set up your Poles, preparing their way with a crow of Iron, or a forked woodden tool, with a point of Iron, somewhat like unto these.

For if you stay till the Hops be grown to a greater length, one inconveni­ence is, that either in making the holes, or in erecting the poles, or else in ramming the earth to the fastening of them, you shall hazard the bruising or breaking of your Hops: ano­ther is, that you shall be forced to tye every stalk to the pole, whereas otherwise the most part of them will climb up of their own accord: the third is, that it will hinder the growth of the Hop, if it remain unstayd so long.

You must [...]et every Pole a foot and a half deep, and within two or three inches at the most of the principall root.

If your ground be rockie and shallow, tarry the longer be­fore you set up your Poles, so as your Hops may be grown two or three foot high, that you may adventure to make a hill or bank at every pole to stay uphold the same, with­out burying any of the young Springs, which may afterward be covered with lesse danger and annoyance of the principall root.

Let the Poles of every hill lean a little outward one from another.

Of Ramming of Poles.

THen with a piece of wood as big below as the great end of one of your poles, ramme the earth that lyeth at the outside of the Pole thereunto, but medle not within the com­passe of your Poles, as they are placed, lest you spoile the Springs.

Of Reparation of Poles.

IF any of the Poles chance to break in many pieces, when the Hop is grown up, undoe and pull away the same bro­ken pole, and tye the top of those Hops to the top of a new pole, then winding it a turn or two about according to the course of the Sun, set it in the hole, or besides the hole where the broken pole stood, but some being loth to take so much pains, turn it about the other Poles that stand upon the same hill, and so leave it. But if it be not broken above the middest, the best way is, to set a new pole or stalk beside the broken pole to the same, which may uphold the said broken pole, and preserve the Hop. If the pole be onely broken at the ne­ther end, you may shove the said pole again into the hill, and so leave it.

Of pulling up Poles.

ANd because, when the hils are made great, and raised high you can neither easily pull up any, nor possible pull up all your poles except you break them, &c. especially if the weather or ground be dry, or else the Poles old or small, I [Page 105] thought good to shew you an Instrument wherewith you may pull them up without disease to your self, destruction to your Poles, or expence of your money, the charge being duly foure­teen or fif­teen pound of Iron, wherewith the Smith shall make you a paire of Tongs, (or rather you may call them) a pair of Pinsers, of the fashi­on here set down, the which may also be made with wood, if you think good.

The way to make the Instrument wherewith to pull up the Hop-poles.

THey must be one yard in length, whereof six or seven inches may be allowed for the mouth or lower end of them, which serveth to clasp or catch hold on the Pole, the same nether end should be the strongest part thereof, and the mouth somewhat hollow in the middest, and there also bend­ing downward, whereby the extream point may rise a lit­tle upward.

Upon the upper edges of the infide thereof, the Smith should hack or raise a few small teeth, whereby your tool may take the surer hold upon the Pole.

He must also fasten upon every side of this Instrument a ri­ding hook, the which may clasp and stay both sides together, when they have caught hold on the pole.

The manner of pulling up the Hop-poles.

YOu shall lay a little square block upon the top of the hill, and the better to remove the same from hill to hill, you [Page 106] may thrust therein a Pin. Upon the same block you may rest your Pinsers, when they have clasped the very lowest part of your Pole, and then holding the upper part of each side in your hands, the hook being clasped, and pulled up hard to­wards you, you may easily weigh up your Poles.

Of the preservation of Poles.

ANd although ye are not come to the laying up of Poles, I am bold herein, as I began too late, so to make an end too quickly, because I would touch the whole matter of Poles to [...]ether, laying them by themselves, (I mean) com­prehending under one Title, the businesse pertaining unto them.

For the preservation and better continuance of Poles, some make houses of purpose, and lay them up therein.

Some set them upright to a Tree, and over them make a penthouse of boughs or boords.

Some lay a great heap of Hop-stalks upon the Ground, and upon them a great heap of Pol [...]s, and upon the Poles a­gain lay another heap of stalks, &c.

These men hereby do ex [...]resse no great experience, although by their diligence they signifie a good desire.

You shall need to do no more but thus. At the ends or sides of your Garden, take three Poles standing upon three Hills, placed directly one by another, and three like Poles upon three other hills of the next row right over against them, con­strain them to meet together by two, and two in the tops, and so hold them, till one with a forked wand put three withs (lik unto three Broom bands, which may be made of the stalks of Hops) upon each couple of the said six Poles, so shall the same six Poles being so bound by two and two to­gether, stand like the roof or rafters of an house.

To keep the Poles that shall lye nether most from rotting by the moistnesse of the ground: within the compasse of your said six hills, underneath the Poles that you have fa­stened [Page 107] together in the tops,) raise three little banks crosse or thwart from hill to hill, as though you would make your six hills to be but three.

Upon those banks lay a few Hop-stalks, and upon them your Poles, observing that one stand at one end of the room, and another at the other end, ordering the matter so, as the tops of the Poles lie not all one way, but may be equally and orderly divided: otherwise one end of the room would be full before the other, whereas now they will lye even and sharp above like an hay-stack, or the ridge of an house, and sufficiently defend themselves from the weather.

If you think that you have not Poles enough to fill the room, pull down the withs or bands lower, and your room will be lesse, and do this before you lay in your Poles.

Of tying Hops to the Poles.

WHen your Hops are grown about one or two foot high, bind up (with a Rush or Grasse) such as decline from the Poles, winding them as often ye can about the said Poles, and directing them alwayes according to the course of the Sun, but if your leisure may serve (to do at any o­ther time of the day) do it not in the morning when the dew remaineth upon them.

If you lay soft green Rushes abroad in the dew and the Sun, within two or three dayes, they will be lithi, tough, and handsome for this purpose of tying, which may not be foreslowed, for it is most certain that the Hop, that lyeth long upon the ground before he be tyed to the Pole, prosp [...]reth nothing so well, as it which sooner attaineth thereunto.

Of Hilling and Hills.

NOw you must begin to make your hills, and for the better doing thereof, you must prepare a tool of Iron fashioned somewhat like to a Coopers Addes, but not [Page 108] so much bowing, neither so narrow at the head, and therefore likest to the nether part of a shovell, the poll whereof must be made with a round hole to receive a helve, like to the helve of a mattock, and in the powl also a nail hole must be made to fasten it to the helve.

This helve should bow somewhat like to a Sithe, or to the steale of a Sithe, and it must be little more than a yard long.

With this tool you may pare away the grasse, which groweth in the spaces betwixt the hills, and with the same also you may take your hills, and pull them down when time requireth.

Some think it impertinent and not necessary to make hills the first year, partly because their distrust of this years pro­fit qualifieth their diligence in this behalf, and partly for that they think, that the principall root prospereth best, when there be no new roots of them forced and maintained. But experience confuteth both these conjectures, for by indu­stry, the first years profit will be great, and thereby also the principall sets much amended, as their prosperity in the se­cond year will plainly declare.

But in this work, you must be both painfull and curious, as wherein confisteth the hope of your gains, and the successe of your work. For the greater in quantity you make your hills, the more in number you shall have of your Hops, and the fewer weeds on your ground, the more Hops upon your poles.

In confideration whereof I say, your labour must be con­tinuall from this time almost till the time of gathering, in raising your hills, and clearing ground from weeds.

In the first year that you plant your Hop-Garden, sup­presse not one Cion, but suffer them all to climb up to the poles, for if you should bury or cover all the Springs of any one of your three roots, which you did lately set, the root thereof perisheth, and perhaps out of some one root there [Page 109] will not proceed above one or two springs, which being bu­ried, that root I say dyeth, and therefore the more poles are at this time requisite.

After the first year you must not suffer above two or three stalks at the most to grow up to one pole, but put down and bury all the rest.

Howbeit you may let them all grow till they be four or five foot high at the least, whereby you shall make the better choice of them which you mean to attain, whereby also the principall root will be the better, &c.

Some suffer their Hops to climb [...] up to the tops of the poles, and then make the hills at one instant in such quantity as they mean to leave them, which is neither the best, nor the second way.

But if (for expedition) you be driven hereunto, begin soon­er (that is to say) when the Hops be four or five foot long, and afterwards, if leisure shall serve, refresh them again with more earth.

But to make them well, and as they ought to be made, you must immediately after your poles are set, make a little bank or circle round about the outside of them, as a dimension how wide your hill shall be, and as a receptacle to retain and keep moisture, whereof there cannot lightly come too much, so it come from above.

If your Garden be great, by that time that you have made an end of these Circles or Banks, it will be time to proceed further towards the building up of your hills,

Now therefore return again to the place where you be­gan, or else where you see the Hops highest, and with your tool pare off the uppermost earth from the Allies or spaces between the hills, and lay the same in your Hops, upon and within the circle that you made before, alwayes leaving the same highest of any part of the hill, and so passe through your Garden again and again, till you have raised your hills by little and little, to so great a quantity as is before de­clared, and look how high your hill is, so long are your new [Page 110] roots, and the greater your new roots or springs be, the lar­ger and better your Hops will be

Great and overgrown weeds should not be laid upon the hills, as to raise them to their due quantity, but when with diligence and expedition you passe through your Garden, continually paring away each green thing assoon as it ap­peareth, you shall do well with the same, and the uppermost mold of your Garden together, to maintain and encrease the substance of your hills, even till they be almost a yard high.

In the first year make not your hill too rathe, left in the do­ing thereof you oppresse some of those springs which would otherwise have appeared out of the ground.

It shall not be amisse now and then to passe through your Garden, having in each hand a forked wand, directing aright such Hops as decline from the Poles, but some instead of the said forked wands, use to stand upon a stool, and do it with their hands.

Abuses in Hilling

SOme observe no time, and some no measure in making their hills, but (having heard say, that hills are necessary) they make hills once for all, and never after pluck down the same: but better it were to make no hill, than so to do, for after the first year it doth derogate, and not adde any com­fort to the root, except the same be every year new made and dressed, &c.

Some use to break off the tops of the Hops when they are grown a xi. or xii. foot high, because thereby they burnish and stock exceedingly, wherein, though I cannot commend their doings, yet do they much better than such as will have their Poles as long as their Hops.

But if your Pole be very long, and that the Hop have not attained to the top thereof before the middest of July, you shall do well then to break, or cut off the top of the same Hop, for so shall the residue of the growing time serve to the [Page 111] maintenance and increase of the Branches, which otherwise would expire without doing good in that matter, because that whole time would be then imployed to the lengthening of the stalk which little prevaileth (I say) to the stocking or encrease of the Hop.

And here is to be noted, that many covetous men, thinking (in hast) to enlarge their luere, do find (at leisure) their com­modity diminished, whilst they make their hills too thick, their Poles too long, and suffer too many stalks to grow up­on one Pole, wherein (I say) while they run away flattering themselves with the imagination of double gains, they are o­vertaken with trebble dammage (that is to say) with the losse of their time, their labour, and their cost.

Of the gathering of Hops.

NOte that commonly, at St. Margarets day, Hops blow, and at Lammas they bell, but what time your Hops be­gin to change colour, (that is to say) somewhat before Mi­chaelmasse (for then you shall perceive the seed to change co­lour and wax brown) you must gather them, and for the speedier dispatch thereof, procure as much help as you can, taking the advantage of fair weather, and note that you were better to gather them too rathe than too late.

To do the same in the readiest and best order, you must pull down your hills standing together in the middest of your Garden, cut the roots of all those hills, as you shall be taught in the Title of Cutting, &c. Then pare the Plat small, levell it, throw water on it, tread it, and sweep it, so shall it be a fair Floore, whereon the Hops must lye to be picked.

Then beginning near unto the same, cut the stalks asunder, close by the tops of the hills, and if the Hops of one Pole be grown fast unto another, cut them also asunder with a sharp Hook, and with a forked staffe take them from the Poles.

You may make the Fork and Hook (which cutteth asun­der the Hops that grow together) one apt instrument to serve both these turns.

Then may you with your forked [...]nd, thrust up, or shove off all such stalks as remain upon each Hop-pole, and carry them to the Floore prepared for that purpose.

For the better doing hereof, it is very necessary that your poles be straight without serags or knobs.

In any wise cut no more stalks then you shall carry away within one hour or two at the most, for if in the mean time the Sun shine hot, and it happen to rain, the Hops (remain­ing cut in that sort) will be much impaired thereby.

Let all such as help you stand round about the Floore, and suffer them not to pingle in picking one by one, but let them speedily strip them into Baskets prepared ready therefore.

It is not hurtfull greatly, though the smaller Leaves be mingled with the Hops, for in them is retained great vertue, insomuch as in Flanders they were sold Anno Domini 1566 for xxvi. shillings viii. pence the Hundred, no one Hop being mingled with them.

Remember alwayes to clear your Floor twice or thrice e­very day, and sweep it clean at every such time, before you go to work again.

If the weather be unlike to be fair, you may carry these Hops into your house in Blankets or Baskets, &c. and there accomplish this work. Use no Linnen hereabouts, for the Hops will stain it so, as it can never be washed out.

If your poles be seraggy, so as you cannot strip the stalks from them in this order, you must pull them up with main force before the Hops be gathered, and this is painfull to your self, hurtfull to your Hops, and a delay to your work.

Then must you lay these poles upon a couple of forked stalks driven into the ground, being two or three yards di­stant one from another, as Spits upon Ranges, and so dispatch this businesse, if the weather be fair, if it be like to be foul, you must be fain to carry the Hops together with the pole [Page 113] into your Barn or house, that they may not take wet, and so be made uselesse.

In any wise let not the Hops be wet when you cut them from the hills, neither make any delay of gathering after the same time of cuttings, for in standing abroad they will shed their seed, wherein consisteth the chief vertue of the Hop, and hereof I cannot warn you too often, nor too earnestly.

Now by order I should declare unto you the manner of drying your Hops, but because I must therewithall describe the places meet for that purpose, with many circumstances appertaining thereunto, I will be bold, first to finish the work within your Hop-Garden, and then to lead you out of the same, into the place where you must dry your Hops, &c.

When your Hops are gathered, assoon as you have leisure, take up your Poles and pile them (that remain good) as I have shewed you in the Title of Poles.

Then carry out your broken Poles, and your Hop-straw to the fire.

Now may you depart out of your Garden, till the March following, except in the mean time you will bring in dung, or good earth to the maintenance thereof, towards the height­ning of your hills, or else will plow it, &c.

What there is to be done in Winter herein.

TO be curious in laying dung upon the hills in Winter, as to comfort or warm the roots (as some do) it shall be needlesse, rather pluck down the hills, and let the roots lye bare all the Winter season, and this is usually done where [...]ops are best ordered, especially to restrain them from too rathe springing, which is the cause of blasts, and many o­ther inconveniences.

If the ground be great that you keep, you shall be driven so to do, otherwise you shall not be able to overcome your work in due time.

In any case you must avoid new horse-dung as a very [Page 114] noysome and pernicious things for your Hops.

Stall dung is the best that can be wished for to serve this turn, so it be throughly rotten.

Rather use no dung than unrotten dung about the dressing of your Hops, but omit not to bring into your Garden dung, that may there be preserved till it be good or needfull to be used.

When and where to lay dung

ABout the end of April (if your ground be not rich e­nough) you must help every hill with a handfull or two of good earth, not when you cut your roots, for then it will rather do harm than good, but when the Hop is wound a­bout the pole, then should you do it.

The order for reforming your ground.

IN March you may return to your Garden, and find it re­plenished with weeds, except by tillage, &c. you have pre­vented that matter already. It must, (as well therefore be­cause the earth may be more fine, rich, and easie to be deliver­ed unto the hils) be digged over or plowed, except in the case mentioned.

The order of cutting Hop roots.

WHen you pull down your hills, (which if you have not already done, you must now of necessity go a­bout to do) you should (with your Garden tool) undermine them round about, till you come near to the principal roots, and then take the upper or younger roots in your hand, and shake off the earth, which earth being again removed away with your said tool, you shall discern where the new roots grow out of the old Sets.

In the doing hereof, be carefull that you spoil not the old Sets, as for the other roots which are to be cut away, you shall not need to spare them to the delay of your work, ex­cept such as you mean to set.

Take heed that you uncover not any more than the tops of the old Sets in the first year of cutting.

At what time soever you pull down your hills, cut not your roots before the end of March, or in the beginning of April, and then remember the wind.

In the first year (I mean) at the first time of cutting and dressing of your roots, you must (with a sharp knife) cut a­way all such roots or springs as grew the year before out of your Sets, within one inch of the same.

Every year after you must cut them as close as you can to the old roots, even as you see an Osiers head cut.

There groweth out of the old Sets certain roots, right downwards, not joynted at all, which serve only for the nou­rishing and comfort of those Sets or principall roots, which are not to be cut off. There be other like unto them growing outward at the fides of the Sets. If these be not met withall, and cut asunder, they will cucumber your whole Garden.

Because it may seem hard to discern the old Sets from the new springs, I thought good to advertise you how easie a thing it is to see the difference thereof; for first you shall be sure to find your Sets where you did set them, nothing in­creased in length, but somewhat in bignesse enlarged, and in few years all your Sets will be grown into one, so as by the quantity that thing shall plainly appear: and lastly the difference is seen by the colour, the old root being red, the other white, but if the hills be not yearly pulled down, and the roots yearly cut, then indeed the old Sets shall not be perceived from the other roots.

If your Sets be small, and placed in good ground, and the hill well maintained, the new Roots will be greater than the old.

If there grow in any hill a wild Hop, or whensoever the stalk waxeth red, or when the Hop in any wise decayeth, pull up every root in that hill, and set new in their places, at the usuall time of cutting and setting, or if you list, you may do it when you gather Hops with the roots which you cut a­way, when you make your picking place.

Of divers mens follies.

Many men seeing the springs so forward, as they will be by this time, are loth to lose the advantage hereof, and more unwilling to cut away so many goodly roots, but they that are timorous in this behalf, take pity upon their own profit, and are like unto them that refrain to lay dung upon their Corn land, because they will not beray it with so un­cleanly a thing.

And some that take upon them great skill herein, think that for the first year they may be left unhilled and uncut, &c. deceiving themselves with this conceit, that then the Sets prosper best within the ground, when they send least of their nature and state out of the ground. In this respect also they pull away or suppresse all such Springs (as soon as they ap­pear) which grow more, and besides them which they mean to assign to each Pole, as though when a mans finger were cut off, his hand would grow the greater. Indeed if there be no hill maintained, then the more Springs are suffered to grow out from the principall root, the more burden and punishment it will be to the same. But when the Springs are maintained with a hill, so much as remaineth within the same is converted into roots, which rather adde than take a­way any state from the principall root, in consideration here­of, the suppressing of the Springs may not be too rathe, for whatsoever opinion be hereof received, the many Springs ne­ver hurt the principall root, if the the hills be well maintain­ed, but it is the cumbring and shadowing of one to ano­ther, that worketh the annoyance.

When you have cut your Hops, you must cover them as you were taught in the Title of Setting, and proceeding ac­cording to the order already set down.

Of disorder, and maintainers thereof.

SOme there be that despise good order, being deceived with a shew of increase, which sometime appeareth in a disor­dered [Page 117] ground, to them I say, and say it truly, that the same is a bad and a small increase in respect of the other.

I say also, that although disorderly doings at the first may have a countenance of good successe, yet in few years the same, and all hope thereof will certainly decay.

Some others there be that despise good order, satisfying themselves with this, that they have sufficiently to serve their own turn, without all these troubles, and surely it were pit­ty that these should be troubled with any great abundance, that in contempt of their own profit, and of the Common­wealth, neglect such a benefit preferred unto them.

Of an Oste.

NOw have I shewed unto you the perfect Platform of a Hop-Garden, out of the which I led you for a time, and brought you in again when time required, and there would I leave you about your businesse, were it not to shew you by de­scription such an Oste as they dry their Hops upon at Poppe­ring, with the order thereof, &c. Which for the small charges and trouble in drying, for the speedy and well drying, and for the handsome and easie doing thereof, may be a profitable pattern, and a necessary instruction for as many as have, or shall have to do herein.

Of the severall rooms for an Oste.

FIrst a little house must be built of length xviii. foot or xix. foot, of widenesse eight, wherein must be comprehended three severall rooms.

The middle and principall room must be for your Oste, eight foot square. The fore part, which is to contain your dryed Hops, will fall out to be five foot long, and eight foot wide a piece.

The chief matters that are to be by me described herein, are the Furnace below, wherein the fire is to be made, and [Page 118] the bed above, whereon the Hops mustly to be dryed: this I have chiefly to advise you of, that you build the whole house, and every part thereof as close as you can, and to place it near to your Garden, for the better expedition of your work, and somewhat distant from your house to avoid the danger of fire.

Of the Furnace or Keel.

THe Floore or nether part of your furnace must be about thirteen inches wide.

The depth or height thereof must be thirty inches.

The length of it must be about six or seven foot (that is to say) reaching from the fore part of the Oste almost to the further end thereof, so as there be left no more room but as a man may passe between the wall and the end of it.

It must be made wide below, and narrow above, fashioned in outward shape somewhat like to the roof of an house.

It must have three rows of holes at each side, the length of one Brick asunder, and the bignesse of half a Brick, placed checkerwise. Before you begin to make your holes, you should lay two rows of Brick, and when your three ranks of holes are placed upon them, you must lay again over them ano­ther row of Brick, and upon the same you must place your last and highest course, and they must stand longwise (as it were a tiptoe) the tops of the Bricks meeting together above (the nether part of them resting upon the uppermost course) and note that till then, each side must be built alongst direct­ly upward.

You should leave almost a foot space between the mouth of your Furnace, and your rows of holes, especially of that row which is nethermost.

The further or hinder end of your Furnace, the which is opposite to the mouth thereof, must be built flat with an up­right wall, and there must be holes also left as at the sides.

The Furnace in the top, (I mean from the upper course of holes) must be dawbed very well with morter.

And so upon the top of your Furnace there will remain a [Page 119] gutter, (whereupon Flemmimgs use to bake Apples, &c.) and the highest part thereof will reach within two foot and lesse of the Oste.

Finally, it must be placed upon the ground in the middest of the lower Floore of the Oste, which Floor must be made

very perfect, fine and levell, the reason whereof you shall per­ceive in the Title of drying.

Of the bed or upper floor of the Oste, whereon the Hope must be dried.

THe bed or upper floor, whereon your Hops shall lye to be dryed, must be placed almost five foot above the nether floor whereon the Furnace standeth.

The two walls at each side of the house, serve for the bed to rest upon two wayes.

Now must two other walls be built at each end of your Oste, whereon the other two parts of the bed must rest, and by this means shall you have a close square room beneath, be­twixt the lower floor and the bed, so as the floor below shall be as wide as the bed above.

These two walls must also be made four foot above the bed (that is to say) about nine foot high.

At the one end below, besides the mouth of the Furnace, you must make a little doore into the room beneath the bed. At [Page 120] the other end above the bed you must make a Window to shove off from the bed the dryed Hops, down into the room below prepared for them.

The bed should be made as the bed of any other Oste, saving that the Rails or Laths, which serve thereto, must be sawn very even one inch square, and laid one quarter of an inch asunder. But there may be no more beams to stay the Laths but one, and the same must be laid flat and not on edge, in the middest from one end of the room to the other, and the Laths must be let into the same beam, so as the upper side of the beam, and all the Laths may lye even.

If your Garden be very great, you may build your house somewhat larger, namely xxii. foot long, and ten foot broad, and then you must make in this Oste two Furnaces, three or four foot asunder, placing the doore betwixt them both, o­therwise in all points like to that which I first described, and

the ground-work hereof is to set out here, that any Carpen­ter will easily frame the whole house by the same Figure.

And now once again wishing you to make every doore, Window and joynt of this house close, I will leave building, and proceed to the drying of Hops, saving that I may not o­mit to tell you, that you should either build all the walls of this Room with Brick, or else with Lime and Hair par­git them over: and at the least that wall wherein the [Page 121] mouth of the Furnace standeth, be made of Brick.

And although I have delayed you from time to time; and brought you from place to place, and tediously led you in and out, to and fro in the demonstration hereof, yet must I be bold to bring you round about again, even to the place where I left you picking, from whence you must speedily con­vey your pickt Hops to the place built and prepared for them, and with as much speed hasten the driyng of them.

The orderly drying of Hope.

THe first businesse that is to be done herein, is to go up to the bed of the Oste, and there to receive baskets filled with Hops, at the hands of one that standeth below.

Then beginning at the further end (left you should tread on them) lay down Basketfull by Basketfull, till the floore or bed be all covered, alwayes stirring them even and levell, with a Cudgell, so as they may lye about a foot and a half thick, and note that upon this Oste, there is no Oste-cloth to be used.

Now must you come down to make your fire in the Fur­nace, for the kindling whereof your old broken Poles are very good, howbeit for the continuance and maintenance of this fire, that wood is best which is not too dry, and some­what great.

Your Hop­stalks or any other straw is not to be used herein.

You shall not need to lay the wood through to the further end of your Furnace, for the fire made in the forepart there­of, will bend that way, so as the heat will universally and in­differently ascend and proceed out of every hole.

You must keep herein a continuall and hot fire, Howbeit you must stir it as little as you can.

Neither may you stir the Hops that lye upon the Oste, untill they be throughly dryed.

When they are dry above, then they are ready to be remo­ved away, and yet sometimes it happeneth, (that through [Page 122] the disorderly laying of them) they are not so soon dry in one place, as they are in another.

The way to help that matter, is to tak a little Pole (where­with you shall senfibly feel and perceive which be, and which be not dry, by the rattling of the Hops which you shall there­with touch) and with the same Pole to turn-aside such Hops as be not dry, abating the thicknesse to the moist place.

When your Hops are dry, rake up the fire in such sort, as there may be no delay in the renewing thereof.

Then with exp [...]dition shove them out of the Window be­fore mentioned into the room prepared to receive them, with a Rake fashioned like a Cole-rake, having instead of teeth a board, &c.

This being done, go down into the lower Floor, and sweep together such Hops and seeds, as are fallen thereinto, and lay them up among the dryed Hops, and then without delay cover the bed again with green Hops, and kindle your fire.

Lay your dryed Hops on a heap together till they be cold, and by this means such as were not perfectly dryed through some disorder upon the Oste, shall now be reformed.

If they have been well ordered, they will now be brown, and yet bright.

If they be black and dark, it is a note that they are dis­ordered.

The Flemmings pack them not up before they sell them to to the Merchant, but lay them in some corner of a Loft, where they tread them close together.

Other wayes of drying not so good.

SOme use to dry their Hops upon a common Oste, but that way there can be no great speed in your work, nor small expence of your wood, besides the danger of fire and ill suc­cesse of your doings.

On this Oste you must have an Oste cloth, otherwise the Seed and Hops that fall down shall not onely perish, but en­danger the burning of your Oste.

Upon this Oste you may not lay your Hops above eight or nine inches thick, which neverthelesse shall not be so soon dry, as they which lye upon the other Oste almost two foot thick, and therefore this way you shall make more toil in your work, more spoil in your Hops, and more expence in your wood.

Some use to dry their Hops in a Garret, or upon the floor of a Loft or Chamber, in the reproof whereof I must say, that as few men have room enough in their houses to contain a­ny great quantity or multitude of Hops, so the dust that will arise shall empair them, the chinks, crevises, and open joynts of your Lofts, being not close byrthed, will devour the seeds of them. in the end the Leaves will endanger them with heating, when they are packt, as being not so soon dry as the Hops, which thereby will be utterly spoiled in colour, in scent and in verdure.

As for any low rooms or earthen floors, they are yet worse for this purpose than the other, for either they yield dust in drynesse, or moisture in wet weather.

And therefore if you have no Oste, dry them in a Loft as open to the air as may be: sweep, wash and rub the boards, and let your Broom reach to the walls, and even to the roof of your Loft, for I can teach you no way to divide the dust from your Hops, but so to prevent the inconvenience hereof.

Stop the holes and chinks of your floor, lay them not a­bove half a foot thick, and turn them once a day at the least, by the space of two or three weeks.

This being done, sweep them up into a corner of your Loft, and there let them lye as long more, for yet there remain­neth perill in packing of them.

If the year prove very wet, your Hops ask the longer time of drying, and without an Oste will never be well dryed.

The very worst way of drying Hops.

SOme lay their Hops in the Sun to dry, and this taketh away the state of the Hoppes, contrary to the [Page 124] purpose of drying, which is very prejudiciall to the Brewer.

Of not Drying.

SOme gather them, and brew with them being green and undryed, supposing that in drying the vertue and state of the Hop d [...]cayeth and fadeth away, wherein they are decei­ved: for the verdure is worse, the strength lesse, and the quan­tity must be more of green Hops, that are to be brewed in this sort.

In the first wort, which the Brewers call the Hop-wort (because the time of seething thereof is short) there goeth out of these Hops almost no vertue at all, and therefore ex­perience hath taught them that are driven to brew with these green Hops, to seeth them again in the wort, which they call Ney-beere, where after long seething they will leave the state which remaineth in them, and that is not much.

Of the packing of Hops.

IN the making of your Hop-sacks, use your own cunning or invention, for I have small skill therein, Howbeit I can tell you, that the Hop-sacks which are brought out of Flan­ders, may be good Samplers for you to work by, the stuffe is not dainty where with they are made, the Loom is not cost­ly wherein they are woven, the cunning not curious whereby they are fashioned, but when you have them, and are ready to pack your Hops, do thus.

Thrust into the mouth of your Sack (which must be dou­bled and turned in strongly lest it break) four strong pinnes, a foot long a piece, placed in equall distance the one from the other, then lay two Bats, or big Poles crosse or thwart two beams or couplings of your house, which two Bats mustly no further asunder than the wideness [...] of the Sacks mouth. Fasten upon each pin a Rope, and knit two of those Ropes upon each crosse Bat, so as the bottome of the Sack being empty, may hang within half a foot of the floore, then stand within the Sack, and receive the Hops, treading down very hard, and before the Sack be half full, it will rest upon [Page 125] the ground, whereby you shall be able to presse them the harder together.

But the handsommer way were to make a square hole (as wide as the Sacks mouth) in the floor of the loft, where your Hops lye, and to hang down your Sack at that hole, and with a Scuppet or shovell to shove down your Hops therein­to, and to receive them as is aforesaid: when the Sack is al­most full, undo the Ropes, and wind those pinnes about for the harder shutting of the Sack, and fasten them therein.

If you please, you may sow (over the mouth of this Sack) another piece of Sackcloth, whereof you must leave a little unsowed, untill you have thrust as many Hops as you can between the Sack and the same, but in beholding the Hop­sacks sent from Poppering, you shall better understand and learn the doings hereof.

For your own provision, you may preserve them in Dry­fats, Barrells, or such like vessells, for want of room to leave them in, or Sacks to pack them in.

There is according to the Proverb, much falshood in packing, I am unskillfull in that Art, If I were otherwise, I would be loth to teach such dctorine.

But to avoid such deceit, and to make the more perfect and better choice, it is usuall and lawfull in most places, where Hops are sold, to cut the Sack that you mean to buy, in seven or eight places, and to search at each place, whether the Hops be of like goodnesse.

Such places as you shall feel with your hand to be softer than the rest, you should specially cut, where perhaps you shall find Hops of another kind, elder or worse than the rest.

The reformation of a Garden of wild-Hops.

TO reform a Garden where the Hops be wild, the work is tedious, and none other way remaineth, but to dig over the same with a Spade, so deep as you may search out and throw out every root, and piece of Root that [Page 126] may be found in, or near thereunto, and then to plant accor­ding to the order before declared.

The reformation of a disordered Garden.

TO repair a ruinous Garden, which through ignorance was disorderly set, and through sloth suffered to over­run and decay, where neverthelesse, the Hops remain of a good kind (though somewhat empaired, as they must needs be by this mean) the very best way were to do as to the wild Hop.

The second way is to forget that it is disordered at all, ima­gining that all were well, and to set your Poles in such order and so far asunder, as is prescribed in that Title, alwayes di­recting them right with a line, so as a stranger beholding them, may suppose that your Garden is kept after the best manner, then lead unto each Pole two or three stalks, which you shall find nearest thereunto, and there erect a hill which you may ever after cut and dresse according to the rules be­fore declared, and so by continuall digging, paring, and dili­gence, you may at last bring it to some reasonable perfection.

If your Garden be very much matted with roots, so asit be too tedious to digge, set your Poles as you are already taught, and bring into your Garden, and lay near to every such place, where you mean to make a hill, one Cart load of good earth, with the which, after your Hops are tyed to your Poles, begin to make your hill, and proceed as in the Title of hills, alwayes cutting down such Hops or weeds as grow between the said hills.

If your root be set orderly, and your hills made accor­dingly, and yet left undressed by the space of two or three years, it will be very hard (I say) to discern the Sets from the other later roots: neverthelesse if your ground be good, you may yet reform the inconvenience thereof, namely, by pulling down the hill, and cutting away all the roots con­tained therein, even with the face or upper part of the earth, searching also each side, and digging yet lower, and round a­bout [Page 127] the root which remaineth, and to take away from the same all such roots as appear out thereof.

Needlesse curiosities used by the unskilfull.

TO water your Garden, as to make the roots grow the better, it were more tedious then needfull, for the hil­ling thereof serveth for that purpose, and there is time of growing sufficient for them betwixt the middest of April and August; and yet it never hurteth, but rather doth good, if it be before the hill be made.

To pluck off the Leaves, to the end that the Hops may pro­sper the better, is also needlesse, and to no purpose, and rather hindereth than helpeth the growth of the Hops, for they are hereby deprived of that garment which Nature hath necessa­rily provided for them, and clothed them with.

To flaw the Poles, thereby to prolong their continuance, is more than needeth to be done in this behalf, for it is too tedious to your self, and hurtfull to your Hop, and little a­vailable to the purposes aforesaid.

To burn the nether part or great end of your Poles, as some do, to the end they should last or endure the longer, is also an unnecessary trouble, onely Willow-Poles you may so use, to keep them from growing.

So is it to weed the hills with the hand, whereas the same weeds shall be buried by the raising of the hill.

THus have you a brief and short Description of the Platform of a Hop-Garden: what ground is fit for them, as also the Scituation thereof, with the Proportion of ground a man may employ about Hops, which may either [Page 128] be according to his own expending in his own private Fa­mily, or else according to the charge which he intendeth to bestow about it, either of which will be well recompensed, if Gods blessing go along with the pains and industry of the Husbandman: for whose direction in the managing of his work, this small Treatise was compiled: for besides the Platform, fitnesse or unfitnesse of the Ground, &c. here. in you may learn how to choose, and set your Roots: the distance of the Hills one from another; the number of Hop-poles, which you are to set about each hills: in con­clusion your Hops being come to perfection, the manner of gathering, drying and packing them up that they may con­tinue long, and keep sweet. No man ever wrote more ful­ly concerning the ordering of Hops from the first setting them into the Ground, untill the drying, and laying them up for store, than this Authour hath done, none with more brevity.

The Husbandmans due observation of these Directions is required, and without question he cannot fall short of his expectation.

The nature of the Soyle that is required for the Sowing, Planting or Transplanting Tabaco.

THe most fruitfull and fertil soyle naturally, or by art so made, is most requisite for this purpose: if the Soyle be naturally fat and strong, regard likewise must be had of the scituation of the ground, whether in field or garden, that the place be not over-shadowed with Trees, whereby the Sunne may be hindered from yielding unto it its heat: neither must your Tabaco be planted or sowne in wide & large fields which lies open to all winds and wea­thers, especially the North winds. And as unkindly blasts are a great enemy to the thriving of it on the one side, so on the other side, the want of the comfort of the heat of the Sunne will so chill it, that it will never come to perfection.

But if by Art: your ground must be well dunged and manured, which ought to be mixed and incorporated with the earth, that there may not be the least appearance of Dung. Moreover the Dung you so make use of must lie a long time rotting, if it be gathered out of the stable: Your best soyle therefore for present occasion is such as is taken up in the streets, or else Ashes sifted. [Page 131] Your Hops and Tabaco will require the selfe manuring, and I am of opinion that such lands as they sow their Hempe in, must needs be fit for this purpose, because it is fat and mellow.

The best way of sowing your Seeds

SOme are of opinion that the Seeds should be care­lesly cast abroad without either sowing or raking, the ground being first prepared with the Plough or the Spade.

Others againe will tell you, that you must make a small hole in the ground with your finger, about the depth of your fingers length, wherein you may put ten or twelve seeds, and so cover the hole againe: and this reason they give for their so doing: for say they, the seeds being very small, are either subject to be blowne away by every small winde: or else parched by the ex­treame scorching heat of the Sunne. I prefer this way before the former.

Others againe would have us sow the seeds as Lettu­ces and other small seeds are committed to the ground, by taking some of the finest moulde, and putting it into a platter of wood, or some such like vessell, mix­ing the earth very well with the seed, and so cast to it on the ground very thinne and sparingly. This may be their reason, because the seed being mixed so well with the earth, will stick close to some small crummes of earth, that the wind cannot disperse it, and besides it occasioneth the speedier rooting thereof, and somewhat shelters it, that the heat of the Sunne will not much annoy it: but if you shall put a small quantity of Ashes very finely sifted into the vessell among the earth and seeds, it would be much better.

The time of Sowing or Planting.

IN the Moneths of March, Aprill, or May, the Seed may be committed to the earth, but the most fit and convenientest season is conceived to be in the middest of Aprill, or before (if the Spring be very forward) for March winds are no good friend unto them: wherefore a good way were to cover your beds, already sowed, with old Matts, and when the Sunne doth appeare to uncover them the next morning, but because you should spare some daily labour and toyle you might be put to, once for all fence it with reeds against the North-wind, for the space of a moneth or two.

Of ordering your ground after Sowing your Seed,

IN the first place keep your ground cleare from weeds, aswell before the sowing of the seed, as afterwards, because otherwise the weeds will choake the plant, and steal away the strength of the ground, which should nou­rish it. Also it would not be amisse to remove all stones from about them, because the stones will im­pede their growth, and may occasion it to grow awry, contrary to the nature of it. Indeed, if we will believe au­thors, it is a very sullen Plant, and apt to take distast, which may be the reason that Physicians terme it a hearbe of Mars, and I may adde another observation of my owne, that from hence it is that all the Souldiers so generally approve of it, that scarce one of a hundred can be well long without it. I write not this to give any encouragement to our English Planters of Tabaco, because when they have done all they can, they are recompenced with a sorry crop in eonclusion, it being, generally stiled by the name of Mundungos: but rather to animate Gentlemen, who happily may have spare ground enough, to sow and plant it in their Gardens, [Page 133] not that they should think thereby to make any great gain by it, but to have it in readinesse when occasion shall re­quire, either for his own or neighbours use. The rare vertues of Tabaco, the Physicians, Apothecaries and Her­balists, can best acquaint you with.

If the Season of the year prove hot and dry, after the sowing of your seed, you must have a speciall care to the watering of your ground, and this must be done neither too early, nor too late in the morning, especially in the Mo­neths of April or May, nor too late in the Evening, and after the leaf hath appeared above ground, about a foot high, you may then transplant them.

The manner of transplanting Tabaco.

YOu shall (for you must be very chary of roots that you perish them not) take a knife, or some other tool, and cut round about the roots all the earth so deep as you may take up the roots entire, which when you have done, you must be very chary in separating of them, (if there be more than one root) wherefore your best way is to take the earth, that you so digged up, with the roots, and put it into a Tub of water, and in short time the water will wash away the earth from the small and tender Imps, and by this means, you may sever the one Imp from the other without any danger of breaking them; the one being parted from the other, set them in the place (which before either was, or must now be prepared for them) about four foot distance, the one from the other, and as near as you can so order it, that it may have the benefit of the South Sun, and that they may be defended from the North-winds: with all let them not want of their due watering in Summer, for as drink to a thirsty soul; so water cherisheth and refresheth the drooping and almost dropping leaves of each Plant: but chiefly this Plant, which above all o­ther will require it, for of it sell, it is very hot by nature.

The time of gathering it for your use.

THe store that you intend to keep for your use by you, must be gathered before that it either flowreth or seed­eth, and therefore I conceive your best time woud be about the middle of June, for then it is in its full strength, and having gather'd it, you may not leave it in the Sun to dry, but as Colesfoot is ordered in drying, so may you order your Tabaco, and be sure that each leaf be through dry before you put them together, for fear lest they should grow musty, and by that means made uselesse, and to prevent this, your wi­sest course will be to let them hang severally by themselves, as at first, onely you may, if you please, remove them from the drying place in Winter into some warmer place, because though in the Summer, it lying open to the aire, it was be­neficiall to you, it may in the Winter prove as prejudi­ciall.

The time of flowring and seeding.

IT beareth Flowers from the latter end of June till the latter end of August, and they are of a greenish, yellow colour, which the stalk branching forth, doth bear at the top thereof: these flowers are set in green husks, but ap­pear not much above the brims of of the husks. The seed is likewise contained in the great heads, after the flowers are decayed.

Of the Roots and Leaves.

THe Roots and Leaves do yield a Gluish and Rofinsh kind of juice, somewhat yellow, and smelling somewhat like Rosin, but unpleasant, and of a sharp, eager and biting taste; which shews that it is by nature hot, more than in the second degree, and dry in the first, whereupon we may inferre, that it is no kind of yellow Henbane.

To preserve the Plant or Roote from dying [...]n the Winter.

THe root (as I said before) may spring up againe of its owne accord, but seldome after a sharp win­ter: for when long and tedious frosts have crusted the earth, out of all question the roote, if not pe­rished, will be much endangered, and at the 'Spring time not be able, thorough weaknesse, to prosper. Therefore I shall direct you how to preserve them, and keep the leaves green all the winter.

Some would have you sence about your ground with reeds, or such things, as will breake the force of the cold winds: and to preserve them from frosts, they advise you to cover the Plants with Matts: but as such a weight continually pressing the Plant downe will rotte it, so will it do but little good to the Plants in ex­tremity of Winter.

Others would have you make a slight house of Deale about your Plants to preserve them, which you may remove afterwards. Such as have enough may be at this un necessary charge.

But the best way, as I conceive, to preserve them is by removing them in the winter, the manner thus: Take up the root with the earth about them, put all into some pot or any other thing fit for the purpose, and set them in a warme place about your house, and let it abide there all the winter, but if the Sun chance to shine very hot, afford your Plant the benefit thereof for one hour or two, and so returne it to its former place, this is the most certaine way to preserve roots and Plants all the Winter, and in the Spring set them into the ground with the same earth about them.

The first fruit.

THe first is, that you plant divers & many kinds: for every housholder who hath care to his nourishment, with all diligence causeth oftentimes, such trees to be brought from forrein Countries.

The second.

The second is, when the trees be planted and set orderly and pleasantly, they give no small pleasure to a man, therefore every one should cut his trees or­derly, and he that cannot, should procure other men to doe it, which know how to doe it.

The third is of well smelling and spiced fruit.

Cleave a tree asunder, or a branch of a fruitfull tree, to the heart or pith, and cut a piece out of it, and put therein poudred spices, or what spice seever you will, or what colour you will desire, and tye a barke hard about it, and anoint it with lome and Ox dung, and the fruit will gett both the savour and co­lour according to the spice you have put in it.