Num. 1.
Fruit and Flowers to come ear­ly, and before others, or late and after others, or to have them growing all the year.
Sect. 1.

SIR Francis Wal­singham caused divers Apri­cock Trees to be planted against a south Wall,Planting of Trees against brick wals. and their [Page 2] Branches to be born up also against the wall according to the manner of Vines, where­by his Plumbs did ripen three or four weeks before any o­ther that grew at large in any Orchard, and had not the be­nefit of the Suns reflexion. Hereupon I do infer,How to multiply the Sun-beams up­on Trees. That if every Tree were planted in a several Tabernacle, or such Concave as were aptest for the receiving and reflecting of the Sun-beams upon the Fruit; and the same also ei­ther lined with Lead or Tin plates, or garnished with glas­ses of steel or crystalline, that by such means, peradventure, the reflexion might be mul­tiplied, to the greater for­warding of the Fruit, especi­ally the Trees being Dwarf-trees, [Page 3] whereby the Sun might reflect both from the sides and from the ground, un­to the uppermost branch or bough of the Tree:Olive, Pomgra­nate, O­range and Lemond trees to bear fruit. And by these helps the Olive, Pom­granate, Orange and Lemond trees, and such like, might happily bear their Fruit in our cold Clymate. Quaere, Sol and Vulcan meeting together in the wals if these walls did stand so con­veniently, as they might also be continually warmed with the Kitchen fires, as serving for Backs unto your Chim­neys, if so they should not likewise finde some little fur­therance in their ripening.

2. Quaere also,Trees wrapped a­bout with Hay. If wrap­ping of ropes of Hay about the bodies of the Trees to de­fend them from the windes, and other cold that happen­eth [Page 4] most in the night sea­son.

Nourish­ing Li­quor, rich Mould.3. Water these Trees with nourishing and feeding Li­quors, and give a new supply now and then of richer Mould unto them; and if you will prevent the dangers of the frost, which they are subject unto in their blossom;To pre­vent the fr [...]sts in May. then lay open the roots for a time, that the sap may not rise too fast; or if your Orchard con­sist of Dwarf-trees, growing in great pots of stone, or ves­sels of wood, you may re­move them from time to time as you see cause, and so pre­serve them from all injury of the weather.

Early fruit with­out the help of Brick wals.4. And lest I should leave all other men destitute of early Fruit, whose ability will [Page 5] not serve to compass their Orchards with Brick-walls (which would prove an exces­sive charge) my advice is, that their Orchard should con­sist wholly of Dwarf trees, over which, being close com­pact together, they may spread a canvas tent remove­able at pleasure,Canvas tent. or defend­ing onely the North, East, and Northeast winds from them with canvas walls;Canvas Walls. which can­vas they may hire of the Up­holsters after the rate of one penny the ell for many moneths together; for not­withstanding this imployment it serveth the Painters turn sufficiently. Neither ought this course seem very charge­able unto us, if we do either consider the infinite number [Page 6] of Trees that a small square will receive, if they be closely packed together; or if we do estimate the profit that will arise of such forward fruit, which will easily countervail the hire of our canvas. And yet for our better encourage­ment herein, I have heard that also noted of our best experienced Practisers this way,Dwarf trees more fortunate [...]hen o­thers. That these kinde of Dwarf-trees are commonly more fortunate in their bear­ing, then our ordinary trees, whose bodies are greater, and carry their heads so high into the weather; and it shall not be amiss, notwith­standing these walls or co­vers,Preparing of the ground for Dwarf-trees. to place these Dwarf-trees (especially if they grow in vessels removeable) either [Page 5] upon Pavement of Free-stone or Brick, or upon a plat­form of Gravel, whereby the Sun may reflect the stronger upon them, always provided that you have also care to keep them sufficiently moist, and from being withered or parched with the heat,The man­ner how to water them. (which you may easily prevent in the time of dry weather) by watering them continually by way of filtration out of apt vessels placed for the purpose. And though your trees be fixed and growing in the ground, yet it shall not be amiss to have a flore of hard gravel round about them to help the reflexion of the Sun, so as you have care either to leave sufficient store of earth about the body of every [Page 8] Tree, and the same earth to be laid in the forme of a con­cave receptive to receive such rain water as falleth, and to convey that unto the root; or else if you will cover the whole face of the ground with gravel, you must then at the foot of every tree thrust in a pipe of stone (for which pur­pose, and to avoid charge, the neck of these stone bodies wherein the Goldfiners do use to draw their strong water, will serve very aptly) which must receive a continual wa­tering per laneam linguam, as before,The big­ness of these Or­chards. to keep them moist: And here (if it were not for charge) I could wish all these Orchards that are replenished with Dwarf-trees, to consist of small squares, so as they [Page 9] might be ten or twelve yards every way in length and breadth, and no more;The hight of the wals of this Or­chard. about which squares I would also e­rect the cheapest wall that could be devised, which should not exceed three or four foot in height; the use whereof is so manifest, as that I shall not need to publish the same in any plainer terms.A Stove to keep dwarf trees in. But if to have early Fruit, we do nei­ther regard labor nor charge, then let us build a square and close room, having many de­grees of shelves, one above another, in which we may aptly place so many of these Dwarf-trees as we shall think good; in time of cold wea­ther, we may keep the same warm in nature of a Stove, with a small fire being made [Page 10] in such Furnaces, and in such manner as I will at all times be ready to shew to such as are willing to make any use there­of; and if the weather be fair and open, and that the room be made full of windows or open sides, we may for such time use the benefit of the Sun-shine, or carry them a­broad at our pleasure; and for the forwarding of your Fruits,When to place the Trees in a Stove. you shall not need to begin this practice till the sap begin to rise, and then but for a few moneths onely, except in the night time, when we shall fear any frosty or other nip­ping weather.A Stove kept with small charge. There be di­vers persons whom this secret doth fit very well, and may perform the same without ex­pence of money, amongst [Page 11] which number are all such as are forced in respect of their trade to keep any great or con­tinual fires, as Brewers, Diers, Soap-boilers, Refiners of Su­gar, and the owners of Glass-houses, and such like, who may easily convey the heat or steam of their fires (which is now utterly lost) into some private room adjoyning, wherin they may bestow their Fruit trees to their greater pleasure & contentment.Winter Parlors made Or­chards. Nei­ther do I think it an unseem­ly sight to have some dozen or twenty of these Dwarf-trees ranked in good order upon high shelves in our win­ter-Parlors, where we may also make a second use of our chargeable fires. Yet this caveat let me give by the [Page 12] way (which I learned by the experience of my friend who in one frosty night,A caveat for dwarf trees that have been tenderly kept. by the negligence of his Servant, lost 20 of the fairest Carnation Pots that I have seen, being all of them very full of Buds, and many of them blown out in the dead of winter, and all this happened by leaving them onely one frosty night abroad) that when we have made our Dwarf-trees thus tender, by defending them from all cold and hard wea­ther, by a close and warm Stove, that we must be very careful, that if (to take the advantage of a showre of rain, or some other fair and sunny weather, we happen to carry them abroad) that about the Sun-set, or rather somewhat [Page 13] before, we convey them again to their place of refuge, and some think it necessary to ex­pose them to the air only in rainy and temperate days, and rather to lose the rain, then to set them abroad in a cold day. I hope I shall not here need to give any advice for the ne­cessary watring of these Trees in their convenient time,Watering the dwarf trees in the Stove. be­cause there is no man so igno­rant, but that he knoweth that all Vegetables do receive both their life and nourishment from heat and moisture; onely they may make their choice (if they please) of these seve­ral manners, and likewise of some of these compound li­quors as are elsewhere in this Discourse handled more at large, whereby to water them [Page 14] in a more fructifying manner then any of our ordinary means doth afford, set your pots in pans of water that hath been before exposed to the Sun.

Vines to bear early.5. The blood of beasts tempered with some lime and earth (for without lime the blood engendreth great store of worms) is most excellent to lay at the roots of Vines to hasten the ripening of the Grapes:Several earths or moulds. Quaere, if the same be not good for all other Trees and Plants to that end. I have also both heard and read of Pigeons dung greatly com­mended for the forwarding of Fruit-trees. Quaere, the ashes of Beans stalks or Vines, or of salt alone, or salt and earth first putrified together, [Page 15] of Sope-ashes, & all those sun­dry sorts of Soyl more plen­tifully displayed in my Dis­course upon the vegetable Salt, if any of these being applied in due proportion, and in the true season of the year, will not afford some expediti­on in this work, and how of­ten it shall be necessary to change and renew your soil in one year, if you mean to have the first Fruit, and be­fore all other. Quaere, Lime. of Lime, and of such earth as is found in hollow Willow trees, and of Fearn first pu­trified.

6.Nipping off Grapes. When the Grapes are knit, you must nip off the new sprigs from time to time as they put forth, and there­by (as some think) your Grapes [Page 16] will both grow the greater, and ripen the sooner.

Rooting of seeds within doors be­fore they be sowed abroad.7 Mr. Googe in his book of Husbandry commendeth the mingling of stones with earth, and so laid up together in a vessel one year before you plant them, and by this means you may have store of Sets very speedily to make Hedges withal, by planting them in a inner Garden, as he termeth it, Quaere, if Pease, Beans, Pompeons, Musk-Mellons, and all other Pulse and Seeds which we would have to come early, were used in this manner for a season, in some small pots, or other vessels, and filled with rich mould, and water­ed with the Liquors ante num. 3. being first made blood [Page 17] warm, and the same pots and vessels also placed in a gentle Stove or some other conveni­ent place aptly warmed with the fire, and after in March if it prove warm, or else in the beginning of April, if the same were sowen, if so they would not be much forward­ed.

8.A Stove for all Ve­getables good cheap. And for the keeping of any Flowers or Plants abroad, as also of these seeds thus sow­en within doors, or any o­ther Pots of Flowers, or Dwarf-trees in a temperate heat, with small charge, you may perform the same by hanging a cover of Tin or other mettall over the vessel wherein you boil your Beef, or drive your Buck, which having a pipe in the top, and [Page 18] being made in the fashion of a funnel, may be conveyed in­to what place of your Or­chard or Garden you shall think meet; which room, if it were so made, as that at your pleasure it may become either close or open, you may keep it in the nature of a Stove in the night season, or in any other cold weather, and in the Summer time you may use the benefit of the Sun-beams, to comfort and cher­rish your Plants or Seeds. And this way, if I be not deceived, you may have both Orange, Lemons, Pomgra­net trees, yea peradven­ture Coloqnintida, and Pep­per trees, and such like: The sides of this room, if you think good, may be plaister­ed, [Page 19] and the top thereof may be covered with some strein­ed Canvas to take away at your pleasure. Quaere, if it be best to let the pipe of lead to breath out at the end onely, or else at divers small vents which may be made in that part of the pipe which pas­seth alongst the Stove. I fear that this is but a meer conceit, because the steam of water will not extend far; but if the cover to your pot be of mettal, and made so close that no air can breath out sa­ving at the pipe, which is so­dred or well closed in some part of the cover, then it seem­eth probable, this cover may be put on after the pot is scum­med.

9. Mr. Googe citeth an opi­nion [Page 20] of some men that hold,Pease and other seeds steeped in several li­quors be­fore the sowing. that Pease being laid in water a day or two before they be sown, will grow the sooner. Quaere of Milk, Spirit of wine, or water that hath been long infused upon dung, or waste soape ashes, or common ashes, whose heart and salt hath not been drawn out before; quaere also, whether the wa­ters aforesaid being cold, or blood-warm do serve best for this purpose; quaere of steep­ing them in Sack or Malmsey, White wine, aqua composita, &c.

Parsley to grow spee­dily.10. I have been credibly informed, that if you make a lay of powdred lime and ashes,Compound earth. and then a lay of earth and dung, and then a lay of lime, and upon that a lay of [Page 21] good fat mould, and do there­in sow your Parsely seeds be­ing first steeped in white wine,Wine, A­qua vi [...]ae, Wine lees, water with and then water them present­ly, that so the heat of the lime and dung will force up a won­derful and sudden spring in a few hours: Quaere, if there be any good use of this secret though it should be true; quaere also of watering the said seeds with Aqua vitae, or wine Lees. Fabam referunt novem diebus obrutam oleo, Beans stee­ped in oyl. germinare in du­abus horis impositam pani cali­do. Cardan. de rer. varietate, 878.

11.Gunpow­der, Salt­peter, and salt. Some commend the applying of Gun-powder to the roots of Plants to for­ward them; quaere of Salt­peter, and quaere of the Salt that the Petermen derive [Page 22] from the Salpeter; quaere of the ashes of every Plant be­stowed upon it self.Ashes.

Compound earth.12. Take one part of Soot and one part Cowdung, and two parts earth; plant the Slips of your Carnations therein after they are well rooted. Quaere of Roses and other plants.

Cherries kept back­ward by a tent.13. Sir Francis Carew, as I have heard, did spread a tent over a Cherry-tree that was well taken, and before they were grown to any great big­ness, and thereby defended them from ripening; now and then also sprinkling wa­ter upon the Tent.

Salt and earth pu­trified to­gether.14. Quaere of putrifying of salt and earth together in some apt place, before you apply the same to the [Page 23] roots of your Fruit trees, or Flowers, whether the same will not help your Plants for­ward?

15.Sope ashes used often to forward Pease; Fruit, &c. Quaere of strowing Sope-ashes at several times upon Pease, or at the roots of other Fruits or Flowers before they be ripe, what ef­fects will follow; and so of salt, lime, and all other kindes of enriching soil. These ashes are reported to kill worms,Seacoal ashes. weeds and rushes where they are bestrewed. Quaere of the use of Sea-coal-ashes.

16.Arching the ground Quaere of arching of a small Orchard for Dwarf-trees, and fire placed under the arches in cold weather; quaere also of planting of great store of pieces of glass upon [Page 24] the whole face of the ground to procure a stronger reflexi­on.Glasses upon the ground.

Herbs and flowers kept by co­vering them as they grow.17. There were divers dain­ty fresh sallat herbs presented at Christmas, to Sir Cutbert Bucks Lord Mayor of London by an Italian, which he had onely covered in the earth as they grew. Quaere if it be not better to cover them over with sand than with earth, to defend them from putrefacti­on; quaere how many sorts of Herbs and Flowers may be kept this way. Plus num. 19.

Backwarding of Fruits and Flowers se­veral ways.18. Cut Roses in the end of April; (quaere if the bud onely, or the buds and other shoots must be cut off) when they are full of young buds, and the branches will bud a­gain [Page 25] when all other Roses have done blowing; this I did see experimented in Ox­ford in July 1585. Cut Ro­ses monethly one under an­other, and see what effects will follow. I have proved the cutting off of such Gilli-flowers stalks as began to spindle, and by that means they put forth their buds much later; quaere in what other Fruits or Flowers this practice may be used; quaere also, if Flowers or other Dwarf-trees may not be hin­dred from bearing their fruit early, by keeping such pots in shady places, or keeping them within doors for a time, until you would have them to come forward;Beans and Pease cut down be­times. quaere of Beans and Pease cut down in [Page 26] April or May; Fruit kept backward. quaere of twist­ing the branch of any Tree or Flower, and binding the same so twisted to a stick; quaere of binding a band streight about the branch of any Tree or Flower, or wind­ing of Packthread many folds about the same. And quaere how long such fruit or flowers will hang upon their branches being thus used. Also when you have wreathed a branch of a Cherry-tree, or Plum-tree with your hand some­what hard, then stay it there with two splents, & vide quid fiet. Also prove how little of the bark will serve a branch to convey the sap up to the fruit, and take away all the rest with a knife.Late Roses Roses have been tried to come late by [Page 27] binding the bark hard of the branches whereon they grow.

19.Covering of Violets or Straw­berries with sand or pots. Quaere of covering o­ver the Violets that come a­bout Michaelmas with sand, sicut ante num. 17. and so of Strawberries that blow in cold weather; but this covering for Flowers, I think, would be done by whelming of apt earthen pots upon them, which pots may also be cover­ed over with earth or sand if you see cause, for that other­wise you shall deface the Flowers. Quaere of Artichoke roots covered so all the win­ter to make them more for­ward in the Spring, and so of the like profitable Plants; quaere if it be not necessary to have earthen covers or caps to [Page 28] fit these pots, which you may take off at your pleasure in warm and rainy, or in sunny weather, and after close them up and cover them again, as before. You may also cover each Dwarf-tree either grow­ing in a pot or standing in the earth with a several cap made of wood according to the big­ness or spreading of the bran­ches, by which means you may either keep the fruit long upon the tree, or after they are blossomed in the spring time, defend them from the frosts in May, and so you shall have many times fruits when o­ther men shall fail and want them.

Pots divi­ded in halves for Flowers.20. For the forwarding of all the seeds of Pompeons, Musk-Mellons, Cucumber [Page 29] seeds, Artichoke seeds, &c. you may procure divers ear­then pots of a reasonable big­ness and wel gl [...]zed within to be made either of the fashion of Gillifl wer pots, or round, upright and of an equal big­ness,Pots with­out bot­t [...]ms and steeple­wise. but let them be made either without bottoms in the fashion of a steeple or else part­ed into two equal halves, from the uppermost edge even to the centre of the bottom, in the midst of which bottom there may be a hole made of a convenient largeness;Prevention of worms. upon which (lest any worm should enter) lay a thin flat piece of lead ful of smal holes, through which the water may pass; let the sides of these pots meet so close as that thereby also no worm may enter to [Page 30] bite or gnaw the Seeds;Ordering these pots. these pots you may set abroad in warm and sunny weather, or when there falleth any tempe­rate rain; and at all other times you may either keep them within doors, or place them in your warm Balneo, ante num. 8. and by this means, as I guess, you may have ve­ry early and forward Plants, from the which having arti­ficially and workmanly taken the loose sides without loosen­ing the earth from the roots, you may place the Plants with the earth about them, in con­venient holes made before­hand for that purpose; or if you set these divided pots in­to the earth at the first plant­ing of your seeds, then may you cover and uncover them [Page 31] at your own pleasure, which other pots having holes in the tops of them, in the which you may place stone Funnels, whereby to retain the rain that falleth in the night, be­ing first ordered sicut ante num. 19. is more fully hand­led; and when you think that the Plants have rooted deep enough, then you may dig a­bout the sides of your pots, and so gently remove them, leaving the Plants fast grow­ing behinde in the earth.Pots for Dwarf-trees. But if your purpose be to plant ei­ther Pepper trees, or Colo­quintida trees, Orange or Le­mon trees, Pomgranate trees or Almond trees, or such like, then you may like­wise use pots of the same fashion, saving onely that they [Page 32] must be made of a far greater receipt, because they are to yeeld a sufficient nourishment to a greater Plant, and that it will be requisite to have four large and strong ears to every pot;Tubs for Dwarf-trees. although I know that some do rather commend large deep and strong tubs, well pitched or cemented within and without, which may be transported upon great Coulstaves or other carriages. And peradventure it shall not be amiss to have these divided pots without any earthen bottoms, instead whereof you may binde a strong and double oyled pa­per,Bottoms of oyled paper having a large hole there­in, which may be fast tied a­bout the skirts of your pot with Packthred, which paper [Page 33] bottoms may very well decay and rot during the time that each Plant will require for his deep rooting; & if you doubt that the worm will be the ra­ther busie with the paper be­cause of the oyle, then it shall not be amiss to make the oyl somewhat bitter by a decocti­on of Wormwood therein, and by this means you may ea­sily draw your pot out of the earth, without loosening the earth at all that cleaveth to the roots of your Plants.Holes in the lips of the pots. I could also wish that each of the a­foresaid pots should have some small holes in the lip of every pot, especially if they want ears, that thereby thin plated lead might be fastned by small wiers; in which leads, having your Prints for that [Page 34] purpose,Leads with let­ters hang­ing at the pots. you may strike two or three such Letters of the A B C as you shall think good, which letters you may always refer to some paper book, wherin you may set down in particular the name of the Seed or Plant, the ordering, the season wherein you set them, and all other circum­stances whatsoever, whereby you may learn either to iterate or avoid the like practice the next time.Watering by a List. And it shall not be amiss in a time of drought or dry weather, as also in the first sowing or planting of your Simples, either to water them by a list, as appeareth more fully ante, num. 4. or else to place every pot in an earthen pan,Nourish­ing waters. half full of such water as hath been first infused in [Page 35] dung, sope-ashes, &c. and exposed a few days to the Sun before you do use it in this manner; for by this means the earth will draw or suck up sufficient moisture at the holes in the bottom, whereby the root shall be kindly watered. Neither is it amiss, as I think,B [...]rthen pans to place your pots in. to have shells or pans of earth, wherein to place all your arti­ficial pots, which may receive such rain water as soaketh through at the bottoms of your pots, which water be­cause it containeth the strength or salt of the earth, would be after every great showre returned upon the pots again.Salt mold for your pots. But the first and principal care of all other must be to fill your pot with a fat and rich mould, whereof [Page 36] there is good choice in this small Treatise, which being now and then refreshed with fresh earth at the top and sides by opening the pot, and pa­ring away first of the old earth,Refresh­ing with new mold. and then filling them up again with new, may peradventure give great furtherance to your desires. And if you would have your dwarf-trees grow­ing in the aforesaid pots kept so backward as that they may bear their fruit after all other Fruit Trees of the same kind, then you may in the begin­ing of the year give them on­ly the morning Sun,Backward­ing of your Dwarf-trees or Flowers. or but one hours Sun in the morn­ing, and another in the even­ing, or else you may place them in shady places, till you would have them to come [Page 37] forward; and hereby you may keep your Cherry-trees as backward as you please;Avoiding of the frosts in May. and so likewise if your desire be to avoid the dangerous frosts in May, then must you keep these pots, trees and flowers in some close room from the Sun, thereby to defend them from their early blooming,Hiding of the art. whereby those later frosts being spent be­fore you expose them to the weather, the fruit shall be in no danger at the time of the knitting; and by this practice you may happen to have Cherries upon your Dwarf-trees when the great Cherry-orchard in Kent shall fail. And because every spectator or beholder of these conceited trees may not pre­sently [Page 38] look into the invention hereof, it shall not be amiss to make either so many holes in the ground, or so many brick receptacles as will re­ceive your pots all the Sum­mer time, wherein they may be so closely placed even with the ground, and all the brims of the pot so covered with earth, as that they shall seem to be growing ends in ordinary manner, to the great admiration of all such as shall behold them.

The fashi­on of your Stove for the Dwarf-trees.20. Your Stove or close Orchard may be made to o­pen at all sides saving the North, in the manner of the shop-windows in London, whose board and timber must be well pitched, oiled or grea­sed over with the fat of the [Page 39] powder-beef-pot; but then perhaps it will be offensive to your apparel, because it is o­ver long in drying; the roof also may be divided into four parts, and each part so placed as that it may be drawn up with a pulley, thereby to re­ceive the Sun and Rain when you shall think good; and in cold weather, or in the win­ter season to be kept warm, according to the manner set down ante, num. 8. But how to build a house in such form as that the Sun both in the Summer and also in the Win­ter season may shine therein very plentifully, see the opi­nion of Cardanus cited in the Collection of secrets, made by Wickerus, p. 591. Quaere of a round Stove turning on a pin [Page 40] like a Windmil, and being full of glass-windows.

Forward­ing of fruit by a tent.21. A tent spread over a Cherry-tree, or any other Fruit-tree, and receiving that vaporous heat, ante num. 8. will help greatly to forward the blossoming and ripening of any fruit, being used in the night time, and in all other sharp and cold weather; all the Art will be herein to have some speedy means of pitch­ing or spreading this tent, and taking the same down a­gain.

Cutting of Vines to bear quick­ly.22. When you plant the cuttings of Vines, chuse such of the last years shoots as may have some part of the former years stock cut off with them, and so you shall have Grapes a year sooner at the least.

[Page 41]23. Quaere, Nipping off the first blossoms. if the taking away of the first blossoms of Fruits, will force any Fruit-tree to bring forth new blos­soms, and thereby to bear fruit a great deal later; post 81.

24.Glasses on your yong plants. When you have first prickt in your seeds into the ground, set over each of them a glass which is broad below, and the bottom broken out, and whose neck is narrow, but leave the mouth open; these glasses defend off the cold air, encrease the heat of the sun, and keep the Plants moist; because the water as it ascend­eth by the attraction of the sun, so it slippeth down again by the gliding sides of the glass; for I have seen in dry weather, the ground which [Page 42] hath been covered with one of these glasses much blacker and moister then any other earth round about it; this is done to defend a young plant from the nipping cold, and from the parching heat, until it have gotten up to some growth whereby it may de­fend it self the better, and then you may remove the glass.

Soil for out-land­ish plants.25. Let every outlandish Plant be set in such soil as cometh nearest in kinde to that soil wherein it did natu­rally grow beyond the Seas; or if you can, bring over suffi­cient of the same earth where­in it grew.

To for­ward Al­mond trees26. Steep the Almonds with their shels in milk two or three days, then make a [Page 43] trench of good dung of two foot deep, upon which make a lay of fine sifted earth of a hand breadth deep, into which prick your Almonds, then cover them with more sifted earth, and every year remove them, always planting them in the same trenched ground, and so they will grow a yard in heigth every year, as Sir Edward Denny of Ireland as­sured me, upon his own trial; these because they are dainty and shady trees, are fit to make stately Walks in Noblemens Gardens.

27.Orange, Lemon & Almond trees for­warded. For the forwarding of your seeds of Oranges, Le­monds, Almonds, Pomgra­nates, &c. use the same or­der as is here set down, for Musk-mellon seeds, and then [Page 44] remove your Plants into pots, which by apt covers you may sufficiently defend from all manner of cold weather, not exposing them to the air, but onely in a sunny day.

When to sow that which you wou d have to seed.28. Whatsoever you would have to run to seed apace, sow that seed either in three days before, or three days after the full of the Moon; quaere, if the three first days be not the better; and quaere, if the day of the full be not the best of all other.

High bor­ders of Time, Hysop, &c. speedily.29. If you board up earth to the height and bredth of a privy hedge that is of six or seven years growth with boards that be thick and well seasoned, and bored through full of large and slope holes, or rather being full of long [Page 45] slits; after the earth is well setled, you may plant the top of the border and sides likewise with Hysop, Time,Sides of borders in works. Lavender, &c. or else you may plant the sides with some con­trary Plant to make the one to set off the other the bet­ter; This way you may make dainty Borders of Carnati­ons if you keep the sides cut in frets or other works, plant­ing the Carnations on the top of the borders; or if you please, you may cut out square holes like checker boards,Checker-works, Po­s [...]s and Emblems. or fair Roman Letters in poses, or emblems in the sides of the borders, and so keep them according to the works. By this devise you may also make Mounts, Pyramids &c. Mou [...]ts, Pyramids. accord­ing to the shape of the case [Page 46] wherein you plant; and it will seem very strange being set of such plants as do ordi­narily grow very low and near the ground.An artifi­cial tree or arbor. This way also a man may plant an arti­ficial Tree or Arbor, planting the body and arms of the tree with Herbs or Flowers; and to cover the secret, you may hide the arms and body with the bark of trees or moss; as also Dogs,Dogs, Ly­ons, Fowl, Fish, &c. artificial. Lions, Bulls, Men, Fishes, Fowle, &c. ha­ving hollow moulds for the same, either of stone or wood well pitched within and with­out: There may be also pipes of lead conveyed through the bodies of such forms, which must be stopt at the ends, and have divers little holes in them, whereby water may be [Page 47] conveyed with a Funnel into the pipe, unto every part of the earth.

30.Walks of green trees in winter. If it be possible any way without fire or great charge, to have green Okes, Elms, or other Trees at Christ­mas, then I hold this for one of the likeliest, To graff in the bud or otherwise any of the aforesaid Trees upon the Bay or Holly-tree which seem to have strong and hot sap by their greenness in winter time. If this prove, you may graff and imp in the bud all sorts of Fruit-trees upon the afore­said stock, whereby you may have most comfortable and dainty Walks in your Or­chard or Garden. Mr. Mas­kalls Book of the art of graft­ing, fol. 56. Some commend [Page 48] the planting of Fir-trees in Walks, for this purpose.

Iron backs to your pots.31. Quaere if it be not good in the Summer and Spring time to place concave backs of iron or tin plates in every pot wherein you have planted ei­ther Dwarf-trees or Flowers, and so to remove your pots from time to time as they may best receive the reflecti­on of the Sun, whereby to ri­pen them the sooner; use the like against your clusters of Grapes. Quaere if it be not good to plant Vines in moist grounds in respect of this se­cret.

A second crop of the same beans32. If you cut down Beans as soon as they have done bearing, and that the year prove a dripping year, you may have a second crop grow­ing [Page 49] from the same stalk that will come late; this I have proved in my Garden in St. Martins-lane. Quaere of Pease, otherwise you must water them presently upon the cut­ting down, and now and then after, as the weather shall give occasion.

33.Several waters. I think of all waters that are not infused, rain wa­ter to be the best of all other to water your delicate plants with; but if for want thereof you shall be forced to water them with common water, yet let the same stand in a great stone or wooden vessel three or four days in the Sun, before you water therewith; but for the better forwarding of your Fruit and Flowers, you may prove brackish wa­ter, [Page 50] viz. such as cometh near in proportion of saltness to the Sea-water, which is one part salt to twenty parts of water, or much thereabouts; but this may not be used often for burning of your plants; or rather you may try water infused upon common ashes, or sopeashes, and all manner of dung, or wherein there hath been store of Hay, Litter or some other Herbs infused; you may also prove Wine, Milk, Wine-Lees, Strong-Beer, and Aqua composita, if they be not too chargeable. Quaere of Sopesuds and pow­der Beef broth; quaere if it be not better also to water your plants with the said water or liquors being made first blood warm, plus post. 35. [Page 51] Quaere of the strength or heart of much earth, extracted by common water, or rain water, and then evaporated to a smal quantity, wherewith you may water your plants to make them encrease exceedingly.

34.Backward­ing of Fruits and Flowers. Quaere of grafting Cherry-trees upon Apple-trees or Pear-trees, and so generally of all Flowers and Fruit that may be grafted, if being grafted upon such kinde as be late and backward in bearing, if so the same will not bear their fruit much la­ter.

35.Roses ear­ly. About three weeks or a moneth before their usual time of bearing, water your Roses morning and evening onely with warm water, and by this means a Cambridge [Page 52] man had Roses yearly some twenty four daies before o­thers; quaere of this practice in all other Flowers, especial­ly the water being first pre­pared ut supra, num. 33.

Early Cherries.36. A French-man did greatly commend unto me the applying of unfleakt lime to the roots of Cherry-trees be­ing first made bare in a conve­nient time of the year, (quaere if it be not better to sleak it first with water) and this for the forwarding of them in their bearing. Quaere if one part lime and one part earth, or one part lime and one part hors-dung. This practice de­stroyeth the Tree in a few years, but that loss is suppli­ed with the advantage in the price of such early fruit. Quae­re [Page 53] of Sopeashes laid at their roots.

37.Artichoke and Staw­berries to grow great Lay sheeps dung in soak in water for a convenient time, and water your Arti­chokes therewith, and it will make them very great: So likewise wil the water wherein dung hath been steeped make Strawberries very large and great; An antient Citizen in London did use in the winter time to burn the earth from the roots of his Artichokes, and instead thereof to lay in some of his waste Sopeashes, and he found the same to for­ward them greatly.

38.A speedy Orchard. Slope your Stock up­ward, and slope your Cions downward, and joyn back to back, binde them together as Colliers do their whips, and [Page 54] close the joynts with temper­ed Loam and Moss, or rather with wax, ut postea. 110. This is called the Whip-stock grafting, and you may in this manner graff a whole bow of a Tree to have an Orchard that shall bear fruit speedily.

Grapes growing late and kept long.39. Put the bunches of Grapes after they are knit in­to great and apt glasses, ha­ving two mouthes, holes or little pipes, the one just op­posite to the other, viz. the one upward, the other down­ward, whereby both the wa­ter and the sun may have is­sue: And when you fear the frosts you may stop up the ends closs, and by this means you may happen to have Grapes growing upon the Vines at Christmas; or else [Page 55] when the Grapes are ripe, if you cut off a long branch of the Vine which hath one, two, or three clusters of Grapes upon it, and at either end of the cutting, if you put a Pomwater, and every three days or six days change your Apples, tying a thread in the midst of the cutting, and so hang the same up in a cool and dry place, they will keep fresh a long time. Some thrust onely the stalk where­on the bunch groweth in a sound and lasting Apple, and so hang it up; or else dig a hole in the earth, and lay good store of straw therein, and then Grapes, and then straw again, and over them lay boards, which must be so co­vered over with sand, as that [Page 56] no air may enter; and by this means, as I am informed by a stranger, they will last a long time, vid. post. 109.

Good wines of English Grapes.40. I think it not imperti­nent here to set down a means how we may of our English Grapes purchase an excellent good Wine; and the rather, for that I finde the same to be both probable and possible, both by some anti­quities and experiences set down by Mr. Barnabie Googe in his Book of Husbandrie, as also by that inevitable ar­gument which he draweth from the same altitude of the Pole wherein we are, and under which there be found beyond the seas most fruitful Vineyards, and which do yield both good and pleasant [Page 57] wines, as about Backrach, Co­lin, Andernach, and divers o­ther places in Germany, which have (as he affirmeth in his Epistle to the Reader) the self same latitude and disposi­tion of the Heavens that we have, whereby is sufficiently confuted that common, though erroneous received o­pinion against our Climate, that it should not be hot e­nough for that Plant; nay he proveth further that the wide­ness to the South is not altoge­ther the cause of good Wines, as appeareth in that you have about Orleans great store of good and excellent Wine, whereas if you go to Bruges, two days journey farther to the South, you shall finde a Wine not worth the drink­ing. [Page 58] The like is of Paris and Barleduke (as Mr. D. Dale did inform him) the one being southward, with naughty wines; and the other a great way farther to the North, with as good Wines as may be; and thus far Mr. Googe. Mr. Holinshed also, in that his painful and commendable Hi­story of England, doth con­stantly affirm, That this Island hath been greatly replenish­ed with Vineyards, and that it is not to be doubted but that if the same Plants were by continuance of time, and good ordering of them made fami­liar with our soil, we should have both full and rich wines of our own growing. And here I have just cause to ac­cuse the extreme negligence, [Page 59] and blockish ignorance of our people, who do most unjust­ly lay their wrongful accusa­tions upon the soil, whereas the greatest, if not the whole fault justly may be removed upon themselves. For where­as neither in Pasture nor ara­ble grounds they look for any great or continual encrease without all the due and neces­sary circumstances of Husban­dry be performed to the same; yet in Vines they onely ex­pect a plentiful Harvest (or else they condemn the soil) although they bestow no o­ther manuring, proining or ordering of them, but only cut and proin them in the 12 days, and that very careless, & with­out any due regard or choice had of the branches which [Page 60] should be taken away close to the stock, and which should be cut off between the third and fourth joynt, and maintaining as well the waste and sucking roots, as the principal and ma­ster roots which ought most chiefly to be cherished and pre­served. But because this mat­ter requireth a large discourse, and for that Mr. Barnaby Googe hath very sufficiently handled this subject already, I will re­fer you to his labors, by which you may learn both the electi­on of your soil, and the best scituation therof, the planting of your Sets, the proining both of the Stock and Roots, the turning and translation of the ground, the choice of the best and aptest dung for them, with all other necessa­ry [Page 61] circumstances requisite to the Plant, unless peradven­ture there may be some few observations else to be learn­ed, either at the hands of an experienced French Gardner, or that you shall think good to put in practice some one or other of these few conceit­ed helps for the better for­warding of them in this our cold Climate; onely I have thought it necessary for the avoiding of all French and Spanish objections, to set down a new, and yet a most assured and undoubted course how to furnish our selves with such store of good and per­fect wines, as that we shall not need either to be beholding to the Frenchmen our doubtful friends, or to the Spaniards [Page 62] our assured enemies, for this sweet and delicate kinde of liquor; always provided that we use some careful means at the first to store our selves with the right and natural plants of those Vines, whose wine we desire to have; for the bringing over of which plants from beyond the Seas, if we cannot otherwise furnish our selves of them within our own Continent, we may use that pretty ingenious help for the carrying of our Sets be­ing well covered with earth, and conveyed into close ves­sels, as Mr. Googe in his afore­said Book hath in plain terms disclosed. Then supposing all the skilful experience of France to be first shewed and performed in our English [Page 63] Vineyard, and that yet not­withstanding there wanteth a sufficient and perfect digesti­on to bring the Grape to his full ripeness and maturity let us according to the French manner press out their sweet and pleasant juyce such as it is, and by sufficient decoction and ebullition bring the one moity thereof to the fulness of a cute, which being cold, we may well mix with equal proportions of the crude and raw wine, or so proportion the same as it may be most pleasing to our own mouths, leaving them to the weather till they have inseperably u­nited and incorporated them­selves together; and this is no strange practice, but onely drawn from the Spaniard and [Page 64] the Greek who cutteth both his Malmseys and Muska­dines, and for the most part also his Canary Sack both to make them last the longer, and also to be more fuller of wine. Neither are we here to be discouraged at the charge of fire, or the wast­ing of that faint flegmatique liquor that must of necessity be used in this work, for that (if every acre of ground will yield 700 gallons of wine, as Cato, Varro, and Colnmella do testifie, or as the Vineyards of Seneca did yeild with trade a Thousand gallons upon every acre) I think we shall pay our selves with a higher interest then the Statute of 13 EliZ. will allow. Yet because I will not altogether [Page 65] persevere in Vestigiis patrum, I have thought good to set down another course out of mine own experience, where­by (if we shall be forced to use any outward helps in the default of our Soil or Cli­mate) we may yet by Art supply that unto our selves, which nature hath denied to perform of her self: Then ha­ving first expressed such li­quors as our English Vines be­ing well ordered will afford, let us to every gallon thereof add one pound of the best Rasins of the Sun, or Malaghie Rasins first washed in some change of waters; or if you will aim at a Canarie Sack, then chuse the best of the Xanthe Currens you can get, being well cured and conditioned, and take a like [Page 66] proportion of them to each gallon of your crude wine; leave them in this infusion or imbibition, until the liquor have extracted both the tin­cture and strength of the fruit; then draw the wine from the fruit, and when these two liquors have in time wrought themselves into one body, they will become a most pleasant wine, either re­sembling the Bastard, the Mus­kadine or Canarie Sack, ei­ther to be drunk alone, or serving to compas or tast any other wine withall, ac­cording to the proportion of the fruit which you infuse, and according to the work­manship which you shall shew therein; for herein I am assu­red that I have given light [Page 67] sufficient to an ingenious Artist, both to check and mate all those brewing Co­pers and Vintners of our age, who rise early and work late in their gross and jumbling slights and apparelling about their wines, when as it were much better both for the cre­dit of their houses, and the health of their Customers, if they spent that time in their beds which they spend in their Cellars at midnight. But it shall suffice at this time, that I have broken the ice into a harder passage, and that I have given a taste of some new skil, which I will be ready to en­large and amplifie as well in this subject as in others of higher reach, when I shall see men of worth and special de­sert [Page 68] to be distinguished from the vulgar sort by their ho­norable reward, till which time I will leave Nature in a sweet slumber; Sed nunc ad oppositum.

Young Onions all the year.41. If you sow onion seeds every moneth in the wane of the Moon, and in cold wea­ther; if you steep the seeds in warm water, and sow them in earth well dunged in pots, and remove the pots into close rooms in cold and un­seasonable weather, you may by this means have Onions young and fresh growing all the year, as a Gentleman of Ireland did credibly inform me of his own experience. Quaere if young Radishes may not be had in the same manner.Young Ra­dishes all the year.

[Page 69]42.Roses growing at Christmas If you cut a Red or Damask Rose root on Mid-summer day, between eleven and twelve of the clock be­fore noon, at Christmas it will bear Roses. Note that you must defend them from cold weather by covering them all over with straw. Quaere if this secret may not be perfor­med best in such Roses as grow in pots or tubs, because they may be best defended from all injury of frosts, by removing them into closs pla­ces.

43.Grapes g [...]owing late. Towards cold weather you must cover with some well tempered loam (as with hors-dung or flocks, but I take flock to be the better) all the stalks of the Vine even to the bunches of Grapes, cover­ing [Page 70] the bunches themselves with straw, and so you shall have your Grapes growing upon the Vine at Christmas. Quaere if this secret serve for any other Trees. Note also that your vines must be o­pened three times in the year, and be dunged with some apt soil for them.

Rich earth for pots.44. Take the earth that you shall finde under an old Muck heap, but dig not too deep; this alone is an excel­lent mold to plant your Gil­liflowers and other Flowers and Dwarf-trees in; but if you mingle therewith both lime and dung also, and tem­per them well together, it will be a good means to for­ward such Flowers as you shall place therein, but you [Page 71] must not set your pots in the South sun. Quaere of plant­ing each Flower in its own pu­trefaction with earth, or in the putrefaction of Corn or any other Vegetable. See more at large hereof porta pag. 100.

45.A second crop of Artichokes Some by cutting down of Artichokes presently after their bearing, gain also a se­cond crop about Michaelmas or Alhallontide, if the wea­ther prove not too sharp, be­cause the Plant is tender; or else after they have done bear­ing you may cut them often, if you will lose your second crop of Artichokes, and con­tent your self only with such stalks as will spring from time to time, and be very good meat being tenderly sodden.

[Page 72] When to sow seeds in respect of the Moon.46. All such seeds as you would have to run to seed a­gain, must be sown in the three days before or after the full of the Moon, or at the full, and these will be for­warder then those which be sown three weeks before them in the wain of the Moon, as some Gardeners do hold.

Hindering of the Colleflow­er in blow­ing.47. When your Cole­flower is almost ripe, cut it off, leaving a pretty long stalk at it, prick the stalk in the ground, and by this means the flower will be somewhat long before it blow, and so you may have then one under another, as you shall have cause to spend them.

Salt to for­ward Pease48. Quaere of sowing of two bushels of salt amongst [Page 73] four bushels of Beans or Pease what effects it will work ei­ther in forwarding them, or in the enriching of the soil, es­pecially being oftentimes strewed; for I have been cre­dibly informed that the like proportion of salt amongst seed-corn will multiply the encrease thereof exceeding­ly.

49.To pre­serve fruit upon dwarf trees. Plant many Dwarf-trees, and bow down their branches with their fruit up­on them, including the fruit And quaere how long the fruit will keep; you must have par­ty covers to your pots, and wel luted.

50.A fructi­fying water or seeds. Quaere of striing of seeds in water wherein some Sandi­ner is first dissolved. Quaere if one sixteenth part be not a [Page 74] good proportion, for that cometh near unto the salt wa­ter, wherein there is some eighteen or twenty parts of salt.Lemon, Orange, Pomgra­nate tree. Quaere also of watering all outlandish Trees, as Le­mon, Orange, Pomgranet, &c. therewith to forward them in their bearing. Quaere also of a strong Lee made of the waste Sope-ashes plus an­te num. 33.

Late fruits51. Some do hold that if you nip off the blossoms in the midst with your nails when they do first bud forth, that new blossoms will after­wards break forth close by them, which will come later then the first. Quaere of the like practice upon those new blossoms likewise, ante num. 23.

[Page 75]52.A practice upon Roses. Quaere what will fol­low by the declination of the branches of Roses and o­ther Flowers into pots either empty or half full of water, and standing within the ground.

53.Sopesuds and Pow­der-beef-broth. Quaere of throwing all the sope-suds, and all the Powder-beef-broth at the roots of Cherry-trees, and other Trees, what effect will follow, and so of flowers.

54.When to lop or proin. Lop no tree in wet wea­ther, neither cut down any Herbs in a rainy day, but in necessity. Andrew Hill.

55.Shavings of horn. Quaere of steeping shavings of horn a long time in water, and after watering of Trees or Plants there­with.Horn to Cherry-trees.

56. Quaere of laying of [Page 76] store of horns at the roots of Cherry-trees, &c. if they will forward their bearing.P [...]ase for­ward [...]d with horn.

57. What shavings of horn will do in forwarding a Pease field, or in forwarding of out­landish seed; but especially sow early Pease, such as Mr. Flower soweth by Bednal-green.

Taylors shreds.58. Taylors shreds laid upon the ground will enrich it greatly.

Horn into a gelly to forward fiui [...]s.59. If you steep shavings of horn in water and lime, the horn in time will grow to a gelly, then may you drein a­way the water, and apply the same to the roots of Trees or Herbs, without discovering of your secret.Rose-trees forwarded. I have heard them much commended in forwarding of Rose-trees.

[Page 77]60.When to proin trees The branches of all Trees must be cut off in set­ting time,Peach tree. except the Peach tree, from which you must onely take away the dry branches. Ex veter. lib. ma­nuscrip. pergam Th. Gas.

61.Young plants co­vered with a vail in the night. When you plant any tender Tree, as the Apricock or such like, place it if you can against a pale or wall, and till cold weather be past, cover the same with a close cloth every night, rolling it up in the day time when the sun­shineth, or when the air is warm and temperate.

62.Roots of y [...]ung plants well watered. In the planting of e­very young Tree or Bush, pour in after it is set a gallon, two or three of water after it, to make it root the soo­ner.

[Page 78] When to gather fruit63. Gather your Apples when the weather is dry, and also in the waining of the Moon, and that will preserve them greatly from rotting; quaere if that be not general in all fruit.

Cropping of trees.64. When you cut off the head of any Tree, either to graff upon or for fuel, leave one branch near the top for the sap to run up upon, for fear the tree perish.

Enriching of corn ground with salt.65. If you scatter three bushels of bay-salt upon arable ground after harvest, you may sow four times barley upon the same ground, and gain rich crops; quaere of a fith crop. Probat. at Cheswick per Mr. Phil. Herb.

66. The whole manner of plant­ing and ordering the Musk-Mellon, Cucumber, Pompe­on, &c.

Get a load or two of new horsdung, wherein there is good store of Litter, and such as is not above seven or ten days old, or not exceeding fourteen, and which hath been laid still upon a heap, as it was taken out of the stable; dig a pit that may be fit to re­ceive the same, and ever as you lay any reasonable quantity thereof, tread it down as hard as you can; then sift about two inches thick of fine mold up­on the dung, and prick in at every three or four inches a Musk-mellon seed (which [Page 80] must be first soaked twenty four hours together in milk) stake this border of dung and earth round about very thick with sticks or forks that may appear above the ground some four inches in heighth, and upon these sticks lay hur­dels or lathes or other twigs, so fastned together as that ly­ing upon the sticks they may cover all the Plants over; up­on these Hurdels lay good store of straw, viZ. so much as may be sufficient both to de­fend the cold from the seeds, and also to keep out a reason­able showre of rain if it hap­pen to fall before the remo­ving of your plants. Let them so rest for twenty four hours, and then you shall see them peep above the ground, and [Page 81] if the weather be open, and that the Sun shine, give them for seven or eight days after two hours sun at the rising, and likewise at the setting thereof every day, by removing away the Hurdels with the straw upon them; then if the weather have been warm and that you see that every Plant hath gotten three or four leaves, you may remove them, ta­king also sufficient of the earth and dung that grew a­bout each Plant with it, not loosening the root at all; then set these Plants in holes made of purpose, so as they may stand about six inches within the earth, that thereby you may cover them and uncover them as before for five or six days; and if they hold out [Page 82] so long, then are they past all danger, unless some storm of hail happen to beat upon them; but to avoid all dan­ger, I think it not amiss for three or four weeks after they be removed, to keep them covered with empty pots as before, both night and day, saving that in fair days you may acquaint them by little and little, more and more with the Sun, in cold or gloo­my days not uncovering them at all. Now when they have shot out all their joynts (which you shall perceive when you see a knot at the very end of the shoot, which is somewhat before the flovvering time) then must you cover every knot or joynt vvith a spade or shovelful of earth, and there­by [Page 83] each knot vvill root, and put forth a nevv shoot; (quae­re of the same order in Cu­cumbers, Pompeons) by vvhich means you shall have great encrease of Mellons, as perhaps tvventy five or thir­ty rising from one Plant. But if in twenty four hours space your Plants do not peer above the ground, then you must water them in the heat of the day, and your water being pretty warm; and quaere if some of those waters, ante num. 33. be not good for this purpose; quaere also of salt or urine which are thought of some to be a very special good means to keep a dunghil a long time hot for the digesti­on of Chymical work. You must not forget to water [Page 84] these young Plants often, at which time you may prove either common water, or first infused in some rich soil, and then warmed before you ap­ply the same; quaere of be­stowing of sope-ashes about their roots. When your Mellons are as big as little balls, then if you nip off the shoots that are beyond them, they will grow exceeding great; for then the sap doth not run any more to waste. Note also that this fruit desi­reth to be kept from moisture, and therefore you must use to cover them with broad leaves from the rain. Some be of opinion that all the art before set down for the spee­dy obtaining of Plants is needless, and that if you do [Page 85] onely let a few Musk-mellons shed their seeds as they grow, that so they will be much for­warder then by this device. Sed quaere, if it shall not then be very requisite to cover and defend them from all the in­jury of the winter frosts, which the tenderness of that Plant will otherwise very hardly bear or indure; quaere, of Ridge tiles, or other Cilin­ders of clay or tin plates to set opposite against the Sun, and close by their roots, in such sort as they may receive the reflection of the Sun upon them to hasten their bearing, which you must remove in the afternoon, opposing them still towards the sun, so as the Cilinders may at no time in the day shadow the roots; [Page 86] but then it will be also neces­sary to water them continual­ly with dropping lists, lest the excessive heat of the sun-beams should make them to parch and wither. See all this more truly set down in my last book of Gardening, fo. 8. num. 18.

Speedy ar­bors and green in winter.67. The Beech-tree grow­eth green continually, and therefore most apt to make pleasant Arbors for the winter also. See Googes Husbandry, fol. 101.

68. Beech-trees or Birch-trees make an Arbor speedily, and so likewise of the Jesamy, and of the Pompeon Plants, but they grow not long green; quaere of French-beans.

Delicate pots for Carnations69. In this manner you may have most delicate Car­nation [Page 87] or Gilliflower pots; Cause pots of eighteen or twenty inches heighth, and of a good breadth to be made in what fashion you will, with two ears East and West, and two pipes North and South, at the which you may water your Flowers; let the pipes be full of little holes at the enter­ing into the pot, and let your pot be made full of holes at the sides, each hole distant one full inch from ano­ther, in the which you may plant Tyme, Hysop, or small Lavender, and as it groweth keep the same even with cut­ting, or you may leave some part of the Herbs to grow longer then the rest, to make thereof Diamonds, Frets, &c. In these pots you may plant [Page 88] Roses, Carnations, Lillies, &c. or you may have your pots made in the shape of Flower-de-luces, round Balls, Dia­monds, &c.

70. How to prevent the com­mon error, whereby every se­cond year is made more un­fruitful then otherwise it would be of Apples, Pears, Plums, &c. by the negligence of man.

Preserving the Bud.This is done by the careful gathering of your Fruit; for almost every Apple, Pear, Plum, &c. when it is ripe hath a little pin or bud hard by it, which the next year would be an Apple, Pear, or Plum; and therefore in the gathering of your Fruit, you must have [Page 89] special care to pull them off so, as you hurt not the bud, which is easily done if you break off the Pear, Apple or Plum from the bud, and not toward it, whereby to hurt it.

71. How to keep Plums from cleaving, and so of Flowers.

This is done by the opinion of some by wreathing onely of the bows or branches whereon they grow. Quaere, if this or any such like means will help where Carnations or Gilliflowers do use to break the Cod.

72. How Flowers and other Dwarf-trees that root deep, may notwithstanding be for­ced [Page 90] to grow in small pots or wooden vessels.

Quaere if this may not be done by planting them in pots that be divided in halves, in ante num. 20. or such as be made steeplewise, where­by the earth and plant toge­ther may be uncased, and pared away at the sides and bottoms, and supplied with good and fresh mold, and by taking away all the superflu­ous ragged roots thereof, and cutting of the master root the shorter. For the only let as I imagine, that should hinder great Plants from growing long in smal vessels, is because the root cannot have room and deep enough to grow in; as also for that so small a [Page 91] quantity of earth cannot give nourishment enough to so great a Plant; without some yearly helps.

73. A special order for plant­ing and ordering of all Or­chards, whereby your Trees shall flourish exceedingly, and bear store of fruit.

Some hold opinion, That if the ground be moist, then the shallower you set the Trees, the better they will prosper; but if the ground be dry, then the deeper the better; but I have heard it very confident­ly affirmed by a Gentleman of good judgement, and great experience in re rustica, That all Fruit-trees would be pla­ced even in the summity of the earth, so as their roots may [Page 92] onely be well covered with earth, by which practice he hath seen a Tree that grew deep before, removed and planted in this manner, which bare his full burthen of Fruit in the first year of the trans­planting thereof; and by this means every ground that will carry a good and rich swoard of grass, and being onely two foot or eighteen inches of good earth, will serve to make a most fruitful Orchard, wherby that erroneous con­ceit (that it is impossible to have a prosperous bearing Or­chard where a vain of gravel lieth within two foot of the turff) is utterly confuted and reproved, which would be a very joyful and welcome se­cret to a great number of our [Page 93] English Gentlemen and o­thers, who notwithstanding their great charge in laying in of infinite store of earth upon their Backsides, can by no means procure a good Or­chard to themselves, and that onely by reason of the deep setting of their Trees, which (how good soever the earth be) doth greatly hinder them and keep them back both in spreading and fructifying; the reason whereof is apparent to every young Novice in the Schools of Philosophy. Now because these shallow-rooted Trees will be in some dan­ger to be overcome with the high and boisterous winds, it is therefore necessary to set them about Alhallontide when the ground being moist [Page 94] moist and supple, and the driping season of the year may fasten and knit the earth unto them; and for their better stay, it will be requisite, that every tree have a sufficient prop to support it; all such grass or other weeds as grow about these trees must either be weeded out or pared away, that there may be no Plant at all to draw any of that vegeta­tive salt of the earth from the roots of the Trees; this grass may be laid in some fit place till it be putrified, and then returned again to his first place. And because in hot Summers and dry weather, these Trees that shall root thus near the superficies of the ground will be apt to parch and burn away, unless there [Page 95] be some moistning means used to the same; I would therefore advise that there be some pretty store of pease-straw or Fearn laid about the bottom of each Tree, which being now and then well moistened with water, if the season happen to be dry, will keep the roots wet enough, and defend them from the scorching heat of the sun, or else you may wet them with a dropping list that may distill even through the straw or fern unto the root. Quaere if that Vines may be used in this manner. These Trees may be succored and relieved now and then with some fresh mold, whereof a smal quanti­ty will serve, because the roots are so near to the uppermost [Page 96] crust of the ground; here I think Sopeashes would serve to good purpose.

74. The just time or ipsum nunc, when it is best to graff, both in respect of the Cions, as also of the Stock.

The Spring time of all o­ther is the most proper and apt time for graffing, because then Nature being stirred up by the strength of the climing Sun, doth force the sap to ascend into the uppermost part; but because this season of the year is subject to much alteration, either by excessive moisture, or too much drout, and sometimes by the sharp and nipping frosts, that often do kill, and many times do [Page 97] stay and hinder the first put­ing forth of Vegetables. I have therefore thought it good for the better certainty of thy e­lection and choice of times, to shew thee some undoubted way how thou mayst under­stand Nature herself speaking in this point by undoubted and demonstrative signs unto thee. And therefore when thou shalt perceive that she begineth to thrust forth those little red buds, which give the first hope of encrease unto thee; then, I say, and before those buds do break out either into a green colour, much less into leaves, thou must as­sure thy self that thy Cions is ready to be taken off, and graffed in such a stock, as hath also buds of the like [Page 98] colour and bigness unto them, by which means they will so jump in a sympathy of Nature together, as that they will most lovingly and kindly em­brace each other. And note, that the stock must always be as forward at the least as the Cions; for otherwise the Stock will starve the Ci­ons.

75. The manner of implaster­ing, Inoculating, or Graffing in the bud, with all neces­sary circumstances.

In some smooth part of the Stock whereupon you mean to graff, you must first slit the bark about half an inch over­thwart the body or branch; then slit likewise the bark thereof downward from the [Page 99] midst of the overthwart slit somewhat more then an inch in length, into which convey your bud with the leaf at it, so as you place bark to bark at the upper end, and croping of the uppermost part of the leaf; then binde the bark of the stock about the bud, with such bands as are commonly used in the binding up of Brawn, and close up the joynt with Loam and Moss well tempered together; at three weeks end you must take off that band, because the bud will swell, and then you must binde the same again more easily with a new band; but some do hold it sufficient to slit the band only in the back­side, and so to leave it. Note that in the gathering of your [Page 100] bud you must be careful that you hurt not the bud in the inner side of the bark, when you divide the same from the branch whereon it grew; for if you finde any hole or pit therein, it is a manifest sign that you have left the bud behind; for the avoiding of which danger, the best way of all other that ever I could finde was, to slope the bark a little upward in taking off the bud, and to slit down at the sides and bottom thereof, so as it may be a pretty large square, and then putting in your finger gently at the up­per end to draw the same downward, as you would slip off an Eels-skin; this bud you must place in a square hole cut out of purpose for the [Page 101] same, and sitting bark to bark as near as you can in e­very place. Some in gather­ing of the leaf with the bud do make an overthwart slit a little above the leaf, which leaf would be such a one as hath a fair swelling bud by it; then they slit the bark on ei­ther side for the leaf, and so make the same to meet in the base point in form of an Es­chocheon. Some do hold the best time of this graffing to be about the midst of June, or few days before or after; and some about the twelfth or fourteenth of June, but you shall finde out the best time of all for this practice by the sappiness of the Tree when you slit the same, and by the smooth and easie divi­ding [Page 102] of the Bark from the Tree. If your bud take well, then must you cut off the stock or branch whereon you have thus graffed about the end of December a shaftment about the bud, and when the bud hath afterwards given a sufficient shoot, then may you take off the branch or body whereon you graffed close at the bark of the bud, sloping the same upward with your knife: When you go about this work chuse a fair, milde and temperate day, and shun all rainy and windy weather. Note also, that after you have taken off your buds, and un­till you have sitted them in their stock or branch, you must lay them in a sawcer of fair water to keep them moist, [Page 103] and graff them as speedily as you may. Cut the bands in sunder in the backside a­bout three weeks or a moneth after you have graffed; close it at the first with wax besides the bands; let the schocheon be rather a little too big then any thing too little, especially at the bottom for his place, be­cause it will shrink, and be sure you close your schocheon well at the bottom; and so likewise in the graffing of a Cion. By this Art one smal twig well chosen, and being full of buds will serve to graff sundry Trees, and it is not a­miss to graff in divers places of the same Tree, if some should miss; for this graffing, though it take not, doth not any way impair or hurt the [Page 104] Tree. Graff Apple-tree-buds upon Apple-tree-stocks, and so of Pear-trees; and Stone-fruit-buds upon Stone-fruit-stocks. Quaere of graffing one Rose upon another, or upon any other Tree or branch. Quaere, if the bud would not be graffed in a shoot of the same year. In stones Fruit it is thought better to graff upon a shoot of three years old at the least; but in Pear-trees or Apples you may graff this way upon a shoot of one year. Prepare your stock first, and presently apply the bud; for it is a rule in all graffing what­soever, the sooner that you close them, the more ready they will be to knit together, even as a piece of flesh that is newly cut, being presently [Page 105] bound up will heal more spee­dily, whilst the vital spirits be yet warm.

76. How to sow sufficiently in the wain or encrease of the Moon, notwithstanding the unseasonableness of the wea­ther.

It is a common received opinion at this day, that it is necessary to sow all seeds which you would have to run to seed again in the encrease of the Moon, except Beans and Pease, which must be sowed in the wane of the Moon, the nearer the change the better; and so likewise to sow all such seeds as you would have to bring large roots, and not to run to seed [Page 106] in the wane of the Moon, as Parsenips, Carrets, Radish, and generally all Pot-hearbs; now if either the wane or en­crease prove so wet and showry, or so cold and frosty that you cannot conveniently sow your seeds in their due season, then mingle well to­gether each seed with a suffi­cient quantity of fine and rich mold, and leave them so to­gether in pots, pans or dishes, till you finde apt weather to sow them abroad; and so you shall not be forced to lose any season at all. Quaere if all these pots or pans were set in a stove or other warm place, if so the seed would not be much forwarder then if they had been scattered abroad. Or else you may sow them, the [Page 107] earth being moist, so as you provide sufficient store of dry mold or earth to cover the seeds.

77. How to have Garden Pease or French-Beans to grow without the help of sticks or poles.

Set one row of Beans, and another of Pease some five or six inches asunder, and the Bean stalks will outgrow the Pease, and be strong e­nough to support the Pease; your French Beans you may prick round about your Trees in your Orchard, suffering them to climb up by the bo­dies, and if need be you may binde them to the trees with rushes or some such gentle bands.

78. How to destroy weeds, worms, rushes, &c. as also to enrich any pasture or arable ground, and perhaps to forward the Crop thereof.

This is done first by plow­ing the ground twice, and then by sowing of the waste Sopeashes in some reasonable quantity upon the ground af­ter it is sown with grain in the winter time; two load or three load of them will serve an acre of ground very richly: quaere, Pease and beans for­warded. what effects will follow in the forwarding of Pease or any other grain or pulse, if the same be bestowed upon ground every two moneths;Weeding of Woad saved. If this fall out, then imagine how profitable it were for all such [Page 109] as sow any store of Woad; for by this means they may save an infinite charge in the weeding thereof, which now they cannot avoid; some think that salt is of equal force with sope-ashes in all these purposes; and that two bushels will suffice for an acre of ground, being mingled with the grain in the sowing; and that thereby you may hav yearly a rich crop of Wheat in a barren ground. Quaere, Broom and Fern de­stroyed. if Broom or Fern may be destroyed by this mean.s I make no doubt of Broom if the ground were plowed and then the ashes strewed there­on; there is no doubt but that these ashes will also be very necessary for the enriching of Garden grounds.

79. How to stay the bleeding of any Vine.

This is done by binding the ordure of a man that is somewhat dry or stiff in a lin­nen cloth, close to the place where it bleedeth, with some packthread or other bands; this I learned of an expert Gardiner. Quaere of the drop­ing of melted brimstone upon the place, or wax and Turpen­tine, Pitch, Rosin and such like. Also if you fear it with a hot iron, and drop tallow thereon, and then binde the bark hard with divers folds of cord or Packthread about, this will stay the bleeding thereof; experienced per Mr. Hill.

80. How to have great and large Musk-mellons, Cucumbers, Pompeons, Gooseberries. &c.

When your Pompeons are as big as little apples,Nipping of the young shoots. then nip off all those young shoots that grow beyond them, by which means a Gentlewoman of her own experience did assure me,Pompeons. that she had Pom­peons as big as a gross woman in the waste; the same may be done in Cucumbers, and Musk-mellons, as soon as they are grown to some little bigness.Goosber­ries. So likewise by nip­ping off the tops that grow beyond the Goosberries pre­sently after they are knit, she had exceeding great Goos­berries. Quaere of the like [Page 112] practice in Apples, Pears, Cherries,Apples, Pears, Cherries, Grapes to grow great. Plums, Peaches, Grapes, &c. Quaere also if there be any use of this secret in Flowers. Some commend the taking away of all the Runners except two or one from every pompeon,Pompeon. where­by more sap may be convey­ed into the Fruit.

81. How to destroy Fern or Broom.

So soon as it is ready for the Sithe or Hook, cut it down, and continue this pra­ctice two or three years toge­ther, and in the end, the sap wanting issue will choak the root; according to that opi­nion it is likewise held in the destruction of a Tree, by [Page 113] taking away all the sprouts and buds from time to time, as they put forth at any of the branches. Quaere if this pra­ctice will not destroy Broom.

82. How to make the leaves, stalks and roots of Artichokes to be good food for the Table.

The roots of all young Artichokes, as I have heard some Travellers report, be in a manner as sweet and deli­cate as the Potatoe root, and therefore to have store of them, I think it requisite to sow whole beds or borders of them; and if you will make use of the leaves, you must whilst they are young, viZ. before they do carry any ap­ples, [Page 114] binde all the leaves in one mass together, and then bury them in the ground, and so they will become both sweet and tender; and this is a practice very usual in Bar­bary. Or if by cutting down the stalks you prevent the bearing of their fruit, you shall have their stalks full of strength and food, and to make pleasant Sallets withal, and that oftentimes in one year. Also if you cut them down presently after their bearing, you shall have young Artichokes towards Michael­mas, if time or season be any thing mild and temperate.

83. How to make flowers double, as also to enlarge either fruits or flowers, and to make young trees to prosper well.

This is thought to be best performed by often removing the young Plant (and as some will have it, in the encrease of the Moon, or rather just at the full) and so likewise of Dwarf-trees. Quaere whether the removing of a stock be­fore it be graffed, or after it be graffed, be the better way to make the Tree to prosper, and whether it be not good for the encrease thereof, to remove and transplant it of­ten whilst it is young.

84. How to defend a whole Or­chard, or any particular Tree from the frosts of April or May, whereby the blos­soms may knit without any danger.

If you can happen upon a place defended, either by a hill, or some rows of high trees al­ready growing, from the North and East winds, then shall you not need to shew any other art, for that your Or­chard having this defensative, is very likely to prove fruitful if there be no other impedi­ment in the soil. But if you cannot be so happy to finde a place so guarded to your hand, then plant on the East [Page 117] and North side thereof a Quickset-hedge of Hathorne, which will grow to a reason­able height in a short time, without the which you may also set a ranck or two of Elms, Ashes, or Sycamore, to break off the cold blasts from your Trees. But if by chance you have any wall al­ready built, with two sides a­gainst the same wind, that will be a special good corner to set an Apricock-tree there­in. Or if you are desirous to defend the blossoms of some few Trees from those cold winds, whereby to have store of fruit when others shall fail, then must you strein Can­vas on the East and North side of them, until all cold weather be over-blown, [Page 118] and so you may have Cher­ries, Peaches, Apricocks and all other early fruit, when the rest of your Neighbors may happen to want: And this Canvas will be afterwards as serviceable for the Painter as any other, and so you shall reap great profit with no loss at all. But this practice fit­te than Orchard that consist­eth of Dwarf trees most ex­cellently, as also a Garden of dainty Flowers that may be couched together under such an Artificial wall. But if your Plum-trees do grow a­gainst a wall, then may you hang a sheet or piece of can­vas only over them every morning and evening.

85. How to make the best choice of any Cions whatsoever.

Chuse that twig which you see to put forth as many or more buds then the rest of the Tree, and which seemeth best to prosper in your eye.

86. How to recover an old Bor­der of Tyme or Hysop that is almost dead.

You must cut the same down very low at a conveni­ent time, and if you can after some present rain or against a showre, and then earth the same presently, by sifting earth all over the borders with a long and flat Sive, made for that purpose, which being [Page 120] in some measure answerable to the breadth of your bor­ders, will be much apter for this purpose, then those round Sives that are usually imploy­ed in this work, whereby much earth falleth into the Alleys of your Garden.

87. How to know the just time when to remove or transplant any Tree.

When the leaves begin to fade colour, and wax yellow, then is the fittest time of all other to remove them, if you would have them to root well, and bear spee­dily.

88. How a man may have a speedy bearing Orchard, but the trees not beautiful, or to have fair and goodly Trees, that will not bear Fruit so soon.

Prick in the kernels of Pip­pins, Pears or other Fruit in your Nursery (which Nurse­ry would be always a worse ground then the Orchard wherin you must afterward re­move them; for otherwise your trees will not prosper so well when they are transplanted:) and after they be of three years growth, viZ. about the bigness of your little finger, you may graff them either in the stock or in the bud; these young graffed Trees being af­terward [Page 122] removed into your Orchard, consisting of a good fat mold, will bear fruit very speedily, but thereby they will be hindered from being fair and mighty Trees, like a woman that beginneth soon to teem, whereby her growth and spreading is much hinder­ed; and this is an approved way to have a speedy Or­chard. But if you desire to have an Orchard consisting of fair and beautiful Trees, but three or four years more back­ward in bearing, then plant your Orchard at the first with Crabstocks, and when they are able in any one year to put forth a shoot of two foot long at the least, then are they fit to be graffed, and not before; these stocks being thus graffed [Page 123] will spread into goodly high and large Trees, but not bear so soon as your other Trees any store of fruit. And thus you may make your own e­lection which manner of Orchard shall like you best.

89. How to make branches or Arms of Trees to root.

If any Bough of a Tree do put forth a great number of warts or little knots in any place, saw off that Arm or Bough one inch below those warts, and prick it into the ground, and it will root and become a Tree.

90. How divers Trees and Hedges are kept backwurd by the ignorance of him that planteth them only.

When a Privie Hedge is laid too late, as in February or March, it will never come forward or prosper greatly; Yea, I have heard a man of good experience affirm, that if this year in March a Privie Hedge be laid, and another about Alhallontide the next year, that the later hedge in seven years space, will gain three years growth or spread­ing of the first; the like is to be thought of all Trees.

91. How to make the body of a Tree, or any young Cions to grow full of squares or Lo­sanges.

Slit a tender young stock, or a shoot of six years, when it is of some reasonable length, about one finger or six inches in length, and in the midst of the slit over­thwartwise place a short stick that by thrusting out of the sides may make the form of a Losange, the inside whereof must be covered with tar, and in time the bark will cover the same, and thus you may have a Tree full of Losanges, and one square made contrary to the other, whereby your work may seem the stranger.

92. How to bring Fruit into any shape, or to grow within molds.

This is done by clapping of party molds having vents up­on young Pears, Apples, &c. which have such forms and portraitures within as you like best; I think leaden molds, or molds of burnt clay to be the best and chea­pest of all others. You may also put in young bunches of Grapes into little stone pots or glasses made of purpose, having vents in the top (for I think otherwise they will di­stil with the heat of the sun.) Quaere of putting of water in the molds, so as it touch not the fruit, to make the Grapes [Page 127] to swell. Quaere, if leaden molds be not the best of all other to ripen Grapes; quaere also if these molds being well sured towards Winter when the Fruit is ripe, if so the Fruit will not hang a long time upon the Tree notwith­standing all frosty weather.

93. The best manner of binding or closing of any new graffed Cions.

First let in the Cions of a good depth into the Stock, so as if it take not in one place it may take in another, then bind the same about with such bands as they use to bind Brawn, and cover the band and slit all over with wax (green wax I have seen to take [Page 128] good proof this way) for loam will chop in dry weather, and let in both winde and rain which wax will not; and loam by its hardness bindeth in the sap too much, which wax doth not hinder at all by rea­son of its softness and pliant­ness in warm weather, through which, even the buds by help of the sun do easily break.

94. To backward Flowers, as Gilliflowers, Pincks, Straw­berries, &c.

Quaere, if by covering them over with some earthen pan with wet straw or hay about it, they will not be much hinder­ed; removing the pot but one or two days in the week to take the sun, least they wither away.

95. Necessary Observations to make either outlandish or English seeds to grow the better.

If you can take the advan­tage of a hard frosty winter, which hath mellowed the ground well, and made the earth to crumble; and then if it be also dry in March, that the mold may fall to fine powder in the digging there­of, and that your seeds be sowed and well covered be­fore it rain (if the infertility of the ground hinder not) you shall be in good possibility of a rich crop. I did sow some Staves-acre in a place whose mold was cast up in wet wea­ther, and consisting of earth [Page 130] and clay, it did so clod toge­ther, as that the seeds which were sowed the 26 of March did not appear above ground until the latter end of May, and then also they came very thinly. I had the like success in the same earth with Arti­choke seeds, whereof the hundreth one came not up (although peradventure I might be abused in the seeds, which is an ordinary practice in these days, with all such as follow that way, either to de­liver the seeds which they sell mingled with such as are old and withered, or else with­out any mingling at all to sell such as are stark naught) I would there were some fit punishment devised for these petit coseners, by whose [Page 131] means many poor men in Eng­land, do oftentimes lose, not onely the charge of their seed, but the whole use & benefit of their ground, after they have bestowed the best part of their wealth upon it. Cheapside is as full of these lying and forswearing Huswives as the Shambles and Gracechurch-street are of that shameless crew of Poulters wives, who both daily, & most damnably, yea upon the Sabath day it self, run headlong into wilful perjury, almost in every bar­gain which they make, selling Cocks for Capons when they have pared their combs, and broken off their spurs; old Hens for Pullets, when they have broken their pinions and brest-bones; Buntings for [Page 132] Larks, when young Dames go to market, bruised Rab­bits for sound, being in their skins, and yet they will have their Cases too except the bar­gain be the wiselier made; and stale Fowl for fresh and new, or at the least both sorts mingled together, maintaining their sales with such bold counte­nances, and cutting speeches, with such knavish practices, and such forlorn Consciences, as that they have both driven away many honest Matrons from their stals, and so cor­rupted a number of young maiden Servants with their bold and lewd lying, with their desperate swearing and forswearing, that they have made all plain and modest speech, yea all kind of Christi­anity [Page 133] to seem base and rustical unto them. I would inveigh more bitterly against this sin, if my text would bear it; but now I will leave it unto the se­veral Preachers of the Parishes where they dwel, who can pre­sent this matter more sharp­ly, and with less offence then I may; I pray God, that ei­ther by them, or by the Ma­gistrate, or by one means or o­ther, this great dishonor of God and of Religion may be spee­dily removed amongst us. But to return to our first subject, I think it very necessary to sow as early as the coldness of the Spring will give you leave. I sowed Anni eeds and Feni­greke the 26 of March, 1594. and they prospered exceeding well, and yet I would have [Page 134] sowed more early, but that the beginning of March was so showring, that I could not garden any sooner; these Anniseeds began to flower a­bout the midst of June, at which time also the Fenigreke was full of cods. Quaere if the Staves acre, Artichoke-seeds, and Comin-seeds which I then sowed also, would not have proved better if they had been steeped for some reasonable time in water. I do finde by experience that Anniseeds and Fenigreke delight in ground that is enriched with Sope ashes; and Cominseed, as I think, would either be steeped in salt water before it be sowed, or else some little store of salt would be mingled in the earth, for I found it to [Page 135] fail me in divers other trials which I made without salt; and yet if I had not over-salt­ed the ground, I think it would have proved much better. Quaere of ground enriched with horn for outlandish seeds, because I have been credibly informed that they will make Parsely seeds to disclose them­selves in three weeks. In March 1595. I sowed English Wormseeds (a seed much like if it be not the same, to that which is called Semen Ameos) in ground enriched with horn, and it grew very ranck, and full of blossoms.

96. A necessary observation in the removing of young Plants of Musk-mellons, Pompeons &c.

The younger that you set [Page 136] them, being strong enough to be removed, I think they will prosper the better; for the sap will sooner rise, and be able to feed them.

97. How to graff upon one root of Carnations all manner of Carnations, Gilliflowers, Pinks, &c.

Pull off the top (some two or three inches in length) of every branch, and in their places put the like tops of flowers of contrary colours, thrusting them in as closs as you can, and then bind them a­bout with some thred, and they will bring forth the like flowers as those roots did bear from whence they were taken. This of Mr. Jarret the Chy­rurgeon in Holborn.

98. How to encrease the bearing of any Gilliflower or Carna­tion root exceedingly.

Wreath every stalk a little in that place which you mean to cover with earth, then lay your earth thereon, and by this means every Slip will bring forth great store of Flowers. You may also dwarf them into little pots, being slit on the sides, and when they have taken suffi­cient root, you may cut them off from the old root, and so of every slip you shall have a bearing root the same year. This also of Mr. Jarret the Chyrurgeon.

99. How to encrease the double or single Stock-Gilliflowers.

Nip off the tops of them before they bud, at some rea­sonable length, and beat the stalk toward the bottom with the back of a knife, and then prick them into the ground, and close the earth well unto them. I have heard that the double Stock-gilliflower doth never yield any seed.

100. How to dwarf any man­ner of Fruit Tree, so as your Orchard shall bear fruit the first year.

In the beginning of Janu­ary, or at the least before the same moneth expired, chuse a [Page 139] shoot of two years old, and if you can such a one as hath some small sprigs about that part of the branch which shall rest in the midst of the pot, for they help greatly in the rooting; then cross-hack near those sprigs, about some two inches in length round about the bark with the edge of your knife, and then let it in at a slit, which of purpose must be made in the pot, wherein you mean to dwarf; fill the same full of earth, and if occasion serve, now and then you may water the same; hang this pot either by wiers firm to the body of the Tree, or else drive in a stake near the shoot and place your pot thereon, and let the same continue one whole year before you cut it [Page 140] off from the old Tree. Note that the aptest pots for this purpose be such as hold sugar loaves, having slits of an inch in bigness at one side thereof from the bottom to the very top, and having feet made unto them whereon they may stand (wherein they differ from the sugar pots) and it will not be amiss if these pots consist of two parts, whereby you may take them from the earth, without breaking of the earth, when you would plant them in the ground; and so the same pots will serve often. These Dwarf-trees will bear fruit the first year. See ante num 83. how to defend such an Orchard in blooming time from frosts. Also if these Trees be set in rancks, the [Page 141] Walks being well gravelled, leaving onely round rings of earth about the bodies of each, of six inches in breadth, where you may place some straw or fern if you fear the exceeding heat of Sol; by this means the Sun will make a strong reflection upon the fruit to procure a speedy ripening. Quaere of adding the gelly of horn dissolved in lime-water to the roots of them to make them more forward. Quaere of lapping of thin sheet-lead upon the bodies of your Trees to enforce the heat of the sun upon them: You may chuse such a plat for this purpose, as is either naturally or artifi­cially defended from the North and East winds, by hills, walls, pails, or hedges, [Page 142] but so as the Sun be not kept also from them.

101. How to multiply the double Honeysuckle, Jesamie.

Lay a number of their stalks or brances in the earth, and each sprig will become a root the next year, and so you may store your self of any slender Plant, either to sell or give to your friends, and by this means you may make one root to run at what length you please in time, laying the shoot into the earth, as it groweth to any reasonable length.

102. How to have a Vineyard to bear Grapes the first year.

Let such shoots as are most [Page 143] likely to bear Grapes, run through the sides of pretty big baskets, opening the twigs to make passage for the bran­ches, and filling the baskets full of earth in cutting time. Quaere, if there need to be any wreathing of the branch, or hacking of the bark as be­fore, num. 100. in the dwarf­ing of Trees to make them root the sooner; These bas­kets may afterwards be pla­ced in any plat where you mean to make a Vineyard, and they will bear the first year; the reason is apparent. Note if your Vine whereon you dwarf do run upon a frame, then you may easily place the basket upon the frame; and if they run upon a wall, then may you hang [Page 144] the basket by the ears to the wall. Some do use pots with holes bored through both the sides of them; But I do hold the baskets the better way, because they will soon rot be­ing put into the ground, whereby the earth needeth not to be loosened from the roots, neither will they take so strong a heat in the Summer time to parch them away be­fore they be fully rooted, as the stone pot will do.

103. How to graff in a dead trunck, or stock of a Willow-tree.

Put a Willow-stock, (quaere if it must not be green and fresh) into a furrow of earth made for that purpose, [Page 145] make clefts or slits in the same fit for such branches of the Mulberry-tree as you will graff therein; they must be made like wedges, joyning sap to sap, then close up the clifts and defend them from wea­ther, and then put all the stock of the willow under the fur­row; this is borrowed out of Celsus. And one skilful in planting told me that no Tree will perish that is planted in this manner. After the first & second year past thou mayst also saw or cut the trunck in sunder between the Plants, and transplant them in pla­ces convenient. Ex vetere lib. manuscrip. Th. Gasc.

104. To help a tree whose stock or fruit beginneth to rot.

When this happeneth, it is a sign that the bark of the Tree is sick, and therefore slit the same with a knife; and when the bad humor is suf­ficiently spent, dung the Tree well, and close the wood with tempered clay. Ibid.

105. That the Peach-stone may have no kernel.

Graff a Cions of a Peach-tree upon a Nut-tree. Ibid.

106. To make a Peach-tree bring forth Pomgranates.

Water the same with Goats [Page 147] milk three days together, when it beginneth to flower. Ibid. Quis hoc credat nisi sit pro teste vetustas?

107. To have great store of Sage speedily.

A Monk told me that if thou sow the seed of Sage well ripe, as thou sowest other seeds in good earth that it will multiply exceedingly. Ibid.

108. To have several grapes growing upon one branch, and and so of Roses, Gilliflowers, &c.

Plant a white and a red Vine closs together, and being both rooted, set a branch of ei­ther of them together in the [Page 148] top, sloping them upward un­to the pith; joyn them sap to sap, binde them together, wrapping a supple linnen cloth about them, and at three days end, moisten them with water till it burgeon. Quaere, if after a convenient time one of the roots may not be taken away, to make it seem the more strange. Quaere if this may not also be performed in other Fruit-trees, Roses, Gil­liflowers, &c. Ibid.

109. How to have trees of Time, Hysop, Lavender, Rosemary, &c.

Quaere if by some one or other of the ways of graffing, the same may not be perform­ed. Rocellae, ruta, & caules in [Page 149] arbores mutantur; teste Carda­no in lib. de rer. variet. p. 225.

110. How to keep Grapes upon the Vine till the Calends of January; and so of other fruit and flowers; as also to keep backward both fruit and flowers.

Servantur in arbore, sacculo ex papiro nostra circumposito. Card. in lib. de variet. rer. 224. Quaere, if an oiled paper will not perform this, especially if the paper be oiled over often, as occasion serveth, and the thred also oiled with it. Quaere also, if oyled papers, especial­ly two or three double, or more, will not keep any fruit backward by defending the Sun from it, but then it will [Page 150] be necessary (as I think) to give some vent by pin holes underneath, least the heat of the Sun do burn up the fruit, and work a distillation upon it; let the thred also be well oyled or waxed, wherewith you tye your paper; If Lin-seed-oyl alone will not serve, mix some powdred Amber therewith in the boiling, ac­cording to that set down in my Book of Experiments; for this is an excellent secret, and to be applied many ways if it be true, and it seemeth very probable. This is a delicate device to defend Gilliflower pots in winter from the cold, and in Summer from the heat. Quaere, if a Bladder will not serve instead of an oiled pa­per. Quaere, if taking away [Page 151] the bark almost round, or round, when the fruit is near ripe.

111. How to make Pears, Apples, Plums, Grapes, &c. to dry as they grow.

Before they be fully ripe, wreath the stalk of every fruit, by this means the fruit want­ing nourishment will grow dry as it hangeth on the Trees. Ex veter. lib. manuscrip. Th. Gasc. Quaere of taking away the bark round about the branches that bear the fruit.

112. How to destroy Caterpillers.

Make a ring of tar towards the bottom of the Tree, then hang a bag full of Pismires by [Page 152] a cord in the top of the Tree, so as they may easily get out, and the Ants when they can­not get down by reason of the tar, rather then they will starve for hunger, will eat up all the Caterpillers, per Lup­ton. 282.

113. Secrets in Pompeons, Musk-mellons, Strawberries, and Artichokes, to make them prosper and grow great.

Temper fat mold with cream, and therein prick your Pompeon-seeds, the mold be­ing in a pot or earthen pan; cover them in the night and in cold weather; and when it is warm, or during the sun-shine uncover them, and when they are sufficiently sprung up to [Page 153] make plants of, remove them into good ground, and they will grow to a monstrous greatness. Probat. per Sir Tho. Challenor. Quaere if the same practice will not serve in Musk-mellons, Beans, Pease, &c. The water wherein sheeps dung hath been infused, will make Strawberries very great. And the Doze of Tanners well rotted in good earth will make rich ground to plant Ar­tichoke plants in; and when you have set your young plants, if you strein a canvas over them, uncovering them onely in warm weather, and in the warmest part of the day, they will prosper exceeding­ly.

114. To make Apricocks to pro­sper well.

Plant them against a wall that standeth into the East, and on either side of the Tree place a Fir-pole that is some­what higher then the Tree, sloping wise; on the top of the poles place a course cloth, or rather a Sear-cloth, which in the day time, or in the warmth of the day may be rolled up, or in the night or in cold wea­ther let down to cover all the Tree, as it were with a Pent­house; and in this manner your Tree will prosper ex­ceedingly; these clothes do also serve to keep off the frosts or cold winds when they are in blossom, until the fruit be [Page 155] knit, at which time you must onely unfold your clothes in the warmth of the day, or when the Sun shineth, if the wind happen to be in any cold corner. A wooden pale may also serve instead of a brick­wall for the like purpose. This of And. Hill.

115. To make Rosemary to pro­sper exceedingly.

Take of the dirt of the Highways, especially in the midst of them, where cattel have dunged and stalled most, make a bed thereof, and there­in plant your Rosemary. Quae­re of all other plants and flow­ers. Probat. per Mr. And. Hill in Rosemary, which he could never have to prosper in his [Page 156] London Garden till he used this Experiment.

216. To make trees to flourish wonderfully.

Water them now and then with the Dregs of Beer or Ale. Per Mr. And. Hill. Quaere of applying the same to all Herbs and Flowers. Quaere of Saltpeter, or Sal Armoni­ack applied to the roots of Plants, being first well putri­fied or rooted in earth.

117. How to make a clay ground fruitful.

This is done by mixing of a reasonable proportion of sand with it, not that the sand giveth any strength to the ground, but that it open­eth [Page 157] the clay, which is often­times so binding, that the grain is starved therein be­fore it can break out: speci­ally in a dry season.

118. Certain Observations for the enriching of ground.

The River of Trent in Lincolnshire is suffered once in seven years to overflow a great Marsh, whereby it carrieth as much Swarth as can stand upon the ground: Per Harsley my Neighbor at Bishops-hall.

A Gentleman having his Stable near his Vine,Watering of Grapes. had his Grapes exceeding great and pleasant, by reason of the stale of his Horses, that descended from his Stable to his Vine, and after turning his Stable into [Page 158] Lodgings, the Vine began to starve, and brought forth poor and hungry grapes. Per And. Hill.

A Western Gentleman by direction of my Book of Husbandry, steeped two years together his Barley for twelve hours in the Sea-water, and then sowed the same, an. 1595 and 1596. and had a very plentiful crop. Quaere what soil. This of Mr. Andrew Hill.

By my Cosin Duncombe, a neighbor of his steeped his Wheat in stale four and twenty hours, and sowed the same in a ground consisting of sand and lome, being very barren, and had great yield, anno 1596.

The Gall of a beast applied [Page 159] to a young graffed Plant, maketh the same to shoot for­ward exceedingly; quaere of Allom mixed with the gall; for one of these ways Mr. And. Hill proved excellent. Hereupon I gather, That all off al of Beasts, and all garbage of fish is very good.