is more than needs Having thus said all that I think needful concerning the Re-Casing of Sick Orange-Trees it remains to give some Directions about those that being sound and strong may have been batter'd and spoil'd by Hail and Winds or other unexpected Accident But this operation is nothing so terrible and severe as what we have Describ'd a little while ago the greatest mischief happening commonly among the Leaves which the Hail may have jagg'd and mangled whilst the Roots which are the most Important suffer nothing which obliges one to New Case them On this Accident one needs only to Strip the Leaves off and if any Shoot be broken or bruis'd to Cut it off beneath the place and in case one finds that one side is more broken than the other which may Disfigure the Tree spare not to Cut and Trim the other unhurt side as much for it being a vigorous Tree as it to be suppos'd you will quickly see it Recover But if it be a Sick and Languishing Tree the Mischance will prompt one the sooner to Re-Case it So as if it have suffer'd by the Hail towards the end of May or beginning of June which is ordinarily the most dangerous Season one should go about it immediately with a considerable Retrenchment of Branches but if the Hail have spar'd it ' til the end of July 't will be sufficient to Prune and Cut off those Leaves and Branches that have been so spoil'd CHAP. XI Directions for the Carrying and Transporting of Orange-Trees and how to place them when they are brought out of the Green-House and at what Season best What is to be done both at their carrying in and bringing out and whilst they are shut up Lastly Of the Ornament they will afford whilst they stand in the Green-House THE Title of this Chapter is not so long as the Matter and Subject of it will be succinct and short Not but that one might perplex it with some Impertinent difficulties As whether I should first begin to speak of what were to be done at the Bringing out the Orange-Tree or at their Carrying into the Green-House-Since the Bringing of them out supposes they first were Carried in and their being Carried in that whether one had them by Succession or New Purchase and Acquisition they already had been set Abroad and afterwards brought In Somewhat like that Probleme whether were First the Egg or the Chick But as I conceive the Point is of no very great Importance I shall leave it to the Decision of those who are at Leisure and would make themselves Merry Returning then to my Subject and supposing that as to the Removing and Transporting Cases and Boxes of the Middle and smaller Size every body knows 't is done by Wheel-Barrows or strong Coul-Staves which with good Hocks take hold on the Bottom of the Cases at both sides or else with Ropes put about the four Feet to carry the Great Trees to place them on low Truckles by the help of Lovers and so draw them along either by the labour of Men or Horses to the Stations appointed for them This suppos'd I say to the other part of my Contents That as these Trees affect Warmth and as from Mid-May when we bring them forth to Mid-October when we shut them up which is the whole time of their Exposure they do well enough in what place soever you set them provided they enjoy the Sun at least a good part of the day So they are most happily plac'd if near a Wall Wood or Grove to protect them from the North. Besides this Situation being from the end of August to the time of carrying into the Green-House is of all the rest most convenient for them as defending them from the South and Western Winds which about that Season blow and commonly disorder and exceedingly ruffle our In-Cas'd Trees So as if one had the Convenience it were to be wish'd that after they had been expos'd to the East or South during the Months of May June July and August which in effect are the most favourable Situations for them at first bringing out of the Green-House You might afterwards expose them to the North till Mid October when it is time to carry them in The exposing them to the East and South Screens the Orange-Trees from the North Winds which are Cold and especially from the North-West that blow most in May and are not seldom without White Frosts enough to spoil them As to the Time of Carrying in and Bringing out these Trees every body knows that as they dread nothing so much as Cold they are to be protected from that where-ever it Invades and threatens them Now the Nights seldom fail of being Cold and dangerous till about the Full Moon of April or towards the Eighth Tenth or Twelfth of May when you may boldly bring them forth Especially if there be any appearance of Rain during that Full-Moon But if on the Contrary the Sharp and Cold Winds continue have patience a while till the Weather come to be more favourable Again the Nights begin to be Cold near the fifteenth of October which is your just time of Retiring them into the Green-House or at least to bring them so near it that in case the Season prove very fair you may suspend the carrying them in for a few days for as long as you find the Weather at all Inviting it does the Orange-Trees good to enjoy the fresh Air Especially those whose Shoots grow still in Length But as soon as ever the Wind Changing menaces Cold hasten them to Covert as speedily as conveniently you can I have been particularly Cautious at the beginning of May not to bring them forth as I noted till the Full Moon of April be past because commonly we are till then in danger of Frosts And I take care that the Air begins to be very Agreeable and Temperate especially if there be shew of a warm and gentle Shower which if it happen I often resolve to bring them forth before Mid May. This is certain that however some Orange-Trees give Signs and seem as one may say Impatient to be at Liberty by the Shoots they begin to put out in the Green-House and would undoubtedly be much better abroad in the Sweet and more benigne Air than in that which has been pent up and is Colder by reason of so long absence of the Sun Yet since the Frost but of one single Night may extreamly prejudice them parch many of their Leaves and ruin the Tops of the tender new Shoots I perswade you to have a very special Regard to the Temper and Inclination of the Season and that rather than Hazard them to defer their Exposure though it be a little late than at all too soon In a favourable Year Warm and Showry one may do well to bring them sooner out But in a Dry Cold and Windy Year be not over-hastly of Exposing them and even in Places that are low you had need yet to
fail to take off the Dung from the Bells that the Asparagus may be visited by those kindly beams that animate all things and if besides those Bells we had likewise Glass Frames to clap over them and so doubly to cover whole Beds of Plants that would still be more commodious and more advantageous for bringing to effect this little Master-piece of our Art By these helps the Asparagus springing out of that warm Earth and meeting with a warm Air under those Bells grow red and green and of the same thickness and length as those of the Montâ—s of April and May nay and prove a great deal better too because they have not only been unattack'd by the injuries of the Air but have attained their perfection in much less time than the others and I can without vanity affirm that I was the first that by the inducement of some very plausible Reasons devised this expedient to oblige the greatest King in the World with a Pleasure before to him unknown I add here that a Bed of Asparagus dextrously forced and well maintained produces abundantly enough for a Fortnight or three Weeks and that because the King should not want during the whole Winter this new Dish which he beholds with so gracious an Eye as soon as the first Beds begin to furnish him I begin to force as many new ones and so continue the same course every three Weeks till the end of April when Nature advertises me that 't is time to put an end to those Violences I have done Her and that she is then willing in her Turn to serve us some Dishes prepared by her own skill I can likewise tell you that though my Beds are but â—iâ—teen Toises or Fathoms long and that I force but six at a time yet there is spent on them each time at least fifty Cart loads of Dung and that the only Vexation I meet with in this Work is to see an infinite number of Glass Bells broke with covering and uncovering them every day in spite of all the care I can take to prevent it We may likewise remove old Asparagus Plants out of Cold Beds into Hot ones it being true that they spring there but they never prove so fair as the others and are attended besides with this inconvenience that they die there in a very short time We force Sorrel and Wild Endive or Succory Macedonian Parsly or Alisanders c. in the same manner as we do Asparagus but most commonly it is done rather upon Hot Beds than on the naked Earth and the Success is very speedy and infallible and particularly in procuring in one fifteen days time Sorrel that is as fair as that of the Month of May. We should have finished our last manuring of dry Grounds the fifteenth day of this Month as well to render them impenetrable to the Rain and Snow waters as to destroy the Weeds and to make our Gardens appear something neat and handsome We preserve in their places or rather we transplant in Turfs such Cabbages as we design for Seed and if in the Month of April we perceive they meet with any difficulty in making their way we must help them by giving the Cabbage a cut cross-wise on the Head pretty deep by which means the Seed stem will the more easily pass We do the same thing in May to some sorts of Cabbage Lettuce which have much ado otherwise to run up to Seed To have Radishes betimes that is towards Christmas or Candlemas we sow them in Hot Beds about the middle of November I have already laid down directions for the making of Hot Beds in the works of February That which is particularly to be observed for Radishes is that we must beat down with a board the Superficies of the mold to render it a little solid and to prevent it from rowling into the holes that are to be made to Sow the Radishes in after which that the Bed may be handsomly Sown we take a cord rubbed with Plaster or Chalk or other white matter and holding it well stretched out between two of us we mark out with it as many white lines at three or four Inches distance one from another both throughout the whole length and breadth of the Bed as its extent will permit and then with a round wooden planting stick of a full Inch thick we make holes all along every line at the like distance of three or four Inches one from another and we put only three Radish Seeds into every hole and if we chance to let fall any more we pull up all the Radishes that come up above the number of three They which observe not to mark out such lines but make their holes by random-sight only have their Beds not so handsome and they which make their holes nearer and which leave more than three Radishes in a hole run the hazard of having Radishes with a great many leaves and but little Root there are many Market Gard'ners whose practise it is to Sow lines or rows of Lettâ—ces in February and March a cross their Beds of Radishes but then the holes must be made at the distance of seven or eight Inches and the Lettâ—ces thus sown in lines will be gathered and spent before the Radishes are fit to gather If it freezes very hard we cover the Hot Bed with long steeped Straw for five or six days besides which for its further defence against the rigours of the Winter wecover them with Straw-Screens or coverings supported upon Traverse Frameâ— or Cradles composed of Stakes or other Poles of Wood placed very near the Superficies of the mold and we stop the sides close up and if the Frost increase notably we put a new load of long dung over those Straw-Screens but if it be but moderate there will need no other covering the heat of the Bed being sufficient to defend the Plants Radishes thus sown come up in five or six days and if the holes had not some Air they would be smoothed and grow dwinling in piercing through the small Straw We must not fail at the beginning of this Month to take up in Turf the Cellery which we had planted at a reasonable distance in the Months of June and July in particular Cold Beds and when we have taken it up to carry it into the Conservatory or else to replant it in some other Cold Bed placing its Plants very close together that they may the more easily be covered Assoon as the White Frosts seem to be setled we must cover our Winter-Lettuces which are planted in well sheltred places but not with dry Dung as other Plants for fear some of the filth should get into the heart of those that Cabbage but with very clean Straw upon which we lay some long pole of Wood to keep it in its place and hinder the wind from blowing it off Works to be done in December IF it be a pertinent caution I have given at the beginning of every Month That
them it may be dried up by the Virtue of this bright Planet These Windows should also be fitted within side of the House with Chassis of doubled Paper that is by glewing the Sheets on both sides of the Frame and without this another Chassis of Glass As for other Shutters of Wood they signifie little and are nothing comparable to the other which should be accurately stopp'd and cauk'd during the Winter to seclude and keep out all access of the cold Air from penetrating which would infallibly chill and abate the warm and comfortable Temper which the Air in the House received from the Sun when the Windows were lately open'd upon those fair Days we mentioned and without which the Orange-Trees would not preserve their good Looks In the Third Place all the Walls of the Green-House those especially that are to the North should be built of good Free-stone and Mortar Chalk and Sand which doubtless is best or of Plaster which is not the worst provided the Walls be so carefully wrought and well joynted that there be no Crevices or void Places left between the Stones Where Stones are not easily to be had they may be built of Loame tempered and mingled with Straw or Hay or with a double Cloison made of Boards well Rabetted filling the void between with Earth or Sand so as the Walls and Partitions as well of the one as the other be at the least two Foot or two and an half in thickness Happy in the mean time are they who with all this have some other Building dry Bank or Grove of tall Trees to bask it on the North Fourthly Since both the Cold and Wet is apt to insinuate and get in through the Roof and Covering as well as through the Sides of the House The Cieling and Floor above ought to be of a good thickness and besides that be clad in Winter with a Thatch of Hay or Straw unless there happen to be a Room or Lodging over Head or some Gallery whose Windows also must be kept very close shut whilst the cold Weather continues Or except at least it be substantially vaulted and cover'd with store of Earth or some such Material as we have describ'd Lastly The Lower Floor of the Green-House which cannot possibly be too dry should methinks be laid a little higher than the Area or Walk without or at least even with it but by no means much lower for fear of Dampness which is more pernicious than the Cold it self in as much as there 's hardly any Remedy for this as there is against the other Those who have not heard what I formerly objected against the Use of Fire which is sometimes made in the Green-House will presently conclude that whilst I discourse of Remedies against the Cold I would have it understood to be Fire of Charcoal which they commonly make in several places of the House but in truth I mean nothing less seeing on the contrary I am of Opinion and abundantly Convinc'd that sort of Fuel to be no less than Exitial and hurtful to Orange-Trees than either cold or wet as I pretend to prove Having then spoken of the height of the Green-House Floor it remains to shew that it may be made of well beaten hard and compacted Salpeter'd-Earth or of Plaster or which is to be preferr'd before all a Floor of well lay'd Planks c. By what was said of the height of the Floor it needs must follow that Cellars and Vaults are very dangerous and often Mortal as well to Orange-Trees Lemons Jessimines Myrtles c. as generally to all Cas'd and Impotted Shrubs whatsoever for that such low Subterraneous places are commonly damp and moist out of reach and far from receiving any comfort from the Sun without whose influence no Green-House can be fitly qualified As to the breadth and length of the Green-House within side it were not desirable it should exceed Twenty-four Feet although it might well be made from Thirty to Thirty-six or a little more nor would the House be much the worse provided the height be withal proportionable and so dry as neither Cold nor Wet get entrance They are not the Sun beams immediately darting on the Orange-Tree Leaves that are so essentially salutary and propitious to them seeing they seldom visit the foliage in the middle and interior parts of the branches and head of the Tree how ever advantagiously expos'd but they are those Rays of the Sun which shine into the whole Capacity of the Houses that dispel and hinder this humidity from settling and doing the mischief And thus having Establish'd for a general Maxim that supposing one is well provided of a good Green-House it is easie to be Master of fair and excellent Orange-Trees I next come to explain more particularly what my Opinion is of their Culture CHAP. III. Of the several parts belonging to the Culture of Orange-Trees TO speak of this as Intelligibly as is possible I conceive there are five Articles to be consider'd the knowledge of which will be of great Instruction to the newly Curious Those I mean who are altogether Strangers to these Matters and are desirous to Learn The First and which is very Important for the removing of many Scruples is about the Composition of the Earth and Mould most proper for the Nourishment of such Orange-Trees as we Plant in Pots or Cases The Second treats of the way of Raising them from Seed and afterwards how to Graft them and more especially what there 's to be done to Trees of great or lesser Growth newly brought from other Countries whether naked strip'd and without any Clod or Earth adhering to the Roots like other Fruit-Trees or whether with their Leaves on together with the Clod c. When I say receiving them in this manner we would Impot or Case them The Third Article directs the shape and bigness of the Cases to be us'd and what is to be done about the Clod and Roots of such as are to be new Cased with the manner of doing it which are two Essential points in this Culture and also Rules concerning Watering The Fourth Article shews how to dress and fashion the heads of Orange-Trees whether it be to Recover such as have been long neglected or ill treated or such as have suffer'd by the Frost or humidity of Winter or that one would have handsom Trees that should always maintain their beautiful Figure in health and vigour without losing their Leaves The Fifth concerns the Necessary Situation of the Places in which Orange-Trees are to be set when they are brought out of the Green-House and as every body knows what time they should be carried in shut up and expos'd again abroad It also shews what is to be done during six or seven Months that the Trees are thus Confin'd upon which I shall in particular say what I think concerning Fire which divers People kindle in their Green-Houses CHAP. IV. Of the Composition and Mixture of Earths proper
River would have done as to several Wheels This Reason has induc'd me to advice the Pruning of weak Trees betimes and the same Reason informs us that they must be cut very short as we will demonstrate hereafter Now that which is a convincing Argument in relation to the Pruning of these must in my Opinion by the Rule of contraries serve to direct us as to the Pruning of vigorous Trees be it either to do it later or to leave a greater burthen upon each of them It is most certain that we only have Fruit-Trees in order to have Fruit and it is as certain that Fruit commonly grows upon those weak Branches only the large ones bear but little their Function being to perform something else which is very considerable Thus great Torrents are not fit to grind on the contrary they are apt to choak or stop up a Mill or to break all their Function is to serve to other things for instance for the Transportation of Travellers Burthens Merchandises c. So that none but those that are moderate can be useful for Grinding So likewise a Tree being very vigorous generally produces none but large Branches especially at the beginning of the Spring at which time the Sap rises most and can begin none of those weak ones which we stand in need of for Fruit. Now to such a Tree that must be Prun'd in order to yield Fruit and yet retain a pleasing Figure you must not only leave a great burthen whether it be as to the number of Branches or the length of every one of them which is certainly absolutely necessary but there must be something more And as it is particularly on those extremities that the new Sap performs most at the entrance of the Spring it is necessary as one may say to let the heat and fury of its first Action discharge it self And therefore it is fit to Prune such a Tree later that is it must not be done until the first impetuosity of the Sap be pass'd there will yet remain enough in it to make those kind of Branches so Prun'd afterwards shoot out at the same time both large Shoots for the Figure and of those small ones which we desire for Fruit. Not but that as I will shew hereafter the best Expedient in relation to very vigorous Trees and even if I may express my self so obstinate in point of Fruit I say the best Expedient is to go to the Source of their Vigour which are the Roots It is that Vigour which must be weaken'd and consequently the most working Roots diminish'd and thereby you will diminish the effect which proceeds from several good Labourers which acting at one and the same time produce more Sap than is requir'd to such a Fruit-Tree For in fine that Tree must according to our intention quickly bear Fruit in a constrain'd Figure the which is in no wise Natural to it which it cannot do when the Sap being over abundant produces every where none but over large Branches The Experience which every one may acquire in the practice of these two Maxims and particularly that which relates to the Pruning of weak Trees that Experience I say will perfectly establish them for ever and as for other Trees I engage that every body will find a benefit by it and I affirm above all things that it will be a great help to all Gard'ners who are to mannage great Fruit-Gardens and who as it is very much to be wish'd will Prune the greatest part of their Trees themselves As I am of Opinion that they can do no better than to follow this Advice so they appear to me very blame-worthy if they tarry to the end of Winter and the time of those decreases of the Moons of February and March to begin to Prune because that is the greatest time of hurry for all manner of work relating to Gard'ners All comes at once at the entrance of the Spring the Tillage of the whole Garden the Sowing of most Kitchen-Plants the Budding of Artichokes the making of the different Beds the cleansing of the Walks so that it is a strange confusion to have at the same time the most considerable of all Works to do for it is the only one in which no small faults can be committed they are all considerable and pernicious it is the Pruning of many Trees and perhaps large Trees Dwarfs and Espaliers or Wall-Trees without omitting the first pallisading of these and whereas in that case all things are done in a hurry so they are commonly ill enough done For to speak the Truth every thing requiring an equal haste to be done there are but few to which a Man can give that time and application which they require I have said by the by that I did no ways matter the decrease of the Moon c. But I have not answer'd an Objection which some Gard'ners pretend to be invincible and in which in my Opinion they are infinitely deceiv'd it is say they That the Winter Frost may spoil the extremities of the Branch that is Prun'd and that if it be not to be fear'd so much for Kernel-Fruits yet at least it is very dangerous for Stone-Fruit they pretending that the Wood of those Trees is very tender because it is very pithy I will only desire those scrupulous Persons to lay aside that apprehension and I assure them that the Experiment they will make of it without prejudice will fully cure them of their Error we have had within these Seven or Eighth Years the hardest Winters in the Memory of any Living Man I had Prun'd my Peach-Trees before that great Cold and I never found the least inconveniency by it I am fully perswaded that it is safe to Prune as often as the Cold is not so violent as personally to prejudice the Pruner there are only certain days of white or hoary Frost in which the Wood being altogether cover'd with a rimy Frost the Pruning-knife tho' never so sharp cannot cut through it cleverly and so whereas a Man ought to Prune with delight to do it well 't is certainly impossible at that time and therefore it is necessary to defer Pruning until that Frost be altogether melted and gone The proper times for Pruning being regulated we must proceed to something more Material and Curious As nothing is more creditable and Natural for a Workman than to know certainly why and for what Reason he does the Work he is employ'd about so I am perswaded that nothing can be more stupid and below a Man than to Act barely by Custom and Habit It is a fault which is but too common amongst most Gard'ners they seldom Prune for any other Reason than that it is customary I am convinc'd that there is an indispencible Necessity of knowing something more without which it is impossible ever to attain to any perfection in Pruning which in my Opinion is an undeniable Truth I cannot endure that a Gard'ner should be puzzl'd and almost quite
c. The Reason which made me imagine this way of Pinching these two sorts of Trees and that makes me use it pretty often is that it being most certain that Fruit seldom grows upon thick Branches and commonly upon the weak ones I thought if it were possible to order Matters so that the Sap which is wholly employ'd in producing but one thick Branch which proves either useless or cumbersom I say if it could be order'd so that this Sap might be so divided as to produce several Branches there is no Question to be made but in the Quantity there would be some weak ones or perhaps many which consequently would be proper to bear Fruit instead of that and as we have already said the thick Branch would have produc'd no good Effect I have found the thing possible and that it is requir'd not only in May but sometimes in June and July to break the thick new Shoots of those kind of Trees while yet tender and as easie to break as Glass which is most true This Operation is founded upon a Reason which I have explain'd in my Reflections and therefore is not necessary here Having then at the time heretofore mention'd broken some of those thick new Shoots within two or three Eyes or Buds I have often obtain'd what I desir'd by it that is as many Branches as I had left Eyes and indeed a vigorous Tree cannot have too many provided they be good and well plac'd Among the Branches proceeding from such Pinching if I may use the Expression commonly some have prov'd weak and those have born Fruit some have prov'd pretty strong and have been Branches for Wood If the Sap which produc'd such thick Branches and form'd them with a lively vigorous Action met in its way an Obstacle to stop it short in the heighth of its Action and consequently hindring it from following its Course in continuing to rise as it would do not being hinder'd in such a Case this Sap which in the mean time cannot cease acting being forc'd to get out one way or other would burst out by as many Cranies or Overtures as it would find near that place where it was stop'd or upon necessity would make some of it self But it must be noted that this Pinching is seldom to be practis'd upon any but the thick Branches of the Top which would remain useless by their Situation and yet would consume abundance of good Sap superfluously and therefore it ought to be very seldom us'd upon the thick Branches of the lower part it being always very necessary to preserve them until the Winter Pruning in order to their shooting some others the following Year sit to fill such places as naturally and for the most part are but too subject to be thin It is likewise to be observ'd that this Pinching or Breaking off must never be perform'd upon weak Branches which having no more Sap than they want to be good would only produce slender Sapless ones in that place where the small Portion of Sap which Nature allows them should be divided And therefore nothing must be broken upon such Trees as produce but too many of those weak Branches and few of those good thick ones There are some of this Character to be found among all kind of Peach-Trees The best time for Pinching particularly in cold Climes like ours of Paris and the Neighbourhood of it as we have already said is at the End of May and the Beginning of June and when necessary to be perform'd a second time the time of the Solstice or longest Days of the Year is admirable for it as well as to Water some Trees in a dry Soil when Rain is wanting at which time there is a wonderful re-doubling of Action in the Roots and consequently in the Branches that being indeed the time of the greatest Effort of all the Spring We have already observ'd that the first Fury of Stone-Fruits begins to appear at the Full-Moon of April which commonly falls out in May and we are going to see another kind of Fury at the First Quarter of the Moon of the said Month of May both which times are good for Pinching And indeed we observe that all the Branches of every Tree do not begin to shoot vigorously at the same time so that what has not been Pinch'd or broken off at the first Season may be done at the second I have said that the best time to Pinch the thick new Branches of Peach-Trees was at the time they are easie to break at the least pull without being oblig'd to use a Knife to shorten them From thence it is easie to judge that I have found it dangerous to use Instruments to cut such Branches which is true for as I have said heretofore the Extremity or End of such Branches so cut is apt to blacken and die it certainly not producing the same Effect with that which proceeds from the Action of Pinching The same thing may be said of the thick tender Branches proceeding from the Graff's of Pear-Trees made upon a thick vigorous Stock however Experience teaches us that the Knife is not so dangerous upon these as upon those of Peach-Trees CHAP. XXXV Of what is to be done to some Trees being extraordinarily vigorous not Bearing of Fruit. THere still remains to see what is to be done in relation to some Trees being extraordinary vigorous to that degree that they remain sometimes many Years only producing much Wood and little Fruit and pretty often none at all as most Pear and Apple-Trees are being Graffed upon free Stocks and particularly how to preserve a Tree producing only small Shoots and most of them of false Wood or which yearly shews its Infirmity at the end of iss Branches and by the colour of its Leaves As to the very vigorous Tree particularly in question here many People propose as soveraign and infallible abundance of Expedients and Remedies which I have tried a long while with great Application yet upon my Word without the least Success To bore a Hole through the Stem of a Tree and put a Peg of dry Oak into it to split one of the main Roots and put a Stone into it to Prune at the time of the Declinings of the Moon c. are wretched Secrets of good old People infatuated with old Maxims People who have but little Skill in Vegetation and are easily satisfy'd For my part besides my being persuaded by Experience that my manner of Pruning often prevents the Difficulty now in question I have moreover in case of great Obstinacy recourse to what I have said elsewhere it being really the best thing that can be done which is that as constantly the Fruit on Trees is only an Effect or at least a Mark of a certain moderate Weakness it is necessary without minding a thousand Trifles to go to the Source of the Vigour of the Tree that is to the Roots uncovering half of them and cutting off one two or three of the thickest
much better than Orange-Trees it being certain that this Wood which of it self is pretty tender notwithstanding dries up at the usual Fall of the Leaves and consequently grows hard the reason of which is that the Roots of Fig-Trees ceasing to act within from the time the Leaves begin to fall on the out-side the Wood no longer receiving any new Sap ceases to fear the Rigour of the Season whereas the Wood of the Orange-Trees and Jessamins by the perpetual Operation of their Roots remains as tender in the Winter as it is all the rest of the Year Which is the reason that as the Sap continually rises particularly for the Nourishment of those Leaves that remain upon the Branches as well as for the Nourishment of the Branches themselves that Sap at that time as it were keeps both the one and the other so sensible to Frost and Moisture that thereby they often fall into those great Disorders known by every body which are almost the greatest they are liable to It being then granted that for the preservation of our Fig-Trees it is sufficient that the great Frost should not light directly upon their Branches it follows from thence that it is sufficient for the Conservatory to be reasonably close as well at the top as at the Doors and Windows insomuch that the Ground may have been pretty well frozen in the Cases and yet the Fig-Tree receive no prejudice by it So that a moderate low Cellar or a Stable or a Common-Hall which would be so pernicious to Orange-Trees and Jessemins may not be amiss for our Fig-Trees not but if that place were very moist it might harm them As also a Cas'd Fig-Tree remaining in the Winter without a Covering would be much more endanger'd than another in the main Ground for a thick Frost would kill the Roots as well as the Head whereas a Fig-Tree planted in open Ground would at least be preserv'd towards the Roots The Time of putting Fig-Trees in the Conservatories is the Month of November that is they must be plac'd there as soon as the thick or great Frosts are coming on there to re without wanting the least Culture or any Care besides the keeping of the place as close as can be and that only during the great Colds for excepting that time they need not be kept so close Lastly They may be taken out again about the middle of March and sometimes at the very beginning the Weather being very fair and the Seasons of great Frosts appearing in some manner past There is no need of staying till there is nothing at all to fear for the new Figs for then there would be a necessity of staying until the end of April it happening pretty often that until that time there are certain Frosts which blacken and kill them though reasonably thick The reason which obliges to take them out sooner is that it is necessary Fig-Trees should immediately enjoy the Rays of the Sun and some soft Showers of March and April in order to be able to shoot their first Fruit with success to the end above all things that those Fruits may insensibly be us'd to the open Air which must make them grow and ripen betimes it being most certain that the Figs which grow under Covert coming into the open Air are apt to blacken and so perish even without any Frost or considerable Cold a North-East Wind or excessive Heat in the first Days of their coming out destroying them without Redemption Whereas those Figs that have been a little enur'd to the Air have harden'd themselves so as to be able to resist notwithstanding the Intemperature of the Season In taking the Fig-Trees out of the Conservatory at the time prefix'd there are only two things to be done The first is to put them immediately along and as close as can be to some good Walls expos'd to the South or East and there leave them until the Full-Moon of April be past which is about the beginning of May. This situation is very necessary for them to enjoy the Aspect of the Father of Vegetation and be soak'd by the Rains of the Spring as well as to find some Shelter against the Morning-Frosts of the Remains of Winter which are those of March and April because that whereas this wonderful Fruit shoots out at that time ready form'd from the Body of the Branch presenting it self thus all on the sudden without the help of any Covering or being accompany'd with Blossoms or Leaves it must needs be very tender in the first Days of its Birth and therefore such Frosts which are very common and frequent at those times falling then upon them would prove very dangerous or rather mortal insomuch that though this Shelter be favourable to Fig-Trees both to such that are planted in the Ground as well as to those that are in Cases yet notwithstanding it is necessary to cover them with Sheets or Straw or long dry Dung or Peas-Cods when-ever they seem to be threaten'd by some Frost The cold North-West Winds North and North-East or some Haâ—â— or melted Snow seldom fail to occasion it in the Night after having commonly fore-told it the Day before Woe to the Gard'ner who neglects or does not improve the Signal of such an ill Omen The second thing that is to be done after having remov'd Fig-Trees out of the Conservatory and having thus plac'd them under shelter is to use the Phrase of Gard'ners to give them a good Wetting in every Case which is one good substantial Watering insomuch that all the Moat may be soak'd by it and there shall hardly need any more Watering until with some Leaves the Fruit begins to appear all together and even a little thick which is about the middle of April the Spring-Rains will supply other Waterings but this first Watering is absolutely necessary to soak the Ground a-new which after four or five Months Confinement was grown quite dry otherwise the Roots at the coming in of the hot Weather should not be capable for want of Moisture to renew their Action and consequently there should be no good Motion of Vegetation either to nourish and thicken that new Fruit the sooner or to afford us the sooner Leaves and new Wood with a Certainty that the sooner Fig-Trees shoot in the Spring the sooner we shall have the second Figs of Autumn I will take notice by the by here that the first Figs grow independently from the Action of the Roots just as the Blossoms of other Fruit-Trees open and produce their first Buds independently from the Action of their Roots Lastly The Cold that is the great Enemy of those Figs being gone which happens commonly about the middle of May the Cases must be remov'd from that Shelter and put somewhat at large to be in the open Air especially in some little Garden well surrounded with good Walls they may be dispos'd so as to border or form Allies on both sides or else a little green Wood as I do
c. are all very dangerous and must not in the least be suffer'd near our Store-House or Conservatory a certain Musty Taste together with the smell of many Fruits laid up together is likewise very disagreeable and therefore the Store-House must not only have good Overtures and a high Ceiling the just measure of which is to be from Ten to Twelve Foot high but the Windows must often be kept open that is as often as there is no fear of great Cold either in the Night or in the Day fresh Air from without when it is Temperate is Incomparable to purify and reestablish that which has been long inclos'd For the Sixth Condition I think I may say that neither a Cellar nor a Garret are sit to make this Conservatory the Cellar by reason of a mustiness and moist heat that are inseparable from it which inclines the Fruit to Rottenness the Garret because of the Cold which easily Penetrates the Roof and therefore a ground Room is the best for our Use or at least a first Story accompany'd with other Lodging-Rooms Inhabited over and under it as well as on the sides I add to this Sixth Condition that the Store-House must be often visited by him that has it in Charge which is neglected when he is not at Hand that is conveniently plac'd by reason of the trouble of going too much up or down The seventh Condition requires many shelves fram'd together in order to Lodge the Fruits separately the one from the other the finest on the best side and Baking Pears on the worst Apples must lye by themselves The reasonable distance of these Shelves is to be about Nine or Ten Inches and I would have them about Seventeen or Eighteen Inches broad that they may hold the more and please the sight the better For the Eighth Condition I would have those shelves a little sloaping outwardly that is about an Inch in the Breadth with an Edge about Two Fingers high to hinder the Fruit from Falling The Fruits are not so much in sight when the Shelves are level as when they are as I desire them and thus when any of them are Rotten it is not so easily perceived and that Rottenness Communicates it self to those that are about it unless remedy'd at first The fear of that Rottenness requires for a Ninth Condition that every Shelf should be visited at least every other day without fail to remove what ever may be tainted And for the Tenth Condition it requires that the Shelves should be cover'd with something for Instance dry Moss or about an Inch thick of fine Sand in order to keep every Fruit steady after its being plac'd upon its Basis as it should be and to keep it asunder for the Fruits must no wise be allow'd to touch each other It is much pleasanter to see them all in a row upon their Basis that is upon the Eye which is opposite to the Stalk than to see them Lye pell mell any how I require for the Last Condition that Care be taken to Sweep our Conservatory or Store-House often to suffer no Cobwebs in it and to keep Traps for Rats and Mice and moreover it will not be amiss to allow it some secret Entrance for Cats otherwise the Fruit will be in danger of being gnaw'd by those Curs'd little Domestick Animals The Conservatory which is particularly design'd for Winter-Fruits is likewise very useful for those of Autumn either Pears or Grapes and for Summer Fruits either Peaches Pavies Plums c. These being in my opinion as I have already said much better a day after their being gather'd than the very day they acquire a certain coolness in the Store-House which is a great Improvement which they can never have while they are upon the Tree Now whereas generally speaking the Fruits that are most Considerable are only brought into the Store-House after their having acquir'd one of the two Maturities which is proper for them viz. for the Summer Fruits an approaching Maturity which Expediates them in few days and for Autumn and Winter-Fruits a distant Maturity which makes them keep long some less some more and besides whereas it is the approaching Maturity which is of most Consequence as well for those good Fruits which would perish miserably unless taken in the nick as for the Master whose pains cares and hopes would be lost unless he were capable as the saying is to nick the Critical Minute it follows from thence that it is necessary to make an end of giving in this place the Infallible marks by which this Maturity is to be known I have already explain'd those marks for most Fruits which do not exceed September and October viz. for the remainder of Summer Pears the remainder of Plums the best latter Peaches and Pavies c. There now remains to speak of October Pears and others which keep from All-Saints till Easter and longer The Vertelongue or Long-Green Butter-Pears Vine-Pears Messire-John Green-Sugar-Pears c. after these the Petit-oins Lansaes Marchionesses Burgamots Amadottes and even the Besideri and Thick-Stalks c. are the first that are to pass during the Month of November the Thumb as we have observ'd already for the Butter-Pears Long-Greens Green-Sugar-Peart and others which have began to ripen in October daly turns whatever ripens out of the Store-House viz. Petit-oins Marchionesses Russettines Lansaes c. by reason that these are still tender Pears a Whitish Colour which forms it self in the Rind of the Messire-John a Yellow cast in the Amadottes Thick-Stalks Besideri c. and a moisture upon the Rind of the Burgamots together with a little Yellowness which discovers it self upon them all those are certain signs which inform us without the help of the Thumb of what we have a mind to know of those lost kinds of Fruits 't is but examining of them Constantly or at least every other day and that Rule of review for the Maturity is to be continu'd the following Months for all other Fruits that remain in order not to lose the least sign which discovers their approaching Maturity moreover this review is necessary to remove such as begin to Rot. The Louise-bonne Winter-Thornes Ambrets Leschaseries St. Germains Vergoules even the Dry-Martins Spanish Bon-Chretiens with the Apples of all kinds of Capendu either Grey or Red or White the Apples of Fenouillet Autumn Calvils some Apis and some Reynettes c. all these Fruits begin to ripen at the beginning of December and a little Yellowness together with some Wrinkles discovers it self upon the Six first by which we may judge in case that they do not resist the Thumb that they are fit to Eat but until then we must not venture to meddle with them in cutting of them the Knife would soon discover their want of Ripeness those kind of Pears are very Subject to soften and thereby are certainly apt to deceive those who do not strictly Examine them every day As to the Dry-Martins and Spanish Bon-Chretiens
may add that they have been too well approved not to merit to be divulged Lastly I answer that my intention is to give such Directions that the place designed for a Kitchen-Garden may be so well ordered in all its parts that not only each part may perform its duty in respect of its Productions but by the accurate Symmetry and Proportion observ'd in modelling of the whole it may be in a Condition to allure the Spectators and at all times to delight the Eyes of the Curious And accordingly for these Reasons I purpose here to follow exactly the Model and Platform I have already delineated and explained at the beginning of these Treatises of Gard'ning conformably to which I shall set down First every thing that generally speaking should be in all sorts of good and well-furnisht Kitchen-Gardens to which I shall add a Description of the Seeds and other things which serve for the Production and Multiplication of every particular Plant. In the second place I shall specifie not only all the things that may be gathered out of a Kitchen-Garden every Month of the Year but also what work Gard'ners are to do in every one of those Months and to those two heads I will joyn another viz. a particular account of what should at all times be found in any Kitchen-Garden whatsoever that so we may be able to judge when there is any thing wanting in it and when not Thirdly I will explain what sort of Earth or Soil and what sort of Culture are most proper for each sort of plants to make them excellent and because some of them are sown to remain always in the same place and some only to be transplanted elsewhere and some again are propagated without Seed I will give Directions at the same time how to order all of them as well in respect to the Seasons in which they are to be sown or planted as the manner of their Propagation Fourthly I will shew how long each sort may profitably occupy its place and which of them must be laid up in store for our Winter Provision and which may by the help of Industry be produced in spite of the Frosts And fifthly and lastly I will inform you how long any sort of Seed will last without spoiling they having not all the same destiny in that Matter CHAP. I. What things should be planted in any Kitchen-Garden of a reasonable extent to render it compleatly furnished ALL the World is agreed that there are few days in the whole Year in which we can be well without the assistance of the Kitchen-Gardens whether it be in the fair and fruitful Season whilst they are still growing on the Earth that first produced them when we have no more to do but to go and gather them there or in Winter when we must fetch them out of the Store-rooms where we had timely laid them up for Security before the arrival of the bitter cold which not only makes the Earth unfruitful for a time but destroys too a great part of those Vegetables which are so unhappy as to be within its reach and therefore it follows that every day of the Year we must be furnisht with what we need of this Nature out of our own Gardens of Stores or elsewhere either by the liberality of our Friends or what is most common from the Markets That you may therefore have at one view the knowledge of what composes this agreeable assistance that may be drawn out of the Kitchen-Garden I shall here present you with a kind of Alphabetical Inventory of all the things that such a Garden should and may furnish us with throughout the whole course of the year A. ALenois Cresses Vid. Cresses Alfange a sort of Roman Lettuce Alleluia Wood-sorrel alias French-Sorrel or Sharp Trefoil Anis Artichokes both Green Violet and Red. Artichokes Costons or Slip-suckers Asparagus Aromaticks see Fine Herbs B. BAlm called in French Melisse Basil or Basilick both the Greater and the Lesser Bays the common sorts Hot Beds of several sorts as for Sallets and Spring-Radishes and the first Early Strawberries as for Musk-melons Cucumbers and Mushroons and for raising some sorts of Flowers in the Winter and other Plants to set again in the naked Earth and for the forcing of Sorrel and Cabbage Lettuce c. to advance Beet-Raves or Red Beets to produce Roots for Sallets White Beets called Poirée for Chards Beans both of the common sort and those called Harico's or French Kidney Beans as also Venetian Beans called Feverolles Bonne Dame or Good Lady Borage Bour delais or Verjuice Grape both Red and White Bucks horn Sallet Bugloss Burnet called in French Pimpernel C. CAbbages of all sorts Capers of the Ordinary sort Capucin Capers called otherwise Nusturces Caprons a sort of Strawberries Spanish Cardons Carlots Cellery Chalots vid Shalots and Eschalots Chards of Artichokes Chards of Beets Chassela's Grapes Cheril Musked and Ordinary Chervi or Skirrets Chicons the same with Alfange Ciboules Citrulls or Pompions or Pumpkins Cives Colyflowers and Coleworts both comprehended under Cabbage in French Cresses as Alâ—nois or Garden Cresses Cucumbers Currans which with Gooseberries are both called Groseilles in French and distinguish'd into the Prickly the Red and the Pearled D. Dragons or Estragon a Sallet E. ENdive White or Tame as well the Curled as the Plain called in French Chicorée or Succory as also the Wild sort Eschalots vid. Shalots Estragon or Dragons a Sallet F. FEnnel French-Sorrel see Allcluja Furnitures for Sallets which with the French are Spare-mint called by them Balm as also Estragon or Dragons English Cives Fennil Chervil as well the common as the Musked sort and Basil c. Fine Herbs called in English Sweet-Herbs but meant by the French of all hot scented Herbs as Tiâ—e Morjarom Lavender Rhue Worm-wood Hysop c. which are planted in Borders G. GArlick Gooseberries together with Currans both confounded under the name of Groseilles in French and distinguish'd into the Prickly the Red and the Pearled Good Lady vid. Bonne Dame H. HYsop L. LAvender in Borders Leeks Lettice of all sorts according to the Seasons as well to sow in rows or small Furrows to cut when little as to Cabbage and to bind up viz. the Coquille or Shell-Lettuce alias the Winter and the Passion Lettuce the Curl'd bright Lettuce and the Green Curl'd Lettuce the Little Red Lettuce the Short Lettuce the Royal Lettuce the Bellegarde the Lettuce of Genua of Perpignan and of Auberviliers the Imperial and the Roman Lettuce which comprehends all the Chicons both the Green and Red otherwise called the Alphange Lettuce and they are to tie up M. MAcedonian Parsty Vid. Parsly Mâches Mallou's and Marsh-malloâ—s Marjoram in Borders Melons or Musk-melons Mint called in French Balm Muskat or Musk-grapes both the White the Black and the Red. The Long Muscat alias the Passe-Musquéeâ— Mushrooms N. NAsturces or Capucin Capers See Capers O. ONions both the Red and the White P. PArsly as well the
the Earth easily enough take Root at certain Joynts or Knots about a foot distance one from the other which knots coming to take Root make new Plants that in two or three Months time are fit to be transplanted and they are placed three or four of them together to make what we call a Tuft Succory See Endive Suckers of Artichokes See Artichokes Sharp Trefoil See Alleluia T. TIme is multiplyed by Seed which is very small and sometimes we separate those Plants or Stems of it that produce several rooted Slips or Suckers to replant them in Borders for Time is seldom planted otherwise Tripe Madam is propagated both by Seed and Cuttings or Slips every Stem or Stock of it producing several Arms which being separated and replanted easily take Root again The Seed of it is Gray and Longish and almost of the shape of Parsly Seed there grows a great deal of it upon every Seed Stalk which runs up one above another like those of Seed Carrots Parsnips c. there are seven or eight of them in a sort of little open Cup where they grow ripe after the falling of a yellow Flower inclining to an Olive colour Turkey Wheat See Saracens Wheat Sharp Trefoil See Alleluia Turneps are multiplyed only by Seed which is almost like that of Cabbage V. VInes of what sort soever they be whether White Red or Black Muskat Chassela's Bourdelais Corinthian or Long Muscat called otherwise Passe-Musquée c. are multiplyed by Layers by hooked or bent Slips and especially Couched and lastly by Grafting Cleft-wise Violet Plants as well of the Double as Single sort and of what colour soever they be though they produce Seed in little reddish Shells or Husks yet are multiplyed only by the Slips they produce each Plant or Stock of them growing insensibly into a great Tuft which is divided into several little ones which being replanted grow in time big enough to be likewise divided into others W. Wheat See Saracens and Turkey Wheat Worm-wood is multiplyed by Seed which is of a pretty odd Figure being a little bent inward in its smallest part and a little open on the other end which is bigger and rounder and upon which there is a little black spot It s colour is yellowish at the bigger end and its sharper end inclines a little to black It s Seed is seldom used because it is very difficult to fan or sift being very light and therefore when we have need of propagating Worm-wood we make use rather of its Cuttings and Layers that are a little rooted Wood-Sorrel See Alleluia CHAP. III. Shews what a good Kitchen-Garden may yield us every Month in the Year and how a Gard'ner may and ought to employ himself there in every one of those Months THe Experience of hot Countries sufficiently convinces us that the Earth taken in general is capable at all Seasons to produce all manner of things without any extraordinary assistance of Art because in those parts there is no Season in the Year in which she is not teeming but by a contrary experience we find that our Climate is too cold to afford us any such fertility and yet because there are few days in which a Man has not occasion to make up a part of his nourishment and subsistance with something of the growth of his Garden It concerns the industrious Gard'ners so to manage it that it may not only produce enough amply to suffice for our daily use during the five or six Months in which the Earth acts at her Ease by the favour of the Sun's Neighbourhood but also furnish us at the same time a sufficient Provision for those five or six Months in which she is suspended from her ordinary functions Now among the Barren and less happy Months that commonly make the greatest opposition to our Culture are reckoned the last fifteen days of November all December and January and the first fifteen days of February the violence of the Frosts which in that Season use to harden and cool the Earth and the abundance of Snow with which it is then wont to be covered putting such a perfect stop to all Vegetative Operations that the most fertile Soil becomes at that time altogether like that which never was blessed with that accomplishment But notwithstanding all those hindrances there is still work enough to be done in Winter to keep us from being quite idle and a great deal of Assistance too to be drawn from our Gardens even in that Season that we may not labour under too great a scarcity of their Productions and therefore I have determined to give you a particular account of every one of those works and of every one of those Commodities which our Gardens will afford us during every one of the twelve Months of the Year and shall begin with that which because it passes for the first and opens and begins the Year seems to me best to deserve the preference Works which may be done in a Kitchen-Garden in the Month of January TO Prune all sorts of Trees whether Dwarfs or Wall-Trees to prepare some of them to plant as soon as ever the Ground shall be open after the hard Frosts and the melting of the Snow that covered it To make Trenches to plant Trees to dig Molds to amend them to dig round the Feet either of Trees over Luxuriant to cut off their thick Roots and by that means to make them fructifie or of such as are infirm to trim and redress them To make Hot Beds to sow forward Cowcumbers and Sallets in whether in Rows or little Furrows or under Bells To make Screens to cover those Seeds in case of need The first hot Beds for Cowcumbers as also for Musk-melons are usually made at the very beginning of the Month and at the same time we may make hot Beds for Mushrooms To heat or force Asparagus To heat Beds of Sorrel Patience Borage c. To raise on hot Beds Jacinths Narcissus's of Constantinople and some Tulips c. To make Trails Trellisces or Frames for Wall-trees To pull down the hot Beds of the last Year and to take the rotten Dung that composed them and lay it upon those Grounds we would amend or Meliorate To lay apart some Molds to have them at Hand to prepare for the hot Beds and we may also clear and cleanse the places of the Hot beds in order to the making of new ones To tie up with Bands of Straw the tops of the Leaves of Long Lettuce which have not Cabbaged to make them Cabbage or at least to whiten them when they are grown big enough for it To raise some Strawberries upon hot Beds to have some ripe in the Months of April and May. To dung Figg-trees in order to have early Figs. And in fine to advance the doing by little and little all that the Spring Season is wont to do with an extraordinary Expedition To plant Trees in Baskets to Pot and Case Figg-trees to lay Vine and Fig-tree
though they be let alone two or three years after a first heating yet at most are able to endure but one more The Straw-berries which are forced on Hot Beds begin to put out their shoots in January and Flower in February and March and yield their Fruit in April and May. The best method of raising them is to pot them in September in a tolerable good and light Earth and afterwards to plant them in Hot Beds in December they may also be planted in Hot Beds without potting at all in the Month of March their runners and some of their leaves must be taken off if they have too many the Earth in their Pots must be kept always loose and a little moist and if there happen any excessive heats in some days of March and April they must have a little Air given them towards the North and they must be covered a Nights To have little Sallets of Lettuce to cut mixed with Chervil Cresses c. with the furnitures of Mint Taragon c. and to have Radishes c. we make such Hot Beds as I have directed and we steep in water about twenty four hours a little bagg of Lettuce Seed after which time we take it out and hang it in a chimny corner or in some other place where the Frost can't reach it and the Seed so wetted drains it self from the water and heats to such a measure that it sprouts and then after we have made upon our Hot Beds some little furrows of about two Inches deep and about as broad with a little stick that we draw hard over the mold we sow that sprouted Seed in those furrows so thick that it covers all the bottom of the furrows There must be a French Bushel to sow a Bed of fourteen Toises or Fathoms long and of four foot broad and when 't is sown we cover it with a little mold cast upon it lightly with the hand and each cast of the hand dextrously performed should cover a furrow as much as it needs which done we put some Bells or long Rice Straw over them to hinder the Birds from Eating them and the heat from evapourating or the Frost by chilling it from destroying the Seed we take away the Straw when at the end of five or six days the Seed begins to spring well and at length ten or twelve days after it is commonly high enough to be cut with a Knife and eaten in Sallets that is to be understood if the Ice and Snow and even the heat of the Bed be not too excessive We take the same course with Chervil and Cresses save only that they must be sown without steeping their Seeds As for Mint Taragon Cives and other Furnitures of Sallets they are planted on the Hot Bed in the same manner as on the Cold one As for Radishes we seldom steep them to make them sprout the skins of their Seeds being so tender that in less than a days time they would be melted all to a Pap. I have directed how to sow Roaishes in the Works of November where we treat of preparing the provisions we would have from our Gardens in January February and March It is convenient to sow in the beginning of this Month or even in November and December a Hot Bed of Parsley to supply us with fresh in the Spring time to serve us till that we should sow in the naked Earth at the end of February be grown to its perfection To lay the branches or slips of Vines Fig-Trees Goose-berry and Curran Bushes to take Root we need only Couch or lay down their branches into the Earth and cover them in the middle with Earth to the height of five or six Inches which are to remain in that condition till the month of November following when having taken Root we take them up that is separate them from the Tree and plant them where we have occasion for them To Circumpose Trees by planting them in Baskets Pots and Boxes or Cases we first fill half way with Earth those Baskets Pots or Boxes and then having pruned and trim'd the Trees as I have directed in the Treatise of Plantations we Plant them plunging the Baskets and Pots quite into the Earth but leaving the Boxes or Cases above Ground The way of potting the Bulbous Roots of Tubereuses Juncquills Narcissus's of Constantinople Jacynths c. is first to put them into Pots and then to plunge those Pots into Hot Beds covering the Beds carefully with Glass Frames Bells Straw Screens c. To warm or force Fig-Trees we must have some in Boxes or Cases and make for them in January a Deaf Hot Bed being a Hot Bed made in a hollow dug into the Earth and raised only even with its surface and place the Boxes upon it Then we must have some square Glass Frames about six or seven foot high which must be fitted purposely to be applied against a Wall exposed to a Southern Aspect And so the Dung in the Hot Bed fermenting into a heat warms the Earth in the Box and by consequence makes the Fig-Tree sprout That Bed is to be put into a new ferment when there is occasion and great care must be taken to cover those Glass Frames close that no Cold may get within them During the whole Month of January we continue to sow upon Hot Beds under Bells Lettuces to be Replanted again as I have directed in the Works of December as also to Replant them under Bells as well to serve for the Nursery as in the places they are designed for and as to the Seeds when sown we may let alone covering them with mold if we please it being enough to pat with the flat of our hands upon the Bed to press the mold close about them we use the same method with Purslain sown under Bells for we can hardly throw so little mold upon those Seeds to cover them but we shall through too much To have some fine little Lettuces for Salleting we must sow under Bells some of the Bright curled sort and sow it thin and stay till it has shot forth two leaves before we gather it The Seeds of these Lettuces must be sown thin that the Plants may grow tall and if we see them come up too thick we must thin them the choisest sorts of Lettuce for the Spring season are the Curled Fair or Bright Lettuce and after that the Royal Lettuce the Short Lnttuce and above all the Shell Lettuce c. We also sow under Bells to Replant again Borage Bugloss and Arach or Orage The right method of making Trenches and diging of molds is not as was heretofore practised first to throw out of those Trenches all the Earth and then to throw it in again for that was unprofitably to handle the same Earth twice and so to lose time and spend money to no purpose The best way to do it then is to make at first a Gage full as broad as the Trench and of the
use of for coverings as I have said but likewise to lay them to rot in some hole the powder of them being very good and especially to make use of for mold We now open and lay bare the Roots of Trees that seem to languish in order to take from about them the old Soil cut off as much of their Roots as is found in an ill condition and Earth them up again afterwards with good new Earth We make some Hot Beds for Mushrooms The method to make them well is to choose some spot of new and as near as can be light and sandy Ground and dig there a hollow Bed of five or six Inches deep of three or four wide throughout and of what length we please The Dung must be either of Horse or Mule and must be already pretty dry and such as has been piled up some time Then we make the Bed about two foot high ranking and pressing the Dung as close and tight as we can yet so disposing it that the upper part of it may be raised into a ridge like the Back of an Asse that it may the better shoot off the waters to the right and left which if they should pierce through it would rot the Dung after that we cover the Bed to the thickness of two foot more with the Neighbouring Earth over which again we throw another covering of three or four Inches thick of Litter which in the Winter may guard from the great Cold and in the Summer shade from the violent heat the Mushrooms which may be expected to shoot up about three or four Months after We cleanse Trees of Moss that are troubled with it They which have great Plantations of Trees to prune should now begin that operation upon those which are least vigorous We employ the long dry Dung of which we ought to have made provision in the Summer to cover our Fig-Trees as well those of the Wall as Dwarfs and for these last we tie all their Branches as close as we can conveniently together with Osier Wit hs that we may the more easily wrap them about with this covering and for the Wall-Trees we endeavour to leave so many of the higher Branches as we can on the sides and to tie several of them together to poles or forked sticks that are to serve them for Props and by that means too we cover them with more ease and less charge We leave on them that covering till the full Moon of March be past at which time we only take off part of it till the full Moon of April be likewise past the Frosts of these two last Months being dangerous to the young Fruit which then begins to put forth it self as the Winter Frosts are to the Wood which they make to turn all into Pith. They whose Pear-Trees are pestered with Tiger Babbs will do well now not only to gather up the Leaves that are attack'd by them to burn them immediately but also to scrape their Branches with the back of a Knife to clear them of the Eggs or Seed of that Cursed Insect which remains sticking to them all Winter for though we cannot so far prevail that way as totally to exterminate them yet however there will be so many Enemies destroyed as we destroy of those Eggs. The days being now very short skilful Gard'ners will therefore work by Candle-light till Supper time either in making of Straw-Screens and Coverings or preparing Trees for planting as soon as the Frost permits them or in designing c. We put those Trees into the Earth in furrows which we could not plant covering up their Roots as carefully as if we were planting them in their designed places without leaving any hollow Chinks about their Roots because otherwise the great Frost would spoil them We may begin at the latter end of the Month to force such Asparagus as are at least three or four years old and this forcing is performed either on the cold Bed in the place where they grow which is the best way or else upon a Hot Bed if we be minded to remove them But ordinarily we stay till towards the beginning of the next Month before we make any Essays of that kind it being in my Opinion long enough to have of them for four Months together by Artifice till Nature be ready to furnish us with more of them for two Months longer by her own sole Virtue and Power not but that we might begin to force them at the very beginning of September or October The way of forcing them is to dig the Earth out of a Path to the depth of two Foot and the breadth of one full foot and a half if originally the Path were but three Foot over because there must be at least six or seven good inches of Earth be left next the Asparagus Tufts The Path being thus voided we fill it up with long hot Dung very well ramm'd and trodden down till it be a full foot higher than the Superficies of the Cold Bed at the first making and after fifteen days we stir this Dung over again mixing some new Dung with it the better to enable it to communicate sufficient heat to the two adjoyning Cold Beds but if it appear too much mortified so that the Asparagus does not shoot up briskly enough then this recruiting of the path-way with fresh Dung and stirring must be repeated afterwards as often as it shall be necessary which commonly happens to be once every ten or twelve days If there fall any great Rains or Snow that may have too much rotted that Dung so that it appears not to retain a sufficient heat then must it be quite taken away and all new put in its place for in fine this Bed must always be kept extreamly hot as to the Cold Bed in which the Plants are the Ground must be digged up and stirred a little in it to the depth of about four or five Inches as soon as the path-way is filled up for it cannot be done before because of bringing the Dung to that which cannot be done without much trampling on the Soil which digging being finished we cover the said Cold Bed with some of the same long Dung to the thickness of three or four Inches and at the end of fifteen days so much time at least being necessary to give activity to those Asparagus Tufts that in this Season are as 't were dead or at least benumbed with the cold we lift up the Dung to see whether the Asparagus begin to shoot or no and if they do at every place where they appear we clap a Glass Bell which we also take great care to cover close with long Dung and especially a-nights to prevent the Frost from penetrating in the least manner in the World to the Asparagus which being so extreamly tender and delicate as 't is would be absolutely spoiled by the least breath of Cold. If in the day time the Sun shine out a little bright we must not
small straggling and unprofitable Branches from which there is no expectation of good Fruit whilst observing those that have well knit Melons on them at the ends of the Branches I constantly take away the rest of that Branch on this side the Fruit which-divaricating into other useless Wanderers would Rob and deprive the Fruit of the Nutriment derived from the Root nevertheless with this Caution that in Pruning I spare some other less Noxious Branches to shade the Fruit that it be not left quite Naked and expos'd to such a scorching Heat as would hinder its Growth and Maturity which within Forty days from its Nativity and knitting into Fruit arrives to full Perfection Great and Pumpion-like Melons are very seldom tollerably good as arriving to their bulk either from the Nature of the Seed and Kind or from superfluous Watering the smaller ones wherefore though as I said they cannot support the too excessive Heats the less Water you give your Plants provided you find them not to want it the better and that rather a little at a time than much Once a Week is for most part sufficient As to this therefore you must determine and regulate your Refreshments with great Circumspection and Judge by the Nourishment which you concieve Necessary to Produce and Maintain the Foot with its Branches and Leaves deriving from it without which no Kind and Genuine Fruit is to be expected When you would Gather a Ripe Melon you will have notice by its turning a little Yellow for from that time within a day as the Weather proves it does ordinarily Ripen and begin to cast a grateful Scent This Yellowness appearing in some part of it or other and not seldom with some Rift or little Casm's about the Stalk c. are most Infallible Indications of its being left rather too long than too hastily Gather'd The Gard'ner must therefore not fail of Visiting the Meloniere at the least three times a day Morning Noon and Evening for this Critical time of Ripening He will sometimes find Melons Ripen too fast but they are seldom or never Good as proceeding rather from a sickly or vicions Root than from the Nature of the Plant or Species of those I Cultivate After Twenty four Hours keeping or the next day after it has been Gather'd for so long contrary to Vulgar Opinion it should be preserv'd in some sweet dry place and not Eaten immediately as it comes from the Garden A perfect and transcendent Melon will be Full Juicy and without any Vacuity which you 'll easily discern by Rapping a little with your Knuckles upon the outside of the Fruit the Meat should also be dry or but a little Rorid meazing out of the Pulp but by no means Watrish and Flashy To this add a Vermillion Colour a grateful Flavor and an high and Racy Taste Lastly Reserve for Seed of that only which lies towards the Sunny side of the Melon which being immediately cleans'd from its Musilage with a dry Linnen Cloth Reserve in Boxes or Papers in some Temperate and Sweeter place AN Advertisement to the CURIOUS IT were to be wish'd that the Author whom I had the Honour to know had liv'd to put his last Hand to this whole Work and added to his Potagere the Culture of Melons in which he was the most Exquisite Master but has in a manner quite omitted it Not that what he has oblig'd the World withal is not the most Perfect and Consummate Piece that was ever I believe Publish'd on this agreeable Subject but because 't is said He did himself intend it and perhaps to have abbreviated some Periods and Repetitions which now and then occur to the Translator but which he cannot honestly pretermit to justifie the Version As to what imports this little Treatise in which I have been concern'd out of my Affection to this Sweet and Innocent Toil and to prevent Mistakes and needless Circumlocution had I over-nicely follow'd the Text let the Reader take Notice that I use the Word Case indifferently for the Box Tube or other Vessel in which these Choice Trees are commonly Planted Oringist For the Gard'ner pretending to the Culture of Orange-Trees Casing or In-Casing For the Action or putting the Trees into the Case or Vessel Un-Casing For the taking them out of the Case or Vessel Re-Casing For the Planting them again into the same or some other Case or Vessel Green-House For the Plate or Conservatory where the Trees are Inclos'd and shâ—t up during the Winter Clod or Mot For that Earth Sod or whole Mass of Mould adhering to the Roots The rest are Obvious As to what the Author has mention'd in Chap. ix speaking to the prejudice of using Fire and supplying it with lighted Flambeaux and Lamps besides that he no where says hâ—w the Smoak is to be convey'd out of so very close a place nor any thing of the Number of Lights and Lamps if the House be large and ample which would be a considerable Charge if maintain'd with Wax or Oyl-Olive for such it ought to be to avoid the intolerable smell and fuligo's of gross and cheaper Materials it gives me an opportunity of adding something to the Justification and Melioration of what I lately Publish'd in the last Edition of my Hortensial Kalender It is certain that a Naked or Stov'd Fire pent up within the House without any Exit or succession of External Fresh and Unexhausted Vital Air must needs be extreamly Noxious and Pernicious to these Delicate and Tender Plants But that which answers all the Ends and Operations of Natural Air and the Objections against the Use of Fire any other way save by Lamps and Flambeaux I conceive is preferible to them I acknowledge to have seen by Experience that the Naked Fire made tâ—o near the Pipes is intolerable melting even Cast Iron it self But as I no where recommend that Metal but that the Pipes be made of Crucible Earth and propose the whole but as a laudable Experiment so I do not Question but if such Pipes were contriv'd to be plac'd at farther distance from the Fire or that there were a reasonable thick Fire-Stone laid flat or rather Arch-wise on which there might be strew'd a Bath or Bed of Sand between the Naked Fire and the Pipes to Intercept and moderate the Intenser Heat with due regard to Register and Govern the Blast but that a gentle and benign warmth would ensue and such as should only Recreate without the least Inconvenience to our nicest Exotics Add to this and for the more equal distribution of this Genuine Temper that the Noses of the Pipes might easily be Inserted into a larger Pipe of Laton which should be applied either to the blind Wall the whole length of the House within or in the middle which being pierced with frequent small holes would breathe it more equally through the Conservatory There might also be placed a Vessel or Kettle upon the Firestone-Diaphragma to be at any time fill'd and
Headed Cabbages Without question 't is partly the Frame and Figure which makes the difference of their Denominations In Trees that small blackish sharp-topped Roundness which both makes and encloses the blossom is more properly termed Bud than Head as in Cabbage and Lettuce their bigness and roundness causes them to be more fitly styled Heads than Buds I am of opinion That Onions are formed within the Ground almost after the same manner as the Heads of Cabbages and Lettuce are upon the surface of it Now as those Onions Cabbages and Lettuce when they are supplied with an additional encrease of Sap begin to disclose themselves and to put forth that which they had a long time contained hidden within Just so the Fruit-buds having in the Spring received an inward Encrease as well by Rarefaction of their former Sap as their new Nourishment burst out and disclose at last that Blossom which carries in it the Embrio or first beginning of the Fruit. That first beginning of the Fruit is a very small Particle enclosed in the Heart of the Blossom wherein is contained the Seed from which the Fruit is produced nor does either of them receive their Formation till the decreasing of the Heat and descent of the Sap of the foregoing Summer The temperate Warmth of the Spring assists the Tree in bringing to perfection what was but just begun at once gratifying the Gardiner with the agreeable Object of his Hopes and Desires and giving Nature an opportunity of multiplying its Productions Thus far I have been led by my Curiosity to make an Essay of enquiring into the inward Frame and Texture of Fruit-Buds but I must confess ingenuously That I have not made any considerable Progress when I reflect upon that vast difference in their several Species in this respect viz. That the Buds of Sâ—â—pe-Fruits have in them but one Blossom apiece whereas the Core Fruit-Buds enclose 10 or 12 together not to mention the many other Distinctions in their Colour Bigness c. CHAP. XIV Reflections upon other Effects of the Sap relating to the Thickning and Lengthning of the Branches I Come now to speak again of those Effects which owe their Being to the continuance of the Sap in some particular Parts of the Trees and these are in my Opinion evidently demonstrated by the Instance of those Willow-tops that grow to an extraordinary bigness in comparison of their Trunk which undoubtedly proceeds from hence That their Top-branches being often Lopp'd off near the place of their shooting out the Sap rising up to it in its usual course cannot issue out so soon as it is arrived there but is forced to tarry there for some time and so sticking and incorporating it self in part to that place where it is stopp'd it causes that Head to grow much bigger than all the rest of those Parts through which it only makes a quick Passage It may be said and perhaps reasonably enough that the Sap causes-the bigness of the Branches in Trees and the Leaves in all other Plants almost in the same manner as the melted Wax doth in Tapers Flambeaux and Torches with this difference only which yet doth not alter the Comparison That the Sap risesup between the Wood and the Bark aspiring to the Center of light Bodies whereas on the contrary the melted Wax runs downward along the suspended Wyck because it tends to the Center of heavy Bodies And if it happens that any of that melted Wax stays any longer in one part than in another it will not fail of producing the same Effect that the Sap doth in the Extremities of maimed Trees I cannot find any thing in Mechanics fitter to give a lively Representation how Sap though Liquid it self can contribute to the thickning a Solid Body by that Solidity which it self acquires for it really grows thick as it were by so many Coats successively enfolded one over another as is obvious enough to the Eye of him that doth but consider the extremity of any Stump of a Tree or that views the Structure of Onions Radishes and other Roots when cut through the middle But now as to the Extension of the Branches of Trees and Leaves of every Plant which is made in this manner viz. By the new Parts drawing nearer to the old ones there is so close an Union made and to speak Philosophically such an intimate and individual Incorporation that it is impossible either to distinguish them by the Eye or to unfold and separate them from one another I say then as to this Extension of Branches the new Sap must needs have in some measure the Propriety of mollifying and melting the hard Extremity of each Branch and Trunk of the former Year's Growth that so it may unite the new Liquid with the old Solid and constitute a Body altogether like so as that the least difference cannot be perceived between them I must confess this is a Point that seems to me worthy of the highest Admiration nor has the utmost of Humane Industry ever yet attained to any Performance comparable to that Imperceptible Extension of Branches For though the Painters Colours laid on at several times and the Solder which Goldsmiths and Founders make use of afford us some saint Resemblance of it yet we must have Recourse to some other Effect of Nature to give us a clear Idea of this so perfect an Union For Instance That of Ice which by the sharpness of the Cold is formed over all sorts of Water as we see it in the Basin of a Fountain 'T is true the Superficies of that Water which was Congeled to day cannot absolutely be distinguished from the inner Parts of that Water which will be Congeled to morrow and so successively from one Part to another as the Cold continues to have a stronger Influence upon them But the comparison of Gutters in which the Icicles grow longer proportionably as the Cold of the Air becomes more intense represents still more clearly that lengthning of Branches which we can so difficultly solve in Trees for to give an account how those Knots and Eyes come to be so artificially placed at certain Distances and to be so beautifully adorned with Leaves and Fruits is beyond the Limits of our Understanding But however neither of these Comparisons will signifie much to us unless there happen in the interval from one day to another to be some abatement of Cold so as it may certainly appear that there has been some relenting of the Frost For when that continues without any intermission it has a like effect in the Water during the extremity of Winter that the Sap has in the extended Branches during the Heats of the Spring and Summer The only difficulty lies in the first Extension which happens at the end of the Winter and this arises from the stirring activity in the Liquid Sap which rises up anew to the extremity of the hard and solid Branches of the preceding Year And here we may observe That a Tree
Turky Wheat the Blossom is form'd at the Top of the Stalk and the Seed grows out from the very middle of each of the lower Leaves As to the order or process of Nature in the Production of Fruits the first beginning of it is made by the Fruit-buds and as we have said already concerning Kernel-Trees every Bud contains in it several Blossoms and consequently several Fruits also as in Stone Fruit-Trees every Bud contains but one Blossom and therefore but one single Fruit. In the midst of every one of these Blossoms there is a little Sting or Active Particle from which within three or four days after Blowing the Fruit is form'd if the Weather prove favourable that is if the Rigor of the Cold do not destroy these precious Embryo's or Beginnings so that ordinarily every Species of Fruit is Usher'd in by its Blossom But here we must except the Fig which is produced entirely and all at once without any Blossom and in Melons Cucumbers Gourds c. the Fruit it self appears before the Blossom for it is not till some days after the Production of the Melon that the Blossom which grows out of the Top of it receives its compleat Formation and afterwards proceeds to Blowing 'T is upon the thriving of this Blossom that the Perfection of the Fruit depends so that if that prove unable to resist the Cold and all its other Enemies the Fruit will dye almost as soon as it is Born It is further observable that though for the most part there remaineth nothing of the Blossom with the Fruit so that this is not wont to appear before the Blossom is entirely gone yet notwithstanding we find that in the Pomegranate there is left some part of the Blossom which goes to the Construction or Composition of it unless you will say rather that part of the Fruit grows at the same time with the Blossom and is to it if I may use the Comparison like a Cradle or Shell and this as well for the preservation of it as to serve for a cover both to that sort of congealed Liquor and to the Grains or Kernels which are the very Essence and Substance of this Fruit. In an Acorn the first thing that appears is a kind of Shell or Husk of a Figure between round and flat that shews it self about the latter end of July and which we may say serves in stead of a Blossom to it since indeed it has no other and out of the middle of this Husk the Acorn it self grows which Tradition tells us was the principal Food of Mankind in the Primitive Ages of the World Now as every Tree is composed of several Branches some strong and others weak if we examine the place whereon ordinarily the Fruit grows we find that Nature has industriously chosen to fructifie upon the weaker and not upon the stronger Branches But now in Vines and Fig-Trees it is just the contrary for it is generally seen that Grapes and Figs very rarely grow upon the weak Branches but are in great plenty upon those that be thicker stronger and more vigorous How then is it possible to reduce to one Maxim this inconsistency of Nature in chusing such different Situations for the Production of Fruit If we consider after what manner Trees are extended in length both in their Trunk and Branches we find this remarkable Circumstance namely that in the Spring and Summer whilst the Sap acts most briskly that which was the Top or Extremity of a Bough this moment ceases to be so the next by reason that the Sap ascending continually without intermission still puts out new Leaves above the precedent extremity and the new shoot receives the same Treatment from the succeeding Sap that it gave to that extremity of the Branch which immediately preceded it But on the contrary in Artichokes Asparagus Grapes in all Leafs and Fruits in Tulips Pinks and most sorts of Flowers we see that what was once the extreme part always continues so so that their Augmentation or Growth is only inward and not form'd outwardly as Experience shews us it is in Trees The Asparagus Artichoke Tulip and most sorts of Flowers appear plainly to grow entirely though but in small Threads or Filaments out of the very substance or heart of the Plant and afterwards encrease in thickness in the inside of it by the assistance or supply of the Adventitious Nourishment So that if we consider by what small and almost imperceptible degrees they rise up from their Stalk and are push'd up by the new Sap it seems to have some resemblance in the manner of its growth with a Syringe where the Sucker is thrust through the exteriour Tube till it come out through the Top of it Again If we consider what it is that causes the whiteness and delicacy of tyed Lettuce Celeri the Spanish or White Thistle the Leek c. it will appear to be either from their having been cover'd with dry Dung dry Leaves Earth or Mould whereby they are hindred from receiving the usual freshness and virtue of the open Air. Hence it comes to pass that the parts thus covered being no longer penetrated by the Sun-beams do not only lose together with their beautiful Green colour whatever they had of toughness or of a bitter unpleasant taste but also acquire a certain whiteness accompanied with that agreeable and delicate Relish for which they are so much esteem'd But in Asparagus the case is quite otherwise for in that we find those parts the toughest and most ungrateful to the Palate which by their being deprived of the Suns immediate presence by the Mould or Dung that covered them were become perfectly white Whereas on the contrary the best and sweetest parts are those which are Green and Reddish This in my Opinion is an inexplicable difficulty that the being exposed to the Air should make some Plants tender and others tough and hard at the same instant Dazies and Gilliflowers are for some time white but a little after the Sun by degrees changes them from White into the most beautiful Red in the World In Pinks and Tulips that Vivid Red which adorns them in their first blowing forsakes them after the Sun has shin'd upon them for some time Most sorts of Pears are coloured in the Blossom and afterwards become Green Grey White or Yellow and some of them towards the latter end when they are near ripening resume a more lively Red than ever they had before Apricocks as they advance nearer to Maturity change from Green to White and from thence turn to an admirable Vermillion The Suns Influence makes early Peaches white Mulberries black Cherries Straw-berries Rasberries c. of an Orient redness most kinds of Peaches of a Purple colour In short it gives an incredible variety of Tinctures both to Plums and other Fruits as well as to all sorts of Flowers You see here how many Instances I have given of very material Differences Now for the Leaves of Plants and