strong stay but with some small thing at the fyrst and whyle it is young it must be deyntely tyed to the stay with smal twigges of Wyllowe Elme Broome Russhes or Strawe this latter binding is thought to be best for the twigges when they waxe drye doo pearce and hurt the rynde There is an hearbe whiche because of his aptnesse for tying of Uines the Sicyllians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The best stayes for Uines as Plinie sayth are made of Wyllowe Oke Reede Iuniper Cypresse and Eldar And in an other place he preferreth the Chestnut for this purpose aboue all the rest The best for the Uine is the Reede whiche well endureth fyue yeeres geldyng of the leaues and cuttyng the Uine is almost in one maner The geldyng of the leaues or branches must be done twyse a yeere to the ende that the superfluous springes and leaues may be plucked of The fyrst as Plinie wryteth must be done within ten dayes after the Ides of May before the Uines begin to flowre for about the tenth of Iune both the Uine and Wheate the two noble fruites doo flowre Of the second time the opinions are sundry for some suppose it best to plucke of the leaues and branches as soone as it hath left flowring others when the fruite is full ripe The superfluous springes being young and tender are to be taken away that the Uine may be more at liberty and through blowen with the winde This geldyng or cuttyng away the superfluous branches and leaues is as needefull as the propping for both the fruite dooth prosper the better and the propping the next yeere wyll be the handsomer and the Uine wyll be the lesse full of galles for that which is cut being greene and tender dooth the sooner and the soundlyer recouer him selfe and the Grape ripeth the better Tenne dayes before the Uine beginnes to flowre see that you gelde it in this sort cut of all the superfluous branches both on the toppe and on the sides but meddle not where the clusters growe strike of the toppes of the branches for growing to ranke suche Grapes as growe towardes the South or the West leaue them theyr branches to defend them from the heate of the Sunne cut away most from the young Uine for ouerburdning him After the heate of the Sunne beginneth to fade away with the leaues for hindering the Grapes of there ryping and whyle the Grape is a flowring busie your selfe with digging about it Suche Uines as with thicknesse of their leaues corrupteth their fruite are to be rydde of theyr superfluous branches and leaues a moneth before the geatheryng of your Grapes that the winde may blowe the better through them but the leaues that growe aloft in the very toppe must not be medled with but left as a defence and shadowe agaynst the heate of the Sunne but yf so be the end of Sommer be geuen to much rayne and that the Grapes swell in greatnesse then hardly plucke of the leaues from the top also THRA You haue tolde vs of a great deale of labour about Uines MARIVS The Uine keeper must often goe about his Uines and set vp his proppes and make euen his yokes THRA One thing I pray you let me heare more the signes and tokens of the ripenesse for as I vnderstand we may not be to busie in geathering them to soone nor vse any lingring after they be ripe without great harme MARIVS You say true for being geathered before they be ripe they wyll make but small wine and not durable And agayne yf you suffer them to long you shall not onely hurt the Uine with the ouerlong bearing of her burden but also yf hayle or frost happen to come you put your Uine in great danger Democritus wryteth that y Grape endureth in his ripenesse not aboue sixe dayes and therefore the iudgement of his ripenesse is not alonely to be geuen vppon the sight but vppon his taâ—te though Columella thinketh there can be no certayne iudgemenâ— geuen of the taâ—te But yf the stones doo change their colour and be no longer greene but be almost blacke it is a signe the Grape is ripe Some againe doo presse the Grape betwixt theyr fyngeâ—s and yf they see the stone to slippe out smoothe without any thing cleauyng to it they thinke them meete to be geathered but yf they come out with some part of the Grape cleauyng to them they count them not to be ripe Others proue them in this sort out of a very thicke cluster they take a grape and as they behold the cluster wel wherein they see no change they take it for a token of ripenesse You must geather your Grapes the Moone beyng in Cancer Leo Libra Scorpius Capricorne or Aquari and vnderneath the earth THRA Is there no way to make y Grape ripe speedely MARIVS Plinie teacheth to rubbe ouer the rootes with taâ—te Uineger and very olde vryne and thus to be often digged and couered THRA What order haue you for preseruing of your Grapes when they be geathered MARIVS Some keepe them hanged vp in the roofe of Chambers some in earthen pottes close couered with wooden vessels Pallalius sheweth away howe to keepe them vpon the Uine tyll the Spring THRA I pray you proceede with the other fruite trees of your Orchardes MARIVS Among other fruite trees next vnto the Uine as Columella sayth the cheefe place is geuen to the Olyue in Latine Olea in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of all other plantes it requireth least trauayle and charges where as the Uine requireth most and though it beare not euery yeere but euery other yeere yet is he to be borne withall because he asketh neyther coâ—t nor labour and yf you bestowe any vppon him he recompenseth it throwly with the abundance of his fruite And since there is so great profite and commoditie in this tree and that the vses of it are so many and so needefull it is good reason to be diligent and carefull about it he loueth a ground neyther to hye nor to lowe but rather the syde of a hyll such as is the most part of Italy and Spayne for in such ground the extreme heate of the sunne is something mollifyed with the colde blastes of the winde for in Olyue trees as Plinie sayth the soyle and the clime is of great importance it delighteth in a warme and a drye ayre and therefore in Barbary Sicil Andalusia sundry partes of Italy specially Campania it prospereth woonderfully it liketh not too great heate nor too much colde And therefore in hotte countreys it ioyneth vppon the North side of the hilles in colde vpon the South side It is thought that yf it stande aboue threescore myles from the sea that it eyther dyeth or prooueth not fruitefull The best ground is the grauelâ—y grounde hauyng aloft a little chalke mingled with lande it is also good groâ—nd where the sand or grauel is medled with riche moulde yea the sliffe grounde yf it be
seede To haue very large and great Leekes you must hollowe a Treatle of Goates doung and fâ—ll it full of Leeke seede for the little sproute at the fyrst restrayned wyll runne altogeather in one and so come foorth of the grounde and this as Hieronimus Cardanus wryteth hath been often tryed to be true They shall not sauour of Leekes or Onyons that haue eaten Cummin after It commeth vp the tenth day after the sowyng and lasteth two yeere the fyrst yeere it contenteth it selfe onely with bearyng of leaues the next yeere it ryseth in a long stalke hollowe within the toppe garnished with rounde knoppes of flowres The Onyon in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Cepa or Cepe in Italian Cipella in Spanishe Cebolla in Frenche Oignon the next neighbour to the Leeke is also of twâ— kindes the one kinde called Capitatum that groweth to head the other Fissile that without any head only flowrisheth in blades and is often geathered as Leekes are therefore only is sowen and not set in Februarie or March in fayre weather in the wane of the Moone it delighteth in ritche ground wel digged dounged and therefore Columella would haue the grounde well fâ—llowed that it may be mellowed with the Winter frostes and after dounged after well digged agayne and the rootes and weedes cast out layde out in beddes and sowed it is called Fissile because it is parted and diuided belowe for in the Winter it is least with his toppe naked in the spring time the blades are pulled of and other come vp in theyr places The heades are set and yf you plucke away the tayles the outgrowinges when you set them they wyll growe to be very great Twentie dayes before you set them digge the grounde well and laye it drye and so shall they prosper the better The heades are set in Autume and growe to seede as other plantes doo yf you meane to geather the seedes when the stalke is growen you must prop it vp with little stickes that the windes shakyng of the stalke shatter not the seedes nor breake the stalke whiche seede you must geather before it be all blacke for the blacknesse is a sure signe of the ful ripenesse yf you wyl not haue it seede but head plucke of the blade still close by the ground so shal all the maintenaunce goe to the roote Among all other hearbes onely the Onyon is not subiect to the force of the Moone but hath a contrary power for it waxeth in the wane of the Moone and decreaseth in the encrease of it yet there are that holde opinion that yf you sowe them in the wane they wyll be the smaller and sourer and in the encrease they wil be the greater the milder The redde Onyon is more sharpe then the white they are best preserued in Barley Chaffe yf fyrst you dippe them in hotte water after drye them in the sunne tyll they be through drye They are of the common people thought to laste longest beyng hanged vp in the smoke for the kynred it hath with the Onyon I proceede to speake next of Garlicke called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Alliumâ— in Italian Aglio in Spanishe Aio in Dutch Knobloich in Frenche Aux it groweth with a blade like the Onyon but not hollowe the stalke rounde and the flowres in the toppe in a rounde tufte where the seede lyeth Garlicke groweth both of the head the seede as the Onyon and other of this kinde dooth It is commonly sowed in Februarie or March accordyng to the disposition of the weather as the Onyon is It woulde be set in the vppermost part of little narrowe Ridges the cloues being distant foure or fiue inches one from the other and not very deepe After when the cloues haue put foorth the little stringes or when their blades are come vp they must be well racked for the oftner ye doo so the greater they wyll be but yf you wyll haue the heades the greater before it growe to stalke you shall wynde and wreathe the greene blades togeather and treade them to the grounde for that continual treading vpon them wil make them the greater In October the cloues must be plucked a sunder set in rowe vpon hie borders that they may skape the daunger of the winter stormes They say the seant of them wyll sease yf you eate after them the roote of Beetes tosted at the fyre thus sayth Plinie out of Menander THRA What hearbe is that yonder that commeth vp so hie as a man may make a staffe of the stalke the leaues large and rounde the flowre in shape seeming to compare with the Rose MARIVS It is Hollioke or garden Mallowe in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Malua hortensis in Dutche Peppel in Italian and Frenche â—lmost as in Latine THRA What the same that Horace taketh to so wholesome for the body and whiche of Hesiodus and Martial is so highly commended MARIVS The very same and also which is more woonderfull in it the leaues turne about with the sunne so that it may serue in steade of a Dyall declaryng by the turnyng of his leaues what time of the day it is though the sunne doo not shine whiche the Philosophers thinke to be done by the drawing of his moysture In Africa as Plinie wryteth it commeth in seuen monethes to be lyke a young tree and serue well for a walkyng staffe It is sowed in October or in the ende of the sommer as also at other tymes that by the comming on of Winter it may be restrayned of his high growth it reioyceth it ritche and moyst grounde and must be remooued when it commeth to haue foure or fiue leaues it groweth best when it is young when it comes to greater it dyes in the remoouing We vse it both for the potte and for sallettes the taste is better when it is not remooued you must sowe it but thinne for growyng to ranke and in the middest of them you must lay litâ—le cloddes or stones it requireth continuall rakyng and maketh better the grounde where it growes THRA I marueyle whether you sowe Purcelayne syth it groweth wylde abrode MARIVS The Greekes call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines Portulacan with the Italians it hath the same name in Spanishe Verdâ—laga in Frenche and Dutch Porchelle it is sowed in Gardens and well ordred dooth growe the better and spreadeth the farther it hath a blacke seede growing in little greene cuppes THRA Buglose that the Greekes cal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines Bugglossum the Dutchmen Ochsenzung or Burretsth the Frenchmen Borague the Italians Borache the Spaniardes Boraje Is not this it that I see here with y fayre blewe flowre and a stalke a foote long and full of branches MARIVS Buglose is at this day with the Potecaries called Borage though they differ somethyng in the flowre and in very deede they are two sundry hearbes for some
abroade may haue some helpe of it and the doung must not touche the rootes for breaking of them yf there be no doung at hand the stalkes of Beanes and other Pulse wyll well serue the turne whiche both defendeth the Uine from frost and cold and keepes them likewyse from noysome wormes the kernelles and the stalkes of the Grapes doo likewyse supply the want of doung but the best of all is olde stale vrine The plantes of a yeere or two yeere old and so foorth til fiue yeeres must be discreetely digged and dounged accordyng to theyr state in sandy grounde the best doung is of Sheepe and Goates and in such sort you must digge the grounde that the earth that lyeth hyghest be cast to the bottome and that whiche was at the bottome be layde aloft so shall that that was drye by the moysture within be helped and that whiche was moyst and stiffe by the heate aboue be loosened You must also see that there be no holes nor pittes in the Uineyard but that it lye euen When you haue thus digged it and that the Uines haue taken roote the fyrst yeere the rootes that growe aboue must be cut away with a sharpe knife for the Uine yf it be suffered to roote euery way it hindereth the deepe downe growing of the roote The Uines that are now of two yeeres growth we must digge and trenche about two foote deepe and three foote broade according to the rule of Socion Of those Uines that climbe vppon trees you must likewise cutte of the sprigs that runne among the rootes of the tree least the small roote tangled with the greater be strangled and therefore you must leaue some little space betwixt the Uine the Tree OfteÌ„ digging causeth great fruitfulnesse good heede must be taken that the plantes be not hurt in the digging also it must be digged before his florishing or shooting out of his leaues for as immediatly therewithal he beginneth to thrust out his fruite So he that diggeth after the romming foorth thereof looseth muche fruite with the violenâ— shaking and therefore must digge the timelyer Cutting and dressing of the rootes you must begin in hand with at y Ides of October so that they may be trimmed and dispatched afore Winter After Winter digge about the rootes that you haue dressed and before the sonne enter the Aequinoctium leuell the roots that you haue trimmed After the Ides of April rayse vp the earth about your Uine in Sommer let the grounde be oftentymes harrowed After the Ides of October as I haue sayde before the colde come in you must dresse the rootes of your Uines which labour layeth open the Sommer springes which the good husband cutteth away with his knifeâ— for yf you suffer them to growe the rootes that growe downe wil perishe and it happeneth that the rootes spreade all aboue whiche wyll be subiect both to colde and heate and therefore what so euer is wâ—thin a foote and a halfe is to be cutte of but so as you hurt not the principall You must make this ryddance of the rootes at euery fall of the leafe for the fyrst fiue yeeres tyll the Uine be full growen after you must dresse them euery fourth yeere suche Uines as are ioyned with trees for the vnhandsomenesse can not be thus handled Uines and Trees the sooner theyr rootes be thus dressed the stronger and weyghtier they wyl be bâ—t such as growe vppon the sides of hilles must so be dressed as the vpper rootes neare to the stocke may spreade largely and vnderneath towardes the foote of the hill the earth must be bancked to keepe the water and the mould the better The olde Uâ—ne must not haue his roote medled withall for wytheryng nor be plowed for breaking of them but the earth a little loosed with a Mattocke and when you haue thus drest the roote lay doung about it After this ridding of the rootes then foloweth proyning or cuttyng whereby the whole Uine is brought to one twigge and that also cutte within two ioyntes of the earâ—th which cuttyng must not be in the ioynt but betwixt the ioyntes with a slope cutte for auoyding the water neyther must the cut be on that side that the budde comes out of but on the contrary least with his bleeding he kill the budde Columella appoynteth two seasons for the cuttyng of Uines the spring and the fall of the leafe iudging in colde countreys the cutting in the spring to be the best and in hotte countreys where the Winters be milde the fall of the leafe at which tyme both trees plantes by the deuine and euerlastyng appoyntment of GOD yeelâ— vp their fruite and theyr leafe Yet must not your settes be too nearely cut except they be very feeble but the fyrst yeere they be set they must be holpen with often digging and pullyng of the leaues moonthly whyle they beare that they may grow the better Pamphilus in Constantine declareth the time of cuttyng or proynyng to begin in Februarie or March from the fiftienth of Februarie tyll the twentieth of Marche some he sayth thought good to cut them immediatly after the geathering of the Grapes least by bleedyng in the spring they loose theyr sustenance though being cut in the fall of the leafe it springeth the sooner in the spring and yf the cold of frost happen to come it is spoyled Therefore in colde countreys it were better to proyne it a little then to cut it throughly that is to suffer the principall springes and branches to growe Agayne it is very necessary to cut them in the spring the cuttes must be made with a very sharpe knife that they may be smoothe and that the water may not stand in them to the engendring of wormes and corruptyng of the Uine you must cut them rounde so wyl the cut be sooner growen out agayne but Plinie woulde haue them slope wyse for the better auoydyng of the water The branches that be broade olde crooked or wrythen cutte away and set young and better in their place You must make an ende of your cutting with as much speede as you may from the Ides of December tyll the Ides of Ianuarie you must not touche your Uines with a knife for Columella witnesseth that Uines in Winter may not be cut In cuttyng remember well to cut it betwixt two ioynes for yf you cut it in the ioynt you spill it let the cut be alwayes downeward so shall it be safe both from sunne and weather You must not cutte them very early but when the sunne hath drunke vp the frost or the deawe and warmed the branche the springes of the settes the fyrst yeere must be cut with good discretion nor suffered to growe to ranke nor cut too neare but making the olde set to suffer a spring or two to growe out Next vnto cuttyng foloweth the proppyng or supportyng of the Uine and it is best for the young and tender Uine not to be stayed vp with any
quickly be laid in dry Sand or els in some heape of Wheate in the shadow tyll they be wrinckled or els so couered with Chaffe as they touche not one the other Other say it is best to keepe them like Quinces couered with Playster or Chalke for in colde places they are kept without corrupting The rynde of the Pomegranate is called in Latine Malicorium the flowre of the Garden Pomegranate Dioscorides calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of the wylde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THRA I here also the outlandishe Cytron is here very carefully planted MARIVS The Cytron called also the Median the Persian and the Assyrian Apple because it was first brought out of Persia from the Medes others say it was first brought out of Africa into Greece by Hercules and therefore Varro calleth it the Apple of Africa they are called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Italian Citroni in Spanish Zidras in Dutch Giterâ—apfâ—el Pomerancen in Frenche Citron the fruite is called in Latine Hipericum and Aureum malum the golden Apple also the maryage Apple of Iupiter and Iuno such of them as are yellowe and of a golden colour they commonly call Oranges such as are of a greenishe pale yellowe they call Cytrols or Cytruls thosâ— that are long fashioned like an Egge yf they be yellowe are called Cytrons yf they be greene Lymons yf they be very great and round lyke Pompeons they call them Pomâ—cydrons the tree dooth alwayes beare fruite some falling some ripe and some springing nature shewing in them a woâ—nderful fertillitie as in the trees that Homer describeth in the Orchardes of Alcionous The leafe is lyke the Bay leafe sauyng that there growe prickles amongst them the fruite is yellowe wrinckled without sweete in sauour and sowre in taste the kernelles like the kernelles of a Peare a great resister of poysons The tree is planted as Palladius sayth foure maner of wayes of the kernâ—ll the scyens the branche and the stocke If you wil set the kernell you must digge the earth two foote euery way and mingle it with asshes you must make short beddes that they may be watred with gutters on euery syde In these beddes you must open the earth with your handes a hand breadth and set three kernelles togeathers with the toppes downeward and being couered water them euery day and when they spring leaue no weedes neare them they wyll spring the sooner yf you water them with warme water others say it is best the graynes being taken out in the spring to set them diligently in good mellowed furrowes and to water them euery fourth or fifth day and when they begin to grow to remoue them againe in the spring to a gentle and a mayst ground for it delighteth in much wet yf you set the branche you must not set it aboue a foote and a halfe in the ground least it rotâ—e The scyens and the stocke â—aâ—laâ—ius thinketh iâ— better to be planted and sheweth whâ—ch way Yf any man meane to cherishe this tree let him defâ—nd it well from the â—orth and set it toward the South and the sunne in the winter â—n frayles or baskettes wherefore some thâ—◠〈◊〉 carefull and â—ilâ—gent tâ— the rendring of this tree doo make little vaultes toward the South close couered and within theâ— neare thâ— wâ—ll 〈◊〉 plant the Oreâ—ge suffering the 〈◊〉 al sommer to 〈◊〉 to the sunne and to haue the heate theâ—â—f and as soone as winteâ— comesâ— they couer them straight with strawe or mattâ—â— speâ—ially with tâ—e stalkes of Gourdes This 〈◊〉 delighteth to â—e continually digged about they are grâ—â—â—ed 〈◊〉 hotte places â—n April in colde countreys in May not vnder tâ—e barke but cleaâ—ing the stocke hard by the roote they may 〈◊〉 graâ—â—ed botâ— on the Peare tree and the Mulbery but when 〈◊〉 are grâ—â—â—ed must be fenced eyther with a wicker basket or some earthen vessell The fruite wyll be sweete yf the kernelles be steeped in water sodde with hony or whiche is better in sheepes milke Such as you meane to keepe must be geathered in the night the Moone being downe and geathered with branches and all as they hang. Where the fruite burdeneth the tree you must pull them of and leaue but fewe on it whiche wyll be the pleasanter and the kindlyer fruite It is at this day nourished both in Germany and Fraunce and is planted in vessels full of earth and in hotte weather is set abroade in the sunne in colde weather set in sellers or in hotte houses I haue seene in Germany certaine hotte houses oâ— purpose made of Fyrre boordes that in Winter haue warmed all the Garden and in Sommer the frames taken away haue geuen place to the sunne If whyle they be young and little they be put into earthen vessels or glasse they growe according to the proporâ—ion therof so that you may haue them fashioned eyther like a man or like a beasâ— according â—o your fancie but you must so order your mouldes as the ayre may come to them But least I keepe you too long with these ouâ—lâ—ndâ—she trees I wyll speake something of our owne trees wherewith we are beâ—ter acquainted among whiche we haue the Mulbery in Latine Morus in Gâ—eeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fruite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian Moro in Spanishe Mora in Frenche Meure in Dutche Mulbern this is accounted of all other trees the wysest because he neuer blossometh tyll all colde weather be quite past so â—hat when so euer you see the Mulbery begin to spring you may be sure that winter is at an end he is ripe with the fyrst and bâ—ddeth out so hastily as in one night with a noyse he thrusteth out his leaues they dye the handes as Plinie sayth with the iâ—ycâ— of the ripe berry and washe it of with the greene berry he changeth his colour thryse fyrst whiâ—e then redde and lastly blacke he loueth hotte places and grauelly and delightes in digging and dounging but not in watring his rootes must be opened about October and the lees of wine poured vpon them it is set of the stones but thinne it often groweth to be wylde the best planting is the seyens and the toppes a fooâ—e a half long smoothe at both endes and rubbed ouer with doung The place wherein you set your 〈◊〉 they couer with ashes mingled with earth but couer it not aboue foure fingers thicke Palladius bids you to set it in March and to remooue it in October or Nouember Deritius telleth that the Mulbery may be planted in the fall of the lease by thrusting into the ground the branches after the order of the Figge tree whiche I mee selfe haue prooued speciall yf the end that is cut be wel brused that it may the quicklyer take roote and so when you haue made your hole with a stake thrust it in â—t is best graffed on the Beeche and the white Poplar eyther by graffing in the stocke or by inoculation and so shall
the pleasanter and growe the better The tops and the sharpe endes you must set downeward for from thence commeth the roote the edge must stande towarde the North you must set three of them in tryangle a handfull one from the other they must be watered euery ten dayes till they growe to be great it is also planted with the branches taken from the middest of the tree The Almond is graffed not neare the toppe of the stocke but about the middest vpon the bowes that grow out This tree dooth soone beare fruite and flowreth before all others in Ianuarie or Februarie Virgil accountes it for a prognosticatour of the plentifulnesse of Corne. When thicke the Nutte tree flowres amidde the woodde That all the branches laden bend withall And that they prosper well and come to good â–ª That yeere be sure of Corne shall plentie fall The bitter ones which are the holsomer are made sweete yf round about the tree foure fyngers from the roote you make a little trenche by whiche he shall sweate out his bitternesse or els yf you open the rootes and powre thereon eyther vrine or Hogges doung or yf at the roote of the tree you thrust in a fat wedge of Pâ—tche tree By this meanes as Basyl sayth they wyll loose theyr bitternesse but no tree groweth sooner out of kinde and therfore you must often remooue it or graffe it when it is great Wallnuttes called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Iâ—glantes in Italian Nocy in Spanishe Nuezes in French Noix in Dutch Groisse nusz they are set in the ground as Plinie sayth the seame downeward about the beginning of March some thinke that they wyl growe as the Filbert doth eyther of the slippe or the roote it groweth speedely and liketh a dry and a cold place better then a hotte The Nutte that you meane to set wyl growe the better yf you suffer it to lye foure or fyue dayes before in the water of a boy and wyl prosper the more yf it be often remooued those Nuttes as it is thought prosper best that are let fall by Crowes and other Birdes Yf you pearce the tree through with an Augur and fil vp the place agayne with a pin of Elme the tree shall lose his knotty hardnesse neither wyl he lose his fruite yf you hang by eyther Mullet or a peece of Skarlet from a dounhill THRA What is the reason you plant your Wallnut trees round about on the outside of your Orchard and not among your other trees MARIVS Because his shadowe is great vnholsome beside the hurt he dooth with his dropping He sucketh out a great deale of good iuyce from the ground for as you see they are very mighty and high trees so as some of them are two or three â—â—dome about they occupie a great deale of roome with their standing and beguile the other trees of their sustenance besides there are certaine trees they agree not well withall and therefore haue I set them on the outside of my Orchard as standardes to defend their fellowes from tempest and weather Among Nuttes is also to be recounted the Hasel Nuttes a kinde whereof is the Filbert called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Auellanâ—â— in Italian Noâ—iuole in Spanish Auellamas in French Nâ—râ—eeâ—â—e in Dutch Haselnuâ—ez they are planted after the maner of the Almond it delighteth in claye and watrâ—sh groundes and vpon hilles being well able to abiâ—e the colde They were fyrst brought into Asia and Greece from Pâ—â—tus and therefore called Ponâ—icâ—e and Heracleoticâ—e c. Among the Nuttes also chalengeth the Chestnut his place though he be rather to be reckoned among mast whereby is called the Nut or mast of â—upiteâ— in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Castanea in Italian Castagne in Spanish Castaua in French Castagnes in Dutch Kastey it loueth well to growe on mountaynes and in colde countreys it hateth waters and desyreth a cleane and a good mould it misliketh not a moyst grauell ground and ioyeth in a shadowy and Northerly bancke it hateth a stiffe and a redde clay grounde it is planted both of the Nut and the set it is better planting Wooddes of them of the Nut then of the set otherwyse the safer way were the set whiche in two yeeres beareth fruite It is planted when the sunne is in the Aequinoctial both of the scyens the set the branche and the roote as the Olyue is The Chestnuttes that you meane to sowe must be very fayre and ripe the newer they be the better they growe you must not set them after that sort that you set Almonds or Filberts but with the sharpe end vpward and a foote a sunder the furrowe must be a shaftman deepe You were better as I sayd to make your Groue of the Nut then of the settes whiche wyll be meete to be felled for stayes in seuen yeere Columella wryteth that the Chestnut meete for the supporting of Uines yf he be sowed in well digged ground dooth quickly spring and being felled after fiue yeeres it prospereth like the Wyllowe and being cut out in stayes it lasteth till the next felling as shal be shewed hereafter when we speake of Wooddes They wyll also haue the Chestnut to be graffed on the Wallnut the Beeche and the Oke it hath been seene that where they grow two and two togeather they prosper the better The Pine in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Pinus in Italian and Spanish Pino in Frenche Pin in Dutch Hartzbaum is planted not muche vnlike to the Almond the kernelles of the key clocks being set as the Almond is they are geathered in Iuly before the caniculer windes and 〈◊〉 the Nuttes the huske being broken fall out The best time of sowing them Palladius reckoneth to be October and Nouember this tree is thought to be a nourisher of all that is sowen vnder it The Pitche tree is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Tiâ—ea in Italian Pezzo in Spanish Pino negro in Dutch RotdannenbauÌ„ but I come nowe to the Chery The Chery tree in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fruite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian the tree Ceraso the fruite Cerase and Ciregio in Spanish Cerezo and Cereza in French Cerisier and Cerise in Dutch Kirsbaâ—m kirsea the tree is easie to be planted yf the stones be but cast abrode they wyll growe with great encrease such is their forwardnesse in growing that the stâ—yes or supporters of Uâ—nes being made of Chery tree are commonly seene to growe to be trees They are graffed vpon the Plome tree vppon his owne stocke vppon the Plane tree and on the Bramble but best vppon the wylde Chery it ioyeth in being graffed and beareth better fruite yf you graffe them vpon the Uine your tree shall beare in the spring the time of graffing is eyther when there is no Gumme vppon them or when the Gumme hath left runnyng They remoue the wyld plant eyther
seasons and yet doo very well All Garden hearbes are commonly sowen before the tenth of Iune suche thinges as you would not haue seede you may sowe after this time Some thinges are sowed onely two times a yeere in the spring and in the ende of Sommer Others agayne at sundry tymes as Lettuse Colwoortes Rocket Radishe Cresses Corriander Cheruil and Dyll These are sowed about March or about September and as Columella sayth doo come eyther of the seede or of the slippe some of the Roote some of the Stalke some of the Leafe some of the Clot some of the Head some of both others of the Barke others of the Pith some both of the seede and the slippe as Rue wylde Marierum and Basyl this they cutte of when it comes to be a handfull hye others growe both of the Seede and the Roote as Onyons Garlyke and suche lyke And although al thing wyll growe of their seedes yet this they say Rue wyll not doo for it very seeldome springes therefore they rather set the slippes These that are set of the Roote doo commonly last longer and branche better putting foorth young slippes from his sides as the Onyon and Gith The stalke being cut they all doo spring agayne for the most part except such as haue speciall stalkes called of Theophrastus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is suche as when the stalke is cutte growe no more Gasa interprets it Secaulia The Rape and the Radysh their leaues being pulled away couered with earth doo growe and continue tyll Sommer The fruites of some is in the earth some without and some both within without some lye grow as the Cucumber and the Gourd sometimes hang though of greater weyght by much then the fruites of Trees some require stayes helpes to clime by as Hoppes Lupines Pease some seede groweth better The newer they be as Leekes Nigella Romana Cucumbers Gourdes therefore some vse to steepe their Cucumber-seede in Mylke or Water to cause them to grow the speedelyer On the other side of olde seede better groweth the Beete Garden Cresses Peniryal great Marierum Corriander In the Beete this is onely obserued that the seede commeth not al vp in one yeere but part the second yeere some the third and therefore of a great deale of seede springeth but a little Touchyng seede this is to be well seene to that they be not to olde and drye that they be not mingled or taken one for an other olde seede in some is of such force as it chaungeth the nature for of olde Colwoort seede springeth the Rape and likewyse of Rape seede Colwoortes Also that ye geather not your seedes to soone nor to late The very time as Theophrastus wryteth is at the spring the fall of the leafe and the rysyng of the Dogge but not in all places and kindes alike Of Seedes the soonest that spring are these Basyl Arach Nauen Rocket that commeth vp the third day after the sowing Lettuse the fourth day the Cucumber and the Gourde the fyfth day Parslin longer eare it come Dyl the fourth day Cresses and Mâ—stardseede the fifth day Beetes in Sommer the â—ixth day in Winter the tenth or the twelfth Leekes the nienetienth day sometime the twentieth Corryander later which if it be new except it be thrust togeather it groweth not at all Peneryall and great Marierom come vp after thyrtie dayes Parsley of all other the longest before it come vp appearing the fourtieth day after or many times the fiftieth You must also consyder that the weather in sowyng is of great force for the season being fayre warme they come vp the sooner Some sortes seede one yeere and neuer after come vp some agayne continue as Persley Smalledge Leekes Nigella that beyng once sowed come vp euery yeere Suche as continue but a yeere presently vpon their seeding dye other spring agayne after the losse of their stalke as Leekes Nigella Onyons and Garlyke and commonly all suche as put out from the side and all these require dounging and watring In sowyng beside some thinke you must haue regard to the Moone and to sowe and set in the encrease and not in the wane Some agayne thinke it best from that she is foure dayes olde tyll she be eyghteene some after the thirde others from the tenth tyl the twentieth and best as they all suppose the Moone being aloft and not sette THRA But nowe I pray you tell vs something of the ordering of the best Garden hearbes you haue MARIVS Some deuide their gardnyng time by the monethes as they doo their other husbandry THRA I care not whether by monethes or other wayes but I would faine knowe the orderyng of your Garden here for I knowe in hotte Countreys they garden all the Winter long but I am altogeather for our Countrey whose order we must here folowe MARIVS In these partes they commonly begyn theyr gardnyng yf the weather be fayre and seasonable in the ende of Februarie At this time therefore the Garden being dounged digged raked and cleansed they vse to plant Sperage and Rue THRA I pray you begin with Asparagus or Sperageâ— and the other potte hearbes euery one in his order and afterward with flowres and Phisicke hearbes MARIVS Asparagus was woont to growe wylde but now is brought into the Garden it is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian Spanishe and Frenche it is almost all one the one calling it Asparago the other Asperge the Dutche men call it Sparages and Spiritus because it comes vp of it selfe for the Garden Sperage they were not acquainted with It is planted in two sortes eyther of the Seede or the Roote They take of the Seede as much as you may take vp with three fyngers and bestowing it in little hoâ—ls euery two or three seedes halfe a foote a sunder they set them in ritche ground in Februarie and couer the ground with doung The weedes that growe must be well plucked away after the fourtieth day they come vp as it were to one roote and tangled togeather the rootes haue sundry long threedes which they call the Sponge In ground that is drye the seedes are to be set deepe and well tempered with doung In wette groundes on the other side they are to be set shallowe in toppe of the borders lest the moysture destroy them The fyrst yeere you must breake of the stalkes that growe for yf you plucke them vp by the rootes the whole settes wyll folowe which are to be preserued for two yeere with dounging and weeding All the yeeres after you must not geather them in the stalke but pull them from the roote that the rootes being opened may the better spring which except you doo you hurt the spring Him that you meane to keepe for feede you must in no wyse meddle withall after burne vp the busshes and in Winter doung well the rootes with doung and ashes they are planted also
a tree with an Augur eyther to the pith or the vttermost rynde going something sloapewyse downeward and getting out all the chippes cleane take a Uine or an arme of the best Uâ—ne not cut from his olde mother and paryng away the outer rynde thrust it fast into the hole being all moyst full of sappe leauyng a budde or two onely vppon it afterward stoppe the hole well with Mosse and Clay and commit it to the earth In this sort may you graffe Uines vpon Elmes so shal the branch liue being both nourished by his olde mother and his newe father Two yeere after you shal cut of the newe graffed branche and the stocke wherein you graffed you shall sawe of a little aboue the boryâ—g so shall the graffe become the cheefest part of the plant The lyke doo our countrey men takyng a branche of a Beeche a foote thicke and when they haue cutte it and bored it they set in it the branches of the best Peare or Apple that they can geat setting the same in a very wet ground in March and in the same moneth the yeere after taking vp the Beeche they cut it a sunder with a Sawe betwixt the holes the branches and euery peece of stocke with his branche they set in very riche and fruitefull grounde There are some that bragge of â—n other kinde of graffing not much vnlyke to the former whereof notwithstanding Aâ—rican in Constantine maketh mention as tryed in a Peache They wyl a man to take the branch of a Wyllowe as bigge as your arme two cubites in length or more this they would haue you to bore through the middes and after slâ—pping of the branches of a Peache as he standes lâ—â—â—ing only the toppe vntouched they would haue you to make the Peâ—câ—e passe through the Wyllowe batte and that done to bowe the wyllowe lyke a bowe seâ—ting both his endes into the eaâ—th and so to binde vp the hole with mosse morter bandes The yeere after when as the head of the Peache hath ioyned hym selfe with the pith of the Wyllowe that both the bodyes are become one You shall cut the tree beneath and remoue it and rayse vp the earth so as you couer the Wyllow bowe with the toppe of the Peache and this shal bring you Peaches without stones This kinde of graffing must be done in moyst places and the Wyllowes must be holâ—en with often watringes that the nature of the tree may be of force The kindes and maners of propagation are declared by Plinie who telleth of two kindes the fyrst wherein a branche of the tree being bowed downe and buried in a little furrowe and after two yeeres cut of and the plant in the thirde yeere remoued which yf you entende to carry any farre distance of it is best for you to burie your branches in baskettes or earthen vessels in whiche you may appliest carry them And an other more delicater way he speaketh of which is to get the roote out of the very tree laying the branches in baskettes of earth and by that meanes obtaynyng rootes betwixt the very fruite and the toppes for by this meanes the roote is fetched from the very toppe so farre they presume and from thence fetche them vsing it as before in whiche sort you may also deale with Rosemary and Sauyne Columella sheweth a way howe slippes of all maner of trees may be graffed in what trees you lyst THRA And some are also sette of the slippes or slyuynges I mee selfe haue plucked a branche from a Mulbery tree and broosing the ende a little with a Mallet haue set it in the ground and it hath growen to be a fayre tree the like hath been tryed as they say in Apples and Peares MARIVS You say well for nature hath shewed vs that the young scyences plucked from the rootes of the trees wyll growe the youngest are best to be planted and so to be pulled vp as they may bryng with them some part of theyr mothers body In this sort you may plant Pomegranates Fylbertes Apples Seruysses Medlars Plomes Fygges but specially Uines sometimes Cheryes and Myrtels Of the stocke and the branches are also planted the Almond the Peare the Mulbery the Orenge the Olyue the Qâ—â—â—ce the Iuye and the turkishe Plome whiche the oftner you remoue them the better they prooue Plinie sayth that branches cut from the tree were at the fyrst onely vsed for hedges Elder Quinces and Bryers medled togeather afterwardes for vse as the Poplar the Alder and the Wyllowe at this day we set them where we best lyke Heede must be taken that the stockes or the settes be of a good kinde not crooked knotty nor forked nor sclenderer then that a man may well gripe with his hand nor lesse then a foote in length THRA It remaineth nowe that you speake of the settyng of the fruite or kernell MARIVS Nature as Plinie sayth hath taught vs to set the kernel by the seedes deuoured of birdes and moystned with the warmth of their entrayles and after voyded in the boughes and ryses of trees whereby we finde many times a Plane tree growyng out of a Bay a Bay out of a Chery and a Chery out of a Wyllowe Many trees are set of the fruite kernel or stone whiche growe yeerely of them selues by reason of the falling of the fruite as Chestnuts Haselnuts and Wallnuts Columella sayth they are the fruitefuller trees that spring of their fruite then those that are sette of the stocke or the branche Some delight to be set in trees and not in the grounde and when they haue no soyle of their owne they liue in a stranger Of the fruite or kernell are planted Nuttes Almondes Pystaces Chestnuts Damsons Plomes Pineapples Dates Cypresse Bayes Apples Peares Maples Fyrtrees Cheryes Peaches and Alm coâ—tes but set or planted they prooue to be the kyndlyer Some of these doo growe in graffing and other wayes for experience teacheth that the Nutte and the Tereâ—â—ith are graffed and Demageron witnesseth as much neither are all fruites kernels and stones set in like sort as hereafter shal be seene Some are layde in water before others not some lye three dayes in hony and water and at the fal of the leafe are buryed in the grounde tyll March and then sette Nuttes are onely layd in moyst doung a day before and of some in water and hony onely a nyght lest the sharpnesse of the hony destroy the sproote Some are 〈◊〉 with their toppes standyng vpward as the Chestnut others downeward as the Almond though this is not greatly to be regarded sith we see the fruite that falles from the tree or is let fall by Byrdes dooth prosper best of any other THRA I haue a woonderfull delyght in the Impe Gardens of these Countreys I pray you tell me howe they be ordered MARIVS The orderyng of an Impe Garden may not be passed ouer wherein as in a Parke the young plantes are nourished And
young or newely planted it is helped with doung or better with ashes they must be watred as often as the season is very drye and digged about continually in hotte countreys in October or Nouember in cold countreys in Februarie or March for yf you doo not often digge about them they wyll eyther be barrayne or beare noughty fruite they must be proyned cutte and ridde of aâ—l encombrances If the tree be sicke or prosper not well the roote must be watred with the mother of oyle mingled with the lyke quantitie of water as Didymus in Constantine sayth or vnsleckt Lyme medled with Chalke or Rozen and Tarre must be powred vpon the rootes you shal geather them in a very faire day being â—ounde and vnspotted and very rype and in the wâ—ne of the Moone They are best kept coffened betwixt two hollowe Tyles well closed on euery side with clay some â—y them onely in drye places where no winde commeth others keepe them in Chaffe Wheate many in Hony some in Wine and maketh the Wine more pleasant Democritus biddeth you beware that you lay them not neare other fruite because with their ayre they wyll corrupt them There is also made a kinde of wine of Quinces being beaten and pressed and â— little Hony Oyle put vnto it our countrey men make of them a precious Conserue and Marmelad being congealed with long seething and bâ—yled with Sugar Wine and Spices I wyll nowe shewe you of tâ—e Mâ—â—lar which the Greekes call M. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines Mespilus the Italians Nespilo tâ—e Spaniard Mespero the Frenchmen Mesplier or Nesâ—â—ier the Dutchmen Mespelen this tree is also of the number of Apple trees and Peare trees it is planted in like maner as the Quince is it delighteth in hot places but well watred though it doo well yenough in cold We haue seene it prosper very wel among Okes and Wooddes for we haue seene great Woods of them growing among Okâ—s that haue yeerely yeelded a great deale of money Some say it is planted of the scyens in March or Nouember in a well dounged ground and mellowe so that both the endes be rubbed ouer with doung It is also set of the stone but then it is very long before it come to any thing it is excellently well graffed in the Bramble the Pyrry or the Apple The Mâ—dlar that you meane to keepe must be geathered before they be ripe and being suffered to growe vppon the tree they last a great part of the Winter they are also preserued in sodden Wine and Uinegre and Water in Catos tyme they were not knowen in Italy Plinie and others haue spoken of them neyther is it certayne whether the olde wryters tooke them for Seruisses Plinie speaketh of three kindes of them the fyrst kinde hauing but three stones in them called therefore Priâ—â—â—cum We haue at this day two kindes the one hauing here and there prickles growing in euery Wood and Thicket very sowre afore it be mellowed and made soâ—t with frost and colde of Winter the other hauing no prickles at all with a great fruite whiche seemeth to be brought hereunto by diligent planting and graffing The wood of the wylde Medlar we vse to make Spoakes for Wheeles of and the twigges of them serue for Carters whippes Next vnto the Medlar for neyghbourhood sake we must speake of the Seruisse a hygh tree with a round berry or fashioned like an Egge wherefore it is called Ova as Theophrastus witnesseth and the fruite 〈◊〉 the Latines call it Sorbus the Italians as the Latines the Spaniardes Seruall the Frenchemen Cormie or Cormier the Dutchmen Sporeffelbaum The fruite growes in clusters as the Grape dooth the wylde is better then the Garden fruite It delighteth in colde places and yf you plant it in hotte countreys it wyll waxe bâ—rrayne It hath no prickles as the Medlar hath it groweth of the stone the sette the roote or the scyens and prospereth in a colde and a wette soyle vpon hilles it is planâ—ed in Februarie and March in colde counâ—reys and in hotte in October and Nâ—uembâ—r it is graffâ—d eyther vpon his owne stocke or on the Qâ—â—nce or Hâ—wâ—horne eyther in the stocke or the barke THRA I marueyle howe you can haue Pomegranates here I pray you shewe what oâ—der you vse MARIVS Among the strange fruites there is none câ—mparable to the Pomegranate so called I thinke because of his countrey Carthage and Africa where the beâ—t doo gâ—owe tâ—e tree as ye see is not hie the lâ—afe nâ—rrowe and of a very â—aire greenâ— the flowre purple and long like a Coffin the Apple that is compassed with a thicke rynde is all fâ—ll of graynes within it â—s called of the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well the tree as the fruâ—te 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Pomegranate sweete and sowre it is called in Latine Asalum â—unâ—â—um and Malum Granatum in Italian Mele grano in Spanishe Granada in Frenche Tomos de granâ—â— in Dutche Granataâ—ssel This tree onely as the Figge aâ—d tâ—e Uâ—â—e the body being clouen dyeth not the branâ—hes are full of prickles as the Gâ—rstâ—is it loueth both a â—ot ground and a hot câ—untrey and liketh not watrâ— places In some hot coâ—ntrâ—ys it groweth wylde in the busshes it is plâ—â—ted in the spring tiâ—e the rootes bâ—ing waâ—red with â—ogges doung and Stale It is graâ—â—ed vpon his owne stocke and also vppon other trees and likâ—wyse oâ— the scyences that gâ—owe from the rootes of the olde tree And though it may be plâ—nâ—d sundry wayes 〈◊〉 the best way is the branche of a cuâ—â—â—â— in lengtâ— smoothâ—d with your knyfe at â—oth the endes and 〈…〉 in the grounâ— with boâ—h his endes well smeared witâ—â—oâ—ges doâ—ng and Stale There is also an other way of planâ—yng it which iâ— to take a very fruiteful stocke which mâ—y be brâ—â—ght to the earth and him aâ—ter the maner of other trees they gâ—asse by â—nfolliation betwiâ—t tâ—e bâ—rke and the â—ynde and well and cloâ—ely bind it after they set it in the ground not toucâ—ing the grâ—â—â—ed part but the partes beneath annoynting it with the mother of oyle and make it fast with cordes that it slyp not backe tyll the branche be growen It much delighteth as Democritus sayth in the Myrtill insomuche as the rootes wyll meete and tangle togeather with great ioy The fruite wyll growe without kernels yf as in the Uine the pith being taken out the set be couered with earth and when it hath taken the spring be proyned There is as African reporteth in euery Pomegranate a like number of graynes though they differ in bignesse Basyl wryteth in his Hexam that the sowre Pomegranate wyll growe to be sweete yf the body of the tree neare to the roote be pearced through and fylled vp with a fat Pitche tree pin You shal haue them endure a very great whyle yf they be fyrst dipped in skalding water and taken out
Hogges doung you set it in the ground Agayne you shall haue them wâ—thout stones yf you pearce the tree thorowe and fill it vp with a pinne of Wyllowe or Cornell tree the pith being had out the rootes of the tree must be cut and dressed in the fall of the leafe dounged with his owne leaues you shall also at this time proyne them ridde them of all rotten dead bowes If the tree prosper not powre vpon the rootes the lees of olde wine mingled with water Against the heate of the sunne heape vp the earth about them water it in the euenyng and shadowe them as wel as you may Agaynst the frostes lay on doung yenough or the lees of wine medled with water or water wherein Beanes haue been sodden yf it be hurt with woormes or such baggage powre on it the vrine of Oxen medled with a third part of Uinegar The Date tree in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian in Latine and in Spanish Palma in French Arbor de Dattes in Dutch Dactelenbaum the fruite in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Palmulae in Italian Dattoli in Spanish Dattiles in French Dattes in Dutch Dactelem it groweth in a milde grauelly ground delighteth in a watry soyle though it desyre to haue water all the yeere long yet in a dry yeere it beares the better and therfore some thinke that doung is hurtful vnto it About the riuer Nilus in the East partes it groweth plenteously where as they vse to make both wine and bread of it this tree in Europe for the most part is barrayne though it be planted of many for noueltie sake The stones of Dates are planted in trenches of a cubite in deapth and breadth the trenche filled vp agayne with any maner of doung except Goates doung then in the middest of the heape set your stones so as the sharper part stand vpward other would haue it stand towarde the East and after when first they haue sprinckled thereon a little salt they couer them with earth well medled with doung and euery day whyle it springeth they water it some remoue it after a yeeres growth other let it growe till it be great Moreouer because it delighteth in salt grounde the rootes must be dressed euery yeere salt throwen vpon them and so wyll it quickly growe to be a great tree The settes are not presently to be put in the ground but fyrst to be set in earthen pottes and when they haue taken roote to be remoued Date trees haue such a delight one in the other that they bend them selues to touche togeather and yf they growe alone they waxe barrayne They are planted as Plinie sayth of the branches two cubites long growing from the toppe of the tree also of the slippes and slyuers The same Plinie affyrmeth that about Babylon the very leafe yf it be set dooth growe THRA I remember you tolde me once the spring and scyens that groweth out of the rootes of some trees wyll very well be planted MARIVS I tolde you before that diuers of the trees whereof I spake might be planted of the branches and of the scyences hauing some part of the roote plucked vp with them and so I sayde the Chery might be planted as also the Hasel the Laurel the Myrtel and the Medlar likewyse the fayrest branches slipped of and the endes a little brused and thrust into the ground commonly doo growe to be trees as I mee selfe haue tryed both in the Mulbery the Peare tree and the Apple tree One thing I wyll adde beside that the trees that beare fruite ouer hastely doo eyther neuer come to their iust bignesse or the fruite that they beare dooth neuer long endure wherefore I thinke sprang fyrst that lawe of Moses that fruite trees should for three yeeres be counted vncircumcised and theyr foreskinnes with theyr fruite should be circumcised that is the burgens and blossomes should be plucked of lest he should beare before his time or when he hath borne lose his fruite but I keepe you too long in the describing of my Orchard THRA O no I rather whilest I heare you imagine mee selfe to be amongst them planting and viewing of theyr fruites but now remaineth that in steede of a conclusion to your talke you declare the order of preseruing them to that end specially that those thinges that are appoynâ—ed for remedie being not duely or in time administred be not rather a hurt then a helpe MARIVS Your motion is good fyrst therefore and generally dounging and watring is needefull for fruite trees a very fewe excepted and herein heede must be taken that you doo it not in the heate of the Sunne and that it be neyther too newe nor too olde neither must it be laide close to the foote of the tree but a little distance of that the fatnesse of the doung may be druncke in of the roote Pigeons doung and Hoggerdoung doo also heale the hurtes or woundes of trees The water wherewith we water them must not be Fountayne water or Wel water yf other may be had but drawen from some muddy Lake or standyng Poole Moreoner you must take heede as I also tolde you before when we began to talke of planting of an Orchard that your trees stand a good distance a sunder that when they are growen vp they may haue roome yenough to spreade and that the small and tender be not hurt of the greater neyther by shadowe nor dropping Some woulde haue Pomegranate trees and Myrtels and Bays set as thick togeather as may be not passing mene foote a sunder and likewyse Chery trees Plome trees Quinces Apple trees and Peare trees thyrtie foote and moe a sunder euery sort must stande by themselues that as I saide the weaker be not hurt of the greater The nature of the soyle is herein most to be regarded for the Hill requireth to haue them stand nearer togeather in windy places you must set them the thicker The Olyue as Cato sayth wyl haue fiue and twentie foote distance at the least You must set your plantes in suche sort as the tops be not hurt or brused nor the barke or rynde flawed of for the barke being taken away round about killeth any kind of tree You must also haue a regard of the shadowe what trees it helpeth and what trees it hurteth The Wallnut tree the Pine tree the Pitch tree and the Fyrre tree what so euer they shadowe they poyson The shadowe of the Wallnut tree and the Oke is hurtfull to Corne the Wallnut tree with his shadowe also is hurtful to mens heads and to all thinges that is planted neare it The Pine tree with his shadowe likewise destroyeth young plants but they both resist the winde and therefore good to enclose Uineyardes The Cypresse his shadowe is very smal and spreadeth not farre The shadow of the Figge tree is gentle though it spreade farre and therfore it may safely yenough growe amongst Uines The Elme
began to be brought in strange outlandish Foules the keeping and breeding whereof yeeldeth to the husband both pleasure and profite We haue here brought in PVLLARIVS CHENOBOSCVS MELISSEVS and PISSINARIVS euery one of them seuerally entreating of such thinges as belongeth to his charge MELISSEVS I see you haue here PVLLARIVS great store of Foule and Poultry and I beleeue veryly the profyte and commoditie of them wyll not quite halfe the charges they put you to PVLLARIVS Yes veryly they quite your cost whether you sell them or keepe them for the Kitchin. It is sayde that Auidius Lurco made yeerely of his Poultry and Foule fiue hundred pound MELISSEVS But I doo a great deale better like the common Poultry that we keepe about our houses PVLLARIVS We haue also of the same here at home with vs. MELISSEVS Then let me vnderstand I pray in what order you keepe them for herein you seeme to be most skilfull PVLLARIVS It is meete that euery one be skilfull in the trade that he professeth If you wyl I wil not refuse to shew you that little cunning that I haue so you on the other side vouchsafe to shewe me the ordring of your Bees MELISSEVS I wyll not sticke with you for that to tell you the best that I can PVLLARIVS Well then with a good wyll I declare vnto you my knowledge beginning first with those kindes that are most in vse for amongst all other housholde Poultry the cheefe place is due to the Corke and the Henne that are beside so common as the poorest wyddowe in the countrey is able to keepe them In this Byrd there are three poyntes of naturall affection cheefely to be woondred at The first the great carefulnesse that they haue during the time of theyr sitting wherin for the desire of hatching theyr young they seeme to be carlesse of eyther meate or drinke Secondly that they beare such loue to them as they sticke not to hazard theyr owne liues in the defence of them And thirdly that in the storme great cold or sicknesse they preserue and nourish them vnder theyr winges not making for the whyle any account of theyr owne selues There is hereof a most sweete comparison in the Gospel wherin our Sauiour CHRIST compareth him self to the Henne that gathereth her Chickins vnder her winges And therefore since these are common for euery man to haue and that they alwayes feede about the house I thinke it best to beginne with them and to tell you which are best to be liked which to be brought vp and which to be fatted First the bell to be bought for broodeâ— are the dunne the redde the yellowe and the blacke the white are not to be medled with because they are commonly tender and prosper not neyther are they besides fruitefull and are alwayes the fayrest marke in a Hawke or a Bussardes eye Let therfore your Henne be of a good colour hauing a large body and brest a great head with a straight redde and duble comme white 〈◊〉 and great her tallons euen The best kind as Columella sayth are such as haue â—iue clawes so that they be free from spurres for such as weare those Cockish weapons are not good for broode and disdayne the company of the Cocke and lay but seeldome and when they sitte with theyr vnruly spurres they breake theyr Egges The little Pullets or Hennes though the old age both for theyr vnfruitfulnesse and other causes disalowed them yet in many places they proue to be good and lay many Egges In England at this day they are vsed as a daynty dishe at mens tables In the choyse of your Cockes you must prouide such as wyll treade lustyly of colours as I tolde you for the Hennes and the like number of tallons and like in many other pointes but of stature they must be hyer carrâ—yng theyr heads straight vp theyr commes must be ruddy and hye not hanging nor falling downe theyr eyes blacke and sharpe theyr bylles short and crooked theyr eares great and white theyr wattelles oryent hauing vnder them as it were a kind of grayish beard the necke feathers of colour diuers eyther a pale golden or a gylstering greene which must hang ruflâ—ng from his necke to his shoulders theyr brestes must be large and well brawned theyr wynges well feathered and largeâ— theyr tayles dubled and flagging theyr rumpes and thyes ful of scathers theyr legges strong wel armed with sharp and deadly spurres Theyr disposition for you shall not neede to haue them great fighters would be gentle quick and liuely and specially good wakers and crowers for it is a Byrd that well aporcioneth both the night and the day and as Prudentius witnesseth exhorteth to repentance Neyther must you on the other side haue him a Craddon for he must sometime stand in the defence of his wyfe his chyloren and haue stomake to kill or beate away a Snake or any such hurtfull vermine but yf he be to quarrellus you shall haue no rule with him for fightting and beating his fellowes not suffering them to treade though he haue more then his handes full him selfe This mischiâ—fe you may easely preuent with shackling him with a shooe sole for although such lusty fighters are bredde vp and cheryshed for the game yet are they not to serue the husbands turne at home A Cocke framed and proporcioned after this sort shal haue â—iue or sixe Hennes going with him MELI I pray you let me vnderstand what time of the yeere is best for bringing foorth of Chickins PVLLA In some places specially the hottest countreys the Hennes beginne to lay in Ianuary in colder countreys eâ—ther in February or at the latter end of Ianuary you must also further their laying be geuing them meates for the purpose as Barly halfe sodde whiche maketh both the Egges the fayrer and causeth them to lay the oftner Some thinke it good to mingle therewith the leaues or the seedes of Cytisus which both are thought to be greatly of force in making them fruiteful If this be not to be had you may supply the want with Spery or as Caâ—danâ—â— saâ—th with Hempseede which wyll cause them to lay all the Wâ—nâ—â—r When they lay you must see that theyr nestes be very cleane and kept styll with freshe cleane strawe for otherwyse they wyll be full of Flease and other vermine which wyll not suffer the Henne to be quiet wherby the Egges doo not hatch euen togeather or many times waxe adle and rotten The Egges that you sette vnder them must be newe layd howebeit so they be not aboue tenne dayes old it maketh no great matter yf you lâ—oke not to them they wyll straightwayes sitte after their first laying which you must not suffer for the young Pulleâ—s are better for laying then sitting the desire of sitting is restrained by the thrusting a feather through theyr nose The old Hennes must rather be suffered to sitte then the younger because of their experience Herein must you
Bees that agree not togeather for which you shall search where you see the Bees to cluster most Therefore annoynting your handes with the iuyce of Balme or Beewort that they may abide you thrust in your fingers softly amongst them shedding the Bees searche well till you haue found the ringleader of the dissention whom you must take away What the proporcion shape of the king is I haue told you a little before that is something longer then the other Bees and lesser wingged of a faire glistring colour smooth without sting Howbeit some of them be shagheard and ill coloured which are nought to be killed Let the best as he sayth were the Crowne who must him selfe also be depriued of his winges if he be to busie headded wil alwayes be carrying his people abroade So shal you with the losse of his sailes kepe him at home spitte of his teeth while he dare not for want of his winges venture out of the doores and so shall he kepe his people at home Dydimus wryteth that your Bees wil neuer goe away if you rubbe the mouth of your Hiue with the doung of a new calued Calfe To the same end serueth it yf you stampe the leaues of wilde Oliues garden Oliues togeather and annoint the Hiues in the euening therewithall or yf you wash the Hiues the walles with Hony sodden in water When an olde stocke is come to a small number that there be not Bees yenough to furnish the Hiue you must supply the want with a newe swarme destroying the king of the first swarme in the spring so shall both the swarmes dwell togeather in amitie with theyr old parentes as shall be shewed you hereafter where I meane to speake of repairing the stocke The sommer being past ensueth the time for taking of Hony to which haruest the trauaile of the whole tendeth The time for gathering thereof Columella teacheth to be then when we perceaue the Drones to be driuen out and banished by the Bees for thence they Dryue the drousie Drone away This Drone is an vntimely birth and an vnperfet Bee but very like vnto the Bee saue that he is bigger bodyed lying alwayes idle in the Hiue not labouring him selfe but feeding like a lubber of the sweat of his fellowes yet serueth he for the breeding and bringing vp of the young which when he hath doone they thrust him out of the Hiue Varro apointeth three seasons for taking out the Hony the first at the rising of the seuen starresâ— the second in sommer the third at the setting of the seuen starres this signe is when the Hiues be heauy that they be double furnished You may make your coniecture by the Bees when they make great noise within when you see them stand daunsing and playing at theyr doores as also yf looking into the Hiue you perceiue the mouthes of the Coaâ—â—es to be couered with a Hony filme Dydimus thinketh it to be the best time for the first haruest the rising of the seuen starres or the beginning of May the second the beginning of Autum the third the setting of the seuen starres which is about October Howbeit these times be not alwayes precisely to be obserued but according to the forwardnesse of the season for yf so be you take the Hony before theyr Coames be ready they take it ill presently leaue woorking The time for gelding or driuing your Bees is early in the morning for you must not at noone trouble your Hiues For this kinde of gelding of your Hiues you must haue two instrumentes for the nonâ—e a foote a halfe long and more the one of them must be a long knife of a good breadth hauing at the ende a bending crooke to scrape withall the other must be plaine and very sharpe that with the one you may cutte the Coames with the other scrape them and drawe out what so euer dregges or filth you â—inde in them And yf your Hiues be not open behind you shall make a smoake with Galbanum or dry doung being put into an earthen panne made for the purpose small at the one end from whence the smoake shall come broade at the other from which you shall blowe vp the smoke from the fire in suche sort as Columâ—lla sheweth you This pot you must suffer at the first to smoke into the Hiue and afterward round about without and so shall you driue them He that medleth in this case with the Bees must speciallâ— keepe him selfe from lechery and drunkennesse and washe him selfe cleane for they loue to haue suche as come about them to be as pure and cleane as may be They delight in cleanlinesse so muche as they them selues doo remoue from them all filthinesse suffering no filth to remayne amongst their labours raking vp in heape togeather the excrement of their owne bodyes whiche in rayny dayes when they worke not abrode they remoue and throwe out of the Hiue If you set Garlicke by them they wyl sting al that come neare them Their anger is cheefely asswaged by the presence of those that vse to tend them at whose comming they waxe wylder being well acquainted with those that are their keepers If there be two swarmes in one Hiue and agreed togeather they haue two sortes maner of Coames euery swarme obseruing his owne order but all the Coames so hang by the roffes of the Hyues and sides as they touche not the ground where the Bees vse cheefely to walke as I sayde before in theyr buylding of theyr Coames The fashion of theyr Coames is alwayes according to the fashion of theyr Hyues sometimes square sometime round sometime long as the Hyues are in which they are fashioned as in a moulde Plinie wryteth that there were Hony Coames found in Germany of eyght foote in length but howsoeuer they be you must not take them all out but must vse discretion in taking of them Amongst our people in the first be haruest yf I may so terme it they vse with theyr crooked knife to pare away no more but the empty celles tyll they come to those that be full taking good heede that they hurt them not and this they doo in the spring In the latter haruest that is at the end of Sommer they take the Coames full of Hony in such sort as I tolde you burning the old Bees and alway keeping and preseruing the young swarmes In the first taking when the Meddowes are full of flowres they leaue the fift part of the Coames behind in the latter haruest when winter approcheth they leaue a thyrd of the Coames for the sustenance of the Bee. But this quantitie can not certaynely be prescribed for all countreys but must be measured according to the abundance or want of flowres Dionysius Thaseus thinketh good to leaue them a tenth of theyr Coames in the Sommer time yf the Hyues be very full otherwyse according to the