will rise And take heed of beginning too soon with any Buds before they have attained a sufficient strength and growth some will not be fit to Inoculate until August and so all that Month upon some frim sappy stocks That this business may be done to good purpose it must be considered whether the Buds we mean to get are sufficiently grown or not they must not be too young tender and we shall find that some kinds of Trees have buds ready sooner then others As the Aprecott especially and those that shoot strongly Let then the biggest and strongest shoots be cut from the Tree that have grown since the spring to that time and cut off the top of the shoot all those Buds that are too small and tender and also cut off the leaves of the other about a quarter of an inch from the Bud and by that part left we hold the Bud being taken off the branch but leave not on the whole leaf and stalk as some do for the aire by means of the leaf extracts and draws out the sap of the Bud in a short time and so spoils it Then go to the Plants you intend to Inoculate which must be like as to the general kinds with the Buds that you intend to set on as Aprecott-buds and other Plum-buds on Plum-stocks that are wild stocks the white Pearl-plum-stock is accounted the best to Inoculate Aprecott-buds on or other choice Plums it being a Plant full of sap and in chusing Buds or Grafts be sure always to cut them from those kinds that experience shews are good bearing Trees as well as good fruits Now in setting on the Bud first make a cross cut upon some smooth place of the stock if it be for a wall-tree then half a foot or a foot or thereabouts from the ground and from the middle of the cross cut make another straight down about an Inch long only through the Bark and with the end of a Pen-knife raise up the Bark on both sides as much as to let in the small Bud then make hast to prepare the bud for a man must be quick at this work else the Aire by sudden drying the Bud and the cut-part of the stock will much hurt Cut the bark on both side the Bud and about a quarter of an inch above and as much below the Bud let that end which is to be downwards be a little sharp that it may more easily go down between the Bark and wood of the stock and throw away the Bark on the opposite side of the Bud then with a Quill the one half cut away or a Pen of steel made this for the purpose like the one half of â— Goose-quil take off the Bud and Bark by putting it between the Bark and wood and be sure there be the root of the Bud in it if there be a little hole in the middle of the Bud within then the root is not there throw away that bud such will not grow but the Bud being well taken off then hold it by the stalk of the leaf as before was said and put it carefully between the bark and the wood of the small Plant prepared as before and let the top of the bud joyne close to the cross cut in the upper end then bind the bud with a soft Rush or Flag that is strong bind it close to the stock especially in the middle where the Root of the bud lies but not just upon the Bud. After a certain time the Buds must be unbound and some sooner then others some stocks grow more in a week then some others in a month Now if this work be done early in the year before Midsommer upon young stocks very full of sap these may be unbound about twenty days after or a General Rule may be this when a stock is so grown as that the band about the Bud does much straighten the Bud which may be seen by the swelling of the Plant above and below the Buds then the band must be cut and taken off But those that are near the end of Iuly or after will not need unbinding so soon But take heed of making too much hast to unbind buds there 's less danger in suffering them to be long bound then the contrary Now after unbinding you may seâ— which Buds take hold of the stock and which do not those that are good are fast upon the stock and appear in their natural colours as when they were set on those that do not hold will have lost their colour and it may be be withered and dried Such as are good meddle no more till the Spring then cut off the stocks an inch or two above the Buds so the Buds will spring out and grow according to the strength of the stocks And in Autumne after they may be transplanted or if you please such Buds may be transplanted the next Autumne after Inoculating which is the surer way for growing And when these Buds have grown one year or two then cut off the stock close to the Buds and they wâ—ll cover the head as Grafts If Buds be not ready at hand but must be fetcht many Miles in that hot time then sâ—ecâ—al care must be taken in the carriage of them Thus being cut from the Tree cut off the tops of the Branches and the leaves near the Buds as before then bind them together and wrap them in fresh leaves or grass to keep them cool and they will keep good two or three dayes but yet make all the hast that may be to Inoculate them Having Grafted or Inoculated stocks make one Letter or two or write the name of the Fruit at length upon the stock below the Graft or Bud whereby to know the kind of the Fruit and if any be stoâ—len they may thereby be known being found again It 's done with the point of a Pen-knife cutting through the Bark the form of a Letter or any other Figure or Character whereby to know the kinds of fruits And so much for Inoculating Buds of Fruit trees THe choice of right kinds of Grafts and Stocks and the joyning of them together according to their natures is so necessary and some observations about them are so essential to the work of profitable planting that except they be known and practised men loose much of the profit they might have if rightly observed A few special directions in any Art though consisting but of few lines containing â—he Principles and essential parts are better and more to the advancement of the Art then great Volumes upon the same Subject when men as many do rove about upon unnecessary things and strange fancies without any solid grounds beside the life of the business If men miss the Principles and essentials of an Art they discourse of it to little purpose So also in the practise and therefore it has many times fallen out that some men having laboured much and spent much time and cost in
seeds and stones about a handful deep or less and after rake them all over and that none may be left uncovered sift some small mould with a Sive or besprinkle it with a spade all over them and so let them rest all Winter And carefully observe that Mice devour not the seeds in Winter if you perceive it set Traps and lay Rats-bane to destroy them Though you cannot see the Mice yet if they have been there as commonly they are it may be perceived by divers small holes up and down the seed-beeds where they have devoured the seeds and some husks will lie above ground In the Spring and Sommer let them be weeded from time to time clean and if the weather be dry let them be watred now and then and they will make a growth the same year according to the strength and goodnesse of the ground wherein they grow Plants comming of seeds or stones are far better then Suckers from Roots of Trees although such are good and useful for stocks also if they have good Roots In weeding the young Seed-plants some will come up with the weeds set them again almost to the top then water them and all the rest In Autumne when they have done growing let them be transplanted into other Beds of ground prepared for that purpose thus Let the ground be digged and cast into square Plots or long Plots as you will and laid level with a Rake then set the young Seed-plants therein in this manner Having cast up the Borders handsomely on each side stretch a Line from one side to the other then take a Setting-stick that is a hard piece of wood about a yard long with a handle at the top and made sharp at the end or pointed with Iron and thrust it into the ground half a foot deep or according to the length of the Roots close to the line and make holes all along from one end of the line to the other about half a foot or more as you will in distance And having prepared the Seed-plants by cutting of all the side Twigs and the ends or bottome of the Roots set them in order in the holes to the top of their Roots and close the mould about them Draw the biggest first and set them by themselves and the least by themselves Then take up the line and stretch it again about a foot from the other Plants and make holes and prune more Seed-plants and set them as before Let not the Roots be too long about a handful in length or less is sufficient for if their Roots be long and set deep the Trees afterwards are taken up with more difficulty Then take up the line and stretch it again a foot and half from the Plants last set that there may be a convenient space of ground to pass between to weed the Plants and to Graft and Inoculate them being grown fit And having made holes and pruned the Plants set them as before And thus set the Nursery throughout and many of these will be ready after one year to Inoculate and after two years or three to Graft Yea many may be fit to Graft after the first year and some fit to inoculate the first sommer Be sure to transplant all young Seed-plants for by that means they get good Roots which of themselves thrust down one single Root for the most part And being grown two or three years after Inoculating or Grafting they are fit to transplant to make Orchards or into Fields and Hedges at a competent distance as shall be shewed when I speak of setting Trees Thus men may in a few years prepare multitudes of Young Trees for themselves and others to give or sell as they please Some procure Crab-stocks from the woods and set them to graft on having grown a year or two but these stocks are not so good as those that come of seed We see by continual experience many are deceived by them though some may do well And further observe not only to remove all Seed-plants as before but let it be done the next Autumne or Winter let them have but one sommers growth from the seed before they be removed to be prepared in the Nursery unless they be very small for there is advantage in it above those that grow where they are sown two or three years before removing for these small Seed-plants are not only easily drawn up and easily set againe with a small Setting-Instrument but also their Roots being but short they taking Root and spreading their Roots near the top of the ground they are easily taken up and removed after Grafting having growen three or four or more years whereas such as grow two or three years upon the Seed bed before removing they thrust their Roots very deep in the earth and are not onely hard to be drawn up but likewise their Roots when set again must of necessity though a great part be cut off be thrust down very deep into the earth and then such spread their Roots deep for they thrust their young Roots from the lowest part where the Root was cut off and so they neither have so good nourishment from the earth as spreading below the best soyle nor are they so easily to be transplanted when they are ready as those other which are drawn the first year and set very small as before This is very considerable and therefore observe it I underwent great inconveniencies when I came to Remove some before I found out this observation NOw for the manner of Inoculating and Grafting these Plants being thus prepared and grown fit First concerning Grafting wherein we must consider the time February and March usually with most are the two cheif Months for Grafting but we may begin sooner and its best so to do especially with Cherry and Plum grafts If the weather be open without Frost in the begining of Ianuary or in December Yea I have grafted some with good success in November and sooner but in the beginning of Ianuary we may begin if Frost hinder not And such as have multitudes to engraft must needs begin early else they 'l want time Grafts of Cherry and Plum-trees must be grafted soonest because they bud sooneâ—â— And begin with them ere they begin to Bud forth and then with Pear-trees and Apple-trees Grafts of any kind may be gotten and kept many dayes or many weeks the one half in length being covered with mould bind not many together for if so those in the middle will dry and be spoyled in certaine dayes but lay them thin in the mould or they may be grafted immediately so soon as they are gotten Graft none but those of one years growth onely the last years sprout the fairest and thickest are best They may be carried many miles being bound up close from end to end in a hay-band or better in a Box of Mould or their ends stuck in clay and wrapped about that they bruisâ— not That this work
may the more effectually be done we must have fit Tools and Instruments for that purpose First a good sharp knif and strong to cut off the top of stocks A neat sharp saw to cut off the head of some stocks which are grown too big for the knife also a little Mallet and Wedg to cleave the big stocks a small Pen-knife to cut the Grafts as I shall shew you anon and keep it very sharp for this purpose onely There must be likewise Clay prepared with horse-dung well mixed together as Morter about two parts Clay And Rushes or strong soft Flags to bind together the Graft and the Stock With a small hand-basket to carry the Grafts in with all the Instruments for the work Having these things in a readiness the time being come go to the Stocks that are ready small or great And those that are small about the bigness of ones little finger which are of a competent bignesse and we loose no time in making use of them Graft them in this manner If they be Cherry-stocks or Plum-stocks to make Wall-trees of graft them low within half a foot or less of the ground but if they be for Standards then Graft them an ell or yard and half high if the stocks are of a convenient bigness of that height else graft them lower where they are of a competent bigness 1. Cut off the top of the stock in some smooth straight place that may be answerable to the straightness of the Graft when set on Then prepare the Graft thus observe which side is straightest at the bottom or biggest end that so it may fit the straight part of the stock when set on Then cut one side only of the Graft down aslope about an inch long or little more either from the knot or seam if the part below it be smooth and straight or else from a Bud or from any part and cut through the Barke at the top of the cut place and make it like a shouldier that it may rest just upon the top of the Stock but cut not this shoulder too deep onely through the Bark or little more but cut the graft thin at the bottome of the cut place yet leave on all the Bark on the opposite side make this cut smooth and even from the top of it to the bottome without dints or ridges which is of special concernment that so it may be sure to joyn close to the Stock The Graft being thus prepared then go on to prepare the Stick further lay the cut part of the Graft upon the straight side of the Stock and measure just the length of the cut part of the Graft And with a knife take away so much of the bark of the Stock but cut not any of the wood of the Stock then lay the cut side of the Graft upon the cut part of the Stock and let the shoulder of the Graft reâ—t directly upon the top of the Stock so that the cut parts of both may joyne even and smooth all along and so bind them together close with some strong Rushes or Flaggs then Clay them lay on every side and an inch above and as much below some of the Clay prepared as before close it above and below and on every side that no rain get in and that 's all needs to be done for that time This I account the best way of Grafting for divers Reasons 1. First â—ecause in this way of Grafting we may make use of the Stocks divers years before they will be ready to graft in the Cleft by this way of Grafting the trees will be ready to bear before they will be ready to graft the other way 2. Secondly This kind of grafting is less hurt both to the stock and graft for cleaving the stock is danger and hurt to it being cloven as it must in the middle to the very heart whereas in this way of grafting it remains whole and entire save onely a small part of the Barke taken off And as for the Graft in Cleft-grafting it must be cut on both sides to the heart and made thin but in slicing or packing on it must be cut onely on one side and so less hurtfâ—l to the Graft 3. Thirdly When stocks are cloven if they be somewhat great commonly the Rain and Aire gets into the cleft and rots the middle of the stock before the Graft can grow over to cover the head of it which is not incident in this way of Grafting 4. Fourthly This way of Grafting is much more easie to do and more sure to take and grow then grafting in the cleft for the graft stock joyn more close and exactly then can be in cleaving the stock 5. As this way is easily done and more sure so also is it more speedily done then any other kind of Grafting Secondly There is another way of Grafting small stocks such as are but just as big as the Grafts you mean to set on And those Stocks are prepared thus The top being cut off over against a smooth straight place as before the Bark of it must not onely be cut but also the Wood quite through to the back side of it at the top directly like as the Graft is cut as was said in length as much as the cut part of the Graft the manner of cutting the Graft for this is the same with the formerâ— then lay the cut part of the Graft upon the cut part of the Stock and let the top of the Stock even the very bark of the outside be directly under the shoulder of the Graft that so the cut parts both of Graft and Stock may joyn and answer one another from the top to the bottome and so bind and clay them as before Thirdly There is another way of Grafting generally practised though not so sure away as the two former and yet a better way for great stocks for none but small stocks are capable of the two former ways it is thus Those stocks that are large three or four inches in compass must be cloven the tops being cut off in a straight smooth place cut the roughness of the top smooth with a sharp knife then knock in a strong knife or chissel a very little beside the pith and if it be capable but of one graft then be sure to cleave it on that side that is smooth and straight if it be fit for two as it is if it be about an Ell high and a strong stock then he careful to chuse both sides smooth being cloven with the knife and a wedg of Box or other hard wood knockt in to keep it open then prepare the Graft or Grafts you mean to put in cut both sides of the Graft aslope down from the knot or seam if it be straight or else from a Bud about an inch or little more shoulder both sides of the Graft as was said of one side for the other sort of grafting and make it
kinds of Mulberry-trees with us in England the Black and the White As for the White I never saw any of its fruit they very seldome bear well with us But the Black Mulberry-tree never failes of fruit after it is grown up These trees are not increased by Grafting or Inoculating but by Cuttings from the Branches or sides of the trees Cut a bow off as big as a mans arme and after cut it in small Truncheons or pieces a yard long or less lay these small and great in the ground a foot deep only the one end out of the ground a hands bredth or two or there abouts in good fat ground somewhat moist and after a year or two didivers young springs may be drawn from the Roots and Planted at a fit distance and the old Roots will yearly send out more also the branches may be bowed down and layd in the earth on one or several sides which will take root and multiply abudantly and be fit to be transplanted Medlers may be grafted and they take well upon a White thorne but I much rather approve the Grafting or Inoculating of them upon Pear-stocks and the fruit will be much better and the trees much larger then upon White-thorne Walnut-trees are propagated from the Nuts which may be set from the time of ripeness until the spring an inch deep or little more and afterwards transplanted and set at a very great distance 24. or 30. yards asunder for they are very large spreading trees But if they are planted on the North or East-sides for shelter then set them nearer Be sure to chuse of the best Nuts to set the fairest Nuts and thinnest shells and good bearers Thus much briefly concerning the best bearing Trees and how they are propagated As for those Fruit-trees which bear but little or no fruits by reason that Grafts and Buds were not chosen from good bearing kinds wherewith they were engrafted I advise by all means to Graft or Inoculate such again though great and old Trees such whose boughs are as big as a mans hand wrist or smaller may be cut off and grafted in the Cleft with a couple of good Grafts of good bearing kinds but such Branches as are very great I should rather cut off a convenient height from the ground slope-wise that no wet may rest on the top and then after a year or two to graft the small shoots or branches that are put forth or some of them this is a better course then to graft such great Branches for that moisture will get into the top and rot the Branches and perhaps the Body too ere the grafts can cover such great heads As concerning Arbors Seats c. in Orchards and Gardens I advise men to make them of Fruit-trees rather then of Privet or other rambling stuffe which yields no profit but onely for shade If you make them of Cherry-trees Plum-trees or the like there will be the same advantage for shade and all the Fruits superadded All that can be objected is that Fruit-trees are longer in growing up then Privet Virgin-Bower or the like whereof Arbors are commonly made It is answered Though Fruit trees are something longer in covering an Arbor then some other things yet they make sufficient amends in their lasting and bearing fruits And besides such Cherry-trees and other kinds may be set about the Arbors as will reach and cover even the first year I Shall now give some Rules concerning Transplanting young plants after a years growth or more whether Inoculated or Grafted The time for this work in general is in Autumne when Trees have done growing and that is divers weeks before the Leaves fall Stay not as the custome is till November or after before you Transplant for the best time is about the latter end of September to begin and so on all the Winter It 's a great advantage to remove plants betime for such grow a while after in their Roots before Winter and thereby not only preserve themselves in Winter but also make some preparation against the Spring which those removed in Winter cannot do Stay not therefore till the Leaves fall ere you remove although they may be remov'd then with good success but it is not so good at that time as before The ancient proverb is If a growing Tree would have Let him carry his green Leaves to his grave Yet notwithstanding those that have many to Transplant and cannot finish or have no leasure in this season which is best they may go on and be doing even all Winter until the very Spring unless Frost shut up the ground And notwithstanding Frost or Snow all the while if we can get into the ground and find the mould mellow so as that it will fall well between and about the Roots it 's then good removing Trees although the best time is to be prefer'd The time of removing being come and the place prepared for setting them again then be careful in taking up the Plants dig round about them and take off the mould from their Roots if it be a small plant it may be drawn up easily the mould being taken away if it be great and the Roots spread much then they may be cut about half a yard from the body of the Plant and the greater it is the further off cut the Roots and so draw it up and break off all the leaves the first thing you do if they be not then fallen off for the Sun and Aire by means of them extract the sap of the branches And here observe That the Great Plants are not alwayes best to transplant out of Nurseries into Orchards though most men are for the greatest when they may chuse and they think the bigger they are the sooner they will make an Orchard but herein they are much mistaken for in removing great trees there is great hazard and many of them fail and die and others grow very poorly putting out only leaves the first year or little more though some few in special good soyle may do well I account young grafted Trees fit to remove when they are about two inches in compass in the body and about a yard and half or two yards high those about this bigness I judge to be better then such as are five or six inches or more in compass with a proportionable height because these cannot possibly be transplanted but their Roots must be cut very much in the taking up and then how can those Roots so much cut be able to nourish so great a body with so many branches whereas young trees of a smaller size as before is mentioned these may be removed even with all their Roots which are young and small and may be spread in the earth every way when set again save onely the ends of the roots must be a little cut and these young and tender roots will sooner shoot forth in the earth then the greater sort especially also because