but too true that we are not to expect to find any that are absolutely perfect and therefore accordingly we call only those good Fruits which have the fewest Defects I will not deny but that among Boncretien pears there may be some that may deserve the Reproach cast on them by those Persons but in my Opinion they deserve it not always by their own Fault since it is true there very often are found most excellent Ones among them and therefore those Defects when found in these Pears are rather to be attributed to the badness of the Soil in which they grew as not being proper for the producing of good Fruits or of their Exposition as being Planted in a Quarter not blessed with a favourable Aspect from the Sun or to the Negligence or Unskilfulness of the Gard'ner who took not sufficient care of them or to the over hastiness of those that needs will be serving them up before they are come to a fit Maturity I know very well too There are a great many Persons that think a Boncretien can never prove good upon a Dwarf-tree and that 't is absolutely impossible to have any fine ones unless it be upon Wall-trees and therefore that they will highly condemn me for chusing it for the first to be Planted in a Scituation which they pretend directly contrary to it But though I do ingenuously grant it true That the Boncretien succeeds best upon a Wall-tree especially in acquiring that Vermilion that so well becomes it and which the full Air on a Standard-tree cannot give it in such Perfection yet I believe I have hitherto pretty well succeeded in disabusing a great number of Curious Persons of the false Impression they had against a Boncretien upon a Dwarf-tree by shewing them by the certain Experience of several Years especially in Gardens of a midling Extent well closed and sheltred from the great Colds either by good Walls of their own or by several Buildings and which consequently are in a good Exposition and advantaged besides with a Soil indifferently good either by Nature or by the help of Art that upon Trees of that Figure may be raised very goodly Boncretien pears that is to say very great ones well shaped with a good fine Skin a little blushed on that side next the Sun and in the rest of their Bodies of a green proper to take a yellow as they grow ripe and in a Word very Excellent Pears and such as few Wall trees were seen able to compare with And to put an End to this Contestation I think it not necessary to make here any other Answers than in the first place to invite our Adversaries to go in Autumn and see the Dwarf-trees in several Gardens at Paris and at Vernon where they rear such â—ine ones and in the second place to ask them whether before the use of Wall-trees which is not Ancient there were no where in the open Air any fair Boncretiens if they say not all the Back-Courts of the Provinces of Tourain Angoumois Poitou Auche c. where they grow even upon Standard-trees will evidence the contrary against any that shall deny it To which add That the invincible Persecution of the Tyger-babbs keeps the Pears too far off from the Assistance of Wall-trees and renders it impracticable almost in those Parts to raise any of them upon any other Trees but Dwarfs In fine when the whole Matter is well examined I am perswaded That whosoever shall count on one side the Enemies of the Boncretien upon a Dwarf-tree and the Reasons they think they have to condemn it for and the other shall reckon up its Approvers with the Experiences they have on their side will find the Number of these latâ—er greater than that of the other or at the least equal to it and therefore I think I have enough wherewith to maintain the Preference here in Question Away with all those Different Kinds of Boncretiens which some Curious Persons have fancied and which they would perswade us to be Real as the Long the Round the Green the Golden the Brown the Satin that of Auche that of England that without Core c. For all these are to be found upon one and the same Tree and assuredly make but one single and only kind the general mutual likeness not only of the Wood Leaves and Flowers of all these pretended sorts of Boncretien-trees but also more particularly the resemblance of the Figure of the Pear of the time of its ripening and of its short-eating Pulp and sugred Juice c. visibly confirm this Truth The Differences of Soils and Expositions of dry and wet Summers and of Vigour and Weakness in a Tree whether it be in the whole Tree or only in a part of it c. Those Differences I say cause these other little External Differences of Colour Figure c. The Wall-tree will produce Fruit more golden than green and the Dwarf-tree more green than golden and the Dwarf graffed upon a Free-stock will produce greener Fruit than that which is graffed upon a Quince-stock If the Tree be sick whether it be young or old it will bring Fruit without a Core and upon that very same Tree if there be any vigorous Branch as it often enough happens there will be a Core in the Fruit that grows upon that vigorous side though there be none in the Pears that grow upon the infirm Branches and if from that yellowish and languishing side a Branch be taken and graffed happily upon a sound and lively Stock it will produce a Tree both green and brisk which will shew not only the Conformity of its kind with that of other Boncretiens but likewise its good Health as well by the Core as the the green Colour of its Pear Upon which occasion I shall tell you That such Boncretien-pears as grow yellow upon the Tree and have a Skin that feels extraordinarily soft are apt to have but a very indifferent goodness A good Fruit-Branch will produce a Pear long and large and a Fruit-Branch of a little more inferiour Goodness will form its Fruit short flat and roundish A good Soil gives it a fine Skin and a delicate Pulp whereas a fat and moist Earth renders its Skin rough and the Pulp gross and course They might as well make different kinds of great and little of horned and crumpled of well shaped and well look'd c. which would be a very ridiculous fancy which is carefully to be avoided The Winter-Boncretien then such a one in a word as is every where known by Persons of Quality for such without ever changing its Name as most other Fruits have done This Boncretien I say should be then the Dwarf-tree that I would Plant in a little Garden well qualified where it should be design'd to Plant but only one Dwarf-pear-tree and this same Pear-tree should be likewise the first I would chuse not only for a Garden in which I should have room for a
the Conditions that were to be wish'd for for them Great Winters do not happen so often as to discourage us for ever from having some of those kind of Trees which produce such an Excellent Fruit. The most material thing in this Case for the Culture is first during the Summer and Autumn to give their Branches some liberty the Fruits growing better and more easily upon them They must neither be Constrain'd nor Pallisado'd or tack'd like the Branches of other Wall-Fruit-Trees it will suffice to uphold them before with some Pearches barely plac'd upon great Hooks driven into the Walls so as to be at three foot distance from each other and that beginning from the bottom there may be a Row within a foot of the Ground Checker-wise Those Hooks must be four Inches into the Wall and about eight on the outside made as it appears in the Figure In the second Place every Year as soon as the Leaves of Fig-Trees are fallen that is as soon as the Winter draws nigh whatever that Winter may prove for we must always 〈◊〉 its being Violent which dread ought to produce good effects in us every year I 〈◊〉 we must as much as can be constrain the Branches of those Fig-Trees as near as we 〈◊〉 to the Walls either with Nails and List or else with Osirs Poles and Pearches but yet so that they may neither break nor crack after which must be apply'd to them a 〈◊〉 made of Straw about two or three Inches in thickness or else bare Straw in the 〈◊〉 of those Frames or rather Long Dung about the thickness of four or five Inches all 〈◊〉 being well prop'd with Pearches most broadwise and some crosswise taking care that no part may remain bare and expos'd to the weather Besides all which another parcel of the same long Dung must be kept ready near the Fig-Trees to double the Coverings if need be one single Night being sufficient to ruine all North East Winds as we had them in the Winter 1676. and the South Winds like unto those of the Winter 1670. are likewise sometimes Mortal for Fig-Trees and commonly more than full North so that a guard must be kept equally against them all Whenever then any body designs to have Fig-Trees they must be prepar'd to take all the Care we have mention'd as necessary for their Preservation But when notwithstanding all this some prove so unfortunate as not to succeed which without doubt will happen but seldom provided the Walls they stand against are condition'd as aforesaid Although I say this should happen in my Opinion it ought not to trouble one since nothing has been wanting that lay in the Power of Man The Winter being past and even the Month of March almost quite spent if the Fig-Trees stand against the Wall only half their Covering must be taken away especially that part the Winter may have spoyl'd or rotten and leave the Branches still fix'd thus to the Wall at least always half cover'd without altering any thing about them until the Full Moon of April provided always that if the Full Moon of March which happens in the Passion-Week seems to threaten some Frost as it often does you must not fail at the least signal of it to redouble the Coverings immediately there to leave them until the Weather appear more certain and the Figs are grown to the bigness of a Large Pea which in our Climates seldom happens until the beginning of May for as we have already said the main part of the great Colds seldom leave us 'till then At which time it will be proper to put some small Branches heretofore ty'd and constrain'd at liberty but yet as I have likewise said not without propping them with Pearches crosswise to hinder them from falling too much forward This in my Opinion is a sufficient stay those Pearches put upon Hooks supporting the Branches very well and hindering them not only from falling but also from breaking and being ruffled by the Wind and the Fruit is thereby preserv'd sound and intire I must farther add that Large Sheets are proper enough to cover during dangerous or suspected Nights Fig-Trees being near the Wall either Planted there or in Cases to which end they must be fasten'd to the Pearches like Sails to Masts and besides put other long Perches almost straight over the Fig-Trees to hinder the Sheets being agitated by the Winds from touching the Fruit the rubbing of the Sheets against them never failing to spoyl them so that it will likewise be convenient to tie those Sheets near the Ground by means of some Hooks that may hinder them from such Agitations The third Material thing to be done for the Culture of those Fig-Trees is early to remove at the end of Winter or even at the end of Autumn the greatest part of the Suckers or Layers they shoot from their Foot without preserving any unless it be some that may appear to be of use either to fill up the sides or to supply the room of such as are dead or dying Besides a good use will be made of those Suckers or Layers Planting them in some Trench made on purpose for it near some good Wall and whether there or elsewhere Care must be taken to cover them so well that the great Cold may not be able to spoil them It is not less necessary to hinder as much as can be those Fig-Trees from raising soon to a great heighth for Example to two or three fathom to the end that keeping them always of a moderate heighth they may consequently always remain full and well furnish'd especially easie to cover in the Winter time which cannot be when they are too high Therefore from year to year the thick new Branches must seldom be allow'd more than a Foot a Foot and a half or two Foot at most which is the only Pruning they require after having as we have already said clear'd them from all manner of dead Wood. Moreover towards the end of March it is fit to break the end of the Extremety of every thick Branch which may chance not to be above a Foot in length provided the Winter has not already spoil'd it which happens commonly to such as have only been finish'd a great way in Autumn but seldom happens to such as have been perfected betimes however that end which appears black wrinkled and dead must be cut neatly This Method of Pinching or Pruning serves to make several New Branches grow forked instead of shooting single which in regularity would have grown straight that end being indeed a real beginning of a Branch This breaking then promises a greater quantity of Figs either for the second which is most common or for the first of the Summer for the following year it being certain that from the Navel of every Leaf a Fig will infallibly grow and sometimes two at once for one of those two Seasons This Breaking or small Pruning of the Bud which appears on the Extremity serves besides as
are like so many Arms that spring out of its Tuft and take Root it likewise is propagated by Cuttings but bears no Seed Muscat See Vines N. NAsturces commonly called Capucin Capers are multiplied only by Seed which is a kind of Pea or Haricot or French-Bean which climbs and gets up upon Branches or Poles which are near it the Leaf of it is pretty large and the flower of an Orange colour the figure of the Seed is a little Pyramidal divided by Ribs having all its superficies engraven and wrought all over being of a grey colour inclining to a light Cinnamon They are Sown in hot Beds about the end of March or the beginning of April and afterwards they are Replanted by some Wall well exposed The Seed easily falls as soon as ever 't is Ripe as doth that of Borage and the Belles de Nuit or Night Fair Ones and therefore they must be carefully gathered O. ONions as well the White as the Red are multiplied only by Seed which as I have already said is like that of Ciboules P. PArsly as well the Common as the Curled sort is multiplied only by Seed which is little and very small and of a greenish grey colour and a little bending inward on one side and all over streaked with little rising streaks from one end to the other Macedonian Parsly or Alisanders is also propagated only by Seed which is pretty big and oval and a little more full and swelling on one side than on the other which bends a little inward streaked throughout its whole length and is also streaked a cross on the edges between the sides Passe-pierre See Pierce-Pierre Parsnips are multiplied only by Seed which is flat and of a round figure a little oval and as if it were hemmed or edged streaked throughout its length and is of the colour of a brownish Straw Patience See Dock Passe-Musquee See Muscats and Vines Peas or Pease are multiplied only by Seed there are great Ones little Ones white Ones or yellow Ones and green Ones All the world knows they grow in Cods and are almost round and sometimes half flat Perce-Pierre vulgarly called Passe-Pierre i. e. Pass or Pierce Stone being a kind of Stone-Parsly is multiplied only by Seed which is more long than round pretty big of a greenish grey colour striped on the Back and Belly and resembling a Lute in shape Pimpernell See Burnet Pompions or Pumpions or Pumkins See Citrulls Potirons a sort of Flat Citrulls or Pumpions are multiplied only by Seed which is altogether like that of the Common Citrull or Pumpion and grows in the same manner Purslain as well of the Green as Red or Golden sort is multiplied only by Seed which is black and extraordinary small and of a half flat roundish figure To have a good Crop of this Seed the Purslain Plants must be Replanted at the end of May at a full Foot distance one from the other The Seed grows in little Husks or Shells each of which contain a great many and when we are to gather it we cut off all the heads of the Stalks and lay them to dry a little in the Sun and then we beat the Seed out and Fan or Screen it R. RAdishes are multiplied by Seed which is round pretty thick and of a reddish Cinnamon colour it grows in a kind of little Cods which they call Coque-Sigrues in Provence Raspberries both Red and White are propagated only by slips that sprout out of their stocks every year in the Spring time and are sit to Replant the next Spring after Reponces or Field Radishes are multiplied only by Seed and are a sort of little Radishes that are eaten in Sallats and grow without any pains in the Fields Rocamboles are a sort of mild Garlick otherwise called Spanish Garlick which is multiplied both by Cloves and by Seed which latter is about the bigness of ordinary Peas Rocket being one of the Sallat Furnitures is multiplied by Seed which is extreme little and of a Cinnamon or dark Tan colour Rosemary is a little very odoriferous Shrub that is propagated by Seed or Branches that have some portion of Root Rubarb is propagated only by Seed which is pretty big and triangular the three Angles being as thin as very thin Paper and there being a thickness in the middle where the Bud or Shoot is Rue is multiplied by Seed whose shape resembles that of a Cocks Stone it is of a black colour and rugged but yet we usually propagate it rather by its Layers and Cuttings than by its Seed S. SAge is multiplied only by a kind of hooked slips that have a little Root Salsifie or Goats-Beard the common sort is multiplied only by Seed which is almost like in all things to that of Scorzonera except in its colour which is a little greyer it is of a very long oval figure as if it were so many little Cods all over streaked and as 't were engraven in the spaces between the streaks which are pretty sharp pointed towards the ends Samphire or Sampire See Pierce-pierre Saracens Wheat or Turky Wheat is a dark red Seed or Grain about the bigness of an ordinary Pea very smooth round on one side and a little flat on the other where it is fastned to its Spike or Ear. Savory is multiplied only by Seed which is extraordinary small and round slick and grey Scorzonera or Spanish Salsifie is propagated only by Seed which is small longish and round withal and of a white colour and grows in a kind of Ball mounted on the top of the Stalk of the Plant having its point garnished with a kind of Beard like that of Pissabeds or Dandelions Sellery See Cellery Shalots or Eschalots are multiplyed by Off-Sets or Kernels which grow about the foot of its Plant and are about the bigness of a Filberd Nut. Smallage is multiplyed only by Seed which is reddish and pretty big of a roundish oval Figure a little more full and rising on one side than on the other and is streaked from one end to the other Sorrel as well the Lesser one which is the common sort as the Greater one are both multiplyed only by Seed which is very small slick and of a Triangular Oval Figure the ends of it being sharp and pointed and being of an excellent dark Cinnamon Colour Round Sorrel is propagated only by Slips or Runners so that out of one Tuft we may easily make several plants of it French or Wood-Sorrel See Alleluia Spare-Mint See Mint Spinage is multiplyed only by Seed which is pretty big and horned or Triangular on two Sides having its corners very sharp pointed and prickly and the other part which is opposite to those pointed Horns is like a Purse of a Grayish colour Straw-berry Plants as well the white as the red and those called Caprons are propagated only by Runners which are produced by a kind of Threads or Strings which springing out of the body of the Plant and creeping along upon
length of a Toise or Fathom and to throw up upon the bordering Alley all the Earth that is taken out of that Gage which will be all the Earth we shall need handle twice because at the end of the Trench there will remain one Gage empty which must be filled up with the Earth that came out of the first when the first Gage is made we must fill it up with the Earth that is to be dug up to make the next throwing that part of it into the bottom which was at the Superficies and making a new Superficies of that which was at the bottom This kind of moving the Ground makes a natural Slope before the Workman and in case the Soil must be Dunged we must have Dung ready placed all along the side of the Trench and whilst two or three men are at Work in turning up the Earth and throwing it before them there must be one at the side of the Trench to scatter Dung upon that Slope by which means the mold is well mixed and not at all trampled on as it is by common Gard'ners that first lay a layer of Dung and then a layer of Earth and afterwards dig the whole over again continuing this way of laying of layers of Dung and mold and to turn up one over another till their Trench be quite filled up as 't is to remain Works to be done in February IN this Month we continue the same works we were doing in the last if we have had the foresight and convenience to begin them then or else at least we set upon beginning them now in earnest Therefore we set to manuring the Ground if the Frost permits us and about the end of the Month or rather to wards Mid-March or later that is towards Mid-April we sow in the naked Ground those things that are long a rearing as for Example all sorts of Roots viz. Carrots Parsnips Chervils or Skirrets Beet-Raves or Red-Beet-Roots Scorzoneres and above all Parsly-Roots We sow now also Onions Leeks Ciboules Sorrel Hasting Peas Garden or Marsh-Beans Wild Endive or Succory and Burnet If we have any Shell-Lettuces that were sown in Autumn last in some well sheltered place we now replant them on Hot Beds under Bells to make them Cabbage betimes And particularly we take care to replant on them some of the Curld Bright Lettuces which we sowed last Month because they turn to better account than the others We begin at the latter end of the Month to sow a little green Purslain under Bells the Red or Golden sort being too delicate and tender to be sown before March We replant Cowcumbers and Musk-melons if we have any big enough and that upon a Hot Bed in some place well sheltered either by Walls Straw or Reed Hedges or some other Invention to keep off the Wind. We also sow towards the end of the Month our Annual Flowers in order to replant them again at the latter end of April and the beginning of May. We also sow our first Cabbages if as we should we have not a provision of some in a Nursery under some good shelter which we should have sown at the beginning of August and replanted in October in the Nursery we replant these latter in the places they are designed for taking care not to replant any that begins to run to Seed We begin to Graft all sorts of Trees in the Cleft and we prune and plant them we plant also Vines and about Mid-February if the weather be any thing fair is the proper time to begin all sorts of Works We only make now the Hot Beds which we have occasion to make use of for Radishes little Sallets and to raise those things which we are to replant again in the Cold Beds We take care to maintain the necessary heat about our Asparagus and to gather those that are good As also to maintain the Heat in the hot Strawberry Beds We unnail our Wall-trees in order to prune them the more commodiously and then nail them up anew At what time soever Radishes are gathered they must be tied up in Bunches and put to steep in Water or else they will wither and retain too biting a taste We also continue to plant Trees when the Weather and the Soil will permit us Works to be done in March AT the beginning of this Month it appears who are the Gard'ners that have been idle by their not furnishing us with any thing which the diligent and skilful ones supply us with and by their having neglected to sow their Grounds which lie for the most part as yet unsown though the weather has been favourable for it There is now no more time to be lost in delaying the sowing of the first Seeds that are to be sown in the naked Earth and of which we have spoken in the Works to be done about the end of February Good Gard'ners ought to cover with Mold the Cold Beds which they have sown with their designed Seeds for fear the waterings and great Rains should beat down the Earth too much and render its Superficies too hard for the Seeds to pierce and shoot through they should also bank up their cold Beds tightly with a rake that so the Rain water or that of their waterings may keep in them and not run out of them into the Paths and in fine if they have never so little of the Spirit of Neatness in them they will not fail to take away all the Stones the Rake meets with in its way The way to cover well all these Seeds with Earth is to harrow or rake that is to move it extreamly to and fro which is commonly done with an Iron Rake About Mid-March at furthest we make the hot Beds in which we are to replant the earliest Musk melons We sow in the naked Earth in some well sheltered place all those things which we are to plant again in the like as for Example both our Spring Lettuce and that which we are to replant again at the latter end of April and at the beginning of May viz. the Curl'd Bright Lettuce and the Royal and Bellegarde Lettuce the Perpignan Lettuce which is greenish the Alfange the Chicons and the Green Red and Bright Genua Lettuces are near two Months on the Ground before they grow big enough to be replanted And we also sow Cabbages for the latter Season and Collyflowers to plant them in their proper places about the end of April and beginning of May and if they come up too thick we take out some and replant them in a Nursery to make them grow bigger c. We sow Radishes in the naked Earth among all the other Seeds we are sowing because they do no harm there but are fit to be gathered at the beginning of May before either the Sorrel Chervil Parsly Ciboule c. be grown big enough to suffer any incommodity by them We sow Arrach or Orage in the naked Earth About Mid-March we sow Citruls or Pompions upon
abundance of Flowers which begin to display their beauties on every side and the harmony of the pretty Birds which a sort of extraordinary gayety and briskness at this time inspires with amorous prattle and with melodious Airs to strive to out-vie each other This neatness may concurr to make a Theater of pleasure universally perfect which may with irresistible allurements intice the curious to the divertisement of walking in so delicious a place In the Month of April we are not to find any thing new to be done in our Kitchen-Gardens unless it be an augmentation of Hot Beds for Musk-Melons and Cucumbers The Earth in them should now be covered almost all over with a new decoration of Infant Plants Here we should see Artichokes rising as 't were from the dead and there Asparagus piercing the Ground in a thousand places here we should with pleasure observe the Cabbage Lettuce wind up it self into round Balls and here that multitude of Green Herbs and Legumes so different in colour and so various in their shapes These these are the Innocent and natural Dainties which there present themselves for the nourishment and Delicious entertainment of Humane kind The Jacinth the Tulip the Anemone the Ranimculus and so many other Flowers with what Glories do they not adorn the Gardens where they are That which is here to be remarked is only the ordinary maintaining of what is already done and perfected but that which should most take up our thoughts is the hopes of a future crop of Fruits every one now being eager to run and view the Trees that shed their Blossoms to see whether much Fruit knit upon them or no or else to visit the Hot Beds of Musk-Melons and Cucumbers that seem to have taken well to see how liberally they are like to recompence them for all the pains bestowed upon them When the Month of May comes in what contentment have we not in useful Gardens and how great are the sweets of enjoyment which we begin then to taste We have now no longer occasion to demand why such and such spots of Ground are yet bare Spanish Cardons Collyflowers Chard-Beets Cellery and even Artichokes and Cabbage Lettuces which were not to appear so early and for which those places were designed coming to occupy them at the latter end of April or beginning of this Month and Purslain which because of the delicateness of its temper had till now been retain'd in the Seed Closet comes out at this time to gild the Earth and to offer it self in abundance to pleasure its Master The Straw-berries beginning to come now to maturity open and lead the way to the other Red Fruits which are immediately to follow after them Green Peas are ready to satisfie the longing Appetire of the lickerish Palate Mushrooms shoot up in Crowds and in fine of all the things contained in the Alphabet I have premised before this Treatise there is hardly any but Spinage and Mâches that stave off the performance of their duty till August and September for we may now see some little beginnings even of Endive and if Hasting or Early Cherries were the first Fruit that appeared in this Month of May the Hasting Apricocks the Little Muscat Pears and the Avant Peaches or Forward Peaches will not leave them long alone to enjoy the glory of being the sole Riches and Ornaments of our Gardens all these Fruits being now preparing themselves to appear in a very few days the Musk-Melons likewise will not stay long behind them c. while the Cucumbers with an infinite number both of Lettuces and of other Plants satisfie both our Palates and Necessities as the Flowers together with the Orange-Trees which in Mid-May we carry abroad out of their houses perform likewise their functions in delighting both our Sight and Smell The parching heat of the Month of June hinders us indeed from going into our Garden in the heat of the day but what charms are there not in going to visit it Morning and Evening when the cool breathings of a gentle Zephir reign there with Sovereign sway Now is the Season when we may visibly perceive with our Eyes all things to grow and thrive and see a Branch that five or six days before was not above a foot long now shot out to three or four Leeks are now planted and squares covered with Green Herbs compleat the tapestry that odorns the Ground the Vine Flowers make an end of throughly embalming the air which was already all over perfumed with the grateful odour of the Straw-berries We gather in all parts and at the same time with profusion distribute all those Plants that are become so beautiful and accomplish'd we fill up the places again we had disfurnish'd so that there hardly ever remains any part void and nature now affects no better divertisement than to be amazing us with miracles of fertillity so well assisted as she is by the kindly warmth of the Father of Light only she needs now and then the Auxiliary refreshment of convenient moisture moisture which the propitious Clouds sometimes abundantly pour down but which sometimes the Gard'ners Industry too is fain to supply her with in time of need The Cold Beds and Counterborders Levelled and adjusted so even to a line and so well furnish'd with Cabbage-Lettuces what pleasure do they not afford to behold them That forest of Artichokes of different colours which appears in a select and particular place doth it not call out to the curious to come and admire them and more especially to judge of their goodness and delicacy whilst they are also passing their opinions of their beauty and abundance The Palisades and Pole-Hedges so exquisitely well extended and resounding with the warbling notes of chirping Birds which we pass through in going to this Kitchen-Garden commence the pleasure of their walk compleat it at their going back and inspire them with a longing desire to return again with all convenient speed In these two Months of July and August Kitchen-Gardens should be so richly and happily endowed with whatsoever their condition is capable of that we may find plenty of all things there both to satisfie the pleasures of the present and provide for the necessities of the future time so that let us require of them what we please they may be as ready to answer as we to make our Demands As for example have we a mind to all or any sorts of Herbs Roots Sallets Perfumes c. They will immediately furnish us with them have we a fancy to any Musk-Melons those chief and principal Fruits of our Climate we may smell them a great way off and need but follow our noses and go and visit them and stoop and gather them Would we have any Cucumbers flat Pumpions or other Pumpions or Citrulls Mushrooms c. They will present us with store of them Do our Appetites further crave after Artichokes or Pears Plums Figs. c. we may be sure
it a great deal of good to water it in Summer There is but one sort of it whose Seed is gathered at the end of Summer C. CAbbages of all sorts of Kitchen-Plants take Root again the easiliest when transplanted as they are likewise the most known and most used of any in our whole Gardens They are multiplied by Seed and are of several sorts and Seasons There are some called White or headed Cabbages which are for the service of the latter end of Summer and for Autumn There are some Curled called Pancaliers and Milan Cabbages which produce small headed Cabbages for Winter there are some of a Red or Violet Colour and some called long sided Cabbages whereof some are Bright or White and very delicate ripe in Vintage time and others Green and are not very good till they be Frost-bitten Lastly there are some called Choux Fleurs i. e. Cabbage Flowers and by the English Collyflowers which are the most noble and valuable of them all and are not used in pottage but in choice intermesses they cannot endure the Frost and therefore assoon as they begin to form their heads they must be covered with their Leaves tied up for that end over them with Straw bands to guard them from the insults of the Cold that spoil and rot them They are for our Winter spending and must be sheltred in the Green house or Conservatory whither they must be carried and there planted with a turf of their old Earth about them where they commonly are used to perfect the full growth of their heads All other Cabbage-Plants yield Seed in France but only these whose Seed we are fain to have brought up from the Eastern Countries which makes them ordinarily very dear To make Cabbages run to Seed we use every year either in Autumn or Spring to transplant some of the best and fairest of them which run to Seed in the Months of May and June that is gathered in July and August You are by the way to remark two things The first is that all thick Plants that run to Seed and grow pretty high as Cabbage Leeks Ciboules Onions Red Beet-Roots Carrots Parsnips Cellery c. must be supported either with upright props or croâ—s sticks to hinder the wind from breaking down their stems before the Seed be Ripe The second is that we seldom stay to let any Seeds dry upon their Plants as they stand it being enough to let them only Ripen when we cut down their stems and lay them to dry upon some Cloth after which we beat them out and fan and cleanse them and lay them up when they are fully dry And thus we do with the Seeds of Cresses Chervil Parsley Radishes Borage Bugloss c. Ordinary Capers grow upon a sort of small Shrub that is raised in niches made purposely in well exposed Walls for that end which are filled with Earth to nourish the Plants and every year in the Spring we prune their Branches which afterwards shoot out buttons or swelling buds which are pickled up in Vinegar to be used in Winter either in Sallets or in pottage Capucine-Capers or Nasturces are annual Plants which are usually sown in Hot Beds in the Month of March and transplanted again in the naked Earth along by some Walls or at the foot of some Trees where their mounting stalks which are but weak and grow pretty high may take some hold to support themselves They are also planted in Pots and Boxes in which some sticks are set up to support their stalks Their Buttons or round Buds before they open are good to pickle in Vinegar Their Flower is pretty large of an Orange Colour and very agreeable They must be carefully watered in the Summer to make them shoot vigorously and so long time as they should Their Seed falls to the Earth assoon as ever 't is ripe as well as that of Borage and Bugloss and therefore must be carefully gathered up Caprons are a sort of large Straw-berries not over delicate which ripen at the same time as those of the better kind Their Leaves are extraordinary large velveted and of a darkish Green Colour They are little to be prized and are found in the Woods as other Straw-berries are Spanish Cardons or Cardoons grow only from Seed They are sown at two several times The first is commonly about the middle or latter end of April and the second at the beginning of May. They must be sown in good and well prepared Ground and in little Trenches or pits a full foot wide and about six Inches deep filled with Mold We make Beds of four or five foot wide in order to place in them two ranks of those little Trenches or pits checker-wise We put five or six Seeds in every hole with intention to let but two or three of them grow if they all come up taking away those that are over and above that number either to throw away or to new stock those places where there perhaps are none come up or where we may have sown some few upon a Hot Bed for that intention And if in fifteen or twenty days we do not see the Seed come up we should uncover them to see whether they be rotten or begin to sprour that so we may fill up their places with new ones in case of need The Seeds of the first sowing are generally three weeks coming up and those of the second fifteen days Cardons must not be sown before the middle of April for fear they should grow too big and run to Seed in August and September and then they are not good Great care must be taken to water them well and when towards the end of October we have a mind to whiten them we take the advantage of some dry day first to tie up all their Leaves with two or three bands and some days after we cover them quite up with Straw or dry Litter well twisted about them so that the Air may not penetrate to come at them except it be at the very top which we leave open These Cardoon Plants thus wrapt up whiten in about fifteen days or three weeks and grow fit to Eat We make an end of tying up and wrapping or covering all that we have in our Gardens when we perceive the Winter approach and then we take them up with the Earth about them to transplant them in our Green House or Conservatory Some of those Plants are good to transplant in the naked Earth in the following Spring to run to Seed in June or July or else some Plants of them tied up in their first places will serve for that three or four times together Carrots are a sort of Root whereof some are White and others Yellow that grow only from Seed and require the same care and ordering which we have already described under the head of Red Beet-Roots Cellery is a sort of Sallet produced by Seed and is not good but at the end of Autumn and during the Winter Season We sow
particularly there still is left us a certain kind of those Famous Pears that bear the venerable Name of Boncretiens which as it cannot but be unanimously confessed are capable alone gloriously and happily to terminate the Campaign I shall not fail in another place to lay before you what must needs produce in you a great Consideration for them but at present I shall only content my self with telling you That if I may be permitted so to speak we are to look upon them to be as 't were the Rear-guard and Body of Reserve of the Army of Fruits newly disbanded for in effect that great number of other Fruits having for the space of Eight or Nine Months fought against and exterminated that Sterility that would have oppressed us without their Assistance and being at last dismissed the Boncretien remains alone being as it seems the General who with a small number of Subaltern Officers gently retires to take up his Winter Quarters in Expectation of new Recruits for another Expedition But I am afraid 't is not enough to have told you what sorts of Fruits are to be had in every Month there remaining methinks one thing still very necessary to be treated of and that is to shew you with some tolerable Exactness how long the Fruit of any Tree whatsoever will ordinarily hold out in spending supposing the Trees reasonably well loaded because unless that be known it will be hardly possible to regulate what number of Trees one may within a small matter over or under need to furnish one with a handsom provision of them without troubling ones self to Plant a superfluity of Trees Upon which I tell you that we may say such a Tree is well loaded if for Example one Wall Peach-tree yield Fifty great Peaches and one Dwarf Pear-tree bear Fifty large Pears and if of Plums and Pears of a midling bigness each Dwarf-tree or Standard bear about the quantity of Two hundred a piece and of Figs in Boxes one Box yields two or three Dozen and if of the same one Wall or Dwarf-Stock yeilds about a Hundred c. It being certain that as in the first Years of their bearing all these Sorts of Trees yield much less so when they grow to their just bigness and the Years prove good they bear ordinarily much more Fruit than the proportion I have specified This then being Establish'd for a Rule I shall next observe to you That Experience further teaches us these Three Things viz. I. First That Regularly the Fruits of the good Wall-trees of every Garden ripen a little before those of Standards and these again something before those that grow on Dwarf-trees II. The Second is That among Wall-trees those facing the East and South-quarters are the first that bring their Fruit to Maturity which these two first do commonly much about the same time they both being earlier than those of the West by Eight or Ten Days and than those of the North by at least Fifteen or Twenty though in serious Truth those Fruits of the North are little to be counted upon unless it be such as some Butter-pears Crasannes and some kinds of baking or stewing Pears c. III. In fine The third Thing that Experience teaches us in matter of Fruits is That as to those Summer Fruits that are to be gathered as fast as they ripen a Peach-tree a Plum-tree a Fig-tree a Pear-tree c. yield Fruit for Ten or Twelve Days and seldom or never pass that time and as for those Pears which use to be laid up in the Fruit-lofts of which the first are those that are eaten in the Beginning of Autumn as namely the Butter-pears the Verte-longues or Long green-pears the Bergamots c. each of those Kinds last about Fifteen or Twenty Days at most the different Figures of those Trees and the different Soils and different Expositions in which they are Planted lengthening or shortning a little Duration of their Fruit. As for the Fruits that are for the spending both during the End of Autumn and all the whole Winter which though what Kinds of Trees soever they be gathered from are commonly laid up promiscuously together People only contenting themselves with laying each Kind of Fruit in separate Heaps by themselves yet Persons that are very Curious such as I am are so accurate as to separate even the Fruits of one and the same Kind into different heaps laying the Fruit of one Tree of them in one place and that of another in another according to the differences of the Figures of their Trees and their different Expositions that they may the more precisely know when each of them mellows Now I say of these Kinds that are for the spending as well of the End of Autumn as of the whole Winter there are some that furnish you for a Months spending such for the beginning of October are the Pears called the Crasanne the Marchioness the Messire-John the Green sugar the Vine pear the Lansac the Flowered Muscat c. And others that afford a supply for five or six Weeks such as are for the End of October and part of November the Louise-bonnes or good Louises the Petit-oins the Thorn pears the dry Martins c. Others again there are that supply us for near Two Months as the Virgoulees the Ambrets the Leschasseries the Pastourelles the St. Augustins St. Germains and above all the Thorn-Pears may last part of November and all December Lastly Some endure till January as the Colmars and the Boncretiens that may last all January and February and likewise the St. Lezins and Bugis that are able to supply us both in February and March From hence we may conclude That for Example if a curious Gentleman have in Summer time a competent Number of fine Trees of each Kind and for Peaches Plums Figs c. have some Wall-trees in all the several Expositions and for Pears Plums c. have some others in both the several Forms of Dwarf-trees and Standards provided the Trees be of a full Age to bear such a Person may reckon that about Twenty Days he shall be reasonably well supplied with Fruits of each Kind For for Example if he have three fine Wall-Minion-Peach-trees such as they ought to be after three four or five Years Planting at furthest one towards the East another toward the South and a third towards the West these three fine Peach-trees may supply him with that kind of Fruit for three Weeks together and yield him in that time about a hundred and Fifty fair Peaches that is to say seven or eight a day and consequently he may have Three hundred which is at the rate of Fifteen or Sixteen a Day from six Peach-trees which is no over great Number of Trees of the same Kind and he may have no less than Six hundred from Twelve Trees which is at the rate of about Thirty a Day and that is a very Noble Provision the same may be said as to the
97. A fourth Louise-Bonne or Good Louise 98. An eighth Thorn-pear 99. An eighth Ambret 100. A tenth Virgoulee 101. An eleventh Virgoulee 102. An eighth Leschasserie 103. A ninth Thorn-pear 104. A first Bourdon or Humble-Bee-pear to be eaten in the end of July and beginning of August described pag. 107 105. A seventh St. Germain 106. A first Colmar 107. A seventh Butter-pear 108. A seventh Verte-Longue or Long-green-pear 109. A tenth Thorn-pear 110. A fifth Petit-oin 111. A first sugar-Sugar-green pear or Sucre-vert a pear of the end of October described pag. 107 112. A first Lansac a pear of the beginning of November described pag. 97 113. A third Russelet 114. A third Robin 115. A first Maudlin-pear ripe in the beginning of July and described pag. 107 116. A first Espargne or Reserve pear ripe at the end of July described pag. 107 117. A second Espargne 118. A twelfth Virgoulee 119. A sixth Colmar 120. An English Winter Boncretien 121. A second Dry Martin 122. A seventh Colmar 123. An eighth Butter-pear 124. A first Bugi a pear of February and March described pag. 107 125. A second Bugi 126. A ninth Winter Boncretien 127. A ninth Butter-pear 128. A first Great Onionet or Onion pear ripe in the Middle of July described pag. 108 129. A second sugar-Sugar-green or Sucre-vert 130. A first little Blanquet a pear of the end of July described pag. 100 109 131. A thirteenth Virgoulee 132. An eleventh Thorn-pear 133. A ninth Ambret 134. An eighth Verte-Longue or Long-green pear 135 A sixth Petit-oin 136. A first Angober a Baking pear described pag. 108 137. A fourth Russelet 138. A fourth Robin 139. A fifth Crasane 140. An eighth St. Germain 141. An eighth Colmar 142. A second Messire John 143. A fourteenth Virgoulee 144. A tenth Leschasserie 145. A tenth Ambret 146. A first Double Flowred pear eatable in March and described pag. 108 147. A fifth Marchioness 148. A first Frank-Royal a January pear described pag. 108 149. A second Skinless-pear 150. A first Besidery a pear of October and November described pag. 108 151. A tenth Winter Boncretien 152. A fifteenth Virgoulee 153. A sixteenth Virgoulee 154. An eleventh Leschasserie 155. A twelfth Thorn-pear 156. A tenth Butter-pear 157. A first Vine-pear eatable in Mid October and described pag. 101 158. A first Ronville a pear of January described pag. 108 159. A fifth Russelet 160. A fifth Robin 161. A sixth Crasane 162. A sixth Marchioness 163. A seventh Petit-oin 164. A third Cuisse-Madam or Lady-thigh 165. A ninth Colmar 166. An eleventh Winter Boncretien 167. A second Musked Summer Boncretien 168. A second Muscat-Robert 169. A third Skinless-pear 170. An eleventh Butter-pear 171. A second Maudlin-pear 172. A seventeenth Virgoulee 173. A twelfth Leschasserie 174. A second Bourdon 175. A third Dry Martin 176. A third Bugi 177. A twelfth Winter Boncretien 178. A ninth Verte-Longue or Long-green-pear 179. A second Doyennee or Dean-pear 180. A first Salviati a pear of August and September described pag. 109 181. A twelfth Butter-pear 182. An eleventh Ambret 183. An eighth Petit-oin 184. A ninth St. German 185. A tenth Colmar 186. A twelfth Ambret 187. A second Lansac 188. A seventh Crasane 189. A thirteenth Winter Boncretien 190. A eighteenth Virgoulee 191. A second Besi de la Mott. 192. A sixth Russelet 193. A sixth Robin 194. A first Cassolet ripe in the Middle of August and described pag. 100 195. A first Unknown Chaineau a pear of the Middle of September not described 196. A first little Muscat a pear of the beginning of July described pag. 99 197. A first Hasty-Russelet a pear of the end of July not described 198. A first Portal a pear of January and February and described pag. 98 199. A second Portal 200. A third St. Augustin 201. A fourteenth Winter Boncretien 202. A fifteenth Winter Boncretien 203. A sixteenth Winter Boncretien 204. A seventeenth Winter Boncretien 205. An eighteenth Winter Boncretien 206. A nineteenth Winter Boncretien 207. A first Winter Bergamot 208. A nineteenth Virgoulee 209. A twentieth Virgoulee 210. A twenty first Virgoulee 211. A thirteenth Leschasserie 212. A fourteenth Leschasserie 213. A thirteenth Ambret 214. A fourteenth Ambret 215. A thirteenth Thorn-pear 216. A fourteenth Thorn-pear 217. An eighth Crasane 218. A ninth Petit-oin 219. A tenth S. Germain 220. An eleventh St. Germain 221. A seventh Marchioness 222. An eighth Marchioness 223. A fourth Dry Martin 224. A fifth Dry Martin 225. A thirteenth Butter-pear 226. A fourteenth Butter-pear 227. A seventh Russelet 228. An eighth Russelet 229. A third Musked Summer Boncretien 230. A third Messire-John 231. A seventh Robine 232. A tenth Verte-long or Long-green-pear 233. An eleventh Verte-longue 234. A second Cassolet 235. A second Lansac 236. A fourth Cuisse-madam or Lady-thigh 237. A fifth Lady-thigh 238. A third Longtail'd Blanquet 239. A first Musked Blanquet a Pear of the beginning of July described pag. 109 240. A second Orange green-pear 241. A second Besidery 242. A third Espargne or Reserve-pear 243. A fourth Messire John 244. A third Sucré-verd or Sugar green-pear 245. A twentieth Winter Boncretien 246. A twenty first Winter Boncretien 247. A twenty second Winter Boncretien 248. a twenty third Winter Boncretien 249. A twenty second Virgoulee 250. A twenty third Virgoulee 251. A twenty fourth Virgoulee 252. A fifteenth Ambret 253. A sixteenth Ambret 254. A fifteenth Thorn-pear 255. A fifteenth Thorn-pear 256. A fifteenth Leschasserie 257. A sixteenth Leschasserie 258. A seventeenth Leschasserie 259. A sixth Dry Martin 260. A tenth Petit-oin 261. A twelfth St. Germain 262. A fourth St. Augustin 263. A ninth Marchioness 264. A fifteenth Butter-pear 265. A first Amadot a Pear of November and December 266. A first Spanish Boncretien eatable about the middle of November and beginning of December described pag. 109 267. A fifth Louise-bonne or Good Louise 268. A third Doyennee or Dean-pear 269. A third Portal 270. A sixth Louise-bonne or Good Louise 271. A third Besidery a good baking Pear 272. a fourth Besidery 273. A second Double Flower 274. A third Double Flower 275. A second Frank Royal. 276. A third Frank Royal. 277. A second Angober 278. A third Angober 279. A first Donville 280. A second Donville 281. An eighth Robine 282. A ninth Robine 283. A first St. Lezin a March Pear 284. A seventh Louise-bonne or good Louise 285. An eleventh Colmar 286. A ninth Crasane 287. A sixteenth Butter-pear 288. A second Winter Bergamot 289. A fourth musked Summer Boncretin 290. A twelfth Verte-longue or Long-green-pear 291. A second Spanish Boncretin 292. A tenth Crasane 293. A second Vine-pear 294. A first melting Pear of Brest an August Pear 295. A second Musked Blanquet 296. A second Salviati 297. A first Summer Satin-pear 298. A third Muscat Robert 299. A third Bourdon 300. A fourth Skinless-pear 301. A fourth Bugi 302. A fifth Bugi 303. A sixth Bugi 304. A seventh Bugi 305. An eighth Bugi 306. A ninth Bugi 307. A first
the same Months 14. The Louise-Bonne or good Louise November and December 15. The Verte-Longue or Long-Green-Pear middle of October 16. The Marchioness October 17. The St. Augustine end of December 18. The Messire-John middle of October 19. The Cuisse-Madame or Lady-thigh entrance of July 20. The Great Blanquet the same Months 21. The Muscat-Robert otherwise called the Queen-Pear the Amber-Pear the Great Musked-Pear of Coud the Princess in Poitou the Maiden of Flanders and the Maiden of Xaintonge is Ripe in the middle of July 22. The Skinless-Pear about the Twentieth of July 23. The Flower'd-Muscat middle of October 24. The Long-tail'd-Blanquet July 25. The Orange-Green-Pear August 26. The Besi de la motte end of October 27. The Dry Martin middle of November 28. The Bourdon or Humble-Bee-Pear end of July and beginning of August 29. The sugar-Sugar-Green or Green-Sugar-Pear or Sucre-verd end of October 30. The Lansac in the same time 31. The Maudlin-Pear entry of July 32. The Espargne or Reserve-Pear end of July 33. The Bugi February and March 34. The Little Blanquet or White Pear 35. The unknown Chaineau September 36. The Little Muscat 37. The Portal January and February 38. The Green-Satin-Pear January 39. The Red Admiral July 40. The Vine or Damsel-Pear middle of October 41. The Non-common or Dead-Mens-Pear November 42. The Great Musk-Pear January 43. The Almain or German-Muscat March and April 44. The Amadotte November and December 45. The St. Lezin March 46. The melting Brest-Pear August 47. The Russelin October 48. The Pendar or Hanging-Pear September 49. The Cassolette or Friolet or Green Muscat or the Eche-Frion 50. The Ronville or Martin-sire January Indifferent Pears 1. THE London-Pear November 2. The Brown Orange-Pear or Monsieur-Pear August and September 3. The Musked Summer-Boncretien or Graccioli at the same time 4. The Doyennee or Dean-Pear or St. Michael's Pear middle of September and October 5. The Cat-burnt-Pear October and November 6. The English-Pear September and October 7. The Ambrette of Bourgeuill or Graville thirteenth of October 8. The Besidery a Baking-Pear October 9. The Pastourelle or Bag-pipe-Pear of Autumn November 10. The Topinambour or Potato-Pear or Musked Finot December 11. The Arch-Duke March 12. The Naples Pear same Month. 13. The Summer-perfume same time 14. The perfume of Berny the Twenty Third of September 15. The Spanish Boncretien November 16. The Crapaudine or Toady-Pear otherwise the Grise bonne or Graygood and Summer-Ambrette August 17. The Portugal Summer-Pear or Prince-Pear or Admiral-Pear July 18. The Villain-Pear of Anjou 19. The Black Sugry-Pear or Sucrin-Noir December and January 20. The Cat-Pear October 21. The Jessamine-Pear November 22. The Besi de Caissoy or Russet of Anjou November 23. The Musked Onion-Pear the same Month. 24. The Limon-Pear November and December 25. The Etranguillon Vibray or Vibray-Choak-Pear December 26. The Round Milan-Pear January and February 27. The Queen of Winter the same time 28. The Carmelite-Pear March 29. The Winter-Russelet 30. The Jasmin and Frangipane August 31. The Thorn less Ambrette November 32. The Gold-Pear of Autumn the same Month. 33. The Nameless-Pear of Monsicur Le Jeune 34. The Caillot-Rosat or Rosie Pebble-Pear or Rose-water-Pear or otherwise Pera del Campo August and September 35. The Rose-Pear August 36. The Milan de la Beuvriere or Summer-Bergamot August the Twelfth 37. The Winter-Orange-Pear March and April 38. The Tuliped Fly-Pear September 39. The Brutte-Bonne or Chaw-good-Pear or otherwise the Pope-Pear 40. The Finor of Orleans common in August Reddish and like a Russelet it must be gathered green to make it Mellow and more Juicy 41. The White-Butter-Pear August the Twentieth 42. The Double-Flower March 43. The Morfontaine the Twenty Fifth of September 44. The Tibivilliers or Bruta-Marma March and April Bad Pears 1. THE Dumas or Christalline or Marin-gout-Pear of the shape of the Gilogiles February and March 2. The English-Burket-Russet September and October 3. The Sain-Pear or Sound-Mans-Pear August and September 4. The Summer-Certeau end of September 5. The Belle-Bonne or Fair-good-Pear October the Tenth 6. The Catillac-Pear October and November 7. The Cadet-Pear October November and December 8. The Thick-tail'd-Pear October 9. The Fin-Oin-Pear 10. The Passe-Bonne or Past-good-Pear 11. The Chambrette these three last all in October 12. The Winter-Caillot or Pebble-Pear to bake November 13. The Carmelite Mazuer or Gilogiles November 14. The Baking Pound-Pear November 15. The Ros-Pear November and December 16. The Sicilian Musked Bergamot or Dove-Pear December 17. The Citroli-Pear same Month. 18. The Caloët or Winter-Caillot or Pebble-Pear December 19. The Lady Joan or Rousse de la Merliere December and January 20. The Pernan January 21. The Miret February 22. The Gourmandine or Liquorish-Pear March 23. The Foundling of the Mountain the same Month. 24. The Supreme July 25. The Gros Fremon or Great Fremon December and January 26. The Macarius-Pear April 27. The Bernardiere April and March 28. The Betterave or Beet-root-Pear August 29. The Red Orange-Pear August 30. The Burgundy Dry-Martin November December and January 31. The Bellissime or Super-fair-Pear August 32. The Martineau October 33. The Legat-Bouge or Bens-Pear the same Month. 34. The Cyprus-Pear November 35. The Fontarabie-Pear January 36. The Malta-Pear November 37. The Constantinople or Borgueil-Pear December 38. The Orange-Pear of St. Lo the same Month. 39. The Winter-Jargonnelle January 40. The Gastellier January 41. The Estoupe or Stopple-Pear March 42. The Bete-bir the same time 43. The Monrave the same time 44. The Gambay April 45. The Summer-Jargonnelle August the Twenty Second 46. The Lombard-Pear August 47. The Sanguinole or Bloody-Pear August 48. The Hasty-Pear same time 49. The Double-headed-Pear August and September 50. The Onion-Pear of Vervan August 51. The Musked Certeau 52. The Winter-Villain January 53. The Stergonette the same time 54. The Green-Pear of Pereus January February and March 55. The Toad-Pear January 56. The Scarlet-Pear August 57. The My-God-Pear August 58. The Belle-Vege same time 59. The Courtreau or St. Giles's Pear August 60. The Red Pairmain-Pear 61. The St. Francis-Pear 62. The Bequêne 63. The Love-Pear 64. The Marine or Thomas-Pear 65. The Carisie 66. The Chair-à -Dame or Lady-flesh-Pear August There are some Pears among these good to Bake c. which are The Carmelite The Caloët The Great Fremont The St. Francis The Bequêne The Love-Pear The Thomas or Marine-Pear And the Ros-Pear Besides the Bad-Pears which I know not here is a particular List of those which I know to be so Bad that I Counsel no Body to Plant any of them Summer-Pears 1. THE Summer-Certeau 2. The Belle-bonne 3. The Poire de Sain or Sound-Man's-Pear 4. The Sanguinole or Bloody-Pear 5. The Betterave or Beet-root-Pear 6. The Red Orange Pear 7. The Bellissime 8. The Jargonnelle 9. The Lombardie 10. The Windsor-Pear August 11. The Musked Vally-Pear 12. The Odorant or sweet-smelling-Pear 13. The Scarlet-Pear 14. The My-God-Pear 15. The St. Giles or Courtreau-Pear 16. The
are in reputation to be knowing exact and faithful for otherwise we run great danger of being grosly deceived in the kinds of our Fruits and especially of Peach-trees because they all resemble one another so much both in Leaf and Bark excepting the Troy-peaches Forward or Avant peaches and the White Maudlins which are distinguished by some more visible differences for which reason I would advise no Body to take any Trees of suspicious or unknown Gard'ners or that are of ill repute how cheap a bargain soever they may offer them such an errour as that being of too great a consequence to be ventured on at what rate soever Tree stocks then are to be chosen either whilst they are yet growing in the Nursery-Gardens or after they are pulled up and brought from thence In both Cases we must consider first the figure of each Tree Secondly its bigness or thickness Thirdly in what manner they are fashioned and composed and if the Trees be already pulled up we must take special notice of their Roots and of the Bark both of their Bodies and Branches CHAP. XVII How to chose Trees as they stand in the Nursery-Gardens IF we choose our Trees in the Nursery-Gardens which 't were always to be wished we could and that about Mid-September to mark out the Trees we choose and pretend to carry off though that be not always feasible because of the too great distance sometimes of the places where the choice Nurseries are yet if we can go to the places we must only fix upon those Trees that have shot vigorously that year and that appear sound both in their Leaves and at the end of their young shoots and by their smooth and shining Bark so that if any Trees have no shoots of that years growth but what are very feeble or perhaps have none at all if any before the Season for the fall of the Leaf have all their Leaves lesser and more starveling than they should be and the extreamity or their young shoots Black and mortified or their Bark rough and wrinkled and full of Moss and if Pear-Trees Apple-Trees or Plum-Trees they be Canker'd or if they be stone Fruit and found to have Gum either about their Body or Roots all these are so many Marks of Trees which we are to reject to which we shall subjoyn some other particular Marks yet of very great importance Peach-Trees that have been Grafted above a year or above two without being stript below are worth nothing they being hardly vigorous enough to sprout above the old Branches the same judgment is to be made of those which are above three Inches or not so much as between one and two Inches thick below and of those that are Grafted upon old Almond Stocks and are about four or five Inches thick Plum-Trees Apricock-Trees Azeroll or Garden Haw-Trees are passably good at two Inches and an half and admirable at three or four It is no matter whether the Graft be of one or two or three years grow'th or whether it be covered up again or no though it would be better it were but I would not have them either smaller or older than I have Expressed Those sorts of Trees that attain to a due bigness the first or at least the second year prove ordinarily admirable ones because that shows they are Grafted upon a very good Stock Apple-Trees Grafted on Paradise Stocks and Early or Hasting Cherry-Trees are good from an Inch and an half to two Inches thickness Standard-Trees must be straight and be at least full six good foot high and five or six Inches thick below and four or five above having always their Bark as little rugged as may be and rather on the contrary smooth and shining as a mark or their Youth and of the goodness of the Soil from which they are taken As to the manner how Trees should be fashioned I Judge that for all sorts of Dwarf or Wall-Trees it is better they should be straight and consisting only of one entire Stick and of one only Graft than to be composed of two or three Grafts or several branches the new sprouts that will shoot out round about the single body of the Tree when top't and new Planted being more fit and pliable to be turned as we would have them to make a fair Tree than if they consisted of two Sticks or of old branches because we cannot be assured from what part of those old branches of the new planted Tree the new Sprouts will shoot and because commonly they grow ill favouredly and so confusedly interlaced one with another that we are forced to cut them quite away and consequently to make so many wounds in the Tree which is time lost both for the advancement of the beauty of it and of its producing Fruit both which are by this means retarded I would have my Tree then without any branches at all below but yet I would have it have good Eyes or buds which may by consequence promise good Branches and especially in Peach-Trees so that we must never take those whose Eyes are as 't were put out that is to say their issues stopt up because 't is very rarely that any new branches spring out from such and 't is so true that I desire but one single stick that commonly when I find two grafts I take away the weakest and preserve only that which is the more vigorous and better placed of the two As for Standard-Trees that are to be planted in the full and open air I am content they should have some branches about their tops that may be shortned when they are new planted because we require not so regular an exactness for the Beauty of these tall Trees as we do for that of lesser ones it being sufficient if those of the former sort be adorned with tops that Spread into but any thing nigh a round figure to be reasonably enough handsome in their kind CHAP. XVIII How to choose Trees when already drawn out of the Nursery Gardens IF the Trees be already pull'd up we must not only have regard to all the particulars above expressed without neglecting one of them but we must besides have a care they have not been too long taken up so that their bark is grown shriveled and their wood dry and perhaps quite dead or that their bark be not too much peeled off or the grafting place strangled with too hard binding with Pack-thred or that they be not grafted too low and especially in Peach-Trees so that to place the roots as they should be we must necessarily be forced to bury the Grafts under Ground in planting them or else grafted too high so that they cannot begin a well proportioned Wall or DwarsTree both which ought to begin about six or seven inches from the Ground But this is not all for we must take special heed too to the roots because though they had all the other necessary good qualifications in perfection yet
to different Distempers Gardners would certainly be blame-worthy if they did not make it their Study to find out effectual Remedies for some and to satisfie themselves as to the others and if knowing those Remedies they were not careful to apply them upon occasion For it were vain for them to breed Trees in their Gardens to be liable to see them perish in their prime for want of knowing how to Cure them and restore them to their pristine Vigour In Order not to omit any thing relating to those Accidents which our Trees are liable to without including such as proceed from too long wounds of great Heat of great Cold of Storms of Whirlwinds Hails c. I think my self oblig'd to say in the first place that there are Distempers common to all Trees in general Secondly that there are some that are peculiar to every particular kind The common Distempers consist either in a defect of Vigour which makes the Trees appear in a languishing Condition or else in a storm of large white Worms which are sometimes form'd in the Earth and there gnaw the Roots or the Bark of the Neighbouring Stem those mischievous little Insects which we call Tons by degrees cause so great a disorder that the Tree which is attack'd by them and had always appear'd Vigorous before all on a suddain dies without any Remedy The Peculiar Distempers are for Example in Pear-Treees against a Wall when their Leaves are attack'd with what we call Tigers Cankers and Scabs in other Pear-Trees Viz. Robins small Muscadins c. Gum on Stone Fruit-Trees especially Peach-Trees which commonly destroys that part on which it fixes either Branch or Stem and when unfortunately it attacks the part where the Tree is graffed which is often hid under ground it insensibly spreads round about that Graff without any bodies observing of it for the Tree still continues in a good Condition while there remains any passage for the Sap but finally this Gum hindering this Sap from rising to the upper parts of the Tree makes that Tree die suddenly as if it had been suffocated by a kind of Apoplectick Fit Moreover some Peach-Trees are also attack'd with Aemets and a small kind of green Fleas which sometimes fasten on the young Shoots and hinder them from thriving sometimes on the new Leaves and cause them first to shrink next to dry and fall We have likewise North-East Winds which blast in some Springs wither and as it were burn all the new Shoots insomuch that the Trees on which this unlucky Influence lights appears dead while others about them are green full of fine Leaves and continue to produce fine Shoots Besides this are not the most Vigorous Trees subject to have the end of their new Shoots intirely cut off by a little black round Insect call'd Bud-Cutter Fig Trees dread the great Colds of the Winter which are capable of Freezing their whole head unless they be extreamly well Cover'd but it is not sufficient to have secur'd them against Frost They are likewise subject in that Winter Season to have the lower part of their Stems gnaw'd by Rats and Mulots which makes them pine and die Those very Animals together with Laires Ear-wigs and Snails likewise spoil the very Fruit on the Trees when they approach to maturity especially Peaches and Plums have not Goosberry-shrubs their peculiar Enemies also which are a kind of small green Caterpillars which form themselves towards the Months of May and June on the back part of their Leaves and eat them to that degree that those little Shrubs remain altogether bare and their Fruit no longer having any thing to cover and defend them from the great heats of the Sun is destroy'd without being able to Ripen I might run over all the Accidents which all the rest of Gard'ning is liable to and cause abundance of Disorders in it For Example Strawberry-Plants in the prime of their Youth and Vigour are as it were treacherously attack'd in their very Roots by those wicked Tons which destroy them Kitchen-Plants especially Lettuce and Succory c. constantly have some of those Tons or other little reddish Worms which gnaw them about the neck and kill them just as they come to perfection How much do Artichokes suffer by little black Flies which infest them towards the end of Summer and Mulots or Garden-Mice which gnaw their Roots in the Winter Lettuce and Succory are absolutely devour'd by Snails some of which are long and yellow some blackish and gray and others little and white especially in Rainy Weather Sorell is tormented in very hot weather with little Black Fleas which gnaw all the Leaves insomuch that it becomes of no use Even Cabbages are spoil'd by green Snails which gnaw and spoil all their Leaves but I am only to speak in this place of those Distempers that may be Cur'd in Fruit-Trees and not of such as are Incurable nor of those that are incident to Kitchen-Plants those commonly proceed either from the defect of the Ground which does not furnish nourishment enough or from an ill Culture or a defect in Pruning or finally from a defect in the Tree which was not well-condition'd either before it was Planted or in Planting of it It therefore follows in the first place that the Soil may contribute to Distemper our Trees which commonly happens when the Earth is not Fruitful in it self or is perhaps become so by being exhausted or when it is too dry or too moist or else when tho' never so good there is not a sufficient quantity of it In order to remedy all those kind of Inconvenients I say that when the Soil is infertile as it happens in many places where there is nothing but clear Sand the Master is to blame to have Planted any thing in it the defect of it can never be Corrected whatever quantity of Dung he puts into it the only Expedient is to remove that Earth and put better Mould in the room of it Happy are those who can meet with it in their Neighbourhood and thereby avoid the Trouble and Charge of fetching it at a distance As to that which is worn out it is likely that there may be some better about it which may be us'd unless People would allow it two or three years time to lie Fallow in order to amend it by rest but there is no pleasure in losing so much time When we resolve to make this Exchange of Mould and yet are unwilling to remove the Tree which is not Old one half of the Roots must be Prun'd short again which will suffice for the first Year doing the same again at the end of two years to the other half of the Tree Nothing Exhausts the Ground more than the Roots of Trees lying long in the same place especially the Roots of Neighbouring Trees particularly Pallisado's of Elms Fruit-Trees must of necessity Pine or Perish if that Neighbourhood subsists When the Ground is too dry and
of a fair Wheat Corn it is of a greenish or Olive colour mark'd with black streaks from one end to the other and is Sown from the middle of April to the end Carrots are multiplied only by Seeds which are small and oval the sides of which are wrought with little streaks or longish points very small and one side of the flat part of the Seed is a little fuller and more raised than the other and both of them are marked long-ways with streaks they are of the colour of a dead Leaf Collery is multiplied only by Seed which is very small yellowish and of a longish oval Figure and a little bunched Chalots See Eschalots Chards of Artichokes See Artichokes Chards of Beets See Beets Chervil is multiplied only by Seed which is black very small and pretty longish striped long-ways it grows upon the Plants that were Sown in the Autumn before and Knits and Ripens in the Month of June Musked Chervil is multiplied likewise only by Seed which is longish black and pretty big Chervi or Skirrets is multiplied only by Seed which is oval longish and pretty small and narrow streaked from one end to the other and of the colour of a grayish white dead Leaf and flat at one end Ciboules or small Onions are propagated only by Seed of the bigness of a corn of ordinary Gun-powder a little flat on one side and half round on the other and yet a little long and oval and white on the inside so like to which are the Seeds of both the Red and White Onion and of Leeks that it is very hard to distinguish them one from the other Ciboules are Sown in all Seasons Citrulls Pumpions or Pumkins are propagated only by Seeds which are of a flat oval Figure and pretty large and whitish and are as 't were neatly edged about the sides excepting only at the bottom where they stuck to the Citrull or Pumpion in whose Belly they were formed Cives called English Cives are multiplied only by little Off-sets that grow round about their Tufts which grow very big in time from which a part of those Off-sets are taken to Replant Colyflowers See Cabbages Coleworts See Cabbages Cresses called Alènois Cresses are multiplied only by Seed which is of a longish oval figure small and of an Orange yellow colour Cucumbers or Cowcumbers are propagated only by Seed which is oval a little pointed at both ends but a little less at the lower end or bottom than at the other out of which springs its Bud or Sprout it is of a midling thickness of a whitish colour and is gathered out of the Bellies of those Cucumbers that are grown yellow with ripeness The Curran-Bushes whose Fruit grows in Bunches both the Red and the White called Dutch Currans as also Goosberry-Bushes called in French Groseilles as well as Currans and named Picquans or Prickly Groseilles are multiplied as well by slips that are a little Rooted that Sprout out of the foot of their Stocks every year in the Spring as by simple Cuttings we also Replant their Stocks of two or three years old D. THe Dock called Patience being a sort of Sorrel is multiplied only by Seed which is like Sorrel Seed only a little bigger Dragons or Estragon a Sallet See Estragon E. WHite Endive called in French Chicorée i. e. Succory is multiplied only by Seed which is longish and of a whitish grey colour flat at one end and roundish at the other and grows upon the Stocks or Stems of the preceeding years growth one would take it almost for nothing else but little bits of Herb cut pretty small Wild Endive or Succory is also propagated only by Seed which is longish and blackish and grows as the other doth Eshalottes or Shalotts See Shalots Estragon or Dragons being a Sallet is multiplied only by Runners or Cuttings F. FEnnel is propagated only by Seed which is pretty small longish and oval bunched and streaked with greenish grey streaks French Sorrel See Alleluia G. GArlick is produced by a kind of Kernels or Off-sets which grow in great numbers about its Foot and make all together a kind of Bulb like an Onion which Kernels are called the Cloves of the Garlick every Clove being concave or hollow on the inside and convex or bending outwards on the out-side having at its lower end a flat base or bottom by which it is fastned to the body of the Foot or Stalk out of which the Roots spring and having on the top a pointed end out of which springs its Bud or Shoot when it is planted in the Earth in the Months of March or April in order to its bringing forth Good Lady See Bonne Dame Goosberry-Bushes See Curran-Bushes H. HYssop or Hysope is propagated only by slips L. LAvender is multiplied by Seed and by the old Stocks or Plants replanted Lawrel or Laurel See Bays Leeks are multiplied only by Seed which is altogether like that of Ciboules they are Replanted in the Month of May very deep in the Earth to make their Stalks and Plants thick and white and they are Sown in March as soon as the Frost will permit their Seed grows in a kind of thick white Purse which is round and grows upon the top of a good long Stalk and it keeps a pretty long time in that Purse or Hood before it falls Lettuces of what sort so ever they be are multiplied only by Seed which is of a longish oval figure streaked long-ways sharp pointed at the ends and very small some are black as those of Aubervilliers but the most of them are white when they are Sown in the Spring they run to Seed in the Month of July after but the Winter Lettuces called otherwise Shell Lettuces after having past the Winter in the place where they were Re-planted in October run up to Seed in the Month of July following M. MAcedonian Parsly See Parsly Mâches or Masches are multiplied only by Seed which is very small and of an Orange colour Mallows or Marsh-Mallows are propagated only by Seeds which are like one another in shape but yet are different as well in colour as in bigness for the Seed of the Mallows is much bigger than that of the Marsh-Mallows and that of this latter is of a deeper brown than that of the plain Mallows they are both Triangular and streaked all over Marjoram is propagated only by Seed which is very little and shaped almost like a Limon more pointed on one side than on the other it is speckled in some places with little white specks and is as 't were streaked with white all over it is of a pretty light Cinnamon colour Melons or Musk-Melons are multiplied by a Seed which is like that of a Cucumber excepting in colour which in Melons is of a pale red and is not so broad as that of the others they are taken out of the Bellies of ripe Musk-Melons Mint or Spare-Mint called in French Balm is multiplied only by Runners that
Planting Trees both in their fixed places and in Baskets We bestow the first manuring upon all sorts of Gardens as well to render them agreeable to the sight during the Easter Holy-Days as to dispose the Ground for all sorts of Plants and Seeds We set in the Ground Almonds that have sprouted breaking off the sprout before we plant them We sow in the Flower Plots or Parterres some Seeds of Poppy and of Larks Heels which will flower after them that were sown in September We plant Oculus Christi Towards the twentieth day of this Month we sow some Capucin Capers or Nasturces to Replant them again a Month after in some good Exposition or at the foot of some Tree Works to be done in April THere is no Month in the year wherein there is more work to be done in Gardens than in this for now the Earth begins to be very fit not only to be manured but to receive whatsoever we have a mind to plant or sow in it as Lettuce Leeks Cabbage Borage Bugloss Artichokes Tarragon Mint Violets c. Before the Month of April it is as yet too cold and after April it begins to be too dry We furnish those places where any new planted Trees give but little marks of their prospering whether it be by Gum in stone Fruit or by pitiful small shoots in all manner of Fruit-Trees But for this important Reparation we must have brought up ready to our hands some Trees in Baskets which an understanding curious Person will never fail to have made provision of who will have the pleasure to plant some of them near those that thrive not so well as they should do when he is not well assured they will absolutely die for when we are sure of that we pluck them up quite to make room for them we should substitute in their place for which purpose we make choice of close and rainy weather We perform now our second pruning of the Branches of Peach-Trees I mean only the Fruit Branches in order to cut them off short to that part just above where there is Fruit Knit and if any of those Peach-Trees have produced any very thick shoots upon high Branches as sometimes it happens after the full Moon of March we pinch them to make them multiply into Fruit Branches and to keep them low when there is occasion that they may not run up too high before their time Peas sown in a good Exposition at the very middle of October should begin towards the middle of April to put forth at least their first Blossoms and consequently must be pinch'd the Blossom springs out commonly in Peas from the middle of the fifth or sixth Leaf from which same place there springs an Arm or Branch that grows exceeding long and produces at each Leaf a couple of Blossoms like the first and therefore the more to fortify the first we cut off that new Arm or shoot just above the second flower We continue to trim Musk Melons and Cucumbers to new heat our Hot Beds and make new ones and to sow Cucumbers that we may have some to replant that may ripen about the end of Summer and beginning of Autumn We make some hot Mushroom Beds in new Ground the manner of doing which I have already described elsewhere 'T is the Moon of this Month that we vulgarly call the Ruddy Moon it being very subject to be windy cold and dry and to be fatal thereby to many new planted Trees unless great care be taken to water them about the Foot once a Week For which purpose we make a round hollow circle or small Trench round about their foot just over the part where the Extremities of their roots are and then pour into the said Trench or Circle a pitcher full of water if the Tree be little or two or three if it be bigger and when the water is soak'd in we fill up the Circle again if we think good with Earth or else we cover it with some dry Dung or Weeds newly pluck'd up that we may the better repeat our watering once a Week during the extream dry Weather We weed up all the ill weeds that grow among good Seed we take the same course with Straw-berries Peas and replanted Lettuce and we howe all about them the better to loosen the Earth and open a passage for the first rain that shall fall About the middle of April we begin to sow a little White Endive in plain Ground to whiten it in the same place and provided it be thin sown no Seed comes so easily up as this sort of Endive At the middle of April we also sow in their places the first Spanish Cardons and the second at the beginning of May the first are commonly a Month in coming up and the others about 15 days We also still sow in this Month some Sorrel if we be not sufficiently provided with it before and we sow it either in Cold Beds in little furrows which is handsomest or else scatteringly on the plain Ground which is most common or else upon the sides of Squares to serve for an edging we likewise replant in rows or furrows that which we remove from other places and is but about a year old and especially of that of the large sort whether our necessities have obliged us to break up some Bed of it and that we be not minded to lose it or whether we do it designedly We use the same method with Fennel and Anis and if the high winds and Cold hinder us not we begin to give a little Air to our Musk Melons under Bells and continue to give them a little more and more of it by degrees till the end of May when if we be in a good Climate we take off the Bells quite And we lift up each Bell with three little forks otherwise the plant hurt by its sides would dwindle and grow lank And if after we have given it a little Air the Cold continues still sharp enough to spoil the branches and Leaves of it that are sprouting we take care to cover them with a little dry Litter At the end of the Month we replant the Radishes we have removed from the Hot Beds where we first raised them to make a good provision of Seed choosing for that purpose those that have the Reddest roots and the fewest leaves and we need only make holes at a foot distance one from the other in one or more Cold Beds with a planting stick and thrust in the Radishes into those holes and then press down the Earth about them and afterwards water them if the rain do's not spare us that labour We choose apart of the fairest of the Cabbage-Lettuces as well the Winter ones which are the Shell and Jerusalem Lettuces as the Curles Bright Lettuce raised upon Hot Beds and under Bells to plant them all together in some Cold Beds at a foot distance one from another to let them run to Seed which we also perform with a
planting stick We plant edgings of Time Sage Marjoram Hyssop Lavender Rue Worm-wood c. We replant Spring Lettuce to Cabbage which succeed one another in this order the Curled Bright Lettuce is the first and best as being the most tender and delicate but it requires a mild and light Soil or above all a Hot Bed to plant it on under Bells from the Month of February and during all the Month of March and the beginning of April A gross Soil agrees not with it for instead of growing bigger there it dwindles to nothing The Green Curled Lettuce the George Lettuce the Little Red Lettuce and those called the Royal the Bellegarde and the Perpignan follow next after The Royal Lettuce is a very fair and thick Lettuce which differs only from the Bellegarde in that it is a little less Curled The Capucin Short Aubervilliers and Austrian Lettuces succeed them and run not so easily to Seed as the preceeding ones The Alfanges Chicons and Imperials which are all Lettuces to tie up bring up the Rear and the Genua Lettuces both the Red Bright and Green are the last Summer Lettuces we must replant a good number of them at the very beginning of May to have them good about Mid-summer and all the rest of the Summer of all Lettuces this sort best endures the great heats and is least disposed to run to Seed for which reason to obtain Seed of it we must have sown it upon Hot Beds from the very Month of February that we may have some good plants of it to set again at the latter end of April The Royal Lettuce begins again to be fit to be replanted about the middle of September to supply us together with that of Genua all the rest of Autumn From the end of August we begin to sow the Shell or Winter Lettuce that we may have some fit to re-plant in the Months of October and November for our Winter provision It is hard to make any Descriptions of these sorts of Lettuces exact enough to distinguish them by the difference between them consisting chiefly in having Leaves a little more or less green or Curled It is enough for the curious to know their names to be enabled to ask for them of their Friends or buy them of the Herb Merchants we learning effectually to know them in the using The two Crisped or Curled Sorts are so called from the Curling of their Leaves and the Red ones from their Colour The Shell Lettuce has a very round Leaf which is very apt to shut up like a Shell There is an infinite Diversity of kinds of Lettuces the worst is that which we call Cats Tongue which is very sharp pointed and never Cabbages The Aubervilliers Lettuce grows so very hard that it is scarce fit for Sallets but is better for pottage but yet it is very subject to be bitter We must not fail every fifteen days to sow a little Genua Lettuce that we may always be provided with some fit to replant during all the whole Summer till the middle of September we must be careful and especially in rainy weather to destroy both the Black and Shell Snails that come out of the Walls where they breed Young ones because they do a great deal of mischief by gnawing the young Shoots of Trees and new planted Lettuces and Cabbages If the Ruddy or Dry Winds Reign as they generally do this Month we must carefully and plentifully water every thing in our Kitchen-Garden except it be the Asparagus We continue to Trim Musk Melons and Cucumbers and plant new ones upon new Hot Beds at the beginning of this Month and we also sow some in the naked Ground in little Dikes filled with mold or compost like to those I have already mentioned for Cardons We now likewise search the Woods for Young Straw-berry Plants to make Nurseries of in some part of our Garden we plant tufts of two or three plants of them together at four or five Inches distance one from another and if the Soil be dry in a hollow Bed of two or three Inches deep the better to retain and preserve the rain water and that of our waterings or else upon some Bed near some Northern Walls We also now dis-eye or separate the Off-Sets or Slips of our Artichokes as soon as they are big enough and we plant as many of them as we need two or three of them in each hole or Trench of about three or four Inches deep and two full Foot and a half distance one from the other each Bed should be four foot wide and contain two rows of Artichoke Plants along its sides and there must be a void space left in the middle of three foot wide for the planting of Leek Chaids or great whited Leeks or else of Collyflowers in imitation of the Market-Gard'ners who are good Husbands of their Ground The two Artichoke Plants which we set in each hole must be placed a full foot and half distance one from the other We still continue planting Asparagus and filling the places where there are any wanting if we can timely discover them and we take care to water the new Plants We likewise still bind up those Lettuces that Cabbage not as they should We keep open the Windows of the green Houses where our Orange Trees are in fair weather to reaccustom them by little and little to the wide Air towards the end of the Month we bring out our Jasmin and trim it we also begin to prune our Vines at the first coming in of the Month if we have neglected to do it about the middle of March last and we prune the Wall Vines sooner than those in the open Fields We have already in the month of March set into the Earth those Almonds which sprouted early and in this Month we set those which having not sprouted at the same time with the others had been put up back again into Mold Earth or Sand. In the beginning of this Month Gardens should be almost in their Perfection as well for their general neatness and pleasing Prospect as being all over covered either with the green Seedlings of all sorts which have been sown or with Plants which have been set excepting Endive Succory Celery Collyflowers c. which are not replanted till about the middle of May. In fine if we have neglected any thing that should have been done in March we must be sure to do it at the very beginning of this Month and particularly we must sow Parsly wild Endive or Succory and the first Harico's or French-Beans the second being to be sown about the middle and the third at the latter end of May that so we may have a crop of them about two Months after sowing About this time the Strawberries growing in the naked Earth shoot forth their stems when we must take exact care to pluck all the Cuckows among them that is those Straw-berry plants that blossom much without knitting nay I would have the
their Gardens with all the lustre and excellency which they ought to have Green Peas that were sown in Banks or Borders in October now begin to recompense our Pains and to blossom at the coming in of this Month the Blossoms last commonly about eight or ten days before they begin to pod and in three weeks after they are fit to gather and shell In the mean while about the seventh or eighth day of the Month we should plant our Collyflowers Milan Cabbages Capucin Capers or Nasturces Beet-Chards c. If we plant them sooner they commonly run to Seed which is to be avoided and in fine for those things we ought not to pass the fifteenth day nor likewise for the sowing of Winter Cabbages We now make all the hast we can to make an end of dis-eying or slipping our Artichokes which are vigorous and seem to have need of being discharged and thinned and we make an end of planting new ones The Eyes or Sucker-slips are good enough provided they be pretty thick and white though they have no root at their heel or foot and we may be sure to have very fine Fruit from them in Autumn and in truth it were to be wished they would yield none sooner because those produced before that time are commonly pitiful starveling and as 't were abortive Fruits Yet 't is not enough to plant only some good thick young slip-suckers but we must likewise plant some midling ones especially in some well sheltred place only to fortifie themselves there during the rest of the year that they may be able to yield us their first Artichokes next Spring those which have born in Autumn not making such swift advances as these other Next we are to plant our Beet Chards almost at the same time which are well placed if planted in the middle of the Artichokes that is one Beet plant between two Artichokes so that there may be some in one Rank and none in the other for there must be room enough left free to go upon to water weed manure gather and to cover them too when need shall require The Earliest Musk Melons begin to knit in the first quarter or at the full of this Months Moon but chiefly at the wane of it if their Beds were very hot at the full and are grown cooler at the wane We also at the same time Rank our Fig-Trees in the place alloted for the Fig Plantation that we may have them in the disposition we desire They begin then to put forth their Leaves and shoots and at length their Fruit begins to plump at the full Moon Towards the end of the Month we begin with diligence and expedition to nail up the new shoots of Wall-Trees if they be strong enough to suffer it And it is convenient to have finish'd this Work at the beginning of June because at the end of that Month we must begin the second nailing of the first shoots and the first of those which were never yet nail'd We must likewise pinch or break off the thick shoots we find whether because after the first pinching of April they have not multiplied into Branches as far as they extend and on the contrary have produced yet but one thick shoot or because though they have multiplied into Branches they have produced one shoot thick enough to be pinched for otherwise that thick shoot would be unuseful and pernicious unuseful because it must be taken away or at least be cut very short and pernicious because it will as one may say have robb'd other necessary shoots of that nourishment they should have had Always taking it for a Rule that we must in nailing take care to couch all those Branches which may and ought to be couched without tying several of them together or taking away or plucking off any that is sightly unless it be that we can by no means couch it in which case we must cut it off within the breadth of a Crown piece of the place from whence it sprouts in hopes that out of the two sides of the remaining stump of that thickness there may sprout some good Fruit-Branches we must also have a care not to lay one cross another unless we be necessarily obliged so to do to fill up a void place or to preserve a uniform equality If there be any Trees designed to mount upright we must accordingly order for that purpose the Branch that seems most proper for it We tie the graffs either to their Trunk or to sticks set up on purpose by them to make them grow in that figure we would have them and hinder them from being broken by the Winds We sow a great deal of Genua Lettuce and we replant some of them and of the other Lettuces also We likewise trim Pear-Trees either to take off the false shoots if any appear which is done by plucking them quite away when they make a confusion or even such others which though they be good yet because they might produce that confusion which is so much to be avoided in a Tree must therefore be taken off for the better fortifying of those that are to make the figure of that Tree for a second shoot will grow much more vigorous if we take away that which being at the extremity of the pruned Branch was counted for the first We sow Endive that we may have some good at the end of July which may be whitened in the same place where it first grew without removing if it being sown thin and well watered during the whole Month. We now also take the advantage of some rainy weather to replant in their designed places our annual Flowers some of them seldom failing to come to good there we likewise take the advantage of the same time to fill up with Basketed or Circumposed Trees the places of those that are dead or that thwart our expectations or that give us no very good hopes of their thriving The manner of doing it is to make a hole big enough to hold the Basket and Tree then to put it in and carefully to fill up with Earth all the hollow space round about the Basket and to press it down hard either with the foot or hand and then to pour down all round upon it two or three pitchers full of water in order to the better incorporating the Earth without with that within so that there may not be left the least hollow in the world It is necessary to renew these waterings two or three times during the rest of the Summer We also still plant Beet Chards choosing for that purpose the brightest of those that are of the growth of the last sown Seeds as being both fairer and better than those which are green We continue our Nurseries of Straw-berry Plants till the end of this Month at which time we may perfectly distinguish the good ones by their Stems or upright shoots We also still continue to tie up those Lettuces that Cabbage not as they should We
the 5 6 7 or 8th of May Moon in earthen Pans or wooden Tubs that at least they may begin to sprout at the full Moon which sometimes happens in June but most commonly in May those plants ought to grow big enough to be removed in September into the naked Earth that so they may have taken Ground before the Equinox others again content themselves with sowing their Seeds before the Equinox We should likewise replant before the end of May some green curled and Aubervilliers Lettuce that we may have some all the Month of June together with the Chicons and Imperial Long-Lettuce We must also at this time endeavour to destroy the thick white Worms which now spoil the Strawberries and Cabbage Lettuce and take away the green Caterpillars which quite cat up the Leaves of the Curran and Gooseberry bushes and so spoil their Fruit. At the end of May we should also thin those Roots that grow too thick and replant those we have plucked up in another place as Beet-raves or Red Beet-Roots Parsnips c. We may replant Daisies Bears-Ears and white double Narcissus's though in Flower that not at all hindering them from taking Root again Works to be done in June IHere repeat the same Caution I have already given at the beginning of the Works of each Month which is that we must be careful to do that at the beginning of this Month which we could not do in the last and we must moreover continue all the same Works excepting hot Beds for Musk-melons which now have no longer need of them but we may still make some for the latter Cucumbers and for Mushrooms We may also plant some Artichokes till the twelfth or fifteenth of the Month which being well watered will serve for the next Spring Waterings are to no purpose if they soak not to the Root and therefore the deeper the Plant is rooted the more plentifully must it be watered and especially in dry Ground for in wet Grounds they must be watered both less often and less plentifully For example Artichokes growing in light Grounds have need of a Pitcher full or two of Water for each Plant whereas in stronger Grounds one pitcher full will serve three Towards the middle of June we plant Leeks in Holes or Trenches six full Inches deep at half a foot 's distance one from the other which is done with a planting stick placing but one of them in each hole without heeding to press down the Earth close about the Leek when we have done as is practised to all other Plants that are set with a planting stick We continue to sow Endive and Genua Lettuce that we may be furnisht with some to replant upon occasion all the rest of the Summer and we gather the Chervil that is the first that runs up to Seed from the Chervil that was sown the Autumn before cutting off all the Seed stems and when they are dried threshing out the Seed and fanning it like Wheat The same method is practised with all Seeds that are gathered each in their proper Seasons and especially in the Months of July and August taking great care to prevent the Birds who are very greedy of them from devouring them We replant Beet Chards in order to have them good to eat in Autumn and they are best placed in the void space remaining between the Artichoke Ranks they must be set at the distance of a Foot and a half one from the other We must take great care to extirpate all the Weeds which now grow up in abundance and that particularly before they run to Seed to prevent their multiplying which they are apt to do but too much of themselves without sowing We must now also without further delay clip all our Palisade's and edgings of Box so that they may be all furnisht at furthest at Mid-Summer and have time to shoot out again before Autumn and we must liberally water all Seeds sown in our Kitchen Gardens We must water plentifully and every day the Cucumbers upon Hot Beds and Musk-melons moderately two or three times a Week allowing half a pitcher full of Water to each Plant. From the very middle of June we begin to graff by Inoculation our Stone-Fruit-Trees and especially Cherries upon great Trees upon Wood of two years growth which are cut off three or four inches from the place where the Scutcheon is to be placed The best time for this is always before the Solstice Gross Soils must be often stirred and manured that they may not have time to grow hard and chap commonly we bestow an universal manuring or stirring up the Ground upon all our Gardens in this Season and the best time to stir dry Grounds in is either a little before or after Rain or even whilst it rains that the water may the more swiftly penetrate to the bottom before the great heat comes to turn it into Vapors and for strong and moist Soils we must wait for hot and dry weather to dry and heat them before we move them carefull Gard'ners make Dykes to convey the gluts of Water that fall about this time in hasty Storms a cross their Squares especially if their Ground be light but on the contrary if it be too strong they drain the water out of the Squares as I have said already when I was speaking of the works of May. Persons curious in Carnations and Clove-gilliflowers should have begun before this time to put Rings about each plant of them to keep up their mounting stems and hinder the Winds from breaking off their Buds or Buttons the like they do to their Sedums c. and if they have not yet done it they do it in this Month and not only take off from them the small Buds that grow upon them in over great Numbers to fortifie the principal ones but likewise the greatest part of the mounting stems in order to preserve only one of the fairest and most likely to produce the most beautiful Flowers We also still continue to destroy the thick white Worms that spoil the Strawberries and Cabbage Lettuce We carefully cultivate our Orange-Trees according to the method prescribed in the Treatise I have composed purposely on that Subject The Wild Purslain begins to appear at the beginning of June and lasts till the end of July which must be carefully scraped We take up our Tulip Roots out of the Ground at the end of this Month their Leaves being then withered We disbranch Harico's or French-Beans and towards the end of this Month we sow Peas to have them fit to eat in September Works to be done in July THis Month likewise requires a great deal of application and activity in a Gard'ner to do all that he could not do the last Month and to continue still all the same Works but only the hot Beds Now the great heats without waterings do very great damage but being allayed with frequent waterings give Birth to very fine Productions In this Month many sorts of Seeds
Purslain We have abundance of Flowers as well to garnish Dishes as to set out Flower-pots viz. Double Poppies of all colours white pale violet flesh-coloured or Carnation flame coloured purple violet colour'd and panached or striped yellow and violet pansies Larks Heels Julians Fraxilenes or Fraxinella's or Bastard Dittanies Roses of all sorts viz. double panached or striped double Eglantines or Dog-roses Roses of Gueldres Cinnamon Roses white Lillies yellow Lillies Matricaria's or Featherfew's Asphodel or Asphondel Lillies Calves-snowts Virga Aurea or Golden Rod of Jassee Flowers of two colours Gladiolus's Veronica's or Fluellins Spanish Carnations Mignards Verbascums or Mullein Flowers double Coqueriers Thlaspi or Treacle Mustard of two sorts the great and little Muscipula's Valerians Toute-Bonnes or Algoods or Good Harries Poets Gillyflowers both the white and Carnations yellow Willow Herbs or Loose-strifes Lady-Gloves and towards the middle of June Roman Chervil Orange Flowers Tuberoses single Anemonies Mignardises and Marine or Sea violets We have still very fine Pippins We begin to see some Cabbages We have likewise some Musk-melons at the latter end of the Month and some very fine Carnations and double Jerusalem Cresses Provisions and Products of July VVE have in this Month abundance of Artichokes Cherries Griots or Agriots and Bigarro's or Heart Cherries Plenty of Strawberries Peas and Beans Great store of Cabbages Musk-melons Cucumbers and all sorts of Sallets Some white Endive and some Radishes Some Plums viz. the yellow Plum and the Ceriset or little Cherry-plum Some Summer Calvill-apples A great many Pears viz. Maudlin-Pears Cuisse Madams or Lady Thighs Great Blanquets or great White Pears orange-Orange-green Pears c. About the middle or latter end of July we have the first Figs. We have Peas and Beans of two sorts We have Radishes and Abundance of Muskmelons towards the middle of the Month. We have Verjuice As for Flowers we have still a great many and the most part of them I have mentioned in the preceeding Month. We have besides them Geranium Nocteolens or Night smelling Cranes-bill Rue with its Olive-colour'd Flower Jerusalem Cresses both single and double Clovons Indian Harico's or Kidney-Beans of a flame colour which last till November Cyanus or Dog or Corn-flowers both white and pale violet Capucins or Nasturces Camomils Staphysagria or Staves-acre and towards the middle of July Clove-gilliflowers and Carnations begin to come in Provisions and Products of August WE have at this time abundance of Summer Pears and of Plums and of some sort of Peaches as Maudlin Minion and Bourdin Peaches c. As also of white Endive Plenty of Figs. Great store of Musk-melons and Cucumbers We have also some Citruls or Pumpions A great many Cabbages We have Verjuice We continue still to have all sorts of green Herbs all Kitchen-Roots and Onions Garlick and Shalots As also Abundance of Larks-Heels Indian Roses and Indian Gilliflowers or French Marigolds great store of Musked Roses Monthly Roses Jasmin Latter Larks-Heels Tuberoses Matricaria's and greater or lesser Thlaspi's and besides them Sun-flowers Asters or Oculus Christs's c. Provisions and Products of September WE have now abundance of Violet Peaches Admirables Purple Persick Peaches c. Great store of Russelet or Russet Pears melting Pears of Brest some Butter-Pears c. Plenty of Endive and of Succory and of Cabbages Towards the end of the Month begins to come in abundance of second Figs. At the latter end of the Month we have likewise some Spanish Cardons some Artichoke Chards some Cellery Stocks a great many Citruls or Pumpions store of Artichokes and some Musk-melons still Some Collyflowers We begin to have some good Muscat Grapes We have Vine Leaves to garnish our Dishes We have Verjuice And some Oranges As to Flowers we have now great store of Tuberoses Asters or Oculus Christi's of Flower gentles Velvet Flowers or Amaranthus of Indian Gilliflowers or French Marygolds of Indian Roses Marvels of Peru Tricolor Volubilis Lawrel or Bay Roses both white and Carnation Ultramarine Roses Ordinary Stock-Gilliflowers both of the white and violet Sorts c. Ciclamens and some Orange-Flowers with single Anemonies Provisions and Products of October VVE have abundance of second Figs. Plenty of Muscat and Chassela's Grapes Great store of Butter Pears Doyennee or Dean-Pears Bergamots Vine-Pears Lansacs Crasans and Messier-Johns Abundance of Endive and Succory Cardons Artichoke-Chards Beet-Chards Mushrooms and Cucumbers and still some Musk-melons too if there have been no hard Frosts We have all manner of green Pot-Herbs Sorrel Beets Chervil Parsly and Ciboules Roots Garlick Onions and Shalots Great store of Peaches viz. Admirables Nivets White Andillies Latter Violet Peaches Yellow latter Peaches Rambouillet and Cadillac Pavies or Bastard Peaches Yellow Pavies and Red Pavies Spinage and latter Peas For Flowers we have single Anemonies Tuberoses Lawrel Time Flowers Velvet Flowers Jasmins Lawrel-Roses Ciclamens c. Provisions and Products of November VVE have still in the beginning of the Month some Figs and some latter Yellow Pavies We have Winter Thorn Pears Bergamots Marchionesses Messire Johns Crasans Petitoins some Virgoulee Pears Ambrets Leschasseries Amadots c. We have Artichokes We have abundance of Autumnal Calvil Apples and some white Calvils The Fennelets or Fennel Apples and Courpendu's or short stalkt Apples begin also to ripen We have Spinage Endive and Succory Cellery Lettuces Sallets and Pot Herbs and Cabbages of all sorts and Roots and Pumpions For Flowers we have almost the same as in the foregoing Month as also some beginnings of Thlaspi semper virens or ever green Thlaspis Provisions and Products of December BY the assistance of our Store-house and Conservatory we have all the same things that we already mentioned in the Month of November We may also now begin to have some forced Asparagus And Some very green and tall Sorrel in spite of the hardest Frosts We have Spinage We have Winter Cabbages as well of the bright and long-sided sort which are the most delicate as of the green sort We have abundance of Virgoulee Pears Thorn Pears Ambrets St. Germans Dry Martins Portal Pears c. As also Of Api Apples Pippins Courpendu's Femellets or Fennel Apples and some Calvils too still c. As to Flowers we have store of Lawrel Time Flowers and we have some Anemonies and Ciclamens CHAP. IV. How to judge certainly by viewing and visiting a Kitchen-Garden whether there be any thing wanting in it which it should be stockt with IT is no inconsiderable thing to understand certainly not only what Provisions a Kitchen-Garden well maintained and ordered may furnish us with every Month in the Year but likewise what works are to be done there in every Season by an able Gard'ner but yet that is not enough to make a Gentleman so knowing as to be able to give himself the Pleasure to judge certainly by viewing of his Kitchen-Garden whether it be indeed so well stockt or no as to want nothing that it should have For in fine we must not expect
which is very sower We content our selves only with some borders or perhaps some one single Bed of it to have some of its Leaves to mix now and then among our Sorrel The manner of raising it is the same we practise with Sorrel E. ENdive is a sort of very good annual Plant used in Sallets and in our pottage in the Autumn and Winter Seasons provided it be well whitened and consequently tender and delicate it is multiplied only by Seed There is the Common or Garden Endive and wild Endive called also Succory the common name in French to them both The Common Endive is of several kinds viz. The White which is the most delicate and the Green sort which is the most rustical and best able to resist the Cold as likewise the Curled sort and that which is not Curled All sorts of them agree tolerably well with all kinds of Ground We seldom begin to sow any of them till towards the middle of May and then they must be sown very thin or be very much thinned aftewards in order to be whitened in the places where they first grow without transplanting and we also sow but a little quantity of them at once because they are too apt to run to Seed The season for sowing a greater quantity of them is at the latter end of June and during the whole Month of July in order to have some good for spending in September and we afterwards sow a great deal of it again in August that we may have a sufficient provision of it to supply us all the rest of Autumn and the first part of the Winter When our Endive comes up too thick we cut it or else pull up some of it to thin it that the rest may grow big enough to be transplanted and when we transplant any of it in Summer time it must be placed at the distance of a large foot between Plant and Plant we usually make great Beds of five or six foot broad in order to transplant them afterwards in rows markt out strait with a cord This Plant requires great and frequent waterings and when 't is big enough we must go to work to whiten it for which effect we tie it up with two or three bands according as its height requires and being so tied it whitens in fifteen or twenty days But because it is very apprehensive of the Frost therefore assoon as ever the Cold begins to come on we cover it with long dry Dung whether it be tied up or no At the end of September we plant the stocks of it pretty near together because then it grows neither so high nor spreads so much as in Summer And if we can save any Plants of it in Winter we must transplant them again in the Spring in order to produce Seed that may have sufficient time to ripen Those persons that have a good Conservatory or Green house will do well to house it up there but they which have none must be content to cover it up well with a good quantity of long dry Dung so that the Frost may not come at it Wild Endive or Succory is sown at the very beginning of the Month of March and that pretty thick and in Ground well prepared We endeavour to fortifie it and make it grow big all Summer by watering and cropping it that it may be fit to whiten in Winter There are some People that will eat it Green in Sallets though it be never so bitter but commonly they rather desire it whitened And to whiten it we cover it up with a great deal of long Dung after we have first cut it close to the Earth by which means it been forced to spring up in obscurity and shaded from all light its young shoots grow White and tender The neatest way is by the interposition of some props crossing from side to side to keep the Dung from touching it since it shoots up in the same manner under such a hollow covering as under a close one so that care be taken so well to stop up passages on all sides that no light or Air at all get in Being thus ordered its shoots are much cleanlier and relish not so much of the Dung They which have Conservatories may transplant some of it thither in Winter it sprouting well enough there when it is but a little obscurely placed When it is Green it endures the Frost well enough and at the very latter end of May it runs to Seed Many People eat its young shoots in Sallets when they are young and tender F. FEnnel is one of our Sallets Furnitures which grows only from Seeds and is seldom transplanted It resists the Cold of Winter We sow it either in Beds or Borders It springs again when cut It s youngest and tendrest shoots are the best It s Seed is gathered in August and in fine it agrees well enough with all sorts of Grounds See more of it under Anis Furnitures which are Mint Tarragon Samphire c. See their culture under the several titles of those Plants that compose them G. GArlick is propagated by heads or kernels called Cloves about the end of February which are set three or four Inches deep in the Ground and at three or four Inches distance one from the other They are taken out of the Earth at the end of July and laid to dry in a place free from moisture in order to preserve them from one year to another Goose-berries See Currans H. HArtshorn or Buckshorn Sallet is a little annual Plant whose Leaves when tender are used in Sallet Furnitures they are sown in March very thick it being impossible to sow them thin because their Seeds are so very small which are gatherad in the Month of August The little Birds are very greedy of them as they are of all other small Kitchen Plant Seeds When the Leaves of this Plant are cut there spring up fresh ones as do also from Sorrel Cives Parsley c. Fine or Sweet Herbs See Aromaticks L. LAvender serves to garnish borders in Kitchen-Gardens and yields a Flower which without being separated from its stalks is used to put among clean Linen to perfume it It is multiplied both by Seed and by its Branches or Slips which have taken Root at their joints Leeks are sown at the end of Winter and that pretty thick and in Beds well prepared after which during the whole Month of June we take them up neatly and transplant them into other Beds which are no less carefully prepared in order to which we make with a planting stick holes about four Inches deep and half a foot asunder and after we have a little trimmed both their Roots and Leaves we only slide down a single Plant into every hole without minding to press down the Earth about it as we do to all other Plants however we take care to grub up the Weeds about them from time to time and to water them a little in very dry weather that
their stems may grow to a due thickness and may whiten before Winter when the Frost is very brisk it is best to cover them or else to set them into Earth in the Conservatory it is likewise very convenient to take them up out of their Bed where they are planted a little at large and to place them nearer together afterwards in another Nursery Bed and cover them up with long Litter because otherwise when it freezes hard we should not be able to get them out of the Ground without breaking them We may leave some of them standing after Winter to run to Seed or else we may Plant some in a separate place for that purpose Their Seed is gathered in August and there is one sort that is bigger than the ordinary one which is the best Lettuces are Plants that are the most ordinarily and commonly seen in our Kitchen-Gardens and are indeed the most useful Manna of them and especially for Sallets of which almost all the World is most constantly amorous We have many things for in the first place there are Lettuces of different Seasons those which are good in certain Months in the year being not good in others and those which grow well in the Spring thriving not well in Summer and they which prosper in Autumn and Winter coming tonothing neither in Spring nor Summer as will be seen afterwards In the second place there are some that with the ordinary help of the general culture attain their due perfection and contribute both to the nourishment and pleasure of Man-kind and they are the Cabbage Lettuces Thirdly there are some that necessarily require the Art of Industry and the Gard'ner to advance them to that degree of perfection which they should have and they are such as must be tied up to make them grow white without which they would be neither tender nor sweet nor good such as are the Roman Lettuces c. Nay and I have thought fit sometimes to tie up those that were to cabbage when I saw they did not cabbage soon enough by which means they may be forced to cabbage whether they will or no. I use this Method particularly with some sorts of Winter Lettuces that is when there are any of them which though furnished with leaves big enough to cabbage yet for want of sufficient heat are hindred from turning that is from growing hard and this expedient is a very soveraign Remedy against that Defect in a surly Season and besides these general distinctions the number of the particular Kinds of Lettuces is greater than of any other sort of Kitchen-plants whatsoever as will appear more especially by the order they observe in respect of the Seasons and the order of the Cabbage-Lettuces as near as I can describe it is this The first that cabbage at the going out of Winter are the Shell Lettuces so call'd because their Leaf is round almost like a Shell They are otherwise called Winter-Lettuces because they pretty well indure ordinary Frosts which none of all the other Lettuces can do These are sown in September and afterward transplanted in some Wall-Border towards the South and East in the Months of October and November or else they are sown upon Hot Beds under Bells in the Months of February and March and are good to eat in April and May. We have at the same time another sort of Reddish Lettuces called Passion Lettuces which prosper very well in light Grounds but not over well in others that being colder and stronger or heavier easily infect them with slimy Snivel Both these kinds should when they thrive produce very thick and good Heads To these succeed the Bright curled Lettuces which usually cabbage in the Spring that is before the heat grows any thing excessive but they must not be planted in strong and heavy Lands They likewise do well enough upon a Hot Bed and especially under Glass Bells or Frames for when they are sown in January and transplanted as soon as they are grown any thing thick or else left thin upon their Nursery-Beds they cabbage as soon as the Winter-Lettuces and are very excellent There is about the same Season two other sorts of Curled Bright Lettuces viz. one called George Lettuces which are thicker and less curled than the ordinary Curled Bright Lettuces and another called the Minion Lettuce which is the least sort Both these last require such Ground as we term good black Sand but yet their Heads seldom cabbage close enough that is to say are not ordinarily so hard and firm as those of the right Curled Bright Lettuces The Curled Green Lettuces come in near about the same Season with the preceeding ones but are not so tender nor delicate There is also a sort of small red ones and another named Short Lettuces both which have all the necessary qualifications of good Lettuces excepting only that their Heads are small and that they likewise require Black Sandy Ground The first Lettuces supply us amply as I have said during the Months of April and May and the beginning of June but after that time they are too apt to be influenced to run to Seed by the great heat that then comes on They are followed during the rest of June and all the Month of July by those called the Royal Bellegardes or Fair Looks Bright Genua's Capucins Aubervilliers and Perpignans of which last there are both green and bright both of which produce very fair and very good heads and thrive well enough in strong Grounds too when the Summer proves not too Rainy but cold or too frequent Rains infect them with Slime and Snivel and consequently destroy them The Capucin Lettuces are reddish cabbage easily even without transplanting and are pretty delicate The Aubervilliers bring forth Heads that are too hard and sometimes bitter withall and are more used for boiling than for Sallets The difference that appears between the Royal and the Bellegardes or Fair look'd Lettuces is only that the former are a little more Greenish and these last a little Brighter However in the Summer time the tied Lettuces are mixed among the cabbaged ones viz. the Roman Lettuces which are open and are called Chicons or Bright and are termed Alphanges which last are more delicate than the Chicons both to raise and when they are eaten in Sallets There are also a sort which are stiled Imperial Lettuces which are of an extraordinary great Size and are likewise very delicate to the taste but very apt to rot as soon as ever they grow white there are besides a certain kind of large Reddish Chiâ—â—â—s which whiten in a manner of themselves without tying and are good in course Grounds and succeed usually pretty well in Summer for as for the green Chicons we cannot well have them but in the Spring because they run too hastily to Seed The Lettuces that defend themselves best from the great heat that predominates about the end of July and all the Month of August are those we call Genua
Lettuces and especially the green sort for the Bright Genua and Red Genua run more easily to Seed and will hardly come to good but in light Grounds We should therefore prepare a great many of these green Genua's against the Dog-days and the first Frosts we may also intermix with them some few Bright and some Red Genua's but more especially we should be sure to mix with them some Alfanges and a great quantity of bright or white Endive as likewise a great many Perpignan Lettuces both of the bright and green kind The great Inconveniencies that happen to Cabbage Lettuces are first that they often degenerate so far as to cabbage no more which is discovered by their Leaves growing out in length like a Cat 's Tongue as Gard'ners term it or by their changing their natural colour into another more or less green and therefore we must be very careful to gather no Seed from any but such as cabbage very well for which effect we should be sure to mark out at first some of those that turn best in order to reserve them to run to Seed where they stand or to remove them with a turf of the Earth about them into some separate place assigned for that purpose The second is that as soon as the most part of them are cabbaged they must be spent unless we would have the displeasure to see them run to Seed without doing us any Service in which Respect the Market Gard'ners have a great advantage beyond other Persons because they can sell off in one day whole Beds of these Cabbage Lettuces for commonly the Beds which were new planted at the same time Cabbage likewise all at once whereas in other Gardens we cannot spend them any faster than we need them for which Reason we are obliged to plant often of them and that in greater quantity than we are able to consume that we may have a continual supply of them successively without any Discontinuation it being much more commodious to have an over-plus quantity of them than to want The surest way is to keep particularly to those sorts that are the most Rustical and that last a great while cabbaged before they run to Seed such as are the Shell Lettuces the Perpignans the Green Genua's the Aubervilliers and the Austrichettes or Austrian Lettuces which I must confess too are a long time cabbaging The third inconvenience is that the Morie that is the Rot which begins at the ends of their Leaves seizes them sometimes and that when the Ground or the Season are not favourable to them they remain thin and lean and run up to Seed instead of spreading and cabbaging There is hardly any Remedy to prevent this Rot because there is hardly any to be found effectual against the cold and rainy Seasons that cause it but against the defects that may be in the Ground there are infallible ones that is to say it must be amended and improved with small Dung if it be barren whether it be a sandy or a Cold and gross Earth and to this last we should give a little slope if when the Ground is good the waters spoil it by settling too much in it and by that means make all the Plants growing there to rot Good Dung throughly rotten being the Soul and Primum Mobile of Kitchen-Gardens without which no more than without frequent waterings and dressing of the Ground no man can ever be rich in fine and goodly Legumes There yet remains to be known for the perfect understanding the ordering of Lettuces that they which grow biggest must be placed ten or twelve inches one from the other which is to be understood of the Shell Lettuces Perpignans Austrians Bellegardes or Fair-looks Aubervilliers Alfanges and Imperials and for those that bear heads but of a midling size the distance of seven or eight inches is enough which are the Bright Curled the short the little Red and the Green Chicon Lettuces c. Those that will be good husbands may sow Radishes in their Lettuce Beds because the Radishes will be all drawn out and spent before the Lettuces cabbage and for the same reason because the Endives are much longer before they come to perfection than the Lettuces we may Plant some of these last among the Endives they agree well enough one with the other and so we may have a double crop to gather upon one and the same Bed and in the same Season for the Lettuces are gathered first and afterwards the Endives arrive to their full goodness M. MAches are a sort of little Sallet which we may call a wild and rustical Sallet because indeed it seldom is brought before any noble Company They are multiplied by Seed which is gathered in July and are only used towards the end of Winter We make Beds for them which we sow about the end of August they are hardy enough to resist the rigours of the Frost and because they produce a great many little Seeds that easily fall though we have but a little quantity of them they will propagate themselves sufficiently without any other culture but weeding them Mallows and Marsh-mallows ought to be allowed a place in our Kitchen-Gardens though civility will not permit us to explain in this Treatise what uses they serve for and though they be rather Plants of the wild fields than of a Garden They grow of their own accord and have no more need of cultivating than any of the Weeds that infest the good Herbs When we have a mind to have any of them in our Gardens it will be best to sow them in some by-place Marjoram or Marjerom is an Odoriferous Plant of which we compose agreeable Borders and Edgings There is the Winter Marjoram which is the best and the Summer Marjoram which lasts not beyond that Season Both of them are multiplied by Seed and likewise by Rooted slips or suckers They are principally used in making Perfumes Mint called in French Balm when once planted needs no other particular culture than being cut down close to the Ground every year at the end of Autumn to make it shoot out store of tender Sprouts in the Spring which are mingled with the Furnitures of Sallets for them that love them a little spicy and perfumed It must be renewed every three years at least and placed always in good Earth The Branches when cut off take Root at the place where they are covered and by that means of one great Tuft we may easily make a great many which are to be planted at the distance of a foot one from the other In the Winter likewise we plant some thick Tufts of it upon Hot Beds and by taking care to cover them with Bells they spring very well for about fifteen days and then perish Muscats are a kind of Grapes which when they attain to their natural goodness are one of the most considerable commodities of a Kitchen-Garden There are three sorts of them viz. White Red and Black the White is
of October preceeding happen to have been spoiled by the Frost Our last time of Sowing them is at Midsummer to have them fit to eat about All-hallow-tide Pompions and Potirons or Flat Pompions See Citrulls Purslain is one of the prettiest Plants in a Kitchen-gardens which is principally used in Sallets and sometimes in Pottages There are two sorts of it viz. The Green and the Red or Golden this latter is the more agreeable of the two to the Eye and more delicate and difficult to rear so that in hard weather we have much ado to make it grow even upon hot Beds and under Bells for it seldom prospers in open Beds till about the middle of May and then too the Earth must be very good sweet and very loose and the weather very fair And therefore for our first Purslain which we are not to begin to sow upon hot Beds till towards the Middle of March we must use only the Green sort because the Yellow or Golden sort dwindles away as soon as 't is come up unless the Season be a little advanced and the Sun a little hot which is towards the end of April It is commonly sown very thick because its Seed is so very small that it cannot be sown thin When we sow it upon hot Beds either when 't is cold and that by consequence Glass-bells or Frames are needfull or in milder Weather we only press down the Mold about it with our hands or with the back of a Spade but when we sow it in open Beds which must be well prepared for that purpose we rake it over five or six times with an Iron Rake to make the Seed enter into the Ground They way to raise Seed from it is to transplant some Plants of it that are big enough into Beds well prepared at the distance of eight or ten inches ones from the other The Months of June and July are proper for that effect And then in a little time after they are run up and have done flowring assoon as ever we perceive any of their Husks to open and discover some black Seed we must cut down all their Stems and lay them some days in the Sun till all the Seed be quite ripened and then we beat them out and winnow them c. We must be carefull to transplant each sort apart by it self that we may not be mistaken in the Seed when we are to sow it The Stick Stalks of Purslain that is run to Seed are good to pickle in Salt and Vinegar for Winter Sallets R RAdishes when they are qualified with all the goodness they should have that is when they are tender and snap easily and are sweet are in my Opinion one of the Plants that give the most pleasure of any in our Kitchin-gardens and that give it as often and for as long a time as any of them all and I look upon them as a kind of Manna in our Gardens There seems to be no great pains required to make them grow it being indeed only necessary to sow them pretty thin in well prepared loose and mellow Earth and to water them soundly in drie Weather and with this culture they will attain to all the perfection they are capable of But the main points here in Question are first to be always provided with Seed of a good kind and secondly to take order to have Radishes without discontinuation from the Month of February till the coming in of the Frosts in the middle of November As for Seed of a good kind know that is it that produces few Leaves and a long red Root for there are some that produce a great many leaves and little Root and when we are once provided with Seed of a good kind we must be extreme carefull to propagate it that we never be without a stock of it for which effect in the Month of April we must choose out among those Radishes that are come of the last years Seed such as I have said which have the fewest Leaves and the most Root and reddest Necks and transplant them quite whole in some well prepared spot of Ground a foot and a half a sunder Being so transplanted they will run up flower and yield Seed ripe enough to gather towards the end of July and then we cut down their stems and after they have been dried some days in the Sun we beat out the Seed and winnow it c. Those stocks of them that run up to Seed shoot up their Branches to such a height and perpetuate their flowers so far as if they knew not where to stop and therefore it is good to pinch off these Branches to a reasonable length that the first Podds may be the better nourished But 't is not enough to raise good Seed we must likewise take order to be supplied with good Radishes for eight or nine Months in the year The first that are eaten grow on Hot-beds the manner of raising which I have explained in the Works of November and by the means of those Hot Beds we may have some during the Months of February March and April otherwise we have none and in order to have some all the other Months we must sow some among all manner of Seeds they coming up so very quickly that we have time to gather off our Radishes before they can do any harm to the other Plants Radishes are extreamly apprehensive of the excessive heat in Summer which makes them grow strong as they term it that is too biting stringy and sometimes very hard and therefore in that Season we would affect to sow them in very loose Mellow Ground where the Sun shines but little and the best way should be to make up along by the sides of some Northern Walls a Bed or two for that purpose filled with mold to the depth of a large foot and an half and to sow our Radishes there and water them well In Spring and Autumn when the Sun is not so Hot Radishes take well enough in open Ground and in the wide unsheltered Air. Rass-berries or Rasp-berries as well as the White as Red begin to Ripen at the beginning of July They are planted in March either in Beds or borders observing the distance of two foot between Plant and Plant. They shoot out during the Summer many well Rooted Suckers some of which we take away to make new plantations with by which means the old ones are likewise renewed for they drie assoon as their Fruit is gathered The only culture used to them is first in the Month of March to shorten all their new shoots which we preserve round about the old stock and which ought to be only the thickest and handsomest and in the second place to pluck away all the small ones as likewise the old ones that are dead Reponces are a sort of small sweet Radishes which grow wild in the Country and especially in the Corn and are eatch in Sallets in the spring time They are multiplied only by
but this only so long as no External Heat comes near the Tubes For as soon as ever the Heat of the Fire comes near either the ends or the middle of the Tree I perceive the Liquor begin to move to Rarifie as the Philosophers speak or as we commonly say to Boil up and to fill a larger space than it did before so that if any part of the Tubes was empty the Liquor swelling as the Heat encreases fills them up or if they were full at first the Liquor discharges it self at the ends of the Tree And this it does with such force that if it could find none it would burst the Tubes and make it self a Passage out of a place that was not large enough to contain it Green Wood put in the Fire and sending out a kind of Froth at the end as soon as ever it begins to Burn seems to me an Ocular Demonstration of all this Now 't is certain that if the Ejected Milky Substance thus Rarified be capable of becoming solid it will produce or rather turn into a kind of New Body which will not give over growing so long as more of the same Liquor shall succeed in the room of that which after it has been thus Heated becomes solid but a succession of such Operations will produce a Continuation of such Effects Now by these Tubes I would Represent the Bark of the Trees and by the Unmoved Liquor in them the Condition of the Sap in Winter when the Extremity of Cold which fixes the Motion of the Liquids and hinders the Natural Effects of Heat Thickens the Sap and renders it so Unactive that for want of the Ordinary Influence of the Suns Heat upon it it remains Immoveable that is without any Appearance of Action The Fire warming the Tubes and through them the Liquor inclosed in them Represents the Air and the Earth which being in themselves warmed do also in the very same manner warm the real Trees And this I look upon as the Manner and Order of this Wonderful Operation which we see performed every Spring The Air is first Heated by the Rays of the Sun and from it both the Bark and the Earth that lyes about the Roots of the Trees receive their Heat which they immediately Communicate to every part of the Plant which they respectively Inclose Upon this the Sap which is Diffused throghout the whole Tree but is especially Lodged between the Bark and the Wood where it chiefly operates and where it Remained as it were Dead all the Winter having then no motion at all This Sap I say as soon as ever it comes to feel the Heat of the Sun in the Spring begins first to move in its Place and then to Swell and Rarisy and to require more room than it took up before and the Hotter the Air and the Earth grows by the Encreasing Heat of the Sun the more it Rarifies and Exerts it self towards all the Branches and Roots of the Tree that it may get out of that Place where it finds it self too closely confin'd And thus it begins to enter upon a state of Action But this first Motion or Action begins to appear at the upper End of the Tree first those Parts Heating first as being most Expos'd to the Heated Air which does nor till some considerable time after reach those Parts that are fixed in the Earth and consequently those Parts being at Greatest Distance from the Air are the Last that are sensible of its Heat But how far soever this Agitated Sap Reaches it immediately shews what it can do having this wonderful Quality that it hardens and grows solid wheresoever it makes its Passage out And indeed this is that which of all others is the most Difficult both to Understand and to Explain whether we take notice of the New Growths simply Considered in themselves or their Conjunction with and Adhesion to those of the Former Year or especially the Exactness of the Order and Proportion of those new Productions we see in the Extreme Parts of each Branch where we find Leaves breaking out at the same distance one from another Those of some Plants are diametrically opposite to each other and of others at certain distances one above another And again some Branches are at certain distances so perfectly divided by Knots that they seem to be Contiguous Bodies rather than Continued Parts of the same Body as we see in the Vine the Fig-Tree the Elder c. And in general the Origine of Flowers and Fruits the Difference of their Colour Tast Shape and Smell and the variety of Leaves and Barks afford us matter of the greatest Wonder and Admiration Now to give the best account we can of all this let us pursue the working of this Heated Sap as far as we are able We have already said that its first Effects in the Spring do usually discover themselves in the upper Parts of the Tree as being most Exposed to the Air. Now those Upper Parts are the Bole and the Branches whereof the Former is more Massive and the Latter Small and Tender Upon each of which I conceive the Sap Operates after this manner The latter being Smaller and more Limber and having a Finer and more Delicate Bark are more easily pierced by the Air than those that are Harder and Larger And this is the Reason why those smaller Parts and especially the Fruit-Buds they send forth are as it were the Fore-runners of the approaching Spring And this appears especially in such Trees as bear Stone-Fruit the Buds whereof are then Perfected having begun to be Formed at the Latter end of the Fall of the Sap the foregoing Year And thus the first Action of the Sap concludes in Raising the Buds which it opens soon after and at last if the rigour of the Season does not hinder makes the Fruit to Knot in the Center of the Bud which after it has been the Subject of the Gard'ner's Hopes and Care is to recompense all his Cost and Pains As for the ordinary Eyes which appear upon the smaller Branches particularly those of Core-Fruit the Sap enlarges some of them those especially that are nearer the End where its Force is the greatest and entering with less Impetuosity into those that grow along the Branches it at the same time sends forth Leaves and lays a Foundation for Fruit-Buds against the next Year and those of the last years Formation which it finds in any good forwardness it goes on to Perfect the following Spring But as for the Bole and the largest Boughs the first Action of the Sap when the lenites is over and it begins to grow Warm goes no further than to enlarge such Eyes as it finds already Formed and to begin the Formation of New Branches as sometimes also of New Fruit-Buds tho' it has not yet received any new supply from the Roots And this is the reason that most of the Branches and Trees that are newly Planted sprout out in the Spring and
Turky Wheat the Blossom is form'd at the Top of the Stalk and the Seed grows out from the very middle of each of the lower Leaves As to the order or process of Nature in the Production of Fruits the first beginning of it is made by the Fruit-buds and as we have said already concerning Kernel-Trees every Bud contains in it several Blossoms and consequently several Fruits also as in Stone Fruit-Trees every Bud contains but one Blossom and therefore but one single Fruit. In the midst of every one of these Blossoms there is a little Sting or Active Particle from which within three or four days after Blowing the Fruit is form'd if the Weather prove favourable that is if the Rigor of the Cold do not destroy these precious Embryo's or Beginnings so that ordinarily every Species of Fruit is Usher'd in by its Blossom But here we must except the Fig which is produced entirely and all at once without any Blossom and in Melons Cucumbers Gourds c. the Fruit it self appears before the Blossom for it is not till some days after the Production of the Melon that the Blossom which grows out of the Top of it receives its compleat Formation and afterwards proceeds to Blowing 'T is upon the thriving of this Blossom that the Perfection of the Fruit depends so that if that prove unable to resist the Cold and all its other Enemies the Fruit will dye almost as soon as it is Born It is further observable that though for the most part there remaineth nothing of the Blossom with the Fruit so that this is not wont to appear before the Blossom is entirely gone yet notwithstanding we find that in the Pomegranate there is left some part of the Blossom which goes to the Construction or Composition of it unless you will say rather that part of the Fruit grows at the same time with the Blossom and is to it if I may use the Comparison like a Cradle or Shell and this as well for the preservation of it as to serve for a cover both to that sort of congealed Liquor and to the Grains or Kernels which are the very Essence and Substance of this Fruit. In an Acorn the first thing that appears is a kind of Shell or Husk of a Figure between round and flat that shews it self about the latter end of July and which we may say serves in stead of a Blossom to it since indeed it has no other and out of the middle of this Husk the Acorn it self grows which Tradition tells us was the principal Food of Mankind in the Primitive Ages of the World Now as every Tree is composed of several Branches some strong and others weak if we examine the place whereon ordinarily the Fruit grows we find that Nature has industriously chosen to fructifie upon the weaker and not upon the stronger Branches But now in Vines and Fig-Trees it is just the contrary for it is generally seen that Grapes and Figs very rarely grow upon the weak Branches but are in great plenty upon those that be thicker stronger and more vigorous How then is it possible to reduce to one Maxim this inconsistency of Nature in chusing such different Situations for the Production of Fruit If we consider after what manner Trees are extended in length both in their Trunk and Branches we find this remarkable Circumstance namely that in the Spring and Summer whilst the Sap acts most briskly that which was the Top or Extremity of a Bough this moment ceases to be so the next by reason that the Sap ascending continually without intermission still puts out new Leaves above the precedent extremity and the new shoot receives the same Treatment from the succeeding Sap that it gave to that extremity of the Branch which immediately preceded it But on the contrary in Artichokes Asparagus Grapes in all Leafs and Fruits in Tulips Pinks and most sorts of Flowers we see that what was once the extreme part always continues so so that their Augmentation or Growth is only inward and not form'd outwardly as Experience shews us it is in Trees The Asparagus Artichoke Tulip and most sorts of Flowers appear plainly to grow entirely though but in small Threads or Filaments out of the very substance or heart of the Plant and afterwards encrease in thickness in the inside of it by the assistance or supply of the Adventitious Nourishment So that if we consider by what small and almost imperceptible degrees they rise up from their Stalk and are push'd up by the new Sap it seems to have some resemblance in the manner of its growth with a Syringe where the Sucker is thrust through the exteriour Tube till it come out through the Top of it Again If we consider what it is that causes the whiteness and delicacy of tyed Lettuce Celeri the Spanish or White Thistle the Leek c. it will appear to be either from their having been cover'd with dry Dung dry Leaves Earth or Mould whereby they are hindred from receiving the usual freshness and virtue of the open Air. Hence it comes to pass that the parts thus covered being no longer penetrated by the Sun-beams do not only lose together with their beautiful Green colour whatever they had of toughness or of a bitter unpleasant taste but also acquire a certain whiteness accompanied with that agreeable and delicate Relish for which they are so much esteem'd But in Asparagus the case is quite otherwise for in that we find those parts the toughest and most ungrateful to the Palate which by their being deprived of the Suns immediate presence by the Mould or Dung that covered them were become perfectly white Whereas on the contrary the best and sweetest parts are those which are Green and Reddish This in my Opinion is an inexplicable difficulty that the being exposed to the Air should make some Plants tender and others tough and hard at the same instant Dazies and Gilliflowers are for some time white but a little after the Sun by degrees changes them from White into the most beautiful Red in the World In Pinks and Tulips that Vivid Red which adorns them in their first blowing forsakes them after the Sun has shin'd upon them for some time Most sorts of Pears are coloured in the Blossom and afterwards become Green Grey White or Yellow and some of them towards the latter end when they are near ripening resume a more lively Red than ever they had before Apricocks as they advance nearer to Maturity change from Green to White and from thence turn to an admirable Vermillion The Suns Influence makes early Peaches white Mulberries black Cherries Straw-berries Rasberries c. of an Orient redness most kinds of Peaches of a Purple colour In short it gives an incredible variety of Tinctures both to Plums and other Fruits as well as to all sorts of Flowers You see here how many Instances I have given of very material Differences Now for the Leaves of Plants and
much better than Orange-Trees it being certain that this Wood which of it self is pretty tender notwithstanding dries up at the usual Fall of the Leaves and consequently grows hard the reason of which is that the Roots of Fig-Trees ceasing to act within from the time the Leaves begin to fall on the out-side the Wood no longer receiving any new Sap ceases to fear the Rigour of the Season whereas the Wood of the Orange-Trees and Jessamins by the perpetual Operation of their Roots remains as tender in the Winter as it is all the rest of the Year Which is the reason that as the Sap continually rises particularly for the Nourishment of those Leaves that remain upon the Branches as well as for the Nourishment of the Branches themselves that Sap at that time as it were keeps both the one and the other so sensible to Frost and Moisture that thereby they often fall into those great Disorders known by every body which are almost the greatest they are liable to It being then granted that for the preservation of our Fig-Trees it is sufficient that the great Frost should not light directly upon their Branches it follows from thence that it is sufficient for the Conservatory to be reasonably close as well at the top as at the Doors and Windows insomuch that the Ground may have been pretty well frozen in the Cases and yet the Fig-Tree receive no prejudice by it So that a moderate low Cellar or a Stable or a Common-Hall which would be so pernicious to Orange-Trees and Jessemins may not be amiss for our Fig-Trees not but if that place were very moist it might harm them As also a Cas'd Fig-Tree remaining in the Winter without a Covering would be much more endanger'd than another in the main Ground for a thick Frost would kill the Roots as well as the Head whereas a Fig-Tree planted in open Ground would at least be preserv'd towards the Roots The Time of putting Fig-Trees in the Conservatories is the Month of November that is they must be plac'd there as soon as the thick or great Frosts are coming on there to re without wanting the least Culture or any Care besides the keeping of the place as close as can be and that only during the great Colds for excepting that time they need not be kept so close Lastly They may be taken out again about the middle of March and sometimes at the very beginning the Weather being very fair and the Seasons of great Frosts appearing in some manner past There is no need of staying till there is nothing at all to fear for the new Figs for then there would be a necessity of staying until the end of April it happening pretty often that until that time there are certain Frosts which blacken and kill them though reasonably thick The reason which obliges to take them out sooner is that it is necessary Fig-Trees should immediately enjoy the Rays of the Sun and some soft Showers of March and April in order to be able to shoot their first Fruit with success to the end above all things that those Fruits may insensibly be us'd to the open Air which must make them grow and ripen betimes it being most certain that the Figs which grow under Covert coming into the open Air are apt to blacken and so perish even without any Frost or considerable Cold a North-East Wind or excessive Heat in the first Days of their coming out destroying them without Redemption Whereas those Figs that have been a little enur'd to the Air have harden'd themselves so as to be able to resist notwithstanding the Intemperature of the Season In taking the Fig-Trees out of the Conservatory at the time prefix'd there are only two things to be done The first is to put them immediately along and as close as can be to some good Walls expos'd to the South or East and there leave them until the Full-Moon of April be past which is about the beginning of May. This situation is very necessary for them to enjoy the Aspect of the Father of Vegetation and be soak'd by the Rains of the Spring as well as to find some Shelter against the Morning-Frosts of the Remains of Winter which are those of March and April because that whereas this wonderful Fruit shoots out at that time ready form'd from the Body of the Branch presenting it self thus all on the sudden without the help of any Covering or being accompany'd with Blossoms or Leaves it must needs be very tender in the first Days of its Birth and therefore such Frosts which are very common and frequent at those times falling then upon them would prove very dangerous or rather mortal insomuch that though this Shelter be favourable to Fig-Trees both to such that are planted in the Ground as well as to those that are in Cases yet notwithstanding it is necessary to cover them with Sheets or Straw or long dry Dung or Peas-Cods when-ever they seem to be threaten'd by some Frost The cold North-West Winds North and North-East or some Haâ—â— or melted Snow seldom fail to occasion it in the Night after having commonly fore-told it the Day before Woe to the Gard'ner who neglects or does not improve the Signal of such an ill Omen The second thing that is to be done after having remov'd Fig-Trees out of the Conservatory and having thus plac'd them under shelter is to use the Phrase of Gard'ners to give them a good Wetting in every Case which is one good substantial Watering insomuch that all the Moat may be soak'd by it and there shall hardly need any more Watering until with some Leaves the Fruit begins to appear all together and even a little thick which is about the middle of April the Spring-Rains will supply other Waterings but this first Watering is absolutely necessary to soak the Ground a-new which after four or five Months Confinement was grown quite dry otherwise the Roots at the coming in of the hot Weather should not be capable for want of Moisture to renew their Action and consequently there should be no good Motion of Vegetation either to nourish and thicken that new Fruit the sooner or to afford us the sooner Leaves and new Wood with a Certainty that the sooner Fig-Trees shoot in the Spring the sooner we shall have the second Figs of Autumn I will take notice by the by here that the first Figs grow independently from the Action of the Roots just as the Blossoms of other Fruit-Trees open and produce their first Buds independently from the Action of their Roots Lastly The Cold that is the great Enemy of those Figs being gone which happens commonly about the middle of May the Cases must be remov'd from that Shelter and put somewhat at large to be in the open Air especially in some little Garden well surrounded with good Walls they may be dispos'd so as to border or form Allies on both sides or else a little green Wood as I do
when there are enough for it which is that I call and ought to be call'd a Figuerie or Fig-Garden As soon as these Cases are thus dispos'd of they must be allow'd another good Watering the same to be continu'd once a Week until the end of May after which they must be Water'd at least twice a Week and lastly towards the middle of June they must receive great and frequent Waterings almost once a Day But before I come to this in order to gain Time and to get with ease a great many Fig-Trees for the Establishment and Maintenance of my Fig-Garden I begin by making towards the middle of March an ordinary Bed or Colich of good Dung of about three Foot high in proportion to four or five Foot in Breadth and as much in Length as my Occasion requires I let the great Heat of it pass which commonly lasts five or six Days after which having provided Earthen Pots about five or six Inches Diameter or small Cases about seven or eight I fill those Pots or Cases with the Mould of the Garden mix'd as I have said with an equal quantity of Soil or small old consummated Dung or with nothing else that Soil being very good for the first Multiplication of Roots but would not be so good for the other Casings Care must be taken to press that Earth very close into the bottom of the Pot as well as in the bottom of the Case it will suffice to have two or three Inches loose on the top After this I take small Fig-Trees altogether Rooted and after having extreamly shorten'd all their Roots I put them about three or four Inehes deep into the said Pots or Cases allowing each but about four or five Inches Stem Fig-Trees in Cases cannot be too short body'd Afterwards I put the said Pots or Cases up to the Middle in the aforesaid Bed A considerable part of those Fig-Trees so Planted commonly take and produce that very Year some pretty fine Shoots and in a pretty good number provided as is absolutely necessary they be well Water'd during the Summer and that the Bed has been heated twice or thrice on the sides to keep it always reasonably hot When I make use of Pots I take out of the Pots that very Summer or at least in Autumn or the following Spring those little Fig-Trees that have shot well in those Pots to put them together with the Mote into Cases of about seven or eight Inches fill'd up with the prepar'd Earth which above all as I have already said must have been press'd close into the bottom to hinder that Mote and the new Roots that shall grow from descending too soon and too easily into that Bottom and to do it yet more effectually in Casing of them I observe the same Method as in Casing of Orange-Trees excepting only Rubbish and pieces of old and dry Plaister which are no wise necessary here that is I Plant these Fig-Trees in such a manner that the Superficies of the Mote may exceed the Edge of the Case about two or three Inches and with Douves put on the sides I keep in the Earth and the Water of the Waterings so that none of it can be wasted the weight of the Cases and especially the frequent Waterings together with the moving or transporting of the Fig-Trees so Cased sinking the Surface but too soon Great Care being taken to Water those young Fig-Trees in those little Cases they begin pretty often to produce Fruit in them the very Year of their being Cas'd at least they are in a Condition to produce some the following Years They must be kept two Years in those kind of little Cases in order to be put next into larger of about thirteen or fourteen Inches in the in-side in order to which two thirds of the Mote must of necessity be taken away Planting them especially as I have already said a little high and pressing the Ground as close as can be into the Bottom Which things must all be done of necessity at every Removal out of the Cases They are to remain in these until there be a necessity of changing them a-new which must be done as soon as the Fig-Trees are observ'd to shoot no more thick Wood which commonly happens at the end of the third or fourth Year after their being Cas'd At which time they must be taken out of those Chests and after having perform'd the Operations heretofore explain'd put again either into the same Cases if after having serv'd three or four Years they are still good enough which happens but seldom the great Waterings rotting many of them or into other new Cases of the same Size Those Fig-Trees must be left three or four Years longer in those kind of Cases being about thirteen or fourteen Inches in the in-side and afterwards as soon as it is observable by the Marks above explain'd that there is a necessity of changing them the same Method as before must be us'd to put them into other Cases of seventeen or eighteen Inches in which they must likewise be preserv'd for the space of three or four Years at the end of which they must be remov'd again for the fourth time in the manner aforesaid either into the same Cases or into others of the same Size The difficulty of Transportation commonly hinders me after the wearing out of these second Cases of eighteen Inches from venturing to put them into larger which notwithstanding would be very proper for them being about twenty one or twenty two Inches which however should be the last I would remove them into unless I had very great Conveniencies both for the Transporting of them and for the Laying of them up And whereas at length those Cased Fig-Trees would grow to such a degree of largeness and weight as would require too many Machines to move them and even too great a quantity of Water to give them due Waterings I abandon them after having Cultivated them for the space of fifteen or twenty Years and take no farther Care of them than to Plant them either into our own Gardens or in some of our Friends for which they are yet good enough provided Care be taken to cut off a considerable part of their Wood and especially the main part of their Roots or else with a great deal of Regret I resolve to burn them But in the mean time in order to have my Conservatory and my Fig-Garden always equally fill'd I yearly rear up new ones in the manner aforesaid which serve to fill up the room of the old ones I have been oblig'd to part with The best of it is that the Breeding of them is easie First Because the Feet of the Fig-Trees that are Planted in the main Ground shoot abundance of Rooted Suckers Secondly Because it is very easie to lay Branches into the Ground round about every old Foot in order to their taking Root And Finally because some may be bred by means of bended Layers plac'd a little in the