will rise And take heed of beginning too soon with any Buds before they have attained a sufficient strength and growth some will not be fit to Inoculate until August and so all that Month upon some frim sappy stocks That this business may be done to good purpose it must be considered whether the Buds we mean to get are sufficiently grown or not they must not be too young tender and we shall find that some kinds of Trees have buds ready sooner then others As the Aprecott especially and those that shoot strongly Let then the biggest and strongest shoots be cut from the Tree that have grown since the spring to that time and cut off the top of the shoot all those Buds that are too small and tender and also cut off the leaves of the other about a quarter of an inch from the Bud and by that part left we hold the Bud being taken off the branch but leave not on the whole leaf and stalk as some do for the aire by means of the leaf extracts and draws out the sap of the Bud in a short time and so spoils it Then go to the Plants you intend to Inoculate which must be like as to the general kinds with the Buds that you intend to set on as Aprecott-buds and other Plum-buds on Plum-stocks that are wild stocks the white Pearl-plum-stock is accounted the best to Inoculate Aprecott-buds on or other choice Plums it being a Plant full of sap and in chusing Buds or Grafts be sure always to cut them from those kinds that experience shews are good bearing Trees as well as good fruits Now in setting on the Bud first make a cross cut upon some smooth place of the stock if it be for a wall-tree then half a foot or a foot or thereabouts from the ground and from the middle of the cross cut make another straight down about an Inch long only through the Bark and with the end of a Pen-knife raise up the Bark on both sides as much as to let in the small Bud then make hast to prepare the bud for a man must be quick at this work else the Aire by sudden drying the Bud and the cut-part of the stock will much hurt Cut the bark on both side the Bud and about a quarter of an inch above and as much below the Bud let that end which is to be downwards be a little sharp that it may more easily go down between the Bark and wood of the stock and throw away the Bark on the opposite side of the Bud then with a Quill the one half cut away or a Pen of steel made this for the purpose like the one half of â— Goose-quil take off the Bud and Bark by putting it between the Bark and wood and be sure there be the root of the Bud in it if there be a little hole in the middle of the Bud within then the root is not there throw away that bud such will not grow but the Bud being well taken off then hold it by the stalk of the leaf as before was said and put it carefully between the bark and the wood of the small Plant prepared as before and let the top of the bud joyne close to the cross cut in the upper end then bind the bud with a soft Rush or Flag that is strong bind it close to the stock especially in the middle where the Root of the bud lies but not just upon the Bud. After a certain time the Buds must be unbound and some sooner then others some stocks grow more in a week then some others in a month Now if this work be done early in the year before Midsommer upon young stocks very full of sap these may be unbound about twenty days after or a General Rule may be this when a stock is so grown as that the band about the Bud does much straighten the Bud which may be seen by the swelling of the Plant above and below the Buds then the band must be cut and taken off But those that are near the end of Iuly or after will not need unbinding so soon But take heed of making too much hast to unbind buds there 's less danger in suffering them to be long bound then the contrary Now after unbinding you may seâ— which Buds take hold of the stock and which do not those that are good are fast upon the stock and appear in their natural colours as when they were set on those that do not hold will have lost their colour and it may be be withered and dried Such as are good meddle no more till the Spring then cut off the stocks an inch or two above the Buds so the Buds will spring out and grow according to the strength of the stocks And in Autumne after they may be transplanted or if you please such Buds may be transplanted the next Autumne after Inoculating which is the surer way for growing And when these Buds have grown one year or two then cut off the stock close to the Buds and they wâ—ll cover the head as Grafts If Buds be not ready at hand but must be fetcht many Miles in that hot time then sâ—ecâ—al care must be taken in the carriage of them Thus being cut from the Tree cut off the tops of the Branches and the leaves near the Buds as before then bind them together and wrap them in fresh leaves or grass to keep them cool and they will keep good two or three dayes but yet make all the hast that may be to Inoculate them Having Grafted or Inoculated stocks make one Letter or two or write the name of the Fruit at length upon the stock below the Graft or Bud whereby to know the kind of the Fruit and if any be stoâ—len they may thereby be known being found again It 's done with the point of a Pen-knife cutting through the Bark the form of a Letter or any other Figure or Character whereby to know the kinds of fruits And so much for Inoculating Buds of Fruit trees THe choice of right kinds of Grafts and Stocks and the joyning of them together according to their natures is so necessary and some observations about them are so essential to the work of profitable planting that except they be known and practised men loose much of the profit they might have if rightly observed A few special directions in any Art though consisting but of few lines containing â—he Principles and essential parts are better and more to the advancement of the Art then great Volumes upon the same Subject when men as many do rove about upon unnecessary things and strange fancies without any solid grounds beside the life of the business If men miss the Principles and essentials of an Art they discourse of it to little purpose So also in the practise and therefore it has many times fallen out that some men having laboured much and spent much time and cost in
seeds and stones about a handful deep or less and after rake them all over and that none may be left uncovered sift some small mould with a Sive or besprinkle it with a spade all over them and so let them rest all Winter And carefully observe that Mice devour not the seeds in Winter if you perceive it set Traps and lay Rats-bane to destroy them Though you cannot see the Mice yet if they have been there as commonly they are it may be perceived by divers small holes up and down the seed-beeds where they have devoured the seeds and some husks will lie above ground In the Spring and Sommer let them be weeded from time to time clean and if the weather be dry let them be watred now and then and they will make a growth the same year according to the strength and goodnesse of the ground wherein they grow Plants comming of seeds or stones are far better then Suckers from Roots of Trees although such are good and useful for stocks also if they have good Roots In weeding the young Seed-plants some will come up with the weeds set them again almost to the top then water them and all the rest In Autumne when they have done growing let them be transplanted into other Beds of ground prepared for that purpose thus Let the ground be digged and cast into square Plots or long Plots as you will and laid level with a Rake then set the young Seed-plants therein in this manner Having cast up the Borders handsomely on each side stretch a Line from one side to the other then take a Setting-stick that is a hard piece of wood about a yard long with a handle at the top and made sharp at the end or pointed with Iron and thrust it into the ground half a foot deep or according to the length of the Roots close to the line and make holes all along from one end of the line to the other about half a foot or more as you will in distance And having prepared the Seed-plants by cutting of all the side Twigs and the ends or bottome of the Roots set them in order in the holes to the top of their Roots and close the mould about them Draw the biggest first and set them by themselves and the least by themselves Then take up the line and stretch it again about a foot from the other Plants and make holes and prune more Seed-plants and set them as before Let not the Roots be too long about a handful in length or less is sufficient for if their Roots be long and set deep the Trees afterwards are taken up with more difficulty Then take up the line and stretch it again a foot and half from the Plants last set that there may be a convenient space of ground to pass between to weed the Plants and to Graft and Inoculate them being grown fit And having made holes and pruned the Plants set them as before And thus set the Nursery throughout and many of these will be ready after one year to Inoculate and after two years or three to Graft Yea many may be fit to Graft after the first year and some fit to inoculate the first sommer Be sure to transplant all young Seed-plants for by that means they get good Roots which of themselves thrust down one single Root for the most part And being grown two or three years after Inoculating or Grafting they are fit to transplant to make Orchards or into Fields and Hedges at a competent distance as shall be shewed when I speak of setting Trees Thus men may in a few years prepare multitudes of Young Trees for themselves and others to give or sell as they please Some procure Crab-stocks from the woods and set them to graft on having grown a year or two but these stocks are not so good as those that come of seed We see by continual experience many are deceived by them though some may do well And further observe not only to remove all Seed-plants as before but let it be done the next Autumne or Winter let them have but one sommers growth from the seed before they be removed to be prepared in the Nursery unless they be very small for there is advantage in it above those that grow where they are sown two or three years before removing for these small Seed-plants are not only easily drawn up and easily set againe with a small Setting-Instrument but also their Roots being but short they taking Root and spreading their Roots near the top of the ground they are easily taken up and removed after Grafting having growen three or four or more years whereas such as grow two or three years upon the Seed bed before removing they thrust their Roots very deep in the earth and are not onely hard to be drawn up but likewise their Roots when set again must of necessity though a great part be cut off be thrust down very deep into the earth and then such spread their Roots deep for they thrust their young Roots from the lowest part where the Root was cut off and so they neither have so good nourishment from the earth as spreading below the best soyle nor are they so easily to be transplanted when they are ready as those other which are drawn the first year and set very small as before This is very considerable and therefore observe it I underwent great inconveniencies when I came to Remove some before I found out this observation NOw for the manner of Inoculating and Grafting these Plants being thus prepared and grown fit First concerning Grafting wherein we must consider the time February and March usually with most are the two cheif Months for Grafting but we may begin sooner and its best so to do especially with Cherry and Plum grafts If the weather be open without Frost in the begining of Ianuary or in December Yea I have grafted some with good success in November and sooner but in the beginning of Ianuary we may begin if Frost hinder not And such as have multitudes to engraft must needs begin early else they 'l want time Grafts of Cherry and Plum-trees must be grafted soonest because they bud sooneâ—â— And begin with them ere they begin to Bud forth and then with Pear-trees and Apple-trees Grafts of any kind may be gotten and kept many dayes or many weeks the one half in length being covered with mould bind not many together for if so those in the middle will dry and be spoyled in certaine dayes but lay them thin in the mould or they may be grafted immediately so soon as they are gotten Graft none but those of one years growth onely the last years sprout the fairest and thickest are best They may be carried many miles being bound up close from end to end in a hay-band or better in a Box of Mould or their ends stuck in clay and wrapped about that they bruisâ— not That this work
the Roots and the Roots even then draw sap from the Earth and increase upon it and are well stored with sap after the branches have done increasing and there the sap rests chiefly at that season Some who hold descending of Sap may perhaps confirme their Opinion from small springs of the Roots of Plants when they are removed in Autumne It 's true The Roots of Plants set in the beginning of September or about that time do spring forth a little at the cut ends of the Roots before Winter not because Sap descendâ— from the Branches to them for though all the Branches are cut off before setting as sometimes they are yet the Roots will spring then because some degree of heat proportionable to that purpose is at that season in the top of the earth by reason of the immediate foregoing Sommer so that Plants set while this heat lasteth they will germinate spring forth in their roots before Winter the husbandman knows in this season it is best to sow his Wheat and Rye And also because the Sun as yet hath an influence sufficient to make seeds and Plants to spring forth which towards December it hath not being then too remote from us so that it is not descending of Sap that causeth these effects The learned Lord Bacon did not well consider this point who supposed a descention of Sap in Autumne speaking concerning setting a Bough in the ground prepared by disbarking for that purpose sayes The Cause why it will soon after be a faire Tree may be this the baring of the Barke keepeth the Sap from descending towards Winter here 's a wrong Cause assigned to an effect for it is not the supposed keeping up of the Sap by that means he speaks of that Causeth such a Bough to grow the better but the cause is for that such a bough by disbarking hath got some small Roots or strings or at least some roughness or knobs capable of Roots in the passage up of the Sap whereby being set it will become a Tree in certaine years This Opinion of descention of Sap in Trees is an old Error of many years standing and is radicated in the minds of most men yea many using it as a similitude to illustrate some spiritual matter as if it were a real and undoubted truth whereas it is but a weak and groundless conceit and contrary both to reason and experience taken up by men from hand to hand without consideration or weighing of it with reason and judgment I will therefore lay it open more plainly and demonstrate and prove the Truth concerning the motion of Sap in Trees The first Argument against descention of Sap. Sap in Trees always moves upwards and it is contrary to the Law and course of Nature for sap to descend Natura nil agit frustra Nature does nothing in vain Now it were a vain work in Nature to cause sap to ascend up in the branches to descend again to the Roots the Roots send Sap to the Branches and not the Branches to the Roots When it once comes into the Branches it is converted into Wood Bark Leaves Fruits c. Whence is all that great Bulk and Body which we see a Tree arise to in a few years if Sap should descend one while as it ascends another it would follow that as a Tree increaseth by ascension of Sap so it would descrease by its descension This may be more clear if we consider the cause why Sap in trees stirs and ascends and also why it riseth not after such a time to make any growth When the Sun in the Spring of the year by degrees drawes nearer to us then Sap in Trees begins by its heat and influence to move to swell and open the Buds and to cause the branches to shoot forth which increase by it all the Summer and as the Sun by degrees draws nearer and grows hotter so the Sap by degrees increaseth and riseth more plentifully and when the Sun is nearest then Trees are fullest of Sap. Now observe as by the vicinity and nearness of the Sun which is by degrees the sap is increased by degrees so likewise by the Sunnes remoteness and absence which is also by degrees in his going back again the Sap is also diminished by degrees that is ascending less and less in quantity until the Sun be gone so far from us and the heat and influence of it be so weak that it works not to cause sap to rise up whereby the branches may increase any longer and then the Branches and Buds of Trees are all at a stand and grow no more until the next Spring And at that time the leaves loose their beauty and fall off because Sap riseth not up sufficient to feed them any longer but onely so much as to preserve life in the Tree The second Argument There is no cause to produce such an effect I would fain know of those who hold descention of Sap what should cause it to descend for Nullus effectus datur sine causa there can be no effect without a cause they cannot say that as heat causeth it to ascend so cold causeth it to descend Cold never causeth sap to stir but to stand or move slowly Cold is of a condensing nature and does constipate and fix rare fluid bodies if cold should cause sap to descend then as the cold increaseth sap would descend more more in quantity as on the contrary as heat increaseth in the Spring and Sommer the sap in Trees also increaseth in quantity and if so what would become of the Trees But if sap of its own nature would descend yet there is none in the Branches at that season of the year that they can spare but all that has ascended in the Sommer is converted into the substance of the Tree its Leaves and Fruits Concerning that Objection that is made against this and brought as an Argument that sap descends viz. That if we disbarke a bough or branch when sap is up an inch round about and lay and keep up mould about the disbarked place there will be small Roots in the upper part of the place so disbarked which say they are caused by the descension of Sap out of the bough to that part To this I Answer That such Roots are not made by any descension of Sap but by the ascension of Sap for sap ascends up into such a bough notwithstanding the disbarked part through the pith and pores of the wood though in smaller quantity then it would do if the bark were on This is plain because such a bough does grow and shoot forth and bear fruit after disbarking which could not be but by the rising up of Sap. Now I say sap in its rising up some part of it is pendulous about that place and does somewhat hang or rest at the upper part of the disbarked place in the very edge of the bark having recourse to this wounded part in greater quantity then
may the more effectually be done we must have fit Tools and Instruments for that purpose First a good sharp knif and strong to cut off the top of stocks A neat sharp saw to cut off the head of some stocks which are grown too big for the knife also a little Mallet and Wedg to cleave the big stocks a small Pen-knife to cut the Grafts as I shall shew you anon and keep it very sharp for this purpose onely There must be likewise Clay prepared with horse-dung well mixed together as Morter about two parts Clay And Rushes or strong soft Flags to bind together the Graft and the Stock With a small hand-basket to carry the Grafts in with all the Instruments for the work Having these things in a readiness the time being come go to the Stocks that are ready small or great And those that are small about the bigness of ones little finger which are of a competent bignesse and we loose no time in making use of them Graft them in this manner If they be Cherry-stocks or Plum-stocks to make Wall-trees of graft them low within half a foot or less of the ground but if they be for Standards then Graft them an ell or yard and half high if the stocks are of a convenient bigness of that height else graft them lower where they are of a competent bigness 1. Cut off the top of the stock in some smooth straight place that may be answerable to the straightness of the Graft when set on Then prepare the Graft thus observe which side is straightest at the bottom or biggest end that so it may fit the straight part of the stock when set on Then cut one side only of the Graft down aslope about an inch long or little more either from the knot or seam if the part below it be smooth and straight or else from a Bud or from any part and cut through the Barke at the top of the cut place and make it like a shouldier that it may rest just upon the top of the Stock but cut not this shoulder too deep onely through the Bark or little more but cut the graft thin at the bottome of the cut place yet leave on all the Bark on the opposite side make this cut smooth and even from the top of it to the bottome without dints or ridges which is of special concernment that so it may be sure to joyn close to the Stock The Graft being thus prepared then go on to prepare the Stick further lay the cut part of the Graft upon the straight side of the Stock and measure just the length of the cut part of the Graft And with a knife take away so much of the bark of the Stock but cut not any of the wood of the Stock then lay the cut side of the Graft upon the cut part of the Stock and let the shoulder of the Graft reâ—t directly upon the top of the Stock so that the cut parts of both may joyne even and smooth all along and so bind them together close with some strong Rushes or Flaggs then Clay them lay on every side and an inch above and as much below some of the Clay prepared as before close it above and below and on every side that no rain get in and that 's all needs to be done for that time This I account the best way of Grafting for divers Reasons 1. First â—ecause in this way of Grafting we may make use of the Stocks divers years before they will be ready to graft in the Cleft by this way of Grafting the trees will be ready to bear before they will be ready to graft the other way 2. Secondly This kind of grafting is less hurt both to the stock and graft for cleaving the stock is danger and hurt to it being cloven as it must in the middle to the very heart whereas in this way of grafting it remains whole and entire save onely a small part of the Barke taken off And as for the Graft in Cleft-grafting it must be cut on both sides to the heart and made thin but in slicing or packing on it must be cut onely on one side and so less hurtfâ—l to the Graft 3. Thirdly When stocks are cloven if they be somewhat great commonly the Rain and Aire gets into the cleft and rots the middle of the stock before the Graft can grow over to cover the head of it which is not incident in this way of Grafting 4. Fourthly This way of Grafting is much more easie to do and more sure to take and grow then grafting in the cleft for the graft stock joyn more close and exactly then can be in cleaving the stock 5. As this way is easily done and more sure so also is it more speedily done then any other kind of Grafting Secondly There is another way of Grafting small stocks such as are but just as big as the Grafts you mean to set on And those Stocks are prepared thus The top being cut off over against a smooth straight place as before the Bark of it must not onely be cut but also the Wood quite through to the back side of it at the top directly like as the Graft is cut as was said in length as much as the cut part of the Graft the manner of cutting the Graft for this is the same with the formerâ— then lay the cut part of the Graft upon the cut part of the Stock and let the top of the Stock even the very bark of the outside be directly under the shoulder of the Graft that so the cut parts both of Graft and Stock may joyn and answer one another from the top to the bottome and so bind and clay them as before Thirdly There is another way of Grafting generally practised though not so sure away as the two former and yet a better way for great stocks for none but small stocks are capable of the two former ways it is thus Those stocks that are large three or four inches in compass must be cloven the tops being cut off in a straight smooth place cut the roughness of the top smooth with a sharp knife then knock in a strong knife or chissel a very little beside the pith and if it be capable but of one graft then be sure to cleave it on that side that is smooth and straight if it be fit for two as it is if it be about an Ell high and a strong stock then he careful to chuse both sides smooth being cloven with the knife and a wedg of Box or other hard wood knockt in to keep it open then prepare the Graft or Grafts you mean to put in cut both sides of the Graft aslope down from the knot or seam if it be straight or else from a Bud about an inch or little more shoulder both sides of the Graft as was said of one side for the other sort of grafting and make it