the body and branches are young and â—ender the bark being thin does more easily extend and enlarg by the rising of the sap then the bark of Elder Trees For which causes young trees when removed do not only grow surer but they also make a larger growth at first planting then the greater and elder Trees can do and are thereore best But if it be so that such large trees must be set then some of the Branches must be cut and say not as many do here 's a fair tree already why should we cut away any part of it But they must be content to loose some of the branches else they are in danger to loose all for removing of great plants is a great check to nature and if a few roots cut short as they must be when removed be put to feed many and large branches they 'l have but slender and poor nourishment not sufficient many times to preserve life much less to make a large growth But if plants be of the lesser size you need not cut the branches except such as cross one another or grow too nigh together or run up two high without spreading but cut off the ends of the roots of all because if cut many small fibra's or strings shoot out at the cut place which draw nourishment for the plant which without cutting would not Plants being thus prepared the next thing is to set them again in the ground take heed of setting below the good soyl The hole for the Plant being digged set in the root prepared as before and cast in the smallest and best mould next to the roots and see that the small mould run between all the roots to that end stir and shake the Plant that there may not be any hollow place where the mould falls not and with your hand draw up the uppermost roots and part them that they may spread in the mould every way and so fill it up The young trees being thus set into the ground and the holes fild up it will be very advantagious to them to lay a Barrow-full of Rotten Muck round about each of them close to the body of the Plant the fatness whereof will soke in among the roots and make the soyle special good whereby the Trees will thrive the better Or else to lay instead thereof store of Weeds Litter Ferne or the like two or three handfulls thick this will keep the roots warm all Winter and moist and cool in the Sommer following and makes the soyle fatter and also preserves the Trees from weeds growing about them Trees thus ordered by laying stuff about their roots may be set very shallow and thereby will be much advantaged and prove better then such as are set deep because in the top of the earth is the best mould and also every shower of rain reaches the Roots and feeds them If the Plants are faire large Plants in danger to be shaken by the winds then knock down a stake close to every one and tye the Plant to it with a hayâ—band or some other soft band If young Trees are to be carried many Miles to be Planted then being taken up carefully lay the Roots all one way the smallest and tenderest in the middle of the bundle and bind them close from the roots to their tops with a soft band and then stuffe the roots round about with straw â—ay moss or the like afterwards bind the bundle all over from the roots to the very top with hay or straw bands or something else to preserve them from brusing and withal wrap something about the Roots a thin Mat or a piece of an old sack-cloth or any thing that will preserve the Roots from the Wind and Sun and from brusing And they may be carried many hundred Miles if need be in Winter without hurt As concerning distance in setting young Trees I conceive 8. or 10. yards is little enough between Apple-trees and Pear-trees in ordinary soyle yet Pear-trees need not be planted so far asunder as Apple-trees And if men have ground enough to plant and good soyle I should rather prescribe to Plant them 14 or 16 yards asunder for both Trees and Fruits have many great advantages if planted a good distance one from another Such are freed from frettings and gallings that happens to Trees that thrust and croud one another whereby not only the Buds Blossomes and Fruits are rub'd and broken off but also sometimes the Canker thereby breeds and destroys boughs and branches Secondly when Trees are planted a fair distance asunder the Sun refreshes every Tree the Roots Body and Branches with the Blossomes and Fruits whereby Trees bring forth more fruits and those fairer and better Thirdly If Apple-trees and Pear-trees are planted at a large distance much profit may be made of the ground under and about the Trees Ye may plant Gooseberries Rasberries Currans Strawberries Roses Flowers and all sorts of Gardenstuffe commodious as well for sale as hous-keeping which cannot be if Trees be planted near together as the custome is in most places the ground being cold and shady by the Trees Besides the Trees would have advantage by frequent digging and stirring the earth about their Roots from time to time in setting these things Fourthly When Trees have room to spread as before they will grow very large and great and the consequences of that will be not only multitudes of Fruits but also long lasting and these two are no small advantages besides all the former And men are mistaken when they say The more Trees in an Orchard the more Fruits for one or two faire large Trees which have room to spread will bear more fruits then six or ten it may be of those that grow near together and crow'd one another Let men but observe aâ—d take notice of some Apple-trees that grow a great distance from other Trees and have room enough to spread both in the Roots and Branches and they shall see that one of those Trees being come to full growth hath a larger head and more boughs and branches then it may be 4 or 6 or more of those which grow near together although of the same age Yea I advise if men have ground enough to Plant Apple-trees 20 yards asunder Now Trees so planted will not reach of a long time if ever therefore much profit may be made of Trees Planted between for many years which may when they begin to reach one another be taken away and disposed of for the best advantage to Plant abroad in the Fields It is a very great and almost a general Errour the Planting of Fruit-trees too near together especially as to Apple-trees and Pear-trees as for standard Cherry-trees Plum-trees and the like they need not be planted half the distance I speak off 5 or 6 yards in distance is usually enough and 7 or 8 yards if the ground be special good for all Trees grow much larger in some soyles then in
is danger in some grounds lest they harbor Ants or Pismires about the Tree Root under the stones which I have seen to the hurt and destruction of divers young Trees But it is a safer and better way to lay a good quantity of rotten dung or Litter straw c. round about the Roots of new set Trees upon the top of the mould this keeps them warm in Winter and cool aud moist in Sommer and stedy and the moisture and fatness of the mock sokes down to the Roots and refreshes the Tree very much or for want thereof lay a heap of weeds round about the new set Tree Roots and so all the next Sommer after these things are special advantages to new set Trees A Tree at first setting should not be shaken but after a years rooting then shaking is good When young Trees are first planted it 's very convenient to set a stake to each of them and tie them together with a hay-band or some soft band that winds shake them not and this not for a year onely but divers years until the young Tree be well rooted in the earth and also be grown strong that the winds bow not their bodies and cause them to grow crooked which fault I have seen in very many Trees Cutting away suckers and side boughes make Trees grow high All suckers must be cut away from the Roots of Trees and as for side branches those may be cut as men are minded to have their Trees to spread nearer or higher from the ground but cut not the side branches too soon before the body be grown strong enough to bear the head else it will be top heavy and grow crooked To have many new Roots of Fruit-trees lay the branches in the ground c. The branches of all kinds of Trees will not take Root thus This way of Propagation is only for some kinds as Mulberries Figs Vines Quadlings Nurs-gardens and some other kinds of Trees whose branches are soft and porous As for Aprecots Peaches and such like they will not take Root thus I have tried but not one Root could be got neither will they take with grafting I have tried many The way to propagate these kinds is by Inoculating buds upon young stocks full of sap From May to July you may take off thâ— bark of any bough c. and set it and it wilâ— grow to be a fair Tree in one year the cause may be for that the baring from the bark keepeth the Sap from descending towards Winter It is true that the Boughs of some kinds of Trees will take Root in this manner as is here exprest that is such kinds as will take root with laying down in the ground mentioned in the last experiment which being cut off and set may grow to be a fair Tree in certain years not in one year as is said for the Roots got in this manner are but small and very disproportionable to the bough so that it can come on but very poorly and slowly for divers years As for the baring from the bark which is supposed to keep Sap from descending towards Winter I say the Sap is as far from descending when the bark is on as when 't is off there 's no such thing in nature as descention of Sap in any Trees whatsoever This worthy Author took this upon trust according to the general opinion of men for had he but stayed a little to consider it he would have found it groundless and a meer conceit For all the Sap that ascends into the body and branches of Tree is changed into wood bark buds â—lossomes leaves and fruits it is turned inâ—o that body and substance which we see â—bove ground and none at all descends at â—ny time for there is no Cause and therefore no such effect sap is continually ascending all the year long more or less either for the growth of the Tree in Sommer or for the conservation of it in life and in all its dimensions in Winter for there is a continual extrastion of Sap out of the body boughs and branches by the Sun and Aire as this Author elsewhere asserts and which Experience proves Now if there were at any time a descention also what then would become of the Tree it would quickly wither be contracted and shrink apparently whosoever is unsatisfied with what is here said against descention of Sap in Trees may see hereof more largly many Arguments against it in my Treatise of Fruit-trees pag. 191 192 c. If Trees bear not bore a hole through the heart of the Tree and it will bear Perhaps this course may do some good in letting out some superflous sap if too much repletion be the cause But there are divers other causes of barrennesse of Fruit-trees As too deep setting the root running down into Gravel Clay Water c. which must have answerable remeâ—dies And sometimes it is in the nature of the Trees that all the culture in the world used to the Roots and body wilâ— not help without engrafting the brancheâ— with Grafts of some good bearing kinds which is the best way I know to have store of good fruits and speedily too from barren Trees To make Trees bear cleave the chief roots and put in a small pebble This may be profitable not onely for that the Root may be barkâ—bound as well as the body and branches which must be scored down and cut to the wood but also it will cause the Roots to shoot forth many small Roots at the place opened which will afford more vigour life and sap to the branches and so make the Tree stronger and more in heart and able to bring forth more and fairer fruits Trees against a South-wall have more of the heat of the Sunne then when they grow round Aprecots Peaches and such like â—old fruits will scarce ripen but against a 〈◊〉 they have need both of the 〈…〉 and reflex beams of the Sun 〈…〉 it were more practised to set some other choice kinds of fruits upon a South-wall as the great Burgamet Sommer Boncriten Green-fleld Pear and other special kinds this would advantage them greatly not only in bigness but also in their early ripning and goodness of tast thus one or a few would be worth many ordinary ones Some pull off the leaves from Wall trees that the Sunne may come the better upon the boughs and fruit This may hasten ripening but it hinders the bigness of the Fruits the Sun ripening them before they have attained their natural greatness in case it prove then very hot weather so that if leaves be pulled off it should not be till fruits are at bigest and then but where they overmuch shade the fruits some convenient shade by the leaves is as necessary for the Fruits in order to bigness and goodness as the Sun The lowness of the bough maketh the fruit greater and to ripen
and ranck then many red or other coloured flowers And for blossomes of Trees some that are white smell as much as some that are red or coloured for what smell hath the double blossome Peach flower or the Nectrine or any kind of Peach blossomes which are all coloured excellently more then the blossomes of Pear-tree Cherry or Plum-tree which are said to be inodorate So that there must be some other cause found out why some flowers and blossomes smell not or smell not so much as some others then that which is assigned viz. the thinness or scantness of that substance which maketh the Flower The cause why some flowers and blossomes smell not so much as others the same is the cause why some flowers and fruits are bigger then others and of a better taste then others which proceeds undoubtedly from the specifique or distinct intrinsecal Form of each particular Plant which the God of nature hath fixed in it as a Law which nature never violates but keeps in all kinds of Creatures Contrarywise in Berries the white is commonly more delicate and sweet in taste then the coloured as we see in the white Grapes white Rasps white Strawberries Currants c. the Cause is for that the coloured are more juiced and courser juiced and therefore not so well and equally concocted But in fruits the white commonly is meaner as in Plums the white harvest Plum is a base Plum the Musle Damazeen and other black Plums are of the best c. This proves what was last said to be true viz. that it is the specifical Form of every Plant that causeth the difference of tastes in fruits and smell in flowers For we see by experience that some white kinds of flowers fruits berries c. are sweeter and better in smell tast then others of coloured kinds and likewise other coloured kinds of flowers fruits berries are sweeter better then some white kinds so that it is a hard matter to find out the particular cause and give a distinct reason of the differences of particulars though men may venture at it Gilly-flower seed of one kind being sowen will come up of several colours The cause is no doubt that in earth though it be contiguous and in one bed there are several juices and as the seed doth casually meet with them so it cometh forth It is true that Gillyflower-seed of one kind sowen will bring up several kinds some double and some single but I much doubt whether it be for that the seed meet with several juices in one bed-of earth for can it be imagined that two or three very small seeds that lie as close together as can be in the earth should draw several juices from the very self same mould so as to cause them to vary in the colour of the flowers May it not rather be said it is from a Law in Nature which God of his general bounty to us hath put into it though we stand not in absolute necessity of them yet in that he gives us such variety and choice But for men to finde out and shew a particular Cause in Nature of this variety will be as hard to do as to shew a cause why several kinds of grafts upon one Tree drawing one and the self same sap do yet bring forth different fruits other then to say they keep their several Natures and so convert the same sap into several kinds of fruits according to the distinct specifique intrinsecal form of each particular kind of fruit And why may not the same be said of several Seeds and Roots in one Bed drawing the same juice of the Earth Concerning sowing of Gillyflower seed I advise those that sow it first to gather it from the fairest and best Clove-gilly flower and that it be full ripe ere it be gathered which is when it is turned black Also seed may be gathered from other double flowers some commend especially the London white others a flower call'd the old mans head and say the greatest varieties come from these some are for one and some for another but so it is that most will be single flowers from the best seed but doubtless there is much in the ground in which the seed is sowen if it be poor soyle they are more like to be more single then if the ground be special rich mould for as was said barren ground as it makes flowers small so sometimes in it they turn from double to single so it may be said as to the seed when sowen It is a Curiosity to have flowers double which is effected by often removing them into new earth or on the contrary part double flowers by neglecting and not removing prove single And the way to do it speedily is to sow or set seeds or slips of flowers and us soon as they come up to remove them into new ground that is good Enquire also whether Inoculating of Flowers as Stock gilly-flowers Roses Musk-Roses c. doth not make them double For the first part of this Experiment to make Flowers double or fâ—irer it is a good Rule as the Author hath set down especially if withal we observe the directions given in the Observation to the 506 Experiment in breaking off some of the buds and stems and letting some few grow to be flowers There are three ways sufficient for the propagation of flowers which are by Seed by Slips and by Layers but by Laying is by far the best as is shewed at large in the Observation to the 506 Experiment But as for Inoculating Roses Musk-Rose and all other kinds that is very common and sure yet as to the intent of the Authour viz. to make them doâ—ble it succeeds not and he himself hath given the Reason truly upon another occasion Thaâ— is all Buds and Grafts rule and keep their own Natures and so change not neither as to the making Roses more double or better then they were before nor as to the bettering of any Fruit as hath been shew'd heretofore Experiment 452. The making of Fruits without Core or Stone is likewise a Curiosity If a Cions or shoot have the Pith finely taken forth and not altogether but some of it left the better to save the life it will bear a fruit with little or no Core or Stone The like is said to be of dividing a quick Tree down to the ground and taking out the Pith and then binding it up again These prescriptions for making Fruits without Core or Stone I cannot think are from this worthy Author but they are such as are set down by others which I have seen And they are as weak and groundless conceits as many other things asserted by them about changing the species of fruits and making them of an aromatique and pleasant taste and altering the colour of Fruits and such like conceits the vanity of which I suppose hath been sufficiently laid open in my Treatise of Fruit-trees see there
to this work of Planting Fruit-trees for improvement of their Lands and Estates Not only that they plant good Orchards and Gardens but also that they Plant round about their fields and in thâ—â—â—elds and in their Corne Pasture hay grounds as in Kent the fruit-trees at a large distance one from another 20 or 30 yards asunder and that they suffer no branches to spread within two yards from the ground that so they may be out of the reach of Cattle may not be troublesome to workmen in plowing sowing reaping and other works If the Plants are faire straight ones of two yards high or thereabouts senced about to preserve them from Cattle at the first with some stakes or the like they will in a few years preserve themselves and will need but little labour about them afterwards as long as they live And hereby men may reape every yeare two harvests from one and the same piece of land the one of Corne the other of fruits of trees and the latter when trees are growne large probably will be the greater And in this respect this way of improvement of Lands is much better then other wayes of profit because in getting Corne or raising profits by any other wayes of improvement men must of necessity bestow much money time and paines about them every yeare which eats up a great part of their profits but in Planting fruit-trees the worst is at first after a few yeares they yield great profits with little cost and labour So that as was said fruit-trees in a few years with small cost and labour will double and treble the value of Lands and after many years the advance of Profit will be manyfold But it may be Objected That if all should plant then such great profits could not be made every man would have of his own I answer that if all should plant fruit-trees that may conveniently plant yet would there be multitudes every where to buy for all that For consider in a great Citty or Town what a number of people there are who have no Lands at all not so much as a piece of ground belonging to their house and many others but very small quantities these will be buyers of the husbandmans fruits and the Cider and Wines that he makes of them And let us say what we will or can ther 's many that have Lands which they might Plant and improve to an exceeding great value who will yet be idle and sloathfull and object with Solomons sluggard ther 's a Lyon in the may something or other that hinders yet these men when they see fruits will be as eager for them as any others and therefore will be very good Chapmen to buy the Fruits of the diligent husbandman Objections and Discouragements Concerning Planting answered BEfore I enter upon the work it selfe it will be convenient in the first place to Answer some maine Objections to remove discouragements about this work of Planting Fruit-trees that have kept off many from this profitable imployment and may still hinder them unlesse remov'd And then I will give some encouragements to it from Diuine and Humane Arguments and Testimonies This is an Objection amongst many in the North parts they say the Northern Countries are so cold that Fruit-trees will not prosper nor beare fruits there To this I Answer That although it be true that the Northern Countries lye in a more cold Climate then Worcestershire Herefordshire and those Fruit Countries yet I doubt not but that if they were as diligent in planting Fruit-trees in the North parts as men are in these they might have store of good fruits so that some Cautions be observed in the nature of Trees It s true Cold Countries are not so fit for choice and tender fruits as warmer Climates but there are diverse kinds of hardy fruits both Apples Pears Cherries which yearely experience shewes endure cold and come to perfection in cold springs when many other kinds are spoyled Procure Grafts or Young trees ready grafted of the best bearing kinds such as are found by experience to beare well even in cold springs See pag. 53 54 c. Let such kinds therefore be sought for and Planted Those good husbands in those parts who are diligent in Planting Fruit-trees have Fruits answerable Others say that if they should plant Fruit-trees and bestow much labour and cost about them when they come to perfection and bearing fruits they should be robd of all or most and the Trees would be spoiled and who would Plant to be so serv'd To this I Answer That if there were no remedy against this mischeife it might indeed be a just discouragement but this feare may be removed diverse waies And First I advise that having made a good fence about the Orchard you keep therein a lusty Mastiffe or two that will not be charmed in the night time and the terrour of them will keep men from adventuring upon such an Occasion Secondly some that have good Orchards watch their fruits If a man keep 2 or 3 or more servants they may watch in their turns it s no great matter if you consider for what time only it is necessary which is but from the time that fruits come to be worth getting till they be ripe and that 's not long And consider it is in a pleasant season of the yeare the paines and charge would be but little to the profit we see men are vigilant diligent much more then this would require upon far lesse advantages 3. But there is a third means to keep Orchards from being rob'd which I esteeme best of any other it is this I would have every man that hath land to plant some Fruit-trees for himselfe that so they may not be theeves to their neighbours and let those that have much fruit spare a part to theâ— that have but little or none of their own and be no niggards but liberall to their neighbours And this bounty will bring a double blessing first from God to increase the fruits secondly from men not to diminish them But I heartily wish that such as make but a sport of robbing an Orchard would but consider the affliction and terrors of conscience that seised upon good St. Austen for this very sin of robbing an Orchard which he was guilty of before his Conversion he confesseth it with much greife and aggravates it with no lesse then ten circumstances crying earnestly for mercy and pardon Ecce Cor meum Deus meus ecce Cor meum quod miseratus es in imo abyssi c. When God le ts loose the least sin to fight against a man and but to shew it selfe in its proper shape it will terrifie the stoutest heart A wounded spirit who can beare But there is another Objection greater then the former Men usually say should we plant Fruit-trees it would be so long ere they come to perfection and bearing fruits that out hopes would faint before
thin at the bottome Let the outside of the Graft be somewhat thicker then the inner-side unless the stock be very big if it be so great to pinch the Graft much then make the inner-side of the Graft thicker a very little that so it may preserve the outside from being pinched too much And in setting in all Grafts into the cleft observe this for a most special Rule to joyne the inner-side of the bark of the Graft to the inner-side of the bark of the stock that the sap may more easily come out of the Stock into the Graft to feed it for the main current of the sap is between the bark and the wood Some take care to set the out-sides even and smooth but that is an error in practice for we know the Bark of a big stock is much thicker then the Bark of a slender graft and if the outsides be smooth and even the insides must needs be uneven But I say to joyn the inner sides of both barks together all along the cleft is the principal thing in grafting of such big stocks The Grafts being thus placed in the Stocks and the wedg pulled out then Clay them close on every side an inch above the top of the stock to the bottome of the Cleft In chusing Grafts chuse not those that are very small and slender they commonly fail but take the fairest upon the tree and especially those that are fullest of Buds The tops of long Grafts are to be cut that they may spread the better and of such as are but short if there be blossom buds on the top as it 's commonly seen in Pearmains and many other good bearing kinds Graft every Cyence into its own kind as all kind of Apples together and also on Crabstocks which is the wild Apple Pear-grafts on wild Pear-stocks and the like of other kinds joyn not contrary or different kinds they never come to perfection as Cherry-grafts or Plum-grafts or the like Experience makes it manifest to be but lost labour they 'l grow it may be a year or two and then die And in choice of Grafts be sure to consider what Trees of all kinds are the best bearers some kinds seldom miss and some other kinds though good fruits seldom hit and therefore take information from those persons that know by experience the nature of the trees in this regard and accordingly choose or refuse grafts from them Observe the like in choice of Vines Such Grafts as are bound as is said of the two first wayes of Grafting must be unbound after a certain time when they have well closed with the Stock about Midsommer they will be fast enough upon the Stock so that they may without danger be unbound but if they be not unbound the band sometimes girds and dints in too much unless of some where the band rots or breaks and besides the winds when the grafts are grown big and bushy will indanger the breaking of divers of them unless they be unbound and also by some means supported and strengthened in the grafted place which may be done by tying a small stick to them a little above and as much below the place where it is engrafted but before you thus bind the stick to strengthen the Graft put a little clay round about the engrafted place being unbound it will cause the sap sooner to cover the head of the stock But if the Grafts be Grafted near unto the ground or not above half a yard high they will not be so much in danger of breaking by the winds especially such whose growth is most into one single shoot or two and such as grow but upon small or weak stocks as to such this labour in tying the Graft to strengthen it in the grafted place may be spared Those that are high stocks and of strong growth and shoot forth their Grafts vigorously and into a great head of many branches are most indanger of winds especially the West-winds which are commonly strongest for the first year and more a week or fortnight before and after Midsommer being they are yet tender and not well closed with the stock so that these especially must be taken care of in this regard only for the first year after there 's no danger at all of breaking by the winds Some kinds of Flags wherewith we bind Grafts are so tough and strong that they will not yield a jot nor break with the growth and swelling of the Stock and Graft as some other Bands do and therefore there is the more need to look to such to cut them or unbind them as before is said else they cause dints or circles in the place where they bind the barke swelling on both sides of the binding and this makes the Graft more in danger of breaking unless unbound and strengthened in that part as before After Grafts have had their full growth the first year they must be Pruned such as need Pruning as for wall Plants it 's no matter of how many Branches they spread more the better but for those that are Grafted low and yet must be made standards leave only one shoot the strongest and biggest shoot and cut off all the rest and let not that straight shoot begin to spread till it be an Ell long at least rather more and then let the Branches spread and enlarge themselves But herein observe that unless these young Grafts put forth a strong and lusty shoot do not prune off the side Branches left the body of the plant be too small and limber to bear his head as is often seen in a Nursery where plants grow close and neer together if the body be very slender then suffer some of the side twigs to grow until the body be of a sufficient strength to bear the top And from year to year prune off those shoots and branches as are superfluous and grow too near one another and preserve onely such as are fit to make the Tree of a comely form And if any spice up and shoot too strongly upwards in the middle of the Tree onely and spread not sufficiently as is often seen in Peare trees and some other trees cut off from time to time those strong shoots in the middle and still preserve the outmost branches for all Fruit-trees ought to spread as much as may be so that the branches hang not too near the ground And so much concerning Grafting and also pruning while they are young Plants I shall now speak of the other work whereby Fruit-trees are increased Inoculating or putting a small Bud into a Stock which as to the effects of it is the same with Grafting but differs much in the season and in the manner of the work The time for Inoculating Buds is about Midsommer a fortnight before and a fortnight after is the chief season though some Plants full of Sap may be done afterwards with good success upon young frim stocks even so long as the bark
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
kinds of Mulberry-trees with us in England the Black and the White As for the White I never saw any of its fruit they very seldome bear well with us But the Black Mulberry-tree never failes of fruit after it is grown up These trees are not increased by Grafting or Inoculating but by Cuttings from the Branches or sides of the trees Cut a bow off as big as a mans arme and after cut it in small Truncheons or pieces a yard long or less lay these small and great in the ground a foot deep only the one end out of the ground a hands bredth or two or there abouts in good fat ground somewhat moist and after a year or two didivers young springs may be drawn from the Roots and Planted at a fit distance and the old Roots will yearly send out more also the branches may be bowed down and layd in the earth on one or several sides which will take root and multiply abudantly and be fit to be transplanted Medlers may be grafted and they take well upon a White thorne but I much rather approve the Grafting or Inoculating of them upon Pear-stocks and the fruit will be much better and the trees much larger then upon White-thorne Walnut-trees are propagated from the Nuts which may be set from the time of ripeness until the spring an inch deep or little more and afterwards transplanted and set at a very great distance 24. or 30. yards asunder for they are very large spreading trees But if they are planted on the North or East-sides for shelter then set them nearer Be sure to chuse of the best Nuts to set the fairest Nuts and thinnest shells and good bearers Thus much briefly concerning the best bearing Trees and how they are propagated As for those Fruit-trees which bear but little or no fruits by reason that Grafts and Buds were not chosen from good bearing kinds wherewith they were engrafted I advise by all means to Graft or Inoculate such again though great and old Trees such whose boughs are as big as a mans hand wrist or smaller may be cut off and grafted in the Cleft with a couple of good Grafts of good bearing kinds but such Branches as are very great I should rather cut off a convenient height from the ground slope-wise that no wet may rest on the top and then after a year or two to graft the small shoots or branches that are put forth or some of them this is a better course then to graft such great Branches for that moisture will get into the top and rot the Branches and perhaps the Body too ere the grafts can cover such great heads As concerning Arbors Seats c. in Orchards and Gardens I advise men to make them of Fruit-trees rather then of Privet or other rambling stuffe which yields no profit but onely for shade If you make them of Cherry-trees Plum-trees or the like there will be the same advantage for shade and all the Fruits superadded All that can be objected is that Fruit-trees are longer in growing up then Privet Virgin-Bower or the like whereof Arbors are commonly made It is answered Though Fruit trees are something longer in covering an Arbor then some other things yet they make sufficient amends in their lasting and bearing fruits And besides such Cherry-trees and other kinds may be set about the Arbors as will reach and cover even the first year I Shall now give some Rules concerning Transplanting young plants after a years growth or more whether Inoculated or Grafted The time for this work in general is in Autumne when Trees have done growing and that is divers weeks before the Leaves fall Stay not as the custome is till November or after before you Transplant for the best time is about the latter end of September to begin and so on all the Winter It 's a great advantage to remove plants betime for such grow a while after in their Roots before Winter and thereby not only preserve themselves in Winter but also make some preparation against the Spring which those removed in Winter cannot do Stay not therefore till the Leaves fall ere you remove although they may be remov'd then with good success but it is not so good at that time as before The ancient proverb is If a growing Tree would have Let him carry his green Leaves to his grave Yet notwithstanding those that have many to Transplant and cannot finish or have no leasure in this season which is best they may go on and be doing even all Winter until the very Spring unless Frost shut up the ground And notwithstanding Frost or Snow all the while if we can get into the ground and find the mould mellow so as that it will fall well between and about the Roots it 's then good removing Trees although the best time is to be prefer'd The time of removing being come and the place prepared for setting them again then be careful in taking up the Plants dig round about them and take off the mould from their Roots if it be a small plant it may be drawn up easily the mould being taken away if it be great and the Roots spread much then they may be cut about half a yard from the body of the Plant and the greater it is the further off cut the Roots and so draw it up and break off all the leaves the first thing you do if they be not then fallen off for the Sun and Aire by means of them extract the sap of the branches And here observe That the Great Plants are not alwayes best to transplant out of Nurseries into Orchards though most men are for the greatest when they may chuse and they think the bigger they are the sooner they will make an Orchard but herein they are much mistaken for in removing great trees there is great hazard and many of them fail and die and others grow very poorly putting out only leaves the first year or little more though some few in special good soyle may do well I account young grafted Trees fit to remove when they are about two inches in compass in the body and about a yard and half or two yards high those about this bigness I judge to be better then such as are five or six inches or more in compass with a proportionable height because these cannot possibly be transplanted but their Roots must be cut very much in the taking up and then how can those Roots so much cut be able to nourish so great a body with so many branches whereas young trees of a smaller size as before is mentioned these may be removed even with all their Roots which are young and small and may be spread in the earth every way when set again save onely the ends of the roots must be a little cut and these young and tender roots will sooner shoot forth in the earth then the greater sort especially also because
other As concerning the distance of Wal trees they may be planted 2 3 4 6 or more yards asunder More or less according to the nature of the Trees and soyle For Aprecots and some other kinds of Plums grow much larger then some other Trees some Aprecot-trees in good soyle will spread 7 or 8 yards wide or more whereas the May Cherry-tree is but small at biggest it may be 2 yards wide or scarce above 3. It is the custome of late to make Cherry-hedges in Gardens and Orchards and hedges of Quodlings Nurs-gardens Plums Vines and such like Trees that may be kept by cutting and plaishing one branch within another from growing very large These are usually made along the side of walks or round about a Garden-plot and such a hedg is a very great Ornament to a Garden being ordered and kept handsomely Now Trees set to this purpose need the least distance of any other a yard asunder or an Ell or more or less according to the bigness and spreading of the young trees for these should meet or near it the first year which should be ordered thus Stretch a line from one end to the other where the hedge is to be made and set the Trees straight at the distance aforesaid Afterwards knock down a stake between each Tree then having straight long Rods or Poles of Ash or the like tye a row of them along from one end to the other about a foot from the ground fast to the stakes with Osiers or such like or else naile them which is better and another row of Rods a foot above them and so a third if need be according to the height of the young Plants having thus done spread and tye the branches and twigs of the Trees in order to the Poles but not too hard and draw and fasten some of them down close to the ground that so there may be blossomes and fruit from the bottome to the top which will be a most beautiful sight to behold in Spring and Sommer then after a few years the Stakes and Poles may be taken away and the branches platted and woven one within another from year to year and the superfluous ones cut off Yet notwithstanding what hath been said for a more then ordinary distance between Apple-trees and Pear-trees this may be said for neerness of setting That it is best for present profit for if Apple-trees Pear-trees c. be set 4 or 5 yards asunder there will be room enough for them for divers years perhaps it may be a dozen 16 or 20 yeaâ—s ere they meet and all that time a man have the fruits of them and then when they meet he may and it will be best to cut down each other or if they be not too great to remove them to some other place These Trees are the best to be set at large in Pastures and other Field lands taken up with large Roots and disbranched and set with 3 or 4 stakes about them that Cattle rub not upon them And although they be for nothing but the fire yet for that they will be more worth then they cost at first and all the fruits they have born to that time are superadded as for standard Cherry-trees 4 or 5 yards distance is convenient As for those who have but small quantities of ground to plant it will be most profitable to plant near together as may conveniently be not onely for the advantage of the quantity of fruit of each other tree which may afterwards be taken away but also that they may have variety of fruits even in a small compass of ground But those that have room enough I say as before let the Trees be Planted at a large distance one from another for the Reasons alledged pag. 65. Concerning Order in setting Trees though it be not essential to a good Orchard yet if men stand upon it they may measure out a square plot of ground more or less by a line and then measure the distance that must be between every tree according to the kinds that are to be planted and according to the goodness or nature of the soyle as hath been said And having measured exactly the square plot and the distance of the Trees set a stake or pole in the place where every tree must stand and dig the soile round about it a foot deep and three foot broad then set the four corners first then fill up the square plot on all the four sides with plants ordered as before and so go on to fill up all the other places in the Plot exactly by the line or by the eye if there be four or five persons to assist in the work And by this means the Trees will stand in Rowes every way This square once planted though but small at first may be enlarged every way as the ground permits or else the Orchard may be drawn out in length and yet the Trees stand in a right line every way by this means and if the Trees are set at a great distance one may be planted in the midst at equal distance from each one in the Qnincunx In setting all sorts of Trees consider what soyle they come out of whether a fat and forced soyle as divers of the Nurseries about London or some ordinary natural soyle If they come out of very good ground then procure as good or better if it may be had though but a little to lay next to their roots when they are set again Weeds Dung and such like laid on a heap will become good mould in a short time but such heaps lying together divers years are then special mould for the roots of young Trees at their first setting This should alwayes be observed To plant Trees in as good or better soyle being removed as that out of which they were taken For every thing in nature advanced to the better it is grateful and beneficial to it but if it be carried to the worse it is a check and repulse to nature and such a one as that if it be in any great degree it either much weakens it or quite destroys it Therefore chuse Trees out of poor soiles but if they must be had out of rich soiles then be sure to procure some more or less of as good or better then that out of which they are removed to lay to their Roots when set again For want of observing this course many hundreds of good plants have been lost from time to time The ordering of young Plants the first and second year of planting has an influence upon them many years which if neglected then the labour and diligence of many years after cannot countervaile it the ordering of Cattle while they are young either makes or marrs them so of Trees and other things in some proportion but after they have well taken Root the first and second year they will then grow in ordinary soiles the great danger is at first planting
after they are grown strong and out of their reach save oâ—ely at those seasons when Fruits are ripe because rubbing against the Treâ—s would shake down the Fruits and spoile them And it were better they did not rub against the Trees at any time for in that respect they may do hurt therefore set stakes or posts about the Trees for the Cattle to rub against whereby the Trees may be preserved Concerning Transplanting Pruning and ordering the Roots of Trees thus much See further Errors in Practise Diseases Incident to Fruit-trees FRuit-trees are subject to divers Diseases Baptist. Port. sayes Affliguntur Plantae omnes veluti Animalia diversis morbis All Trees or Plants are afflicted with divers Diseases as sensible creatures And therefore we should apply our selves to cure them not for pity to the Trees as the indulgent compassionate Manichees but for our own profit I shall at present mention only four diseases that sometimes happen to Fruit-trees Mossiness Bark-bound Canker and Worms Concerning Mossiness of Fruit-trees the way to cure that and other diseases is to take away the Cause sublatâ causâ tollitur effectus if the Spring be stopt the streams cannot runne Some to cure this onely scrape off the Moss not endeavouring to take away the Cause so that in few years they are as bad again that 's but like endeavours for cure of the Tooth-ach or Gout or the like with some outward applications which although they may give some ease for a while yet they strike not at the Root they remove not the Cause and therefore they returne again So that it must be considered what the Cause of Mossiness is sometimes it is caused by over coldness of the ground as in waterish and clay grounds likewise by Barrenness of the soyle If it be Coldness through moysture then use all means to lay it dryer by trenching the ground or if it be clay ground then bring in some warmer soyles to mix with it as Sand Ashes Sheeps-dung Pigeons or Hens-dung or the like If the soyle be too barren then help it by mixture of good soyles round about the Roots But withal take away the Moss that is already upon the Trees in this manner after Raine rub it off with a Hair-cloth else scrape it off with a piece of hard wood in the form of a knife Another is the Bark-bound disease This exceedingly hinders the growth of Trees it makes them live lingringly and poorly This happens when there is but a dull and slow passage up of sap and in small quantity either by reason of barrenness of soyle or want of due culture to the Branches therefore if the soyle be barren it must be mended and likewise some of the branches cut off and the rest scored down all along to the Root through the â—ark on each side with some cross cuts and â—icks in the bark let this be done in the â—pring time and the Sap will arise more â—lentifully Another disease is the Canker natural â—o some but accidentally hapening to others by bruises c. This hurts many â—nd spoils some To cure it cut it out if 〈◊〉 be upon the body or great boughs of â—rees and wash the place with Cow-dung â—nd Urine mixt and then cover the place with clay mixed with Horse-dung and â—ut off the small branches that are dead out withal endeavour to stop the founâ—aine and cause of it being a sharp and viâ—ulent sap by laying Cole ashes or ashes of â—urnt-wood Nettles Ferne and such like vegetables to the roots but if the Trees grow upon gravel ground they 'l hardly be cured without altering the soile in a great measure Some Trees are hurt with small worms that breed between the bark and the wood which cause the Bark in that part to rise â—nd swell sometimes this being perceived the worms must be cut out and the place washed with Urin and Cow-dung Secondly concerning Mischiefs incident to Fruits by Caterpillers Ants Earwigs Snails Wasps Birds and cold and â—trong Winds In the Spring-time Caterpillers breed and devour many buds blossomes and young fruits especially in a dry season of the Dew and Leaves as one says when the East-wind blow's much which causeth that moist and slimy matter to vivifie They breed also as is observed of the Spawn of Butterflies Now how to destroy them I know no better way then to pluck off those leaves which have the Cobwebs made upon them in which they breed and tread them under foot for one of them contains multitudes And for those that escape being upon the Trees some smoake them with straw or such like which makes them fall off They may be destroyed also by squirting water up into the Trees among the boughs which washeth them off Secondly Ants and Pismires hurt fruits multitudes creep up into some Trees and eat the fruits Therefore seek out their hils where they breed and lie and poure in scalding water among them till they be destroyed Yea sometimes they be under or near the roots of Trees and do very great hurt and almost kill some Trees these must be dig'd out and destroyed by hot water or some other way Also anoint the bottom of the Trees near the Root with Tar round about that so these little Thieves may be taken Prisoners by sticking in it Thirdly Fruits growing ripe are sometimes eaten with Ear-wigs One way to destroy them is by setting Oxe-hoofs Canes or any hollow thing near the Roots of the Trees and among the Boughs upon the ends of sticks and they 'l creep in and lie there then take off these hoofs quickly and shake them into a boule of water or crush them with your foot upon the ground These Creatures do most mischiefe to Wall-trees especially upon old walls Pick them off betime in the morning and destroy them But if you keep the wall well pointed with lime that they have no harbour there and the Roots clean from weeds you 'l not be much troubled with them To keep them from some choice Trees and Fruits strew ashes round about Another mischief incident to fruit is by Wasps and Hornets sometimes some find out their nests and are so bold as to destroy them there by scalding water or some other way Another way to destroy them is by hanging Earthen Pots half full of water in Trees dawbed in the innerside with hony they will leave the fruits and fall to the honey and having suckt of it they fall into the water and perish This way destroyes multitudes Birds also spoile buds and fruits the Bulfinch and Lennet in the Winter time and Spring eat up multitudes of buds of Cherry-trees Aprecot-trees and Plum-trees which are prepared for blossoms and fruits and being ripe they peck and eat many you may destroy them by setting Lime-twigs with baits in the Trees and kill some with a Cross-bow and hang them in the Trees And Clack-Mills may be set in
have the same operation upon the liâ—ing Branches and Twigs drawing sap and moisture continually out of them likewise but they are not contracted and wrinkled as the other because there is a continual supply of Sap from the Root as well in Winter as in Sommer which keeps them in their full dimensions without wrinkling or contracting Further observe to prove this If we remove Plants in September or about that time the pretended season of descention of Sap and let them lie out of the earth a day or two we shall find that the Sun and Aire will in that short time have rockt and drawn out sap and moisture from the branches so that they will be apparently shrunk and contracted I have seen some branches so much wrinkled that I questioned whether they were dead or alive But after the Plants have been set certain days so much sap will be ascended â—u will again have filled up the wrinkled or contracted bark so that it is evident and apparent hereby that some small quantity of sap hath even then ascended into the branches since their setting and if so thâ—â— it 's clear there 's no decension of sap for câ—â— any thing move contrary ways at one lime And if we graft in November and December as I have done with good success the very dead time of Winter the grafts have some small supply of sap even then else the Sun and Aire would spoyle them by daily sucking out their moisture were there not supply of Sap from the Root sufficient tâ— keep them alive until the spring It 's manifest then from what hath been said that sâ—â— in Trees ascends as well in Autumn and Winter as in Sommer so much as to preserve life in Trees by supplying what is extractâ—â— by the Sun and Aire so that upon this also it may be concluded there is no descention of sap unless men will hold that a thinâ— may move several ways upwards and downwards at one and the same time which iâ— a contradiction and impossible in nature Thus much concerning the three sorts of Errors in the Theory of this Art First Instructions hurtful and dangerous Secondly Instructions for effecting somethings impossible to be effected by the mean prescribed and others impossible to be effected by any means Thirdly Assigning wrong Causes to effects will now discover some Errors that I find in the practise of this Art of Planting Fruit-trees that they may be avoided One Error in Practise is this Planting Trees too near together This is a great and general Error many think the more Trees they have the more fruit but a few having room enough to spread will bear more fruits then many crouded â—â—e upon another as the custome is and fruits will also be better when the Sunne may come round about the Trees I account 8 or 10 yards a competent distance for Apple-trees and Pear-trees upon ordinary soyle but if the ground be special good then give them the more room for standard Cherry trees Plum-trees and such like 5 or 6 yards is a convenient distance Another Error is this Many Plant Fruit trees unfit for the Country where they Plant them Their care is chiefly to chuse grafts of the best kinds and fair Plants to look upon not considering so much whether such kinds will prosper and bear fruits well in those Clymates and places where they plant them And hence it is often that many who have faire and goodly fruit-trees have very little fruit from them It is an excellent rule to chuse those kinds of fruits which we or others find by many years experience to be good bearing Trees in those parts nearest to usâ— although the fruits be not altogether so good as some others This is another Error Many men when they procure Fruit-trees to plant an Orchard they most commonly desire the greatest and fairest Plants hoping such will be Trees the soonest whereas great Trees many of them die and others live very poorly but small Plants removed live generally and thrive more in two or three years then great ones in six or seven for removing great Trees is a very great check to nature such as many times it s not able to recover Another Error in practise is this Men generally leave too many branches on the Trees they Plant and will by no means have Branches cut off whereas for want of disbranching Trees they loose branches body roots and all If they will Plant great Trees they must disbranch them small ones need not or very little Another is this For the most part men neglect to Plant their young Trees in as good or better soyle then that from which they are removed They fetch them from Nurseries about London which are generally of very fertil soyle and plant them it may be in ordinary or poor soyle and thence it is that many of them die or grow weakly Whereas they ought to lay special soyle the best they can get next to the Roots which having taken hold and being well rooted in the ground they will by degrees thrust their roots and grow well in that which is worse Another is this Some in Grafting take care to set the Graft and Stock even and smooth on the outside not considering that the bark of the stocks are for the most part thicker then the bark of the grafts Whereas they ought to take special care to set the inner-sides of the Barks together which is the chiefest Rule in Grafting because there is the chief current of the Sap. Another Error is this Grafting long or forked Grafts commonly the longer grafts are the less they grow and the shorter they are cut the longer they grow in a year As for forked Grafts either they take not or else grow but poorly Another is this Many let their Fruit-trees grow straight up very high before they spread into boughs and they are rather like Timber-trees for building then Fruit-trees for bearing Fruits Whereas they ought to cut off the Top while the Plant is young about an Ell or a yard and half from the ground that so the Plant may spread and enlarge it self and one Tree well ordered in this respect for spreading will have as many small boughs and consequently will bear as much fruit as three or four it may be of such Trees as runne spiring up a great height without spreading Another Error is this Some give too much nourishment to some Fruit-trees Letting some fat water it may be run to the Roots or lie too near them or else by powring or laying some fertil substance to their Roots when there is sometimes more need to deprive them of their too fat feeding which causeth them to luxuriate and spend their strength in great and large shoots and broad leaves and blossomes and leave off bearing fruits Nourishment to Fruit-trees ought to be moderate as to other creatures Another Error in practise is this Many in pruning Aprecot-trees and
other Wall-trees they prune off most of the fresh young branches of the last years shoot and preserve the old and big branches suffering them to run up a great part of the wall without or with very few small twigs or branches Whereas they should still from year to year preserve the small shoots nailing them up to the wall yearly all or most from the lowest part of the Tree to the top and leave no part of the wall void of branches and cause the branches to spread along the sides of the wall both ways and not suffer them to run upwards too much Another Error amongst some is this They Graft young Plants that came of seed in the place where they were sowed before they have been removed whereby they would get good Roots And hence it follows That such thrust down a single Root or two commonly into Clay Gravel or moist ground c. which root or roots draw bad nourishment below the good soyle and thereby hurt the Trees and Fruits and in case any of them be removed afterwards being grafted they want good Roots for that they were never removed being young to get good Roots See how to order them pag. 83. Another is this Some also when they Transplant young Trees they usuall set them with all their Roots whereas the Roots of all Trees Transplanted ought to be pruned See how pag. 83. Another Error is this Many break off all the Buds upon the stocks that are engrafted before the grafts put forth which endangers both Stock and Graft For Buds upon the stocks should be let alone all or most until the Grafts have put forth and be able to draw up sap and then break off all the buds below the Grafts that they may have all the sap Another Error in practise is this Many when they Graft great Trees which are unfruitful or bear bad fruits they graft upon their bodies round about between the bark and the wood Now Trees thus grafted will not of many years and some never cover the head in the grafted place but water gets in and rots the Tree whereas its much better to graft the small branches or if those be too high then to cut off the body two yards high slopewise and to cut it smooth that no rain or wet may rest on the head and the next year after to graft the small shoots which will in a few years be a large head again Situation of an Orchard HAving before spoken of sowing setting Grafting and ordering of fruit-trees I think good now to speak somewhat of the site soyle shelters and some other advantages of an Orchard and Garden and also of planting Fruit-trees in the fields and in the hedges and mounds about the fields whereby double treble or manifold profit may be made of Lands to what is usually in most places made especially by â—ider and Perry to the great advantage of the owners and of the Common-wealth with planting of wood for buildâ—ng fâ—ed and other uses And also of divers other things promiscuously in reference to Fruit-trees and Fruits And alâ—hough some of the ensuing particulars are touchâ— upon already yet I thought good to mention them again with some addiâ—ion seeing they are very material yet all very briefly What Situation is best for an Orchard Concerning the Site or Situation of an Orchard or Garden of Fruit-trees the best and fittest situation is upon a ground somewhat shelving or declining upon the South-East Sun for as the South-side is the warmest and hottest so also it is observed by Experience that the Morning or East Sun is better then the West Sun it does cherish and ripen fruits sooner then the Afternoon Sun though that be good also And if the ground somewhat shelve or hang towards the South-East it has an advantage of level or plain ground though that be good too for the Sun-beames are more direct and so more strong upon such a ground then upon a level such a ground is fitted to the Aspect of the Sun which is Coelum cum terra maritare vel societatem perquirere coeli terre ad arbores To Marry Heaven and Earth together or to obtain a mutual Society of Heaven and Earth for the benefit of Fruit-trees What Soyle is best for an Orchard As for the soyle of an Orchard the best is a deep sound land either a black or brown mould if with a mixture of sand so much the better In such ground so lying as before Fruit-trees will attain to a very great bigness and consequently will last much longer then the same kinds of Trees upon a shallow gravelly ground or upon a clay cold or wet ground Fruit-trees where they grow upon a warm ground and upon the South-East Sunne as the Trees grow great and live-long so also the fruit is greater and better and much more in quantity then upon poor gravel wet cold or clay grounds Howsoever men that have not the best must be content to Plant upon what they have and endeavour to amend it as they can Cold and moist ground Grounds that are overmoist and cold must be not onely trenched in several places to draw the water into the Trenches from the Roots of the Trees but also it will be convenient to mix sand ashes or such like hot and dry soyls with such ground if these or some such means be not used the Roots of the Trees upon this kind of ground will be chil'd and lie cold and cause the Trees to be Mossy and the fruit to be more spongy and waterish not so good tasted Fruit as if the Trees grew upon warmer and dryer ground Hot and dry grounds Fruit-trees upon hot dry sandy shallow grounds have need of some current of water now and then to runne over such grounds if it be possible to have it so or else paines must be taken to bring water some other way water out of Pools or Ponds that runs from dunghills is special good for this purpose which does not only moisten but makes the ground fertil also Cold Clay grounds If the Land whereon Fruit-trees are or shall be planted be Clay grounds a shallow crust of indifferent good soyle it may be on the top and Clay barren soyle underneath as is often seen then there is need of some Composts of contrary natures to be mixt among with this stiff cold barren ground as Sand Ashes of all kinds a convenient quantity of Lime Cbalk or any thing that is of an hot and opening nature Yea and let men do what they can to mend this kind of land yet the Trees will still be mossy and but small Trees in comparison of the same kind of Trees upon good sound deep fertil soyle Stony gravel ground As for gravel grounds they are as bad as any in some respects for a tree cannot root to any great bigness in such grounds and if muck and other soyles be laid to the Trees the Gravel will eat it up and
turn it into its own nature in certain years But if the ground be but somewhat stony with a mixture of Mould between and among the stones the fruit-trees will root indifferent well in such grounds all that can well be done is to dig up and loosen the stones as much as may be and to pick out some of the biggest and cast in some good soyles in their sted Low bottome grounds Land that lies below towards the bottome of the Hill or near a River which sometimes over-flowes This generally is exceeding good for fruit-trees it hath many advantages of some other grounds for it not only keeps and retains what rain and moisture falls upon it from the Clouds but also moisture descends from the higher grounds to these and withal if the River overflow it adds much to the fatness of the ground But yet this is to be considered That land may have overmuch moisture as before is observed That is when it stands and rests all the year long in and upon the ground as some wall springs and boggy low grounds where the superfluity of water cannot descend from it to any other place but where much water comes and rests for a certaine time only and then the superfluity runnes off and leaves onely the strength fatness of the water behind there the land is good and fertil and fruit-trees will grow large there and the fruit great And so much for the ground fit for fruit-trees Concerning shelters or defences for Orchards and Gardens ALthough it be not absolutely necessary that fruit-trees be sheltred or defended from the cold North East and West winds yet it will be very convenient and profitable so to do as much as may be for we know and see by yearly experience how dangerous the East or Northâ—east winds especially are in the spring time as in blighting and spoyling of blossomes fruits and sometimes the very boughs branches and the Trees themselves And the West winds are commonly strong towards Autumne and throw down abundance of Fruits when ripe or near ripe wherein is losse so that if the Orchard be planted where it may have Hills Houses or such like to burrow or shelter it from the North East and West-winds it will be a special advantage to it Walnut-trees good shelters for Orchards But if there be no such shelters it will be very profitable to Plant Walnut-trees or some other kinds of Trees that naturally grow great and high upon these three sides of the Orchard The Walnut-tree is profitable very many ways not only as to shade and shelter but also the wood is of manifold use and much dearer then Oak Ash Elm or such like the Fruit is useful and profitable both green and ripe so the leaves bark juice c. in many Physical respects Mr. Parkinson sayes the profit of Walnut-trees is infinite It is a good encouragement to Plant these trees also because as they are so many wayes proprofitable so also they endure exceeding long and will prosper well almost in any kind of soyle or in any Country this was observed long since Bap. Port. says in former times it was accounted an excellent and singular Fruit-tree Iuglandes egregiam existimarent And Cressentius gives a good encouragement to Plant this tree Hâ—c arbor nullum recusat aerem neque genus terrâ—â— he says This Tree refuseth no kind of aire nor earth Now seeing it prospers well in all places and is so many ways profitable above many other kinds of Trees and so fit and proper for the sheltring of the Orchard in regard of the exceeding great height and bigness that these Trees attain and the long time that they last let there be therefore many of them planted without the Orchard to shelter it as before is said so many as may be convenient for that purpose Set many of the best thin-sheld Nuts in the Nursery when they are fully ripe and preserve them there three or four years until they be a competent bigness to remove for this purpose if they be set with the green husk on it is so much the better to preserve them from worms c. Quantity of grounds for an Orchard Having considered of and found out fit place for an Orchard in respect of thâ— lying of the ground soyle and shelters for it the next thing is to designe the Quantity And herein let not men be niggards to themselves their posterity and the Commonâ— weal in allotting a small quantity Wheâ— they may take much For the Fruit trees will yield after certain years many timeâ— more profit then the Corne or Grass of so much land Especially if converted into Cider and Perry Of the Profits of Fruit-trees see Mr. Blith his Improver Improved pag. 262 263 c. Where he shews Land may be improved by Planting 8 or 10 times the value and more Such as begin soonest will have most profit And they that begin and first set on this work of planting large Orchards and fruit-trees in the fields and hedges will have not onely the speediest but the greatest profit because now as yet there are but few or no great Orchards in some Countries and while so great a commodity is in the hands of a few men it will be exceeding advantagious 〈◊〉 them but when it is more common â—e advantage will be less Therefore if â—â—en be but willing to make 20 l. worth â—0 l. or 50 l or to make 100 l. a year â—orth 2 or 3 or more this is the way â—ith little labour and charge Great Profits with little Cost or Pains What work is of so much profit with so â—â—tle cost and pains Corn and Cattle must have renewed charges and labours every â—ear But as for planting Fruit-trees there â—he charge is at the first and little or noâ—hing ever after and the profit still increasâ—ng more and more for many years Fruit-trees have an advantage and excellency above other Commodities which for the most part are best at first and worse and worse till nothing worth As Meat Drink Apparel c. but Fruit trees increase in worth and goodness are least and worst at first and of the mending and increasing hand for many Years or Ages Orchard and Garden on the South-side In Planting the Orchard let it be on the South-side the house rather then on any other side the house will be a shelter to it from the North and beside into the South is the sweetest and most pleasanâ— prospect and much the better for the Orâ—chard And if it may be as in some places it may plant Fruit-trees round abouâ— the house Build the House in the midst of the Orchard Men that are to build the house as welâ— as to plant the Orchard were best to build the house in the midst of the Orchard and so they may live in a sweet perfumed wholsome Aire all their days which will not be a little conducing to health and long life besides all the pleasure and delight superadded
kinds Apples Pears Cherries Plums c. all together as some prescribe there is no hope nor possibility of any advantage thereby All Plants that draw much nourishment from the earth and exhaust it hurt all things that grow by them as Ash-trees Coleworts c. And where Plants of several natures which draw several juices are set together there the nearness doth good As Rue by a Fig-tree Garlick by a Rose-tree c. It is true indeed That all Trees and Plants that draw much nourishment from the Earth are no good Neighbours to any thing that grows near them because such make the Earth barren in which Plants must needs grow poorly But that several kinds of Plants draw several kinds of juices out of one and the same soyl I much question as that bitter Plants Pâ—ue Worm-wood and the like draw the bitter juice of the earth and the sweeter kinds as Roses Flowers c. draw the sweeter juice For can it be imagined that there are so many kinds of juices in the Earth as there are several kinds of Trees and Plants so that every one should draw only its proper and peculiar nourishment May it not upon better grounds be said that many Trees and Plants growing near together in a piece of ground though they draw all of them one and the same juice yet they convert and assimilate the same every one into its own specifique nature We see that in a little Garden where there are it may be divers hundreds or thousands of distinct Plants Trees Flowers Herbs and Simples they growing all upon one and the same soyle do convert the juice and fatness of it into their several natures by the same Law in Nature as several kinds of Grafts upon one Tree drawing one and the same Sap do turn that one kind of nourishment into their several natures whereby they bring forth as we see by experience distinct and several kinds of fruits made of the same single juice or sap of the Tree whereon they all grow this they would do if there were all or many kinds of Apples grafted upon one great Crab-tree and so of Pear-trees Cherry-trees and the like upon their own kinds though multitudes of distinct kinds of grafts draw one and the same sap yet every one changes it into its own nature and why should it not be so also with several Plants drawing one and the same juice out of the earth So that I cannot conceive that those things mentioned or the like if try'd would succeed to the purpose viz. That Rue set by a Fig-tree will make Figs taste sweeter or Garlick set by Rose-trees will make the Roses smell sweeter or Sorrel set by Rasps will make the Rasps sweeter and the like because several or contrary kinds of Plants meet not with several kinds of juices in the same soyle shall we think there are hundreds or thousands of several juices in one Garden though they draw the same juice they convert it and assimilate it into their several natures according to the Innate and Intrinsecal form that every one hath as was said before of several kinds of grafts upon one Tree The altering of the Sent Colour or Taste of Fruit by infusing mixing or letting into the Bark or Roots of the Tree Herb or Flower any Coloured Aromatical or Medicinal substance are but Fancies All alteration of Vegetables in those qualities must be by somewhat that is apt to go into the nourishment of the Plant. Divers Authors in their Books of Planting Fruit-trees have given several directions for the altering of the Sent Colour and Taste of Fruits but none of them from any well grounded Experience Many particulars are mentioned and set down at large with Reasons and Experience against them that men may not be deceived by them and loose their time cost and labour about such fancies See pag. 176 177 c. of the Treatise of Fruit-trees But as this Author says well The likeliest way to make herbs and fruits Medicinal and to give them a good relish is the often watering of the Tree or Plant with that substance which we desire they should partake of for this is certain and we see it by manifest experience that Plants and fruits of Trees do somewhat taste and partake of the nature and virtues of that kind of nourishment which they continually draw As if Trees grow upon a low moist watrish ground the fruits will be more spongy and waterish then the same kinds of fruits where the Trees grow upon a dry sandy soyle So if Cabbages Turneps Carrots and such like grow in a rank Soyle full of filth and dung they have a virtue and relish accordingly not half so sweet and pleasant as the same kinds growing upon pure mould or sweet sandy soyle so here if men think it worth the while if they judge it will answer their labour cost and time to water fruit-trees herbs plants and flowers with Aromatical and Medicinal substances Infusions of Cinamon Ginger Cloves Mace and such like spices to give a pleasant relish or for Physical respects with Hellebore Opium Scammony c. If they can afford to give them enough from time to time of these things watring their Roots abundantly therewith then its probable such Plants will somewhat partake of their virtues but as for slitting of their Roots or perforating the body of the Tree and infusing the medicine or steeping the seed or kernel in some Liquor wherein the Medicine is infused these I account as good as nothing not only for that the virtues cannot be communicated or transfused by this means but also because though they were carried to all the parts of Trees and Plants yet such small quantities would be indiscernable the effect would be as nothing at all The VI. CENTURY IT is a Curiosity to have several fruits upon one Tree some early and some late ripe fruits all Sommer This is done by Grafting several fruits upon one Tree But I conceive the diversity of fruits must be such as will graft upon the same stock not contrary kinds It is true as the Author says that several fruits may be grafted or Inoculated upon one Tree some early and some late but yet as he also observes they must be of such as will take and grow together as many kinds of Apples upon one Tree so of Pears and of Cherries among themselves and the like And it is not true which some Authors have written that Cherries and Plums Figs Nuts Peaches and such like will grow together upon one Tree Yet a Book Intituled the Country farm composed by some Doctors of Physick and other inexperienced men is full of such odde conceits pag. 360 361 c. It is a Curiosity to have fruits of divers shapes and figures This is easily performed by moulding them when the fruit is young with moulds of earth or wood of several shapes in the innerside as it is in mould works of