The expert Gardener OR A Treatise containing certaine necessary secret and ordinary knowledge in Grafting and Gardening with divers proper new Plots for the Garden Also sundry expert directions to know the time and season when to sow and replant all manner of Seeds With divers remedies to destroy Snailes Canker-wormes Moths Garden-Fleas Earth-wormes Moles and other Vermine Faithfully collected out of sundry Dutch and French Authors LONDON Printed by William Hunt 1654. Certaine common Instructions how the Stumpe must be chosen whereupon you will graffe or plant EVery diligent Housholder who will plant should use thereto a convenient place to the end that the wild beast chaw not nor paire the plants or if they be young wholly eat in pieces which to avoid is needfull to be in a towne or closed Orchard where there is not too much shadow but a sweet ground well muckt tilled and turned Every Plant will have foure things First moistnesse so that the seeds or stumpe bee moist or green Secondly a convenient place which hath such earth as will lightly be rubbed to pouder and that Sun may come to it for where there is filthy lome a lean ground or sandy dry burnt or salt ground there is nothing good to be planted to have any continuance neverthelesse where the ground is lean there you must give more dung in a fat ground not so much Take heed the ground be not too moist nor too dry and muck the trees with hogs dung Thirdly a mediate water or nourishing moistness therefore be those Orchards best which are scituated between two waters for those that are placed by a water side remaine still young and fruitfull and have commonly the bark smoother and thinner than the others And those trees are more fruitful then others which are planted in a vally or in the lower part of a deep hill for from those hils may come to them nourishment and moistness and the ground which is so scituated is very fruitfull But he that cannot get for his trees such a ground must with all diligence seek to bring to his trees a little spring or pond of which the trees may sometimes find some reviving and if you may not have any of those and have a garden who by it selfe is naught the trees wil grow with thick roots which hindereth the growing of them and drieth them at length Fourthly the air is required which must be agreeable to them and of complexion to bear for there be some trees that doe prosper in all aires to wit apple and peare cherry and plum-trees Some will have a cold air to wit chesnut-trees and some a very warm aire as the palme and pepper trees therefore they be rare with us That plant which hath these four things shall prosper and if they want one or more of these four things they will decay and their prospering perish At what time trees ought to be planted and set ALL kind of trees may be planted transported and cut in March but it is better to turn them in October for then the frost hurteth them not so much as at other times for learned men say that in dry Towns and warm Countries they plant in October or November and that in moist Towns and cold vallies they plant in February or March in none other time may you plant or graffe When you will plant or set againe wild stumps if there be any thing broken at the root cut it off Every plant must be set two soot one from another or at the least one foot especially when they should beare strong fruites likewise when thou wilt set strong seeds as nuts almonds and peaches When a man will plant two stumps so must they be of two yeare old except the vine These things you must understand of those plants or stumps which are planted with roots How the stumps and plants must be prepared and dressed which you will plant THe plant or sprout you must cut round about so that you leave the very end of it and put it then into a hole but if the stump be great cut it clean off and then put only the undermost part into a hole long or short as you will but if you find two stumps grown together you may cut the lesser away And above all things you must take heed that the sprout grow upright and if it will not you must constraine it and tie it to a stick Here follow certaine instructions how the trees must be kept and how you must labour them SOme trees will have a far ground as Figge trees and Mulberrie trees and some leane ground but all trees be in that point equall that they will have in the top dry ground and in the bottome moist earth 2. In Harvest you must uncover the roots of the trees so deep that they may partly be seen and lay dung upon them which dung must be dissolved of raine in the ground that it may come to the roots which mucking giveth good increase to the roots 3. If the ground wherein the trees stand bee too sandy then mix among it faire and new lome and if it bee too lomy then mix amongst it sand in place of mucke the which you must not only doe hard by the tree but also four or five foot off from it round about the tree according as the tree is in bignesse or that the roots are large and great Such diligence giveth to the trees great help for their nourishment and strength is thereby renewed Hereafter you shall understand whereby to know the fruitfull soile 4. In the fat ground the stumps whereupon you wil graff must be left long but in lean ground short 5. The plants of trees from their youth till three years must not be cut nor shred but they may bee transported and if they be too weak you may pricke sticks next unto them 6. Diligent regard must be taken that no sprouts spring out of the stump which might take the nourishment from the tree sprouts and those boughes which spring from the root of the tree at the first planting 7. When thou perceivest the young trees to wax weake then uncover the roots and put other fresh ground to them 8. If the ground be neither too soft nor too hard then may you chuse all kind of stumps in February for to plant when the green juice is dispersed in the bark but when the ground is too hard then the swet holes or pores of the root doe remaine closed and stopped so that they cannot draw to them their nourishment such hardness of the ground or earth hindereth the aire and moistnesse which commeth from beneath upward for it cannot be pierced of the soft sprouts with the small heat which is beneath therefore you must come to help them with a spade for with a plough you will never come to an end because of the root 9. There is great diligence to be taken for preserving of the trees when they begin to grow great to scrape from the barke all rudenesse which is done when you take from them all superfluity and sprouts which come out of the tree You may cut them in February 10. It is good for the trees to muck them often and moderatively to water their roots Also to cleave the roots and lay stones into them to the end they may revive againe of the drinesse which they have suffered or of the barrennesse of the ground or when the young planted trees for
every hole be left the space of one foot and prick therein branches a little scraped and put the stick into a ditch so that the branches stand upright one part of the stick remaining over the earth and with in a year after take it out of the ditch and cut the stick asunder so find you the branches full of roots and put every one into a hole in the ground and 't is fit the holes were stopped with lome or with wax Some do take in March a fresh Beech tree which is of a mans thicknesse and pierce him overthwart with maine and great holes and small holes till unto the lowermost barke or quite through then take sprouts or boughes which be as big and small that they may fit into the holes and when you will put them into the Beech stump you must scrape the uppermost barke off untill the green and no further then the bough must remain into the Beech the sprouts must stand a foot or somwhat lesse asunder then keep your Beech stumps with the sprouts in a fresh ground and skant a foot deep you must first maime the sprouts that they may not flourish then the next March ensuing dig it out with the sprouts and cut it asunder with a saw and every block which is cut off with its branch you must set in a fresh ground and so they will bring forth the fruit the same yeare The sixth Way This way teaches how to graffe that they may bring forth fruit the first yeare which do as follows Pare an old stumpe of what kinde soever it be the uppermost bark till to the lower green barke a span long or somewhat lesse which do in Harvest in the wane of the Moone and anoint it with Oxe dung and earth and tye it with bark and after in March when trees are transposed from one place to another then cut the same branch from the tree and put it into the ground and it wil bring fruit the same yeer I have seen that one hath prickt sticks on Alballow eve in the earth and hath pulled them out again upon Christmas eve and put boughes in the holes and they have prospered and come out The seventh Pierce the top of a stump which is not over small and draw a bark through it and maime it with a knife as far as it standeth on the top in eight days after poure water upon it that the top of the stump may close This must be done in harvest and in the March following cut it off from the tree and bruise the top and put it with the same earth in other ground The eighth Way Will you graffe a tree that the fruit be without stones Take a sprout and graff it into a great stump with the thicker and lower part of the sprout then take the upper or thinner end of the sprout and cut it also fit to be graffed and turne it downeward and graffe it into the said stump and when the sprout of both sides prospereth cut it in the midst asunder so that which is grown right upward with the tree the fruit of it hath stones but that which was the top of the sprout that groweth contrary brings forth fruit without stones And if so be the turned sprout prosper you must break off the other to the end that the turned sprour doe not perish which you may try after this sort for oftentimes it commeth and prospereth and many times it is perished and spoiled How Cherries are to be graffed that they may come without stones WIll you make that Cherries grow without stones pare a little Cherry tree at one year old at the stump and cleave it asunder from the top to the root which do in May and make an Iron fit to draw the heart or marow from both sides of the tree then tye it fast together and anoint it with Ox dung or lome and within a yeare after when it is growne and healed goe to another little tree which is of the same kind and which hath not yet brought fruit and graffe that same on the little tree so shall that same tree bring his fruit without stones How a Vine is to be planted upon a Cherry tree PLant a Vine tree next unto a Cherry tree and when it groweth high then pierce a hole into the Cherry tree right above it that the hole be no bigger than the Vine is thick and pare the upper bark of the Vine branch till unto the green so farre as it must go through the tree and look well to it that the branch of the Vine be not bruised and wel anointed You must not suffer any sprouts to come out of the Vine from the ground up but unto the tree only that which commeth out of the other side let that same grow and bring fruit Then the next March following if the Vine prosper and grow fast into the tree then cut the Vine from the tree off and anoint the place with diligence and it will bring fruit How a grape of a Vine may be brought into a glasse WIll you make that a grape grow into a narrow glasse take the glasse before the grape cast her bloud or while she is little and put her into the glasse and shee will ripen in the glasse To graffe Medlers on a Peare tree IF you graffe the branch of a Medler upon a Peare tree the Medlers will be sweet and durable so that you may keep them longer than otherwise How apples or other fruit may be made red If you will graft upon a wild stump put the sprouts in Pikes bloud and then graft them and the fruit will be red Otherwise Take an apple branch and graft it upon an alder stump and the apples will be red Likewise if you graft them upon cherry trees Of the Quince tree THe Quince tree commeth not of any grafting but you must plucke him out by the roots and plant him againe into a good ground or earth Otherwise The Quince tree requireth a dry and sweet ground and he prospereth therein How to make that Quinces become great TAke a branch of a Quince tree when it hath cast his bloud where a Quince groweth at and put it into a pot and set it into the ground and let the Quince grow in it and it will be very great And if you will shew some cunning therewith cause to be made a pot which hath a mans face in the bottome of it or any other picture whatsoever and when the quinces have blossomed then bow the branch and put the Quince into the pot and she will grow very big in the shape of a man which may also be done in Pompons Mellons Cucumbers and other earthly fruites The conclusion of graffing OVT of all the forewritten causes gentle reader is evidently shewne that although every planting or grafting be better from like to like and from kinde to kinde yet neverthelesse it agreeth also with contrary kinds as now is said wherefore he
the great heat will perish Also when immoderate heat is then you must help them with turning of the ground and with watering but the water wherewith you should water them must not be altogether fresh nor cold or newly drawne out of the spring but out of a ditch pond or well or any other foule ditch water or with spring water which hath stood long in the Sunne or put a little dung in the water and stir it once or twice well about and the water will be fat wherwith water your trees You may also keep them with shadowes and straw from the heat or else put in great heat fat green herbs at the stump tempred with loame some anoint the stumpe toward the South or Mid-day with chalke some with oile or with any other ointment that cooleth 11. When you would transpose a plant or have wilde stumps digged out to plant again then marke the part which standoth towards the South of Mid-day and put it so againe when you graffe it How to keep plants stumps or trees from the wild beasts that they hurt them not WHere the path of the beast is free and remedilesse there must be put poles and with thornes the same young trees must be inclosed That the Deeres spoile them not TAke the pisse of a Decre and anoint the Tree therewith That the Hares doe not hurt them SPet in thy hand and anoint the sprouts therewith and no Hare will hurt them Here follow some instructions of graffing FIrst you must know that imping graffing and setting is all one thing The imping sprouts must be young and new with great bodies and many eyes for where many and great buds be that is a token that is of a strong fruit 2. The imping sprouts must be broken off at the Sun rising although that those of the other side broken off grow likewise yet those of the other side are most naturall and temperate of heat Some country clownes beleeve that if you in cutting the sprouts turne them upside downe that they will never grow right but be crooked 3. All graffing and imping is done by putting one into another by a fast binding that the little sprout may spread his boughs to the stump or tree wherein it is graffed that so it may become one tree 4. Over-young imps which are so weak that they will breake before they be put into the earth or into the stump are naught and therefore they may not be imped or set 5. When you impe upon a house or fruit tree the fruit will be far better But if you cut of a Garden tree a branch and imp it into one of his own sprouts it will bring forth fruit of another taste forme and big esse for imping maketh all the diversities in peares apples and other fruits 6. It is far better to impe low in the stump than in the top in the high branches yet neverthelesse if you will make of wild apple trees garden trees you may impe them upon the top 7. In great trees which have a great bark it is not so good to impe for they take not to them so easily the veins of the roots which grow out of the young sprouts because of their hardnesse and especially when the imping sprouts are too weak Wherefore they which graffe trees must seek small and young stumps where in they finde much liquor and little hardnesse and which may endure the binding 8. It is best imping or graffing when the liquor is in the bark if you have a great tree upon the which you would impe and hath many branches you may out them all off and impe into the stumps all kind of boughs such as you please but if the tree be over-old so that her boughes be ranckled and her moistnesse consumed then cut the tree clean off and let the stump â—…d a whole yeare afterward take the sprouts which are sprung out of that stumpe and graffe them and cast the others away Such a stump is like to bear and therfore nourish as many sprouts as you please but if it be a wild stump graft garden sprouts upon it 9. If you graffe a sprout or bough upon a Hawthorne tree that same bough will grow great and the stump will remaine small therefore he that will impe upon such a tree see he cut it off by the root then will the imped sprout and the stumpe grow all of one thicknesse but you must have still regard that you impe kinde upon kinde as apples upon apples peares upon peares for he that graffeth strange upon strange as peares upon apples and apples on peares and such like although it be done often for pleasures sake yet will it not last for the naturall nourishment is so that it will hardly nourish a strange kinde of fruit 10. The tree which is graffed in February in his fruits grow no worms nor maggots 11. When the imping sprouts begin to prosper and will not grow streight and levell then you must constrain them perforce that they may grow orderly Furthermore you must have a care to keep the prospering sprouts well with sticks from the wind if they stand any thing high and especially when they have stood a year or two and where they are pricked in the stump it is most needfull as shall after appeare And because there be many and divers waies to graffe and know how wild stumps and trees are to be made garden trees we thought it good to set some of them here down Divers fashions and waies of graffing there be HE that will extraordinarily graffe all manner of trees he must know that the more one tree is liker another the better it will prosper The first sort of graffing is when the sprout is prickt between the bark and the wood of the stump which must be done in May or Aprill when the bark may easily be loosed from the tree and is done after this sort First take a stump or tree and cut him off with a sharp Saw knife or such like instrument where he is smoothest and clearest and full of juice and polish the place with the bark of the same tree which was cut off Afterwardty the stump with a piece of bark and then prick a hole between the barke of the tree with a prick of bone elderwood or Iron so that it cleave not and then put in the place of the prick the sprout which you must have broken off a plaine and even tree of a good kind and one year old which you shall know
by this every branch hath rinckled knots like the joint of a mans finger cut it at one side under the knot so that you touch not the heart of the tree and at the other side you must softly loose the barke that the sproat may joyne very close to the stump then pull out the prick and take the sprout and turn the green bark to the bark of the stumpe so that it may stand straight The sprout may be foure or five fingers or eight at the most high above the stump Of this sort of imping you may see two three or more according to the bignesse of the stump or as he can beare provided alwaies that they stand at the least the length of a finger one from another Afterward tie it fast with bark together and put over it good muck and tie over it a cloath that no raine or aire may come between it and hurt it This sort of imping is commonly used in stumps which are great and old trees whose barke is thicke and strong as apple trees pear trees cherry-trees and willow trees on which are imped oftentimes apples also on figge trees and chestnut trees Such grafting is also done in high stumps and branches which be great but they must be well kept from the wind that it doe not break them After this sort you may graft many sorts and kinds of pears upon one tree but if you bring peares upon apples or apples upon pears stumps it will not last long as afore is said The first way of grafting prospereth best and hath a good continuance there be many other sorts of grafting as followeth Another way of grafting is when the stumps are cloven and the sprouts afterwards are put in the which doe as followeth TAke a young tree which is scant of the bigness of a finger and cut it smooth and even and cleave it in the midst then take the sprout which you will impe and cut it three square and at the one side leave the barke uncut and then turne the same bark outward at the stump and tie it fast as I have taught that the winde nor raine hurt him not Otherwise When the stump is uncovered and clean burnisht at the soft place then tie him fast that he cleave no further than to the length of your sprout which you must graffe upon him and then leave the prick in it then make your sprout pointed like a prick so that the middle be not touched then put it into the cleft having cleansed the hole first with the point of a knife so that one bark may touch the other and outward one wood another to the end the moisture may have the more easier his course then pull out the pricke and that which remaines open and bare between the cleft and the sprout that bind well every where with the bark of the tree or with hard pressing with a little sand or with dung of an Oxe or with waxe or with a linnen cloth washed in waxe that no raine winde or worms may hurt it This helpeth much to keep the moistnesse in which commeth from the root that it cannot breake out but nourisheth the better the new plant but when the stumps are great they be cleaved after two waies The first is that you cut or cleave the tree with a knife at one side only even to the heart and that you graft into it but one sprout The other is that you cleave it all over and that you prick or graft on every side one sprout or one alone and leave the other side without When the stump is but a little bigger then the sprout must necessarily be cloven in two and you must graft but one sprout into it as is said in the beginning This cleaving may be done in February March and Aprill then it is good to cut them before they be greene for to keepe them the better under the ground in cold or moist places The third way of grafting THis sort of grafting is very subtill witty and ready and is done as followeth Go to a smooth apple or peare tree in April when the trees get liquor and seeke a branch which hath green eyes and see that the same be lesse than your little finger and teare it from the tree and where you see that the green sprouts will come off there cut them off wholly and cleanse the middle thereof that the little red at the wood may turne about and draw it not off untill you come unto another good peare or apple tree and seek there another branch of the same bignesse that the other was and cut it off and take from it likewise the red as far as you will put them again and look where the branches join that they may well sit together upon the top and tie the same place gently and well with a little barke behinde and before that the water may not hurt them in the first year it bringeth forth leaves and branches in the second floures which you may breake off for the sprout is yet too tender so that it may bear no fruit and in the third yeare it bringeth floures and fruit and by this meanes you may graft divers kinds of peares and apples upon one tree I have likewise set such sprouts upon wild stumps and they have prospered The fourth way of grafting is HOw buds are transported and bound upon another tree like as a plaister is tied to a mans body this sort of grafting is called in Latine Emplastrum We read of such a sort of grafting which is called in Latine Abducellum and it is much like unto this sort wherefore we will only speake of it being done after this sort When you see upon a great fruitfull bough a bud which will prosper without doubt and wouldst faine plant it upon another tree take a sharp knife and lift the bark up two fingers breadth that the bud be not hurt then goe to another tree upon the which you will graft and put into a convenient place a like hole into the bark and put the same bud with the bark into it and tie it with dung or with a clout that hath lien in a dunghill over the cut that it may be kept from the outward damage of weather and for an especiall nourishment and keeping of the inner juice then cut off the branches round about it that the mother may the better nourish the new sonne within twenty days after take away the band so that you see that the strange bud hath prospered and joyned himselfe with the tree This may be done in March when the bark cometh easily from the tree Also in April May and Iune and yet shee prospereth both before and after a time when you may conveniently finde such buds This sort of planting prospereth best in a willow tree or such like which is pierced through and is done after this sort The fifth way When you pierce a willow stick with a sharp piercer see that between
brimstone together Or if the owner make a smoake with the Mushromes growing under the Nut tree or burne the hoofs of Goats or the gum Galbanum or else make a smoak with the Harts horne the winde aiding by blowing towards them The husbandmen and gardeners in our turne have found out this easie practise being now common every where which is on this wise that when these after-showres of rain are cropen into the warm sun or into places standing against the Sunne early in the morning shake either their fruits and leaves of the pot-herbes or the boughes of the trees for these being yet stiffe through the cold of the night are procured of the same the lighter and sooner to fall nor able after to recover up againe so that the Palmer worms thus lying on the ground are then in a readinesse to be killed of the Gardener If the owner mind to destroy any other creeping things noyous to herbes and trees which Paladius and Rutilius name both herb and Leek-wasters then let him hearken to this invention and devise of the Greek Dyophanes who willeth to purchase the maw of a Wether sheep new killed and the same as yet full of his excrementall filth which lightly cover with the earth in the same place where these most haunt in the Garden and after two dayes shall the Gardiner find there that the mothes with long bodies and other creeping things will be gathered in divers companies to the place right over it which the owner shall either remove and carry further or dig and bury very deep in the same place that they may not after arise and come forth which when the Gardener shall have exercised the same but twice or thrice he shall utterly extinguish and quite destroy all the kindes of creeping things that anoy and spoil the Garden plants The husbandmen in Flanders arme the stockes and compasse the bigger armes of their trees with wisps of straw handsomely made and fastened or bound about by which the Palmer wormes are constrained to creep up to the tops of the trees and there staid so that as it were by snares and engines laid these in the end are driven away or thus in their way begun are speedily or soone after procured to turne backe againe As unto the remedies of the Snailes particularly belongs These may the Gardener likewise chase from the kitchin herbs if he either sprinckle the new mother of the oyle olive or soot of the chimney on the herbs as if he bestowed the bitter sitch in beds among them which also availes against other noisome worms and creeping things as I afore uttered that if the Gardener would possesse a greene and delectable Garden let him then sprinckle diligently all the quarters beds and borders of the Garden with the mixture of water and powder of Fennigreeke tempered together or set upright in the middle of the Garden the whole bare head without the flesh of the unchaste Asse as I afore wrote Excellent inventions and helps against the Garden-Moles THe skilfull Paxanus hath left in writing that if the Gardener should make hollow a big nut or bore a hollow hole into some sound piece of wood being narrow in filling the one or the other with Rosin Pitch Chaffe and Brimstone of each so much as shall suffice to the filling of the Nut or hollow hole in the wood which thus prepared in a readinesse stop every where with diligence all the goings forth and breathing holes of the Mole that by those the fuming smoke in no manner may issue out yet so handle the matter that one mouth and hole bee only left open and the same so large that well the nut or vessell kindled within may be laid within the mouth of it whereby it may take the wind of the one side which may so send in the savour both of the rosin and brimstone into the hollow tombe or resting place of the Mole by the same practise so worke-manly handled by filling the holes with the smoak shall the owner or Gardener either drive quite away all the Moles in the ground or finde them in a short time dead There be some that take the white Neesewort or the rinde of Cynocrambes beaten and farced and with Barley meale and egs finely tempered together they make both Cakes and Pasties wrought with wine and milk and those they lay with in the Moles den or hole Albertus of worthy memory reporteth that if the owner or Gardener closeth or diligently stoppeth the mouths of the Moleholes with the garlicke onyon or leek it shall either drive the Moles away or kil them through the strong savour stinking or breathing into them Many there be that to drive away these harmfull Moles doe bring up young Cats in their Garden ground and make tame Weasels to the end that either of these through the hunting of them may so drive away this pestiferous anoyance being taught to watch at their strait passages and mouths of the holes comming forth Others there be also which diligently fill and stop up their holes with the red Okare or Ruddell and juice of the wild Cucumber or sow the seeds of Palma Christi being a kind of Satyrion in beds through which they will not after cast up nor tarry thereabout But some exercise this easie practise in taking a live Mole and burning the pouder of brimstone about him being in a deep earthen pot through which he is procured to cry all others in the meane time as they report are moved to resort thither There are some besides which lay silke snares at the mouth of their holes To the simple Husbandmen may this easie practise of no cost suffice in setting downe into the earth a stiffe rod or green branch of the Elder tree FINIS A Direction to set or lay your lines or thread to make or draw a simple Knot without a border Your must leave your Lines as they be first set untill your Knot be altogether finished or done The Manner or Ordering to set the thread or line upon another manner of Knot A Direction to fasten your Lines to make another manner of Knot A plaine Knot without Lines A plaine Knot without Lines Another plaine Knot without Lines Another Another Another Another Another Another A Direction to fasten Cords or Lines to draw a Knot with a Border as also to make a Border of Beds parted in the midst A Direction of the Cords fastned upon the Border with a Knot in the midst A Border with a Knot in the midst thereof A Border or Knot divided or parted containing five small Knots The forme of the Lines set upon the Knot whose Squares or Beds are parted A Border of Beds or Squares parted and the midst thereof A Maze