may spring the sooner it flowreth in Iune and Iuly and then falleth to seede it flowreth a very long while and is geathered the fourth day being rype in a very short tyme when it is in flowre of all other Pulse it receyueth harme by rayne when it is rype it must be geathered out of hande for it scattereth very soone and lyeth hid when it is fallen In the chych there neuer breedeth any worme contrary to all Pulse else and because it dryueth away Caterpillers it is counted good to be set in Gardens Cicercula in Latine in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian Cicerse in Spanish Cizerche it differeth from the Chych only in that it is somewhat blacker which Plinie accounteth to haue vneauen corners as Pease hath and in many places about vs they vse them in steede of Pease esteeming them farre aboue Peason for they both yeeld more flowre then Pease is lighter of digestion and not so subiect to wormes Columella countes it rather in the â—umber of Fodder for cattell then of Passe for man in which number are these that followe And â—irâ—t Viciâ— in Latine in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Dutch VVycken in Frenche Vessae so called as Varro thinkes of wynding because it hath 〈◊〉 or claspes as the Uine hath wherby it clymeth vpon such stâ—lkes as growe next it it groweth halfe a yâ—rde hie leâ—â—â—ed like Tyutare sâ—uâ—ng that they be something narrower the 〈◊〉 like the â—lowre of Pease hauing little blâ—cke seedes in 〈◊〉 nor altogether ounde but broâ—e like the Lâ—ntell it reâ—uired above ground though it wâ—l also grow wel yenough in shadowye places or â—any ground with small labour being not trouâ—le come to the 〈…〉 it requireth but once plowing and sâ—â—keth for 〈…〉 â—or doungâ—ng but â—nricheth the lande of it seâ—â—e specially if â—he grounde be plowed when the crop is of so that the Stalkes may be turned in for otherwise the Rootes and Stalkes remayning doo sucke out the goodnesse of the ground yet Cato would haue it sowen in grassie ground not watrishe and in newe broken vp ground after the dâ—awe be gone the moysture dryed vp with the Sunne and the Winde You must beware that you sowe no more then you mâ—y wel couer the same day for the â—east deawe in the world dooth spoyle it Neither must you sowe them before the Moone be 24. dayes olde otherwise the Snayle will deuoure it his tyme of sowing is as Plinie writeth at the setting of the Starre called the Berward that it may serue to feede in December the secoâ—d sowing is in Ianuarie the last in March. In Germanie they vse to sowe them in March or Aprill chiefly for fodder for theâ—r cattell To sowe Tares and as Plinie sayth Beanes in not broken vp grounde without lâ—sse is a great peece of husbandry they flowre in Iune at which tyme they are very good of skowre horses it is good to â—aye them vp in the codde and to keepe them to serue Cattell withall Tares Oates make a good meslyne sowed together Lupinus in Latin in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian and French almost as in Latin in Spanish Altramuz in Dutch Roomsche Boouen is a Pulse hauing one onely stalke the leafe tagged in fiue diuisions like a starre the flowre white the coddes tagged indented about hauing within them â—iue or sixe seedes hard brode red the leaues thereof doo fal This pulse requireth least trouble and is of smal pâ—ice and yet most helpeth the grounde of any thing that is sowen for there can be no better manuring for barrayne Uineyardes and Corne â—eeldes then this which eyther vpon barrayne ground prospereth or kept in the Garner endureth a wonderfull wâ—yle being sodden and layd in water it feedeth Oxen in Winter very well and in tyme of dearth as Columella sayth serueth men to asswage their hunger it prospereth in sandy and grauelly groâ—ndes in the worst land that may be neyther loueth iâ— to haue any labour bestowed vpon it nor weyeth the goodnesse of the ground So fruitfull it is as if it be cast among Bushes and Brâ—er yet will it roote and prosper it refuseth both Harrowing and Raking is not anoyed with Weedes but killeth the weedes about it If doung be wantyng to mende the ground withall this serues the turne aboue all other for being sowed and turned in with the Plowe it serueth the turne in steede of dounging it is sowed timeliest of all other and reaped last it is sowed before all other Pulse a little after Haruest couer it how sclenderly you wyll it careth not an excellent good seede for an euyll husbande yet desyreth it the warmth of Autâ—me that it may be well rooted before Winter come for otherwyse the colde is hurtfull vnto it It flowreth thryse fyrst in May then agayne in Iune and last in Iuly after euery flowryng it beareth his codde Before it flowreth they vâ—e to put in Cattel for where as they wyll feede vpon all other grasse or weedes onely this for the bitternesse thereof whyle it is greene they leaue vntouched Being dryed it serueth for sustenaunce both of man and beast to cattel it is geuen medled with Chaffe and for bread for mans vse it is mingled with Wheate flowre or Barley flowre it is good to keepe it in a smokie loaft for yf it lye moyst it is eaten of lâ—ttle woormes and spoyled The leafe keepeth course and turneth with the Sunne whereby it sheweth to the husbande euen in cloudie weather what time of the day it is Fenú grecum in Latine in Greeke with Theophrastus and others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Dioscorides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Frenche Fenegres and Fenigrent in Italian Faenigraeco in Spanishe Alâ—oluas in Dutche sometime by the Latine name and commonly Roherne and Lockshorne commeth vp with a small stalke the leefe lyke a Threeleaued grasse it is sowed well in a sclender barrayne ground you must take heede you plowe it thicke and not very deepe for yf the seede be couered aboue foure fyngers thicke it wyll very hardly growe Therefore the grounde must be tyld with small Plowes and the seede presently couered with Rakes There are two sortes of it the one called of the common people Siliqua or code whiche they sowe for fodder in Sepâ—ember the other in Ianuarie or the beginnyng of Februarie when they sowe it for seede it flowreth in Iune and Iuly when also it beareth his codde but the seede is not ripe tâ—ll August it is dressed to be eaten after the order of Lupines with vineger water and salt some put to a little oyle it is vsed both for fodder and diuers other vses Furthermore of Pulse called of Gelliuâ— Leâ—amentâ— we haue these generall rules that they al beare coddes and haue single rootes euery one except the Beane the Chich growyng deepest The stalke of the Beanâ—
of the rootes which after two yeeres you must remooue into a warme and wel dounged grounde The trenches where you meane to set them must stand a foote a sunder and a shaftman in depthe wherein you must so lay your Sponges as being couered they may best growe bnt in the spring before they come vp you must loose the earth with a little Forke to cause them the better to spring and to make the rootes the greater Cato woulde haue you to take them but so as you hurt not the rootes after to pull the plant from the roote for yf you otherwyse breake it the roote wyl dye and come to nothing But you may so long croppe it tyll you see it begin to growe to seede in which yeere for the Winter tyme you must according to Catoes minde couer it with strawe or such like least the colde doo kil them and in the spring open it againe and doung it well Some thinke that the fyrst yeere it is needelesse to doo any thing to the plant but onely to weede it From the rootes which they call the sponges there springeth fyrst certayne buddes with crompled knoppes very good and pleasaunt for sallettes whiche yf you suffer to growe it straight bussheth foorth with braunches lyke Fennell and at length growe to be prickely after it hath flowred it beareth a Berrie fyrst greene and when it is rype redde If you would haue Sallettes of Asparagus al the yeere through when you haue geathered the Berries open the rootes that runne aloft by the grounde with dyggyng and you shall haue the rootes send foorth newe buddes out of hand It is thought that yf you breake to poulder the horne of a Ramme and sowe it watring it well it wyll come to be good Sperage In the Spring time they make a very good sallet being sodde in water or fatte broth tyll they be tender for yf you seethe them too muche they wyl waste away When they be sod they dresse them with Uineger Oyle Pepper and Salt and so eate them or as my freend Wylliam Prat very skilful in these matters telleth me they cutte them in small peeces lyke Dyse and after they haue parboyled them butter them with sweete butter a little Uineger and Pepper THRA You haue very well shewed me the orderyng of Asparagus I pray you goe forward to Rue MARIVS Rue which the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines Rutam the Italians Rutache the Spaniardes Ruda the Frenchemen Rue de gardin is planted at the ende of Februarie or in March prospering best in drye and sunny groundes it abhorreth both water and doung whiche all other hearbes most delight in it most delighteth in asshes and where all other plantes wyll spring of the seede this they say wyll neuer doo it The branches being slipped of and set in the spring wyll very well growe but yf you remooue the olde roote it dyeth it delighteth in the shadowe of the Figge tree and being stolne as they say it prospereth the better it is sowed with cursyng as Cummin and diuers other and can not abide the presence of an vncleane woman THRA I see goodly Lettuse here I pray you howe doo you order it MARIVS Lettuse is called in Dutche Lattich in Frenche Laictue in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian Lactuca and so in Latine in Spanishe Lechugas whereof besides the wylde there are three kindes one croompled whiche Columella calleth Caecilia and Spanishe Lettuse of the Countreys where it most groweth and is greatest esteemed in Dutch called Krauser Lattich in Frenche Crespue the other Cabbedge Lettuse in Dutch Knopf Lattich in Frenche Laictue testue of Plinie called Laconica and Sessilis because it groweth round like an head or a apple The third sort is called Rotunda because it groweth in compasse vpon the grounde THRA But howe come you to haue so good Lettuse and how doo you order them MARIVS At the ende of Februarie or in the beginning of March we vse to sowe it that it may be remooued about April or May. In hotte Countreys as Palladius telleth they sowe it in Ianuarie or in December with intent to remooue it in Februarie but you may sowe it at any time of the yeere so the ground be good wel dounged and watred When you remooue them the rootes must be pared and rubbed ouer with doung and such as be already planted their rootes must be bared and dounged they loue a good ground moyst wel dounged they spreade the better yf you set by thâ—m the Rape or when they begyn to stalke the stalke being tenderly clouen you lay vppon it a clod or a tyleshard they wyl be white yf you sprinckle them often with sand or tye sande within the leaues and both tender white you shall haue them If two dayes before they be geathered theyr toppes be tyed vp they wyll be rounde and Cabbeged yf the roote being remoued when it is growena hand brode in heyght be pared and smered with freshe Cowe doung and earth cast about it be well watred and when it growâ—th hye the top be cut a poâ—shard laide vppon it the sweeter also they wyll be the more you restrayne the stalke from shooting vp which must as I said be kept downe with some stone or weight that they may spreade the better If the Lettuse chaunce by reason of the badnesse of the soyle the seede or the season to waxe hard the remoouing of it wyll bring it agayne to his tendernesse it wyll haue sundry and diuers tastes yf taking a Treddle of Sheepe or Goates doung and hollowyng it cunnyngly with an Alle or a Bodkyn you thrust into it the seede of Lettuse Cresses Basyl Rocket Smallage Parsley and Radyshe and after wrapping it in doung you put it into very good grounde and water it well The Parsley or Smallage goeth to roote the others growe in heygth keeping styl the taste of euery one Constantine affyrmeth Lettuse to be a moyst and a colde hearbe a quencher of thyrst and causer of sleepe and that being boyld it nourisheth most and abateth lecherie for which the Pithagoreans doo call it Eunuchion Galen himselfe the prince of Phisitions dooth greatly commend it who in his youth dyd alwayes vse to eate it rawe and after in his elder yeeres boyled whereby he kept his body in good temperature Endiue in Latine Intabum or Intubus not vnlike to Lettuse some call it Garden Succory the Dutchmen and common sort Endiuiam the Italians and the French Cicoriam the Spaniardes Endibia it is sowen as other Garden hearbes in March it loueth moysture and good earth but you must make your beddes when you sowe it the flatter least the earth falling away the rootes be bared when it hath put foorth foure leaues you must remooue it vnto well dounged grounde that whiche is sowen before the kalendes of Iuly dooth come to seede but that which is sowen afterâ— seedeth not You must sowe that which you
call the common Borage the lesser Buglose and the greater Buglose is thought to be that whiche Dioscorides calleth Circium the true Buglose the flowres of both sortes are vsed in sallettes and in wine because it maketh the hart meery and therefore is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say gladnesse the leaues are also vsed in dressyng of meates it is sowen about March and once sowen it wyl neuer away there is also a wilde kinde of it THRA I pray you goe forward and tell vs some thyng of Straberries which here grow with great plentie and beautie helped as it seemeth with good orderyng MARIVS They are so for we vse to bring rootes out of the wooddes whiche beyng set and planted in the Garden prosper exceedyngly two or three yeeres togeather and after we eyther remooue them agayne because they waxe wylde or set the wylde in theyr places and so haue we them to yeelde theyr fruite twyse in the yeere in the spring and in the ende of sommer And although it groweth of it selfe in shadowy woods in great plentie as yf it delighted in shadowe of Trees yet beyng brought into the Garden it delighteth in sonny places and good orderyng yeelding a great deale more and better fruite it creepeth vpon the ground without a stalke with small stringes comming from the roote with a white flowre and a leafe lyke a Trefoyle indented about The berries whiche is the fruite are redde and taste very pleasauntly the Dutchmen call them Erdbern the Frenchemen Freses There is an other fruite that groweth somethyng hygher whose berrie is also like the Straberie Dioscorides seemeth to call it Rubus Idaeus the Bryer of Ida because it groweth in great abundance vppon the mountayne Ida. It is not ful of prickles as the other brambles are but soft and tender full of branches whytish leaues it beareth redde berries somethyng paler then the Straberie and very pleasaunt in taste The Grecians call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Dutchmen Imberen the Frenchmen Framâ—osas THRA What is that groweth yonder a yard in height MARIVS It is commonly called Liquerise in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Dulcis Radix in Italian Regolitia in Spanishe Regaliza in Frenche Reclisse in Dutche Clarits or Sussholts THRA I dyd not thinke to haue founde it here I heare it groweth very plentifully about the Meyne I woulde be glad to heare howe you doo order it for it hath a roote for the sweetenesse thereof whence it taketh his name very commendable MARIVS It is set of young springes of the roote as the Hoppe is in drye light ground and sonny THRA What say you to small Reazyns called in Latine Ribes doo you thinke the olde wryters knewe this bushe MARIVS That whiche we call at this day Ribis and the Dutchmen Saint Iohns pearle because about Midsommer it is garnished with redde riche berries hauyng a tarte taste quenchyng thyrst cheefely the ragyng and extreame thryst of feuers and coolyng the stomacke whiche the Appothecaries in Suger or Honie keepe all the yeere is thought was vnknowen to the olde wryters but nowe a comâ—on bushe vsed for enclosyng of Gardens and makyng of Borders and Herbers it wyll easyly growe but that it is somethyng troublesome by reason of his sharpe prickles to be bent about sommer houses THRA You spake euen nowe of Hoppes doo you set in these your princely paradises that plant that is so common with the Countrey man for about vs they make great gayne of it MARIVS Tell you therefore I pray you howe they doo vse it THRA It is set of the young shootes as you tolde a little before of Liquerise and that in the ende of sommer or yf they feare a hard winter in Mâ—rch The seâ—tes or shootes are cutte from the olde rootes and are set in grounde well couered with doung and good mould and afterward hilled and so suffered to remayne all Winter In the spring the earth is stirred with Rakes and not with Spades and the hilles raysed and the grounde ridde of all hurtfull weedes About May certayne powles are set vp vppon whiche the Hoppe clymeth all the spraye that springeth aboue the flowre is commonly cutte of About September or in the ende of August the flowres or bels are geathered and kept to make Beere with when the Hoppes are geathered the remaynes are cut downe close to the ground and the hilles being agayne raysed are couered with doung The toppes and the young buddes that come fyrst out in April are vsed to be geathered for sallettes and keepeth them from growyng to ranke But nowe I pray you goe on and returne to the description of your Garden O what excellent Mellons Pompens Cowcumbers and Gourdes haue you here I pray you tell in what sort you order them MARIVS Melons whiche some because they are fashioned like Apples call Pomes are of the kinde of Coucumbers and so are the Pepones which the Frenchemen cal Pompeons The Coucombers in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Cucumer in Italian Cucumero or Cedruolo in French Dutch Cocumbre They change to Pompeons and Muskemillions from whiche they onely differ in shape and greatnesse when they exceede in greatnesse they become Pompeons and when they growe rounde they are Mellonpompeons al these kindes are called of some wryters Melons The Grecians call all the sortes as well Coucumbers as Mellonpompeons by the name of Pompeons and Mellons though there are some that make a difference betweene Pompeons and Mellons neither doo the learned yet throughly agree vpon these meanes nor can it be certaynely saide what kinde the olde wryters ment by Pompeons and Melonpompeons Pompeons doo creepe along vppon the ground with ruffe leaues and a yellowe flowre and are pleasaunt to be heaten when they be ripe The sweetest sort of them they call Succrino or Muskmillions The Mellonpompeons are supposed to spring first in Campania being fashioned lyke a Quince This kinde hangeth not but groweth rounde lying vpon the grounde and being ripe doo leaue the stalke Some Coucombers are called Citrini of their yellownesse when they be ripe and also Citruli or Citreoli they growe all in length and are spotted as the Citrons are some be called Maâ—in and be called in Italian Cucussae Marinae the seede whereof is to be eaten before they be ripe they are cut in peeces and porredge made of them not much vnlike in fashion to the Mellon There is also an other kinde of Coucumber of a houge compasse almost as bigge as a busshel the Mowers and Haruest folkes in Italie vse to carrie great peeces of them to the Feelde with them to quenche their thyrst You must set al these kindes in March the seedes must be set thinne two foote one from an other in watrie ground well dounged and digged specially sandy grounde you must lay them in milke or water and honie three dayes and after drye
seuerally shewe you of euery seede by him selfe and so declare vnto you the order of their sowyng And fyrst amongest all the fruites and grayne that the Earth dooth yeeld for our sustenance the cheefest place is rightly geuen vnto Wheate called in Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian Grano in Spanishe Trigo in Dutch VVeyss in Frenche Fourment as a grayne most needefull for man and therefore most fruitefull because God hath ordayned it to nourishe man withall It is woonderfull what yeeld it hath been of in some Countreys Augustus his deputie sent hym from Bisaice in Africa of one grayne of Wheate foure hundred branches And Plinie witnesseth that in the same place one bushel hath yeelded a hundred and fyftie bushels RIGO There are that holde opinion that this which the common people call Wheate the Germanes VVeyss and the Hollanders Terue is not the true Wheate but a kinde of Rye and that the true Wheate whiche the Italians call Grano groweth onely in Italy and in Spayne CONO That whiche growes in Italy and Cicil at this day differeth not from ours in fashion colour nor flowre though the grayne there be somewhat great and the flowre more clammey whiche maketh it that it can not be long kept specially about Rome And whereas our Wheate is eyther bearded or pollarde theirs is altogeather pold we call it pold or pollard that hath no Aanes vpon the eares And that we call the Aane which groweth out of the eare like a long pricke or a darte whereby the eare is defended from the daunger of Birdes With Virgil the Aane is vsed for the Corne as the parke for the Wheate Gluma is the husks of the Corne whose top is the Aane Fâ—it is the small grayne lesser then the corne that growes in the top of the ripe eare To returne to the Wheate I graunt there are some that doubt of this Wheate of ours suche hath been the iniurie of the tyme as all thinges almost forgotten we scarsely knowe howe to name the foode that we daylâ— feede of For my part I wyl followe common vse as a maistresse in speache The olde writers haue written of sundry sortes of Wheate whereof they haue thought that most needefull to be sowen whiche they called Robus as the fayrest and wayghtiest The second called Siligo they vsed in their fynest Cheate The thirde they called Trimestre because it woulde be ripe in three monethes after the sowing Though Columella alowe no suche kinde yet was it most auncient with the Grekes and called Trimâ—non growyng onely in the colde countreys In Thâ—â—cia they haue a kinde that is ripe in two monethes and is couered with a number of huskes against the extreme colde of the Countrey In our Countreys also we haue Wheate and Rye that we sowe with our Sommer grayne as we likewyse doo Rape seede but to no great commodititie for the Winter seedes too farre exceede them and being nourished in the earth al Winter they prooue as Theophrastus sayth of more substance and profyte Amongest all these sortes Plinie recounteth the Wheate of Italy to be the best both for beautie and weyght We vse with vs only two sortes differing in this that the one hath smoothe eares without any beardes the other with long beardes or Aanes very ruffe and sharpe not much vnlike to Winter Bailey in al other properties they are both alike It is sowen in September the season being fayre the grounde thryse plowed and well raked or harrowed although you may sowe it very well after once plowing vpon grounde where Pease Tares or Buck hath been newly had of in a good soyle Plinie and Columella woulde haue you sowe of Wheate and Rye fyue busshels vpon an acre but as I haue saide before this meaâ—ure is to be measured by reason We at this day sowe not so much Wheate vpon an acre as Rye nor so much Rye as Barley It is best yf the Winter be like to be colde to sowe the sooner yf warme the later Wheate delighteth in a leuell riche warme and a drye ground a shaddowy weedy and a hilly ground it loueth not though Plinie say the hil yeeldeth harder Wheate but no great store After it is sowen it putteth out a great company of small rootes and appeareth at the fyrst wy or blade it hath sundry stalkes but suche as can not branche all the Winter as other Winter Corne is it is nourished in blade when the Spring draweth on it beginneth to spindle vppon the thirde or fourth ioynt thereof commeth out the eare which fyrst appeareth enclosed in the blade it flowreth the fourth or fyfth day after yf it growe to rancke at the fyrst it is eaten downe with cattel or in some place mowed it is after weeded it flowres about the tenth of Iune sooner or later as the yeere falles out euen at one time almost with the Uine two noble floures with comfortable sauour flourishing at once Varro affyrmeth that the Whâ—ate lyeth fyfteene dayes in the blade flourisheth fyfteene and ripeth fyfteene after it hath flowred it waxeth greater and as Theophrastus sayth is within fourtie dayes after ful ripe where with the latest they reape in the eyght moneth Other say in sixe and thirtie dayes reaped in the nienth moneth It neuer eares tyll al his ioyntes or knottes he growen There are foure iointes in Wheate as Plinie sayth and eyght in Barley but in our countrey and our dayes both Wheate Rye Barley and Oates haue but foure and that not alwayes Before the full number of the ioyntes there is no appearing of the eare whiche when it commeth beginneth to flowre within foure or fyue dayes and so many or little more it fadeth When the flowre is gone the grayne begins to swel and in foure or fyue dayes after to ripe The blade of the Wheate is something like a Sedge but narrower then the Barley the Spindel Stalke or Strawe thereof is smoother and gentler and not so brittle as of Barley It is closed in many coates The stalke that beareth the eare is higher then that of Barley the eare groweth more vpryghe and farther from the blade the chaffe is softer sweeter and more full of iuyce the eare of Wheate is out of order and vneuen as well of the Pollard as of the hearded where as Barley hath his eare of iust number and in perfect order In Bactâ—iâ— it is sayde a grayne of Wheate is equall in quantitie to an eare of our Wheate In Babylon the blades both of Wheate and Barley as Herodotus reporteth are foure inches brode Wheate as Columella wryteth after the third sowing chaungeth to Rye which hath been knowen in Germanie as I sayde before in many places Of Wheate is made Amyl the making whereof Cato and Dioscorides teacheth After Wheate we sowe with vs Rye There are that thinke it to be that whiche the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though Homer take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a kinde of foode for Horses some others
best prouender for Horses and foode for Cattell Plinie also witnesseth that the Germanes vsed to make pottage of Oates And Dioscorides maketh mention of Oaten poâ—tage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pottage or gruell is made of Oates it is called of the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian Vena in Spanishe Auena in Frenche Auoyne in Dutche Hauer whiche though it growe not commonly in Italy yet vpon monte Ficâ—lâ—o and in the kyngdome of Naples about Siponto it is founde We haue amongst vs two kyndes of them one full and weyghty seruing in deere yeeres to make bread and drynke of specially yf it be medled wiâ—h a little Barley and this kind prospereth in riche and newe broken vp ground exceedingly The other kinde is lyghter whiche the common people call Gwen and Brumhauer it is very lyght and yeeldeth but little flowre nor foode it groweth vpon sandy and barrayne groundes and serueth well for Cattell and for Horse both the kyndes haue busshy toppes from whence hangeth the seede in lykewyse resemblyng the Grassehopper the flowre of it is white and from one grayne there springeth diuers stalkes With Dioscorides Bromos is a kynd of Oates that resembleth Wheate in the stalke and the blade and groweth like wylde Wheate Theophrastus calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Oate is not daungerous in the choyse of his grounde but groweth lyke a good fellowe in euery placeâ— where no seede els wyll growe Of the lyke disposition almost is Buck or Beechewheate vnknowen to our olde fathers It is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beechewheate or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blackwheate though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth an other grayne I had rather call it Beechwheate because the grayne thereof is threecorned not vnlyke the Beechemast both in colour and fourme differing onely in the smalenesse The stalke is very great and straked like to the greater Fearne It hath many branches with a bushy toppe a great sort of white flowres in a knop lyke the flowres of Elder it flowreth long togeather and after appeareth the grayne fyrst white and greenishe in shape threecornerd after they be ripe the colour chaungeth to blacke or brownishe like a Chestnutte This grayne hath not long since ben brought from Russia the Northerne partes into Germanie nowe is it become common and vsed for fatting of Hogges and serueth the common people in deare seasons to make bread drâ—nke withal it may be sowed in any ground how â—adde so euer it be howebeit it dooth best in good grounde and is sowen in April and May and in Iune after the reaping of Rape seede You must sowe lesse of it vppon an acre by a fourth part then of Wheate or Rye it is much vsed to be sowed vpon the ground where Rapes growe wherby the ground dooth yeeld a double Croppe in one yeere When it is sowen it commeth vn yf it be moyst weather within foure or fiue dayes after hauyng two leaues at â— fyrst appearing not much vnlike to Purcelaine Amongst the Sommer seedes is also receiued Sommer Barley whiche from the Sonnes entring into the Aequinoctiall till the end of Marche and April is sowen and is reaped againe for the most part in three monethes or at the vttermost foure It requireth as Winter Barley dooth a riche and a mellowe grounde and to be sowed after twyse plowing though sometime for necessitie it is sowed after the fyrst plowyng And though it yeelde noâ— so good nor so perfect a grayne as the Winter Corne dooth whose grayne as Theophrastus wryteth is farre more perfect and of stronger substaunce bringing greater strawe and weightier Eares yet because it is harder husked and the Sommer seede more fyne and gentle is therefore of most men desired and counted to yeelde more flowre then the Winter grayne some agayne preferre the other Millet called in Latine Millium in Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian Milio or Miglio hauing as it were a thousand graynes in a Eare as Festus seemeth to auowe in Spanishe Mijo in Frenche Millet and in Dutche Hyers where they make pottage of it and bread The Russians and Moscouians are chiefely nourished with this kind of pottage which they make with the flowre mingled with milke and the blood that they let from their Horses The men of Ind as Plinie sayth knowe no other grayne buâ— Barley and Millet which grew in his time plentifullest in Campania it is the best leauen that may be made neither is there any grayne comparable to it for weyght that more increaseth in bakyng for of one busshell hath been drawen threescore pounde of bread and a busshell of sodden meate made of three quarters wet and vnsodde It is sowed at this day in euery place though very litâ—le in the lowe Countrey it groweth with a stalke full of ioyntes a cubite high a leafe like a Reede a round and a small seede hanging downe in long ruinnes with many toppes it groweth sometime seuen foote hie it delighteth in a watrishe moorie grounde and in grauel so it be nowe and then ouerflowen it hateth drye and chalkie groundes Some geue counsell to sowe it fyrst in a colde and a wette ground and then in a hotte ground before the Spring you must not sowe it for it delighteth muche in warmth A little seede of it is sufficient for a great deale of ground yf it be sowed thicke it comes to nought a great handfull wyll serue a whole acre wherefore in raking you must rake out what is more then needefull an acre beareth fourtie busshels yf it be wel sowed euery seede yeeldeth about a pottell It is forbidden to be sowen among Uines or fruite trees and must continually be weeded and raked When the eare is full growen it must be geathered with the hande and dryed in the Sunne least the whâ—t weather shatter the seedes This grayne may very long be preserued for being well layde vp where the winde can not come it wyll well laste an hundred yeere There is an other like grayne that they call Indian Millet with a great grayne and a blacke and bigge reedy stalke whiche was fyrst brought into Italy in the raigne of Nero which as Plinie sayth was called Loba wheâ—e as Lobae are rather the Coddes of all Pulse and Phobae the manes and â—oppes of Millet as it appeareth by Theophrastus Panicum is called of the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Dutch Psennich or Heidengreâ—ss of the Italiansâ— Pannacho the Spaniardes Panizo the Frenchemen Paniâ— so called of the little Pannicles wherein the seede lyeth It commeth vp like Millet with many leaues and slippes glittering with a reddishe busshy toppe full of seedes lyke Mustard seede some yellowe purple blacke and white it must be ordered in all thinges almost as Millet being sowed in Sommer it is ripe in fourtie dayes after in other places sowed in May in wette grounde it is to be geathered in September The haruest and the vse of
it is almost all one with Millet neyther can it as Millet be fined without parching when it beginnes to spindel it must be well weeded least the weedes ouergrowe it being well drâ—st with Cheesyl and Milke it maketh indifferent good meate in bread it is not so muche vsed as Millet for the bread is very drye and croombleth lyke Sâ—â—d or Asshes being altogeather without moysture or cleauing but the common people remediyng that with Larde or Oyle doo make a shift with it as wel as they can They that dwell about Pontus are sayde to esteeme it aboue all other foode as the people of Nauare doo at this day In many Countreys it is vsed onely to feede Pigeons withall Of the number of outlandishe grayne is Ryse in share as Theophrastus sayth lyke Darnell hauyng a busshy toppe lyke Millet or Pannicle but no Eare his grayne is lyke the kinde of Barley called Zea the leaues are thicke lyke leaues of Leekes but broader the stalke a cubite hie the floure purple This grayne is but geason in Fraunce and Germanie but in Italy and Lumbardy common where it is called Elriso and Menâ—stro Del riso the Frenchmen leauyng the fyrst letter doo call it Rison the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spaniardes call it Arross Plinie supposeth it to be engendred of the water Sedge There is made of it Furmentie as Horace calles it Ryse Furmentie It is sowed in March as Millet and Pannicle is The Indians they say do bruse it before they sowe it to make it the lighter of digestion And as Strabo reporteth they make drinke of it RIGO What say you to Sesamum that was greatly in vse in the olde tyme. CONO Sesamum is named with the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Italians Seâ—amo the Spaniard Aâ—onioliâ— the Frenchemen Iugiolin In tymes paâ—t it hath been more vsed and greatly commended both of Columella and Plinie At tâ—is day it is knowen to a very fewe as a great sort â—f seedes els are in so muche as the very Corne that we dayly seede of we scarsely knowe what it is Some reckon it in the number of Grayne and some of Pulse the stalke thereof is not lyke Millet or Pannicle full of ioyntes but playne and smoothe lyke a reede the leaues thereof ruddy the seede white not so bigge as Lineseede and is conteined in little knoppes like Poppie it is sowen before the rysing of the Seuen Starres after the maner of Italy Columella sayth that he hath seene it in Cilicia and Syâ—ia sowed in Iune and Iuly and reaped in Autume It requires a mellowe blacke moulde though it wyll growe vppon good sandy grounde and forced ground rayne is hurtfull vnto it after it is sowed where as it â—oth good to all other grayne no great Cattell nor Uermine wyll meddle with it it hurteth ground very muche because of the great quantitie and thicknesse of the stalke and the number of the rootes Plinie wryteth that it was brought out of India and vsed both for meate and oyle But to returne to such graine as we are acquainted with Amongst the Sommer seedes is Myscelyn to be reckoned The husbandmen doo sometime make a medley of sundry sortes of seedes and 〈◊〉 them partly for Cattell and partly for hope that though some of them fayle yet some wyll groâ—e But here must you beware lest you mingle not Winter Corne and Sommer Corne togeather for that were a great ouersight and one of them must needes perishe Some Barley may well be mingled with Oates or Buck as well for brewing as for feeding of cattell and Tares or other lyke Pulse may be myngled with Oates as very good foode for beastes They are to be fowed in tyme and place as I haue colde before in my seuerall entreatyng of them RIGO You haue well satisfied me for Grayne and Corne you may nowe yf it please you doo as much in Pulse CONO Pulse or Pedware is called of the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other partes of the fruites of the grounde of these there are sundry sortes as you haue seene of Corne some put Millet Pannicle and Sesanum to this kind because Columoâ—llâ— sometimes puts them in the number of Grayne and sometime of Pulse but I folowyng Plinie herein doo put them amongest the kindes of Grayne accountyng those to be Pulse whose seedes are conteyned in coddes as Beanes Pease Lenâ—â—es Tares Chyâ—hes Fytches and such lyke which all are to be sowen in the Spring Of all kinde of Pulse the greatest honour is due to the Beane as Plinie witnesseth as to a Pulse that is most commodious for man and beast In Greeke it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian and Latine Faba in Spanishe Haua in Frenche Feue in Dutche Bonen This amongest all other Pulse groweth in height wâ—thout any stay it hath a thicke leafe a creasted flowre of diuers colours spotted white and blacke whiche Varro calles the lamentable letters it hath a long Codde his fruite within broade lyke the nayle of a man of diuers colours it appeareth at the fyrst with many leaues lyke a Pease and not with one alone lyke Wheate It is sowed fyrst of all other Pulse in the Spring tyme as Virgil wyll haue it and timely because of Fabalia whiche is the offall of the Beanes for both the Coddes and the stalke is a foode that cattel muche delightes in Columella reporteth howe he heard a skilfull husband say that he had rather haue the offall of Beanes timely sowed then the Croppe of that which is ripe in three monethes you must sowe them in the encrease of the Moone and after once plowing It is sayde that yf they be enclosed in Goates doung and sowed they wyll yeelde great encrease and that the partes that are eaten or gnawne in the encrease of the Moone wyll fyll vp agayne If they be sowed neere to the rootes of Trees they wyll kyll them Some holde opinion that yf they be steeped in Capons blood they wyll be safe from all hurtfull weedes and that layde in water a day or two before they be sowen they wyll growe the sooner The Beane delighteth in riche and wel dounged ground as all other Pulse dooth wette and lowe grounde it dooth not refuse though all the rest desyre drye grounde it wayeth not weedyng being able to ouergrowe them Of all other Pulse it onely springeth with an vpryght stalke full of knottes and hollowe And where as all other Pulse are long in flowre this flowreth longest flowring fourtie dayes together one stalke beginning when others end and not all at one time as Wheate they codde in sundry dayes the lowest part of the stalke flowring fyrst and so vpward styll in order So fruitefull are they in some places as you shall finde one stalke to beare a hundred Beanes The Beanes sticke close to their Coddes the blacke in theyr â—oppes the Latines call Hilum the Coddes Valuuli the woormes that breede
in them Midae Lomentum is the Meale which the people in olde tyme dyd vse for the smoothing of their skinnes Fresa Faba was the Beane that was but finally broken and hulledâ—in the Myll Refrina was that whiche they vsed to offer in sacrifyce for good lucke with their Corne. It is good to steepe your Beanes in the water of Saltpeeter a day before you sowe them you shall keepe them from Wyuels as Palladius sayth yf you geather them in the wane of the Moone and cherishe them and lay them vp before the encrease Beanes and all other Pulse doo mend the ground that they are sowen in The next to Beanes in woorthynesse and sowyng is Pease called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian Pise and Piselle in Spanishe Aruera in Frenche Pese in Dutch Errettem a Pulse that groweth with hollowe stalkes and full of branches lying vpon the grounde many leaues and long the Coddes rounde conteyning in them round seedes and white though Plinie wryte that they be cornerd as Chych of which sort we haue some at this day blewishe with flowres in shape like the Butterâ—lye purple coloured toward the middest There are two sortes of Pease the one sort coueteth to climbe aloft and runneth vp vppon stickes to whiche with little wynders he bindeth hym selfe and is for the most part onely sowen in Gardens the other sort groweth lowe and creepeth vpon the grounde both kindes are very good to be eaten specially when they be young and tender they must be sowen in warme groundes for they can in no wyse away with colde they are sowed eyther vppon fallowes or rather in riche and yeerely bearing ground once plowed and as all other Pulse in a gentle and a mellowe moulde the season being warme and moyst Columella sayth that ground is made very riche with them if they be presently plowed and the Culter turne in and couer that whiche the Hooke hath newely left They are sowed among Sommer Corne commonly with the fyrst Fyrst Beanes Pease and Lentiles then Tares and Oates as is sayde before Pease and Tares must be sowen in March and April and in the wane of the Moone leâ—t they growe to ranke and flowre out of order where as the best sowing for all other Pulse and grayne is in the encrease of the Moone There are that count Pease to be the Pulse that the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines Eruum the Italians Eruo the Spaniardes Yeruo the Dutchmen Eruen of which there are two kindes the one white the other red The later is wylde and groweth in Hedges and Corne feeldes it is a small plant hauyng his leaues narrowe and sâ—lender his flowre eyther white or medled with purple growyng neere togeather like Pease there is no great businesse about it it delighteth in a leane barren ground not moyst for it wyll be spilt with too muche rancknesse it must be sowed before Marche with which moneth it agreeth not because it is then hurtfull vnto cattell Eruilia is a Pulse like smal Beanes some white some blacke and others speckled it hath a stalke like Pease and climeth lyke a Hoppe the Coddes are smoothe like Pescoddes The leaues longer then the leaues of Beanes the flowre is a pleasant foode to Bees In Fraunce and Lumbardie it is called Dora or Dorella Phaseolus in Latine in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 garden Smalax some call it Fasiolum and Dolichium among the Italians some call it Fagiuoli some Smilace de gli Horti others Fagiuolo Turcheses others Lasanie the Spaniardes call it Frisoles the Frenchemen Fasioles and Fales Pinceos the Dutchmen Fasâ—len or wyld Bonen It is a kynde of Pulse whereof there are white redde and yellowe and some specked with blacke spottes the leaues are lyke Iuie leaues but something tenderer the stalke is sâ—lender wyndyng with claspes about such-plantes as are next hym runnyng vp so hie as you may make Herbers vnder hym the coddes are longer then Fennigrecke the Graynes within diuers coloured and fashioned lyke Kydneys it prospereth in a fatte and a yeerely bearyng ground in Gardens or where you wyll and because it climeth aloft there must be set by them poales or staues from the whiche runnyng to the toppes it climeth vppon Trees seruyng well for the shadowyng of Herbers and Summer houses It is sowen of diuers from the Ides of October to the Ralendes of Nouember in some places and with vs in Marche It flowreth in Sommer the meate of them is but indifferent the iuyce not very good the Coddes and the Graynes are eaten togeather or lyke Sperage The Iewes sell them at Rome preserued to be eaten rawe Lens and Lenticula in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian Lendi iae bon maenastre in Spanishe Lenteza in Frenche Lentilla in Duch Linsen is a Pulse very thicke and busshy with leaues lyke the Tare with three or foure very small Graynes in euery Codde of all Pulses the least they are soft and flatte The white ones for theyr pleasauntnesse are the best and such as are aptest to seethe and consume most water in their boylyng It is sowen with vs in Germanie in March and in April the Moone encreasyng in mellowe ground being riche and drye yet Plinie would rather haue the ground leane then riche and the season drye it flowreth in Iuly at whiche tyme by ouer muche rancknesse and moysture it soone corrupteth Therefore to cause it quickely to spring and wel to prosper it must be mingled with drye doung before it be sowen and when it hath lyen so mingled foure or fyue dayes it must be cast into the grounde It groweth hyâ— as they say when it is wette in warme water and Saltpeter before it be sowen wyl neuer corrupt being sprinckled with Bengwin and Uineger Varro wylleth that you sowe it from the fiue and twentieth day of the Moone to the thirtieth so shall it be safe from Snayles And Columella affyrmeth that yf it be mingled with Asshes it wâ—ll be safe from all annoyance Cicer in Latine in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian Ceci Cicere Rosso and Cicere bâ—ance in Spanishe Ganrangos in Frenche Chiche and in Dutch Cicererbs is a busshy kynde of Pulse hauyng a rounde Codde and therein a couple of three cornered seedes whereof there are that make three kindes whyte read and blacke differinâ— onely in the colour of theyr flowre the best kinde hath a stiâ—â—e stalke crooked little leaues indented a whyte a purple or a blacke flowre And wheras other Pulse haue their coddes long and brode according to their seede this beareth them rounde it delighteth in a blacke and a riche moulde is a great spoyler of land and therefore not good for newe broken vp ground it may be sowen at any time in March in rayny weather and in very riche ground the seede must be steeped in water a day before it be sowen to the end it
seasons and yet doo very well All Garden hearbes are commonly sowen before the tenth of Iune suche thinges as you would not haue seede you may sowe after this time Some thinges are sowed onely two times a yeere in the spring and in the ende of Sommer Others agayne at sundry tymes as Lettuse Colwoortes Rocket Radishe Cresses Corriander Cheruil and Dyll These are sowed about March or about September and as Columella sayth doo come eyther of the seede or of the slippe some of the Roote some of the Stalke some of the Leafe some of the Clot some of the Head some of both others of the Barke others of the Pith some both of the seede and the slippe as Rue wylde Marierum and Basyl this they cutte of when it comes to be a handfull hye others growe both of the Seede and the Roote as Onyons Garlyke and suche lyke And although al thing wyll growe of their seedes yet this they say Rue wyll not doo for it very seeldome springes therefore they rather set the slippes These that are set of the Roote doo commonly last longer and branche better putting foorth young slippes from his sides as the Onyon and Gith The stalke being cut they all doo spring agayne for the most part except such as haue speciall stalkes called of Theophrastus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is suche as when the stalke is cutte growe no more Gasa interprets it Secaulia The Rape and the Radysh their leaues being pulled away couered with earth doo growe and continue tyll Sommer The fruites of some is in the earth some without and some both within without some lye grow as the Cucumber and the Gourd sometimes hang though of greater weyght by much then the fruites of Trees some require stayes helpes to clime by as Hoppes Lupines Pease some seede groweth better The newer they be as Leekes Nigella Romana Cucumbers Gourdes therefore some vse to steepe their Cucumber-seede in Mylke or Water to cause them to grow the speedelyer On the other side of olde seede better groweth the Beete Garden Cresses Peniryal great Marierum Corriander In the Beete this is onely obserued that the seede commeth not al vp in one yeere but part the second yeere some the third and therefore of a great deale of seede springeth but a little Touchyng seede this is to be well seene to that they be not to olde and drye that they be not mingled or taken one for an other olde seede in some is of such force as it chaungeth the nature for of olde Colwoort seede springeth the Rape and likewyse of Rape seede Colwoortes Also that ye geather not your seedes to soone nor to late The very time as Theophrastus wryteth is at the spring the fall of the leafe and the rysyng of the Dogge but not in all places and kindes alike Of Seedes the soonest that spring are these Basyl Arach Nauen Rocket that commeth vp the third day after the sowing Lettuse the fourth day the Cucumber and the Gourde the fyfth day Parslin longer eare it come Dyl the fourth day Cresses and Mâ—stardseede the fifth day Beetes in Sommer the â—ixth day in Winter the tenth or the twelfth Leekes the nienetienth day sometime the twentieth Corryander later which if it be new except it be thrust togeather it groweth not at all Peneryall and great Marierom come vp after thyrtie dayes Parsley of all other the longest before it come vp appearing the fourtieth day after or many times the fiftieth You must also consyder that the weather in sowyng is of great force for the season being fayre warme they come vp the sooner Some sortes seede one yeere and neuer after come vp some agayne continue as Persley Smalledge Leekes Nigella that beyng once sowed come vp euery yeere Suche as continue but a yeere presently vpon their seeding dye other spring agayne after the losse of their stalke as Leekes Nigella Onyons and Garlyke and commonly all suche as put out from the side and all these require dounging and watring In sowyng beside some thinke you must haue regard to the Moone and to sowe and set in the encrease and not in the wane Some agayne thinke it best from that she is foure dayes olde tyll she be eyghteene some after the thirde others from the tenth tyl the twentieth and best as they all suppose the Moone being aloft and not sette THRA But nowe I pray you tell vs something of the ordering of the best Garden hearbes you haue MARIVS Some deuide their gardnyng time by the monethes as they doo their other husbandry THRA I care not whether by monethes or other wayes but I would faine knowe the orderyng of your Garden here for I knowe in hotte Countreys they garden all the Winter long but I am altogeather for our Countrey whose order we must here folowe MARIVS In these partes they commonly begyn theyr gardnyng yf the weather be fayre and seasonable in the ende of Februarie At this time therefore the Garden being dounged digged raked and cleansed they vse to plant Sperage and Rue THRA I pray you begin with Asparagus or Sperageâ— and the other potte hearbes euery one in his order and afterward with flowres and Phisicke hearbes MARIVS Asparagus was woont to growe wylde but now is brought into the Garden it is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian Spanishe and Frenche it is almost all one the one calling it Asparago the other Asperge the Dutche men call it Sparages and Spiritus because it comes vp of it selfe for the Garden Sperage they were not acquainted with It is planted in two sortes eyther of the Seede or the Roote They take of the Seede as much as you may take vp with three fyngers and bestowing it in little hoâ—ls euery two or three seedes halfe a foote a sunder they set them in ritche ground in Februarie and couer the ground with doung The weedes that growe must be well plucked away after the fourtieth day they come vp as it were to one roote and tangled togeather the rootes haue sundry long threedes which they call the Sponge In ground that is drye the seedes are to be set deepe and well tempered with doung In wette groundes on the other side they are to be set shallowe in toppe of the borders lest the moysture destroy them The fyrst yeere you must breake of the stalkes that growe for yf you plucke them vp by the rootes the whole settes wyll folowe which are to be preserued for two yeere with dounging and weeding All the yeeres after you must not geather them in the stalke but pull them from the roote that the rootes being opened may the better spring which except you doo you hurt the spring Him that you meane to keepe for feede you must in no wyse meddle withall after burne vp the busshes and in Winter doung well the rootes with doung and ashes they are planted also
the thicker and the doubbler they growe otherwyse they wyll ware syngle and wylde it wyll also doo them good sometime to burne them being remooued it springeth very soone and well being sette of settes foure fyngers long or more after the setting of â— seuen starres and after remooued in a westerly winde and sette a foote a sunder and often dygged The olde Rosyars must haue the earth loosed about them in Februarie and the dead twigges cutte of and where they waxe thinne they must be repaâ—red with the young springes To haue Roses of fyue sundry colours vppon one roote make when they begin to burgen a fine hole beneath in the stocke vnder the ioynt and fyll it with redde colour made of Brasell sodde in water and thrust it in with a clâ—ute and in the like sort put into an other part of the stocke greene colour and in an other yellowe and what other colours you wil and couer the holes well with Oxe doung and Lome or very good earth If you wyl haue your Roses beare betimes make a little trenche two hande breadthes of rounde about it and powre in hotte water twyse aday and thus dooing as Democriâ—us promiseth you shall haue Roses in Ianuarie You may preserue Roses before they open yf makyng a slitte in a Reede you enclose the blossome and when you would haue freshe Roses take them out of the Reedes others put them in earthen pottes close couered and set them abrode the Roses continue alwayes freshe that are dipt in the dregges of Oyle If you wyll haue them at all tymes you must set them euery moneth and doung them and so as Didymus sayth you shall haue them continually To cause them or any other flowres to growe double put two or three of the seedes in a Wheate strawe and so lay them in the ground If you sette Garlicke by your Roses they wylbe the sweeter the dryer the grounde is where they growe the sweeter they wyll be as it appeareth by the season of the yeere for some yeeres they are sweeter then others the Rose wylbe white that is smokte in with brimstone when it beginneth to euen amongst all Roses those are most to be commended that they call Carnations and Prouincials The oyle of Roses was greatly had in estimation euen in Homer his time and at this day the vinegre of Roses is greatly vsed Next vnto the Rose in woorthynesse for his sauour and beautifull whitenesse is the Lillye called iu Greâ—ke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian Giglio in Spanishe Tirio in Frenche Fleur de Lis in Dutch Lilien The Greâ—kes holde opinion that it sprang fyrst of Iunos milke sprinckled vpon the ground In Februarie we beginne to sette Lillyes or yf they grewe before to loose the earth about them with a rake taking good heede that the young tender shootes about the roote be not hurt nor the little head which taken from the olde roote we sette for newe Lillyes As the Roses are so are the Lillyes the sweeter the dryer the ground is where they growe Lillyes and Roses being once sette continue both very long There are redde Lillyes made so by arte for they take the stalkes and rootes of the Lillye and hang them in the smoke till they wyther and when the knottes begyn to vncouer they are layde in Marche in the lees of redde wine tyl they be coloured and then sette in the grounde with the lees powred about them so wyll they come to be purple Uiolet in Greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Viola Uiolet blacke and Uiolet purple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian it is called Viola porporta in Spanishe Violetta in Frenche Violets de Marts Caresme in Dutche Fiolen these although they growe wylde about euery Hedge and Wall yet are they sette in Gardens with other flowres There are sundry sortes of Uiolettes both of kinde and colour but the orderyng of them is in a maner all one THRA I haue nowe heard yenough of Kitchin hearbes and flowres therefore nowe I pray you let me heare you saye something of the third sort that is Phisicke hearbes for mee seemeth I see a great sort of healyng hearbes here in your Garden MARIVS Nature hath appoynted remedyes in a redynesse for al diseases but the craft and subteltie of man for gaine hath deuised Apothecaries shoppes in which a mans lyfe is to be solde and bought where for a little byle they fetche their medicines from Hierusalem and out of Turkie whyle in the meane time euery poore man hath the ryght remedyes growing in his Garden for yf men would make theyr Gardens their Phisitions the Phisitions craft would soone decay You knowe what your olde freende Cato sayth and what a deale of Phisicke he fetcheth out of a poore Colwoort THRA I doo remember it and that he sayth he was wont both to helpe him selfe and his whole familie with the hearbes of his Garden But what hearbe is younder with the long stalke and the long blacke indented leaues on the toppe yf I be not deceiued it is Bearfoote with whose roote we vse to heale our cattel when they be sicke MARIVS It is so in deede and is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Veratrum there are two kindes of it the blacke and the white the white is that whiche the Dutchmen call Nyswurts wranckrauâ— the blacke they call Kristwurts because it flowreth about Christmas the Italians the Spaniards and the Frenchmen keepe the Greeke name The roote of this Bearfoote they thrust through the eare or into the brest of the beast that is eyther diseased in his loonges or hath the murren Columella seemeth to call it Consiligo it groweth not in Gardens except it be sowed it continueth long and loueth cold and woody ground There standes not farre from that an other very noble hearbe in Phisicke called Angelica it is supposed to be called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and whether it be Myrrhis with the Latines or no. I leaue that to the Phisitians to discusse it is called with the Italians Spaniards Frenchmen and Germanes Angelica His roote because it is a soueraigne remedie agaynst the plague and hath diuers other good operations it is cherished in our Gardens and being once sowed it commeth vp euery yeere it groweth also wylde in the mountayne countrey and flowreth in Iuly and August Here is also Helicampane in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Enula in Italian Enela in Spanishe Enula campana in Frenche Aulne in Dutch Alanâ— this also is set in our Gardens for medicines sake we make muche of it for the roote it groweth wylde in hilly Countreys and drye shaddowy places In Sommer the roote is taken out of the ground and cutte in small peeces is dryed at this day it is called Enula campana it hath a yellowe flowre a leafe lyke Mullin but white and hoarie at the one
tree his shadowe is also mild norishing whatsoeuer it couereth The Plane tree though it be thicke and grose is pleasant The Poplar hath none by the reason of y wauering of his leafes The Alder tree hath a thicke shadowe but nourishing to his neyghbours The Uines is sufficient for him selfe and the mouing of his leafe and often shaking tempereth y heate of the sunne and in great rayne wel couereth it â—elfe The shadowe of all those is commonly milde and gentle that haue long stalkes the dropping of al trees is naught but worst of al those whose branches growe so as the water can not redyly passe through for the droppes of the Pine the Oke and the Mastholme are most hurtfull in whole company you may also take the Walnutte the Cypresse as 〈◊〉 saith hurteth not Moreouer proyning and cutting is very good and necessary for trees whereby the dead and whytered â—owes are cut away and the vnprofitable branches taken of but to proyne them euery yeere is nought though y Uâ—ne reqâ—yreth cutting euery yeere and euery other yeere the 〈…〉 the Pâ—â—egranate and the Olyue whereby they wyll the sooner beare fruite the others must be the seldomeâ— proyned Olyue trees must be proyned in the fall of the leafe after the setting of the seuen starres and first they must be well dounged is a helpe against their hurtes You must cut away all the olde rotten branches that growe in the middest and such as growe thicke and are tangled together and all the waterbawes and vnprofitable branches about them the olde ones are to be cut close to the stocke from whence the newe sâ—ringes wyll aryse Sâ—arifiyng also or 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 hossesome for the trees when they are screyned with their leaues and drynesse of theyr barkes at whiche time we vse to â—aunce the barke with a sharpe knife cutting it strayght downe in many places which what good it dooth appeareth by the opening and gaping of the rynde which is stayghtwayes filled vp with the body vnderneath You must also trimme and dresse the rootes of your trees after this sort You must open the ground round about them that they may be comforted with the warmth of the Sunne and the Rayne cutting away all the rootes that runne vpward The trees that you remooue must be marked which way they stoode at the fyrst for so teacheth Virgil. And in the barke they set a signe To knowe which way the tree did growe Which part did to the South enclyne And where the Northerne blactes did blowe Also you must consider well the nature of the soyle that you remooue out of a dry ground into a moyst and from a barraine hill to a moyst playne and rather fatte then otherwyse The young plantes being thus remoued must in the second or third yeere be proyned leauing still about three or foure branches vntouched so shal they the better growe this must you vsually doo euery other yeere The old tree we remoue with the toppes cut of and the rootes vnperished whiche must be helped with often dounging and watering Apple trees that blossome and beare no fruite or yf it beare they sodenly fall away you shall remedy by slitting of the roote and thrusting in of a stone or a woodden wedge Also yf you water your trees with vrine that is old it greatly auayleth as they say both to the fruitfulnesse and pleasantnesse of the fruite Yf the tree decaye by reason of the great heate of the sunne you must rayse the earth about it and water the rootes euery night setting vp some defence agaynst the sunne To cause theyr fruite to be quickly ripe you must wette the little rootes with vineger and vrine that is old couering them againe with earth and oft digging about them The vrine of men yf it be kept three or foure monethes dooth wonderful much good to plantes which yf you vse about Uines or Apple trees it dooth not onely bring you great encrease but also geueth an excelent taste sauour both to the fruite and the wine you may also vse the mother of oyle such as is without salt to the same purpose which both must spedely be vsed in winter THRA We see that frostes and mystes doo often times great harme to trees haue you any remedy agaynst it MARIVS Agaynst frostes and mystes you must lay vp round about your Orchard little Fagottes made of stalkes rotten bowes or strawe whiche when the frostes or mystes aryse may be kindled the smoke whereof auoydeth the danger You must haue also dry doung amongst your Uines whiche when the frost is great you may set a fyre the smoke whereof dispearseth the frost THRA What yf the trees be sicke and prosper not MARIVS When they haue any such sicknesse they vse to powre vppon the rootes the lees of wine mingled with water and to sowe Lupines round about them The water also wherein Lupines haue been sodde powred rounde about is very good as Plinie saith for Apple trees THRA Trees are often times also hurt with woormes MARIVS Yf your trees be troubled with woormes there are diuers remedies for the iuyce of Woorme wood destroyeth the Caterpillers The seedes or grayne that are steeped in the iuyce of Sengreene or Houseleeke are also safe from any woormes also asthes mingled with the mother of oyle or the state of an Oxe medled with a third part of vineger Moreouer they say that the trees that are smoked with Brimstone or Lyme are safe from hurtful vâ—rmine Galbanum likewyse burnt vpon the coles driues them away The blades also of Garlicke the heades being of so burnt as the smoke may passe through the Orchard dooth destroy the Caterpillers some mingle Soote with the seedes and sprinckle them with water Democritus wryteth that a woman in her vncleannesse vngyrt and her heare hanging about her shoulders yf she goe bare foote round about the place the Caterpillers wyll presently fall but perhappes I trouble you with this tedious or long discourse of hearbâ—s plantes and trees and therefore though there be much more to be spoken of lest I should seeme to ouer weery you I wyll make an end THRA A trouble no you haue done me a singuler great pleasure in declaring vnto me the right ordring of a Garden and an Orchard which not throughly entreated of by others you haue breefely and perfectly to our great commoditie described And whereas you haue largely spoken of our trees at home it remaineth for you to say something of the disposing of Wooddes It was my chaunce to passe yesterday by a great Wood of Okes and Coppisse planted in very good order and hard by a Wyllowe grewe vpon the side of a Riuer excellently wel ordred where the Feeldes were enclosed round about with great Elmes whiche greatly beautifyeth your dwellyng and yeelde I warrant no small profyte I therefore greatly desyre to heare some thing of this part of husbandry MARIVS Though it be without my couenant and
and the wylde Oke but the Fyners rather desyre the coles that are made of the Pine tree because they better abide the blowing and dye not so fast as the other The Cerre tree though the tymber be of no great vse yet serueth it wel to make cole of for the Brasse Forges because as soone as the bellowes leaue the fyre ceasseth and there is little waste in it but for building the tymber thereof is altogeather vnprofitable because it dooth easely breake and moulder away but being in â—ostes vnhewed it serueth well yenough within doore The aptest to take fyre is the figge tree and the Olyue tree the Figge tree because it is soft and open the Olyue tree for the fastnesse and the satnesse The Earth tree as Vitruuius sayth resisteth the fyre though Mathiolus as I sayde before goeth about to disprooue it In all the bodyes of trees as of liuely creatures there is skinne senowes blood fleshe vaynes bones and marowe theyr skinne is their barke of great vse among countrey people the vesselles that they geather their Uines and other fruites in they make of the barke of Lynd tree Fyrre Wyllowe Beech and Alder. The Corke hath the thickest barke which though he loose he dyeth not for so be benefâ—ciall hath nature been to him â— that becâ—use he is commonly spoyled of his barke she hath geuen him two barkes Of his barke are made Pantoffels and â—â—yppers and Floates for fyshing nettes and Angles yf the barke be pulled of the wood sinkes but the barke alwayes swimmeth The next to the rynde in most trees is the fatte the softest and the woorst part of the tree and most subiect to woormes therefore it is commonly â—ut away The sappe of the tree is his blood which is not alike in all trees for in the Figge tree it is milkie whiche serueth as a rennet for Cheese In Chery trees it is gummy in Elmes saltishe in Apple trees clommy and fatte in Uines and Peare trees watrishe they commonly spring the best whose sappe is clammiest The iuyce of the Mulbery is sought for as Plinie sayth of the Phisitions Next to the fatte is the fleshe and next to that the bone the best part of the tymber all trees haue not any great quantitie of this fatte and fleshe for the Box the Cornel and the Olyue haue neyther fatte nor fleshe nor marowe and very little blood as neyther the Seruisse nor Alder haue anâ— bone but both of them full of marow Reedes for the most part haue no fleshe at al in fleshe of trees there are both vaines and arteryes the vaines are broader and fayrer the arteryes are onely in such trees as wyl cleaue by meanes of which arteryes it commeth to passe that the one end of a long beame laide to your eare yf you doo but fillippe with your finger vppon the other end the sound is brought foorthwith to your eare whereby it is knowen whether the peece be straight and euen or not In some trees there are knoties on the outside as the wenne or the kernell in the fleshe of man in the whiche there is neyther veyne nor artery a hard knoppe of fleshe being clong and rolled vp in it selfe these are most of price in the Cedar and the Maple In some the fleshe is quite without veynes hauing only certayne small stringes and such are thought to cleaue best others that haue not their stringes or arteryes wyll rather breake then cleaue as the Uine and the Olyue wyll rather breake then cleaue The whole body of the Figge is fleshy as the body of the Mastholme the Cornel the wylde Oke the Mulbery and suche others as haue no pith is all bony The grayne that runneth ouerthwart in the Beech was taken as Plinie sayth in the olde time for his arteryes THRA There are other commodities beside the tymber to be geathered of these trees MARIVS Uery true for as I sayde before of the Medlar the Oke the Chestnut the Pine and the Beech these trees that growe in the Wooddes beside their tymber beare fruite also good and meete to be eaten So of the Fyrres the Pitch trees and the Pines we geather Rozen and Pitch to our greate commoditie and gayne as of the Oke the Beech the Chestnut the Medlar and the Pine we haue fruite both meete for man and also good for feeding of Hogges and other cattell In time of dearth both our forefathers and we haue tryed the good seruice that Akornes in bread hath doone yea as Plinie and others haue written they were woont to be serued in amongst fruite at mens tables Neyther is it vnknowen what great gaynes some countreys geat by Akornes Rozen and Pitch the Gaile also groweth vpon these Akorne bearing trees whereof I haue spoken before Amongest all the trees out of which runneth Rozen the Tarre tree a kinde of Pine is fullest of sappe softer then the Pitch both meete for fyre and light whose boordes we vse to burne in steede of candelles The Cedar sweateth out Rozen Pitch caled Cedria Moreouer of trees is Brydlime made the best of the Cerre tree the Mastholme and the Chestnut specially in the Wooddes about Sene and neare the sea side where they are carefully planted in great plentie by the Byrdlyme makers for they geather the berryes from the trees and boyle them tyl they breake and after they haue stamped them they washe them in water tyl al the flesh fall away Plinie affirmeth that it groweth only vpon Okes Mastholmes Skaddes Pine trees and Fyrre Byrdelyme is also made of the rootes of certaine trees specially of the Holly whose rootes and barkes withall they geather and lay them vp in trenches couered with leaues in a very moyst grounde some doo it in doung and there they let them lye tyll they rot then take they them out and heate them tyl they waxe clammy and after washe them in warme water and make them vp in balles with their handes it is vsed beside other purposes for the taking of byrdes Besides all this there sweateth out of trees a certayne Gumme knowen to all men as of the Chery tree the Plome tree the Iuniper the Olyue the Blackthorne the Iuie and Almond Out of the Iuniper commeth Uernish out of the Myrrhe Scorax out of the white Poplar Amber Plinie wryteth that Amber commeth out of certayne Pine trees in the fatte as Gumme dooth from the Chery tree And thus these thinges that I haue here at your request declared touching the order of plantyng and sowing I beseeche you take in good woorth you heare my wyfe calleth vs to supper and you see the shaddowe is tenne foote long therefore it is hye tyme we goe THRA I geue you most harry thankes that you haue thus freendly enterteyned me in this your fayre Orchard with the sweete desâ—ription of these pleasant hearbes and trees IVLIA Syr your supper is redy I pray you make an ende of your talke and let the Gentleman
and restoreth the hearing For the proofe of his greate force against poyson they bring foorth a young mayden of Pauy that hauing vnwares eaten of a poysoned Apple and therewithall so swolen as no Treacle nor medcine could cure her was at the last restored to health by the destilled water of this Thistell and likewyse that a boy into whose mouth as he slept in the feelde happened an Adder to creepe was saued by the drinking of this water the Adder creeping out behind without any hurt to the childe In fine they affirme that the leaues iuyce seede and water healeth all kind of poysons and that the water hath healed a woman whose brest was eaten with a canker to the very ribbes I haue also set in this little peece of ground great store of the hearbe called Numularia or Penigrasse which creepeth close by the ground hauing vpon a long string little round leaues standing directly one against the other and a yellow flowre like the Crowfoote It is a soueraine hearb for healing of woundes not only outward greene woundes but also inward sores and vlcers specially of the Loonges wherof there hath ben good profe Tragus affirmeth that he hath seene dangerous desperat woundes cured with this hearbe being boyled with Hony and Wine and drunke It healeth exulcerations of the brest and Loonges and may be well geuen to those that cough and are short breathed and to little children diseased with the dry cough who by reason of theyr tender age may take no stronger medicine I haue seene good plenty of it growing by the shadowy Ditches about great Peckam in Kent I haue beside there growing Scabious an hearbe that groweth commonly in Corne with a iagged leafe lying round vpon the ground and thrusting out in Sommer a long stalke with sundry branches the flowres growing in blewe knoppes or tuftes like Honycomes This hearbe being sodden with white wine and drinke doth helpe the Plurisie against which diseases the women of the countrey that many times take vpon them to be great Dâ—ctâ—esses in Phisicke doo stil the water thereof in May and geue it to be drunken at eache time two or three sponefuls not only against the Plurisie but against inward imposternes coughes and all diseases of the brest Against imposternes diuers as Traâ—us wryteth doo make this composition they take a handfull of Scabious the hearbe dryed of Liquerisse cut small an ounce twelue Figges Fenell seede an ounce Aniseede as much Or as halfe an ounce these they lay al a night in water the next day they boyle them tyl a third part be consumed and after making it sweete with Suger or Hony of Roses they geue it waâ—me in the morning and the euening wherewith they say the imposterne is ripened made soft and cought out â—VLLARIVS I remember that passing by the house of that honorable Baron the Lorde Cobham whose house you shall seeldome see without great resort by reason of his noble disposition and honourable intertainement that he geueth to all commers I chanced to see in his Parke at Cobbam a certaine hearbe called Veronica whereof I haue heard vertues MELISSEVS That can I also shewe you amongest the hearbes that I haue about my Bees it is called of some Feueriuum and Veronica as it is supposed of a certaine French King who was thought by the iuyce thereof to be cured of a great Leprosie it is called in english Fluellin it creepeth lowe by the ground as Penigrasse doth and beareth a leafe like the Blackthorne with a blewish speâ—kled flowre with a seede inclosed in little powches like a shepeheards purse and groweth commonly vnder Okes. D Hieron wryteth that the force thereof is marueylous against the pestilence and contagious ayres and that he him self hath often times proued The water of the hearbe steeped in white Wine and destilled therewithal he hath cured sundry times hotte burning and pestilent feuers as well in young men as in old Hieron Transchweyg commendeth it to be singuler good for all diseases of the Spleen the shepheardes of Germany geue it with great profite made in powder and mingled with salt to theyr cattell diseased with the cough being steeped in Wine and destilled it is a most present remedy in all pestilent feuers being geuen two ounces thereof with a little Treacle and after layed warme in bedde and well couered it expelleth the poyson by sweate and driueth it from the hart The water of this hearbe taken certaine dayes togeather two ounces at a time helpeth the turnesicke giddinesse of the head voydeth fleame purgeth blood warmeth the stomacke openeth the stopping of the Liuer healeth the diseases of the Loonges and the Spleen purgeth the Uaines the Matrice and the Bladder it driueth out sweat and venome helpeth the Iandise the stone of the Reygnes and other greeuous diseases You shall also haue amongest these plantes of myne the good sweete hearbe Cariphilata or of some Benedicta of others Sanamanda called in English Aueus whose roote whether it be greene or olde resembleth the Cloue in sauour the leafe is iagged rooffe of a darkish greene and not much vnlike to Agrimony the flowre is yellow and after the falling thereof leaueth a prycly knoppe like a Hedgehogge the roote the longer it hath growen the sweeter it is the speciall vse of this roote in some countreys is to be put in Wine in the spring time for it maketh the Wine to tast and sauour very pleasantly which Wine as many hold oppinion doth glad the harte openeth the obstruxion of the Liuer and healeth the stomacke that is ouer burdened with cold and grosse humors this roote boyled in Wine and geuen warme doth ease the greefe of the stomacke or the belly proceading of eyther cold or winde Hard by this hearb haue I planted the great water Betony called of some Ocimastrum of Mathiolus Scrophularia Maior it hath a great square stalke and bigge leafe indented round about the the flowre is in colour Purple and in fashion like the shell of a Snayle it flowreth in Iune and Iuly and groweth most by waters in shadowy places Tragus teacheth to make a speciall oyntment thereof seruing against all scabbes and sores wherewith he saith he hath seene people so mangy as they haue seemed euen Lepers to be cured his oyntment is this Take the hearbe rootes and all gathered in May washed and well clensed from all filth stampe it and strayne out the iuyce and keepe it in a narrowe mouthed glasse well stopped wherein you may keepe it a whole yeere and when so euer you list to make your oyntment take of the same iuyce of Wax and Oyl of eache a like quantitie and boyle them together vpon a Chafingdish of coles stirring them well tyll they be incorporated and so vse it Mathiolus teacheth to make a singuler oyntment thereof against Kernells the Kinges euil and the Hemrodes his order is this You must gather the rootes in the end of sommer
Nature About Châ—lâ—ia an Ilande about the Rodes it is saide there is a peece of ground so fruitefull that they mowe their Barley being sowen in his season and their Croppe sowe it agayne and geather it with their other grayne The Albanoyses receaue the friuite of theyr lande 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vntylled and vnsowen and beyng once sowen it yeeldeth his Croppe three yeeres togeather Homer calleth Phrigea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Argos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herodotus wryteth that Babylon is so fruitefull as the grounde yeeldeth encrease two hundred and three hundred folde Plinie affyrmeth the encrease in his time to be fiftie and to good husbandes an hundred folde About Monte Gibello it is reported by credible persons to be an hundred folde Italy is so fruitefull that Varro calleth it the Garden of the worlde because it is so fertill and well planted in euery place Campania being full of Corne Apulia plenteous with Wine and Venafri aboundyng with oyle RIGO I haue heard say that Germanie and Fraunce haue not been in times past very fertyll and that they haue been altogeather without Uines and nowe we see no Countrey more fruitefull that yeeldeth greater aboundance of all thinges Where can you finde better wines then about Bauaer and the Rhine I speake not of their great store of Grayne Mines of Golde Siluer Iron and Leade In the Countrey of Thuryn in Germanie it is sayde that after Wheate once sowen the ground wyll yeelde Rye of it selfe two yeeres togeather CONO Yea and in our Countrey here we haue ground that wyll beare Wheate euery yeere Rape seede being once sowen with vs dooth often yeeld his Crop two yeeres togeather without sowyng or labouring RIGO Under the Northren Pole it is reported the grounde is so fertyll as they sowe in the Mornyng and reape at Noone In Barbarye where the ground is lowe they plant vnder the Date tree the Oliue vnder the Oliue the Figge tree vnder the Figge the Pomegranate vnder it the Uine vnder the Uine they sowe Wheate and vnder Wheate Pulse all prospering one vnder the others shadowe and yeelding their fruite the same yeere CONO That made me to say that the grounde folowes the disposition of the Heauens RIGO But syth in all places the ground is not of lyke goodnesse what yf we chaunce vppon a leane and a barren ground as Heathy Brushy Grauelly ground may these be made fruitefull and mended by arte CONO Uery well there is no Countrey that the most gratious Lorde hath left without sufficient yeelde yf labour and trauayle bee not refused RIGO That skill I would gladly vnderstand CONO It is brought to passe diuers wayes principally by dounging and diligent labour and to this end serue those heapes of doung that I lately shewed you RIGO I pray you let me knowe what doung dooth most enriche the ground CONO Varro and Columella his folower appoynt three sortes of dounges the fyrst of Poultrie the next of Men the thirde of Cattell Of the fyrst sort the best is that whiche is had out of Douehouses the next is of Pulleyne and al other foule except Geese and Duckes which is hurtfull The people in the old age had such store of Poultrie and Foule as the doung of them suffised for the manuring of theyr ground The next to this is man â— ordure if it be mixed with other rubbishe of the house for of it selfe it is to hot and burâ—es the grounde Mans vrine beyng sixe monethes kept and powred vppon the rootes of Apple trees and Uines bringeth great fruâ—tefulnesse to the trees and geueth a pleasant taste to the fruite In the thirde place is the doung of Cattell whereof the best is the doung of Asses because this beast dooth chawe with most leysure whereby his meate being wel digested is made the profitabler doung Next to this is the doung of Sheepe next of Goates then of Oxen and Horses the woorst of all of Swyne very hurtfull to Corne but vsed in some places for Gardens for lacke of other doung but is a great breeder of noysome weedes yet Plinie seemeth to allowe it as the fylth of a filthy creature The doung of Horses likewyse where the Horses are fedde with Barley dooth breede great store of weedes The Lupine before he beare his Codde is most commended being turned vp with the Plowe or Mattocke and layd in bundels about the rootes of Trees or Uines Where they haue no store of Cattel they vse to mend their ground with Straw and Ferne and with the stalkes of Lupines and the branches layde togeather in some Ditch herevnto you may cast Asshes the fylth of Synckes and Priuies and strawe with dust and other thinges raked togeather but in the middest you must lay some sounde matter against the breeding of Adders and Snakes also Humlockes Walwoort and the weedes growyng about Wyllowe trees and Ferne with other such rotten weedes you may geather and lay vnder your Sheepe They that dwell in Grauelie and Heathie groundes doo take the Turues of the Earth and the Heath laying them in heapes powdred with a litle doung suffer them to lye rotte and after lay it vpon barren ground but specially where they keepe great store of Sheepe they cast into their Foldes suche Turues pared from the grounde Columella countes them but euyll huâ—bandes that haue of euery one of the lesser kind of cattell lesse then a cart lode of doung in 300. dayes and of eache of the greater sort tenne loade beside the fylth and durt of the yarde This is also to be noted that the doung that hath lyen a yeere is best for Corne for it hath is of sufficient strength and breedeth lesse weedes but vppon Meddowe and Pasture you must lay the newest because it bringes most grasse and this must be doone in Februarie the Moone encreasing for this is the best time to cause encrease of grasse In the manuring of your ground looke that you lay most doung vpon the toppe of the Hill for the rayne wyll beare it to the lower partes fast yenough He that mindes to haue his grounde beare Corne yf he meane to sowe in the ende of Sommer must turne in his doung in September yf in the spring he may lay it on at any time all the Winter What time so euer it be doone you must looke that the winde be Westerly and the Moone in the wane This obseruation helpeth greatly to the bettering of the grounde Besyde you must not forget to let the doung be drye before it be layd vppon the ground For though Columella doo bidde the contrary our owne experience wylles vs not to folowe him for doung whyle it is moyst dooth more harme to the ground then good as dayly experience teacheth Nowe as your lande wyll waxe colde yf it be not dounged so wil it be dryed or burnt if it be manured yeerely or to much The watrie ground requireth more store of
take it for a kinde of Wheate Herodotus sayth Bread was made of it Of Laurentius it is called Far of Gasa Siligo Diuers learned men call it Secale and take it for Plinies farragoâ— the Frenchemen cal it Segle the Dutchemen Rock the Italians almost as the Latines Saegala the grayne is something blacke and maketh blackishe bread But to passe ouer all controuersies I folowe the Countrey speache and take Siligo for our common Rye whiche is sowed immediatly after Wheate about the ende of September or in the beginning of October in good ground in sandy and grauelly ground it is sowed in Februarie and called Sommer Wheate it requireth the best grounde warme and fast and refuseth not light grounde and grauelly so it be helped with doung it loueth wette grounde as ill as Wheate they both require to be sowen in a deepe moulde and a plaine soyle but Rye is sowed a litle after Wheate in the sowyng whereof you must occupie a thirde part more then of Wheate it prospereth lightly in any grounde and many times with the yeeld of a hundred for one It must be sowed after the third plowing as Wheate harrowed much after the same sort the stalke or steale thereof is smaller then the Wheate stalke taller and stronger his care hanging downewardes and therefore more subiect to blasting because it receiueth and keepeth the water that falles whyle it flowreth and suffereth the violence of mystes and frostes the strawe thereof is gentle and flaxible seruing for Uines and coueringes of houses Nowe foloweth Barâ—ley accounted in the olde generations among the woorthyest sort of grayne and not of small estimation at this day The Italians call it Beade or Beaue or Orze the Spaniards Ceuada the Dutch men Gerst the Frenchemen Orge the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and though it be vsed in Greece and Italie and suche warme and fruitefull Countreys for cattelles foode as Homer also witnesseth yet in the Northerne Countreyes it supplies the place both of Bread and Wine There are of it two sortes Hexâ—stichon and Polystichum whose eares are three foure sometimes sixe square and diuers eares springing from one grayne euery eare conteynyng aboue fourescore graynes so woonderfull are the gyftes and blessinges of god The other sort is called Distichon hauing in the eare but two rankes or orders only Agayne there is one kinde of it to be sowed in Winter an other for Sommer The Winter Barley is of better yeeld but it is soone hurt specially with much wette and frostes folowyng There is nothyng more hurtfull to Winter Corne specially Barley Rape seede and Rye then the wette of Winter nipped with often frostes and after a warme thawe to be presently frozen agayne both the sortes of Barley require grounde that is very riche Winter Barley after two or three plowinges is to be sowed in September Sommer Barley in March or April after twyse plowing and many times necessitie forcing after once plowing in the sowing you must occupie more seede by halfe then in sowyng of Wheate it requires a mellowe and a fatte ground and therfore is best sowed where the grounde is most manured The Winter seede flowreth in May and is ripe in Iune at the furthest This kinde was not woont to be sowed in these partes but great numbers nowe mooued by my example doo vse and receiue great gaynes by it The Sommer Barley in many Countreys is ripe and redy in three monethes afâ—er the sowyng In Aragon as Plinie wryteth it maketh double haruestes euery yeere The seuenth day after it is sowen it commeth vp and one end of the seede runneth downe in roote the other that â—ooner springeth commeth vp in blade the greater ende of the grayne maketh the roote and the slenderer the flowre In other grayne the roote and the blade spring both from one part the blades of both kindes are ruffe It must be geathered with more speede then other graynes for the strawe of it is very brittell Of Barley is made as Dioscorides wryteth both Beere and Ale. RIGO I lyke your Beere you haue excellently wel I pray you tell me in what sorâ— you make it CONO I wyll not hyde my cunnyng in this matter My Barley is fyrst steeped in a Sestorne of water a day or two yf it be Winter seede it is harder hulled and requireth the longer watering The Sommer grayne is thinner and requireth a lesser tyme When it is watred I drye it vpon a floore or a keel tyll it swel and breake putting out as it were litle beardes or threds yf it be layde thinne it wyll in Sommer specially in March drye and breake of it selfe without any fyre You must take good heede that in sprowting it open not to much and loose his flowre This being doone I grinde it and put the meale into a Mash Fatte wherevnto I put my licour sodden and after let it seethe three or foure times adding vnto it both for holsomenesse and taste the flowre of the Hoppe after this I put on Yeest and set it a woorkyng and then cleanse it The more it is cleansed the holsomer and cleerer it is that whiche commeth of the spurging is kept both for brewing and baking the drinke wyll be the better yf you put to it a fourth part or sixth part of Wheate the more Corne you laâ— on the pleasaunter and better coloured wyll your Beere be Your greatest care must be to see it well sodden well cleanseâ— and well hopped otherwyse Malt of it selfe wyll soone corrupt Obseruing this order your drinke shal be both holsome and pleasant that endureth best and longest that is brewed in march There is made of Barley Alica a reasonable good meate and Ptisan How they must be made you may reade in Plinie Next to Wheate and Barley foloweth Zea which the common people both in Italy Spaine and Flaunders call Spelta the Frenche call it Espeltra with Homer is greatly commended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the feel des that beareth the Zeam being as Galen sayth the meane betwixt Wheate and Barley for he hath the qualities of eache of them is of two sortes the one in stalke ioynt and care like to Wheate and carieth in euery huske two seedes and therefore is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other hauing both stalke and eare shorter and but one grayne in euery huske growing in two rankes and in the toppe resembling Barley with his sharpe Aaâ—es In Italy specially about Mirandula and Concordia it is vsed in prouender for Horses it is not in these Countreys in vse I woulde sowe it here syth the ground wyll well serue for it and that both bread and drinke might be made of it very well but that it is something troublesome to grinde because of the double huskes It desyreth a moyst ground riche and good it is sowed after the same maner that Wheate is sowed in September or October it flowreth in Iune and is ripe in Iuly very meete for
drye a delightfull foode to Swyne it may be mooued sundry times in the yeere to the great commoditie of the husband a little whereof dooth soone fatte vp cattell neither is there any other grasse that yeeldeth eyther more abundance or better mylke the most soueraine medicine for the sicknesâ—e oâ— cattell that may be bâ—side the Philosophers promise that Bees wyll neuer fayle that haue this grasse growyng neare them therefore it is necessarie to haue your grounde stored with it as the thing that best serueth foâ— Poultrie and Cattell the leaues and seedes are to be geuen to leane and drouping Pullen some call it Telinen some Trefoyle some great Melilot the Romanes call it Trifolu maius great Trasâ—e it is a plant al hearie and whytishe as Rhamnus is hauing branches halfe a yarde long and more wherevpon groweth leaues lyke vnto Fenygreeke or Clauer but something lesse hauyng a ryâ—yng crest in the middest of them This plant was fyrst founde in the Ilande Cythno and from thence spread throughout the Cyclads and so to Greece wherby the store of Cheese came to be great neyther is there any Countrey at this day where they may not haue great plentie as Columella sayth of this shrubbe In Italy it groweth about the enclâ—syars of Uineyardes it shrâ—nketh neyther for heate colde frost nor snowe it requireth good groude yf the weather be very drye it must be watred and when it fyrst springes well harrowed after three yeeres you may cut it downe and geue it your cattell Vaâ—ro woulde haue it sowen in well ordred ground as the seede of Colwoortes should be and after remooued and set a foote and a halfe a sunder or els to be set of the slippes The tyme of sowyng of Cytisus is eyther in Autume or in the spryng in ground well plowed and layde out in beâ—des yf you want the seede you may take the slippe so that you set them foure foote a sunder and a bancke cast about them with earth well dounged you may also set them before September when they wyll very well growe and abyde the colde in Winter it lasteth but three yeere Columella hath two kindes of Cytisus one wylde the other of the Garden The wylde dooth with his claspers feede very well it wyndeth about and killes his neighbours as the Iuie dooth it is founde in Cornefeeldes specially amongst Barley the flowre thereof is lyke the flowre of Pease the leafe yf it be bruysed smelleth like Rockeâ— and being champâ—d in the mouth it tasteth like Chyche or Pease There is an other kinde of fodder among the plantes vnknowen to the old wryters very good to feede both cattel Poultrye I know not whether it be knowen in other Countreys beside Germanie the common people call it Spury or Sperie it hâ—th a stalke a foote in height or more busshed foorth in mans branches it hath a whyte flowre without any leafe the flowre endeth in little knoppes as Flaxe hath conteynyng in them a very little seede like Rape seede They are much deceiued that take it for Cytisus when that as Dioscorides sayth hath leaues like Fenugreeke and this is altogeather without leaues neither is the seede any thing like though the vse be almost one The best Milke and Butter in Germanie commeth of this feeding wherefore it is esteemed almost as good as Barley or other grayne the strawe is better then any Heye the Chaffe feedeth as well as any Graynes the seede feedeth Pigeons and Poultrie in Winter passing well it is sowed in sandie and light groundes all the Sommer long and some sowe it in Spring time with Oates for the seede sake in Autume and Haruest time it is sowed to feede Cattell it is profitable for husbandes that dwell in sandy and grauelly Countreys wherefore they shoulde neuer be without good store of it for Hennes Bees Goates Sheepe Oxen and all kinde of Cattell delight very muche in it nowe remayneth the sowyng of Flaxe and Hempe RIGO I looke for it CONO These although they be not to be receiued in the number of Corne nor Pulse Fodder nor Hearbes yet is there great account to be made of them with the husbandmans thinges without whiche no house can be furnished nor man wel apparelled whiche being beaten to a sofâ—nesse serueth for webbes of Linnen and twysting of Cordes and more of tâ—is so little a seede dooth spring that which as Plinie sayth carrieth the whole worlde hether and thether that bryngeth Egypt to Italy and carryeth vs from Cales of Ostia in seuen dayes Linum in Latine in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian and Sâ—â—nishe Lino in French Dulin in Dutch almost like â—auing that they call the seede Lyn and the plant Flaxe is a very common hearbe wherewith women are set a woorke it hath a sclender stalke not muche vnlike to Sperie but that it groweth higher a litle bigger with narrow leaues long blewe flowres in the top which falling away leaueth behinde them little round knoppes as bigge as a Pease wherin are enclosed yellowe seedes it delighteth in rich ground and somewhat moyst some sowe it in barrayne grounde after once plowyng it is sowed in the Spring and geathered in sommer In Gelderland and Gulicke where there is great store of it they sowe it about the beginnyng of May there are agayne that obserue three seasons for the sowyng of it as the weather shall fall out for it requireth rayne and moysture the ripenesse of it is perceiued by the waxing yellowe and swelling of the knoppes that holde the seede being then plucked vp and made in little bundels it is dryed in the Sunne the rootes standyng vpwarde that the seede may fall out Some vse agayne to carde of the knoppes with an iron Combe and drying them in the Sunne to geather the seede The bundels afterwardes are layde in water heated with the Sunne with some wayght vppon them to keepe them downe the rynde waxing loose sheweth when they haue been steeped yenough Then the bundels vnloosed and dryed in the Sunne are beaten with beetelles when as the vtter rynde is pilled of and combed and hacked vpon an iron combe the more wrong it suffereth the better doth it prooue the Towe is seuered from the Flaxe and appoynted for his vse so are they seuerally spon vpon the Distaffe made vp in bottomes and sent to the Weauers whereof are wouen webbes to the great commoditie of al men Last of all the webbe is layde out in the hotte Sunne and sprinckled with water whereby it is brought to a passing whitenesse It may be remembred that not long since the women of Germanie knewe no costlyer attyre The best Flaxe that is at this day is brought from Moscouia Liuonia and those Countreys farre excelling ours in heyght and goodnesse Except there be great encrease of it price in the Countrey where you dwel Columella would not haue you meddle with the sowing of it for it is most hurtfull to the ground as Virgil
hath noted Flaxe vvhere he grovves dooth burne the feelde The lyke dooth Oates and Poppey yeelde And therefore but that women must haue something to occupie theyr handes withall it were more profite to sowe the grounde with corne and to bye linnen abrode especially yf you way the hart of your grounde and the charges of the makyng Hempe in Latine Canubis in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian Canabe in Spanishe Cannamo in Frenche Chamura and in Dutch Haueph is a plant of the Reedishe kinde hauing a very strong sauour it groweth with a single stalke and many times to suche a heyght that it matcheth with indifferent Trees it is of great necessitie for the vse of man and serueth both for makyng of Canuisse and framing of Ropes the stalke hath many knottes out of whiche proceedeth branches with narrowe leaues indented and sharpe Dioscorides describeth both the wylde Hempe and the Garden Hempe to haue leaues lyke the Ashe hollowe stalkes a stinkyng sauour and rounde seede There are two kindes of it the Male that is without floure and beareth a seede of sundry colours and the Female that to recompence her barrennesse dooth yeelde a white flowre it is sowed in Gardens Orchardes or other gooâ— grounde as Plinie would haue it after a Southwest wind with vs it is sowen in the ende of April for it can not away with cold some sowe it at the rysing of the starre called the Berward which is at the ende of Februarie or the beginning of March it loueth riâ—che grounde well dounged and watred and deepe plowed it is noughty sowing of it in raynie weather the thicker you sowe it the tenderer it wyll be and therefore many times it is sowen thryse though some there be that appoynt to euery foote square sixe seedes The Female or fyrble Hempe is fyrst pulled vp afterward the Male or the Carle when his seede is ripe is plucked vp and made vp in bundels layde in the Sunne for three or foure dayes and after is cast into the water with weyght layd vpon him for eyght or tenne dayes tyll he be sufficiently watred and as Flaxe tyll the Rynde waxe loose then taken out it is dryed with the Sunne and after broken in the Brake and then combed and hacked for Yarne and Ropes Of Hempe are made Cables Cordes Nettes and Sayles for Shippes garmentes for Labourers Shertes and Sheetes the Shales or Stalkes serue for the heating of Ouens or kyndeling of Fyres RIGO In the Countrey of Gulicke and some partes of Fraunce I remember I haue seene an hearbe planted of the common people with great diligence that serueth as they sayd for Dyars CONO You say true that hearbe Cesar in his Comentaries of the warres of Fraunce calleth Glastum in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian Gnado in Spanishe Pastel in Frenche with the common sort Guadum and Guesde in Dutch VVeyt the Dyars doo vse it and with them it is greatly esteemed and great gayne aryseth thereof vnto the people of Gelderland Iulyes and Turyn and diuers Countreys els the leaues as Plinie wryteth are lyke vnto Dock leaues Dioscorides wryteth of two kindes the wyld and the Garden Woade saying that the Garden Woade whiche Dyars vse hath leaues lyke Plantayne but something thicker and the wylde leaues lyke Lentyll with yellowe flowres with this hearbe Cesar sayth the people of Englande were woont to paynt theyr faces and bodyes to seeme more terrible to theyr enimies it requireth lyke sowyng and soyle as Wheate dooth but it is a great soker of the grounde and muche hurteth it it woulde haue a very riche and a fatte grounde and well dygged for the grounde were better to be turned vp with Spades then with Plowes for the sowyng of this Plant and it must be very well weeded It is sowed in Gelderland in April and after the common peoples rule in Easter wecke at the first fâ—llowing they marle the grounde after sowe it you must be very heedefull in the weedyng of it When it is growen a handfull hye and more they suffer it not to flowre but with an instrument for the purpose they cut it close by the roote washe it and carry it to the Myll and suffering it to growe agayne they cut it three or foure times and so leaue it to seede The greene hearbe they grinde in Milles like Apple Milles pressing it til they get out al the iuyce thereof then roule they it vp with their handes in rounde balles and so laye it vpon boorded floores to be dryed RIGO You haue greatly delighted me in describing vnto me the order of sowyng of seedes without whiche not onely the people of the Countrey but also the Courtiar and Citizen are not able to liue my desyre is nowe to vnderstande the order of Haruest the Countrey mans long looked for tyme and the reward of all his toyle CONO I wyl proceede in the accomplishing of your request When the Corne is ripe before it be scorched with the great heate of the Sunne whiche is most extreame at the rysyng of the lesser Dogge it is to be cut downe out of hande for delay herein is daungerous Fyrst because that birdes and other vermine wyll deuoure it and agayne both the Grayne and the Eare the toppe and the strawe being brittell and ouer drye wyl soone fall to the ground yf storme or tempest chaunce to aryse the greatest part thereof wyll to the grounde and therefore it must not be lingred but when it dooth looke yellowe in euery place and before that the Grayne be thorowe hard when they come to looke reddishe you must then haue it in that it may rather waxe in the Barne then in the Feelde Experience teacheth that yf it be cutte downe in due time the seede wyll growe in fulnesse as it lyeth in the Barne for the Moone encreasyng the Corne growes greater at the chaunge you must geather such seede as you woulde should be least fautie Varro sayth that the best tyme for Haruest is betwixt the Sunnestay and the Dogge dayes for the Corne they say dooth lye in the blade .xv. dayes flowreth .xv. dayes and ripeth in .xv. dayes Amongst Grayne Pulse the fyrst that is to be geathered is Rape seede And because the seede when the cod beginneth to waxe yellowe declareth ripenesse it must be geathered out of hand and sythe the seede wyll easyly skatter it must be layde eyther in playne smoothe places in the Feelde or vpon Canuasse and yf it be presently to be carryed the Wayne or Cart must be lyned with sheetes lest with iogging and tottring of the carryage the seede fall thorowe You must take good heede as well here as in all other Pulse that you preuent the rayne for the rayne falling the coddes doo open As soone as your Rape seede is of yf the grounde be plowed you may sowe Bucke or Branke as they call it so that of one peece of ground in one yeere you may make
would haue to serue you in Winter in October in warme stonie places for sallets in Winter they vse at this day when his leaues be out to fold them vp together tye them round in the toppe with some small thing couering them with some little earthen vessell the rootes still remayning to nourishe them withall thus dooing they wyll growe to be white and tender and to loose a great part of their bitternesse It is said that they wyll be whyte yf they be sprinckled a fewe dayes abroade and lying vpon sand be wasshed with the rayne and thus is Endiue with his encrease preserued all Winter Some there be that contentyng them selues with lesse charges and labour doo onely couer them with earth others agayne with strawe this order of wintering of it is nowe in euery place growen to be common THRA I see also in this pleasaunt Garden Colwoortes that we Countrey folkes be so well acquainted with MARIVS Is it meete my Garden shoulde want that whiche as you knowe Cato preferreth before all other hearbes in describing the woonderful properties and vses thereof and this place I onely appoynt for suche common potte hearbes as Colwoortes Beeâ—es Endiue Onyans Rapes Nauenes Leekes Carrettes Raddishe Garleeke and Parsneppes the woorthyer sort I place by them selues and as the nature of euery one requireth Colwoortes is commonly called in Latine Brassica or Caulis in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Frenche Choux in Italian Caule in Spanishe l'erza in Dutche Koil The olde wryters made diuers sortes of it as at this day there be One sort with great and broade leaues a bigge stalke and very fruitefull This sort is commonly knowen whiche being the pleasaunter in Winter when it is bitten with the frostes is sodde with Baken and vsed in porredge The tender part of the toppe being a little boyled is serued for sallettes dressed with oyle and salt The second sort with the croombled leafe of that resemblance that it hath to Smallage is called Selinocis or Apiaria of the common people crompled Col or wrinckled Col. The thirde sort whiche is properly called Crambe hath a smaller stalke and leafe smoothe tender and not very ful of iuyce The fourth sort is the great Cabbedge with brode leaues and a great head called in Dutche Kappes in Frenche Cheux Cabuz of the olde wryters Tritiana Brassica and this kind is only most set by In Germanie there is one kind of them that they call Lumbardy Colwoort or Sauoy Colwoort sweeter then the other and not able to endure the Winter and an other with very brode leaues croompled and full of wrinckles but a great deâ—le blacker whiche the Italians call Neâ—â—â—caules and the Latines Nigra Brassica of the number of thâ—se that they call commonly redde Col of the olde wryters Marucina Brassica There are besides other sortes takyng their names of they Countrey where they growe as Aricina and Cumana The best time for setting and sowyng of Colwoortes is after the Ides of April In colde and raynie Countreys the oftner it is dounged and raked the better a great deale wyl the Colwoortes be some vse to sowe them about the Kalends of March but then the cheefest of it goeth out in leafe and when it is once cut maketh no good stalke for the Winter after yet may you twyse remooue your greatest Col and if you so doo you shal haue both more seedeâ— and greater yeelde for it so aboundeth with seede as it is sowed with no lesse aduauntage then Rape seede For the making of oyle Colwoortes may be sowen all the yeere long but chiefly in March after it is sowed it appeareth within ten dayes except your seedes be olde and drye for olde seede wyl growe to Rapes as olde Rape seede wyl to Colwoortes Some say it prospereth best in salt ground therfore they vse to cast vpon the ground Saltpeter or Ashes which also destroyeth the Caterpiller it is remooued in Iune chiefely when it hath put foorth sire leaues and that when the weather is rayny so that you couer the roote before with a little freshe doung and wrappe it in sea-weede and so set it More diligence is to be vsed about the Cabbedge it must be sowen in March in the full of the Moone that it may remayne in the grounde two Moones and in May you must take them vp and set them agayne two foote asunder The ground must be well digged where you set them and as fast as they growe the earth must be raysed about them so that there appeare no more then the very toppes of them for to cause them to growe sayre and great you must as oft as you remooue them banke them vp with earth about them that nothing but the leaues appeare And this you must often doo to all the kindes of them the hoare frostes make them haue the greater sweetenesse The Uineyardes they say where Colwoortes growe doo yeelde the woâ—â—ser Uines and the Col corrupteth the wine THRA I pray you proceede with the rest of these pot hearbes MARIVS You see hereby Spinage so tearmed as you knowe of the prickly seedes called in Latine Spinacia and euen so in Italian Spanishe Frenche and Datche it is sowen as those before in March Apryll and so tyll September yf it may be well watred it commeth vp in seuen dayes after the sowing you shall not neede to remooue it The seede must presently after the sowing be couered and afterward well weeded it refuseth no kinde of grounde but prospereth in euery place you must often cut it for it continually groweth it is to be boyled without any water where in the boyling it doth yeeld great store of iuyce and contenting it selfe with his owne licquour it requireth none other Afterwarde being beaten and stirred with the ladell tyll the clamminesse be gone it is made vp in little balles the iuyce strayned out and boyled vppon a Chafyndishe with Ole or Butter some adde therevnto Uergius or the iuyce of soure Grapes to make the taste more tarte I shewe you in order as you see all my Kitchin hearbes nowe followeth Sorel called in Latine Acetosa in Italian likewyse in Spanishe Romaza in Frenche Oxella in Dutch Surick of the sowrer therof There are sundry sortes of it we haue at this day two kinde the Garden Sorel and the wylde whiche are pleasant both in broth and sallettes and of this hearbe the wyld sortes are both sowrer in taste and smaller in leafe it is sowed as all other potte hearbes are and it groweth of it selfe in Meddowes and Gardens Cummin and Corriander require well ordered ground they are sowed in the Spring and must be wel weeded Cummin is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Cuminum and almost like in all other languages it is sowed best as they thinke with curfyng and execration that it may prosper the better Corriander called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Coriandrum and in almost by the
same name in al other tongues dooth best prosper when it is sowed of seede that is oldest Smalledge and Parsley called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and also Petroâ—elinon in Latine Apium Petroselinum and Apium hortense in Italian Apio domestico and Petrosello in Spanishe Petersillie or Peterlin it is sowed at the Aequinoctiall in the Spring time the seede beaten a little and made vp in round pellettes we call it Aequinoctial when the nyght and the dayes are of equall length ouer all the world that is when the sunne the captayne and aucthour of the other lightes the very soule of the worlde dooth enter into the signes of Aries and Libra It is thought to prosper the better the older the seede is and to spring the sooner it commeth vp the fiftieth day or at the soonest the fourtieth day after it is sowen when it is once sowen it abideth a long time it reioyceth in water or wette Fenel in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian Eâ—nochio in Spanish Hinozo in French Fenoil in Dutche Fenchel is sowed in the beginnyng of the Spring in hotte sunny places stony grounde or any grounde being once sowen it springeth euery yeere Annise in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Anisum so knowen in most tongues as Cummin and Corriander requireth a grounde well ordered and dressed Dyll in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Anethum in French and Italian almost so in Spanishe Eneldo in Dutch Dyll endureth and abideth all kinde of weathers but delightes most in warme grounde yf it be not wel watred it must be sowed thinner Some neuer couer the seedes when they sowe them supposing that no Birde wyll meddle with it it commeth vp also of it selfe as Fenel dooth Cheruyl in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Câ—râ—foliâ—om in Dutche Kerbel in Italian Gingidia in Frenche Cerfuâ—il desyreth a good ground moyst and wel dounged it is sowed with the rest in colde places In this same moneth they also sowe Beetes though you may sowe them when you wyll at any other tyme of the yeere as Spinage it is a common Countrey hearbe they call it in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian Bietola in Spanishe Aâ—elga in Dutch Beett or Mangelt No Garden hearbe hath greater leaues so that with due orderyng it groweth lyke a young tree It is called Beta because when it seedeth it is as Columella affyrmeth to the likenesse of the Greeke letter β. There be two sortes of them the white and the blacke the orderyng of them is after one sort it is sowed as Colwoortes Sozel and Radyshe are in March April or May. Some thinke the best tyme for sowing it is whyle the Pomegranate dooth flowre it may be sowed neuerthelesse as Lettuse Cols and diuers others at any tyme of the Sommer The seede the older it is the better it is to be sowen as are the seedes of Smallage Parsley Garden Cresses Sauery wyld Marierum and Corriander though in all other the newest be best It commeth vp in Sommer the sixth day in Winter the tenth after the sowyng it loueth a moyst a ritche and a mellow ground you may remooue it when it hath put forth fiue leaues yf your ground lyke well to be watred yf it be drye ground it must be set in the ende of the Sommer as I haue sayde of Colwoortes though it make no great matter at what other time you doo it When you remooue it you must rubbe ouer the roote with newe doung This is proper to the Beete that his seede come not all vp togeather but some the yeere after some the thirde yeere and therefore of a great deale of seede there is at the fyrst but a little shewe it groweth the broader and the whyter yf when it is something growen you lay vppon it Tyle stones or suche lyke to cause it to spreade as I spake before of Lettuse Garden Cresses in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italian Nasturtio and Agretto in Spanishe Mastuerzo in Frenche Cresson de gardin in Dutch Kerss are sowed bath in the spring and at the fall of the leafe it commeth vp the fyrst day after it is sowen and drinketh away the moysture from suche hearbes as growe neare hym mingled with other hearbes he careth not what weather come and therefore prospereth both as well in winter as in sommer yf it be sowed with Lettuse it coÌ„meth vâ— exceedingly it delighteth in moysture which yf it want it wyll doo well yenough in watrie places it groweth of his owne accorde as about Padelbor a Towne in Westphalia it groweth in great abundance in the Riuer and therefore is called of some Water Cresses it was called in the olde time Sisimbrium The branâ—hes when they waâ—e olde are netted togeather with white heary rynges Garden Poppy called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Papauer satiuum is thought best to growe where old stalkes haue ben burnt it is sowed in warme places with other potte hearbes Mustardseede in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Sinapi in Dutch Seneff in Italian Senape in Spanish Mostazâ— in Frenche Seneue there are two kyndes white and blacke it is best to be sowen in the end of sommer and againe in March. Where it is once sowen it is hard to ridde the grounde of it againe because the seede dooth still growe as it falleth It loueth to growe vpon dounghils and cast bankes THRA I see you haue very faire Radishes here MARIVS Nothing so faire as I haue had them for where as they delight in the Sunne and in warme grounde my Gardners haue here set them in the shadowe The order of them is to be set in very good grounde and lying vppon the Sunne some sayth it dooth not greatly care for doung so it may haue Chaffe strawed vppon it When it is come to some growth they must be couered with earth for yf it florishe once aboue the grounde the rootes wyll neuer be good but hard and full of pithe It is called Radishe because it exceedeth all other rootes in greatnesse Plinie wryteth that he sawe at Erford in Germanie Radishe as bigge as the body of an Infant It is sowed twyse in the yeere in Februarie or Marche the Moone being in the wane lest it growe too much in leaues foure fingers distant one from the other and againe in August whiche is the best season for them Those that you set after the tenth of Iune wyll neuer seede the like is to be obserued in all other seedes it commeth vp commonly the third day after it be sowen in hot and Southerly Countreys the weather being faire it groweth soone to stalke and quickly seedes The leaues as they growe must still be trampled downe and trodden vppon wherby the roote shal growe the greater otherwyse it florisheth with leaues and geueth encrease to the leafe and not to the roote the lesse and the smoother the leafe is
seede To haue very large and great Leekes you must hollowe a Treatle of Goates doung and fâ—ll it full of Leeke seede for the little sproute at the fyrst restrayned wyll runne altogeather in one and so come foorth of the grounde and this as Hieronimus Cardanus wryteth hath been often tryed to be true They shall not sauour of Leekes or Onyons that haue eaten Cummin after It commeth vp the tenth day after the sowyng and lasteth two yeere the fyrst yeere it contenteth it selfe onely with bearyng of leaues the next yeere it ryseth in a long stalke hollowe within the toppe garnished with rounde knoppes of flowres The Onyon in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Cepa or Cepe in Italian Cipella in Spanishe Cebolla in Frenche Oignon the next neighbour to the Leeke is also of twâ— kindes the one kinde called Capitatum that groweth to head the other Fissile that without any head only flowrisheth in blades and is often geathered as Leekes are therefore only is sowen and not set in Februarie or March in fayre weather in the wane of the Moone it delighteth in ritche ground wel digged dounged and therefore Columella would haue the grounde well fâ—llowed that it may be mellowed with the Winter frostes and after dounged after well digged agayne and the rootes and weedes cast out layde out in beddes and sowed it is called Fissile because it is parted and diuided belowe for in the Winter it is least with his toppe naked in the spring time the blades are pulled of and other come vp in theyr places The heades are set and yf you plucke away the tayles the outgrowinges when you set them they wyll growe to be very great Twentie dayes before you set them digge the grounde well and laye it drye and so shall they prosper the better The heades are set in Autume and growe to seede as other plantes doo yf you meane to geather the seedes when the stalke is growen you must prop it vp with little stickes that the windes shakyng of the stalke shatter not the seedes nor breake the stalke whiche seede you must geather before it be all blacke for the blacknesse is a sure signe of the ful ripenesse yf you wyl not haue it seede but head plucke of the blade still close by the ground so shal all the maintenaunce goe to the roote Among all other hearbes onely the Onyon is not subiect to the force of the Moone but hath a contrary power for it waxeth in the wane of the Moone and decreaseth in the encrease of it yet there are that holde opinion that yf you sowe them in the wane they wyll be the smaller and sourer and in the encrease they wil be the greater the milder The redde Onyon is more sharpe then the white they are best preserued in Barley Chaffe yf fyrst you dippe them in hotte water after drye them in the sunne tyll they be through drye They are of the common people thought to laste longest beyng hanged vp in the smoke for the kynred it hath with the Onyon I proceede to speake next of Garlicke called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Alliumâ— in Italian Aglio in Spanishe Aio in Dutch Knobloich in Frenche Aux it groweth with a blade like the Onyon but not hollowe the stalke rounde and the flowres in the toppe in a rounde tufte where the seede lyeth Garlicke groweth both of the head the seede as the Onyon and other of this kinde dooth It is commonly sowed in Februarie or March accordyng to the disposition of the weather as the Onyon is It woulde be set in the vppermost part of little narrowe Ridges the cloues being distant foure or fiue inches one from the other and not very deepe After when the cloues haue put foorth the little stringes or when their blades are come vp they must be well racked for the oftner ye doo so the greater they wyll be but yf you wyll haue the heades the greater before it growe to stalke you shall wynde and wreathe the greene blades togeather and treade them to the grounde for that continual treading vpon them wil make them the greater In October the cloues must be plucked a sunder set in rowe vpon hie borders that they may skape the daunger of the winter stormes They say the seant of them wyll sease yf you eate after them the roote of Beetes tosted at the fyre thus sayth Plinie out of Menander THRA What hearbe is that yonder that commeth vp so hie as a man may make a staffe of the stalke the leaues large and rounde the flowre in shape seeming to compare with the Rose MARIVS It is Hollioke or garden Mallowe in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Malua hortensis in Dutche Peppel in Italian and Frenche â—lmost as in Latine THRA What the same that Horace taketh to so wholesome for the body and whiche of Hesiodus and Martial is so highly commended MARIVS The very same and also which is more woonderfull in it the leaues turne about with the sunne so that it may serue in steade of a Dyall declaryng by the turnyng of his leaues what time of the day it is though the sunne doo not shine whiche the Philosophers thinke to be done by the drawing of his moysture In Africa as Plinie wryteth it commeth in seuen monethes to be lyke a young tree and serue well for a walkyng staffe It is sowed in October or in the ende of the sommer as also at other tymes that by the comming on of Winter it may be restrayned of his high growth it reioyceth it ritche and moyst grounde and must be remooued when it commeth to haue foure or fiue leaues it groweth best when it is young when it comes to greater it dyes in the remoouing We vse it both for the potte and for sallettes the taste is better when it is not remooued you must sowe it but thinne for growyng to ranke and in the middest of them you must lay litâ—le cloddes or stones it requireth continuall rakyng and maketh better the grounde where it growes THRA I marueyle whether you sowe Purcelayne syth it groweth wylde abrode MARIVS The Greekes call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines Portulacan with the Italians it hath the same name in Spanishe Verdâ—laga in Frenche and Dutch Porchelle it is sowed in Gardens and well ordred dooth growe the better and spreadeth the farther it hath a blacke seede growing in little greene cuppes THRA Buglose that the Greekes cal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines Bugglossum the Dutchmen Ochsenzung or Burretsth the Frenchmen Borague the Italians Borache the Spaniardes Boraje Is not this it that I see here with y fayre blewe flowre and a stalke a foote long and full of branches MARIVS Buglose is at this day with the Potecaries called Borage though they differ somethyng in the flowre and in very deede they are two sundry hearbes for some
a tree with an Augur eyther to the pith or the vttermost rynde going something sloapewyse downeward and getting out all the chippes cleane take a Uine or an arme of the best Uâ—ne not cut from his olde mother and paryng away the outer rynde thrust it fast into the hole being all moyst full of sappe leauyng a budde or two onely vppon it afterward stoppe the hole well with Mosse and Clay and commit it to the earth In this sort may you graffe Uines vpon Elmes so shal the branch liue being both nourished by his olde mother and his newe father Two yeere after you shal cut of the newe graffed branche and the stocke wherein you graffed you shall sawe of a little aboue the boryâ—g so shall the graffe become the cheefest part of the plant The lyke doo our countrey men takyng a branche of a Beeche a foote thicke and when they haue cutte it and bored it they set in it the branches of the best Peare or Apple that they can geat setting the same in a very wet ground in March and in the same moneth the yeere after taking vp the Beeche they cut it a sunder with a Sawe betwixt the holes the branches and euery peece of stocke with his branche they set in very riche and fruitefull grounde There are some that bragge of â—n other kinde of graffing not much vnlyke to the former whereof notwithstanding Aâ—rican in Constantine maketh mention as tryed in a Peache They wyl a man to take the branch of a Wyllowe as bigge as your arme two cubites in length or more this they would haue you to bore through the middes and after slâ—pping of the branches of a Peache as he standes lâ—â—â—ing only the toppe vntouched they would haue you to make the Peâ—câ—e passe through the Wyllowe batte and that done to bowe the wyllowe lyke a bowe seâ—ting both his endes into the eaâ—th and so to binde vp the hole with mosse morter bandes The yeere after when as the head of the Peache hath ioyned hym selfe with the pith of the Wyllowe that both the bodyes are become one You shall cut the tree beneath and remoue it and rayse vp the earth so as you couer the Wyllow bowe with the toppe of the Peache and this shal bring you Peaches without stones This kinde of graffing must be done in moyst places and the Wyllowes must be holâ—en with often watringes that the nature of the tree may be of force The kindes and maners of propagation are declared by Plinie who telleth of two kindes the fyrst wherein a branche of the tree being bowed downe and buried in a little furrowe and after two yeeres cut of and the plant in the thirde yeere remoued which yf you entende to carry any farre distance of it is best for you to burie your branches in baskettes or earthen vessels in whiche you may appliest carry them And an other more delicater way he speaketh of which is to get the roote out of the very tree laying the branches in baskettes of earth and by that meanes obtaynyng rootes betwixt the very fruite and the toppes for by this meanes the roote is fetched from the very toppe so farre they presume and from thence fetche them vsing it as before in whiche sort you may also deale with Rosemary and Sauyne Columella sheweth a way howe slippes of all maner of trees may be graffed in what trees you lyst THRA And some are also sette of the slippes or slyuynges I mee selfe haue plucked a branche from a Mulbery tree and broosing the ende a little with a Mallet haue set it in the ground and it hath growen to be a fayre tree the like hath been tryed as they say in Apples and Peares MARIVS You say well for nature hath shewed vs that the young scyences plucked from the rootes of the trees wyll growe the youngest are best to be planted and so to be pulled vp as they may bryng with them some part of theyr mothers body In this sort you may plant Pomegranates Fylbertes Apples Seruysses Medlars Plomes Fygges but specially Uines sometimes Cheryes and Myrtels Of the stocke and the branches are also planted the Almond the Peare the Mulbery the Orenge the Olyue the Qâ—â—â—ce the Iuye and the turkishe Plome whiche the oftner you remoue them the better they prooue Plinie sayth that branches cut from the tree were at the fyrst onely vsed for hedges Elder Quinces and Bryers medled togeather afterwardes for vse as the Poplar the Alder and the Wyllowe at this day we set them where we best lyke Heede must be taken that the stockes or the settes be of a good kinde not crooked knotty nor forked nor sclenderer then that a man may well gripe with his hand nor lesse then a foote in length THRA It remaineth nowe that you speake of the settyng of the fruite or kernell MARIVS Nature as Plinie sayth hath taught vs to set the kernel by the seedes deuoured of birdes and moystned with the warmth of their entrayles and after voyded in the boughes and ryses of trees whereby we finde many times a Plane tree growyng out of a Bay a Bay out of a Chery and a Chery out of a Wyllowe Many trees are set of the fruite kernel or stone whiche growe yeerely of them selues by reason of the falling of the fruite as Chestnuts Haselnuts and Wallnuts Columella sayth they are the fruitefuller trees that spring of their fruite then those that are sette of the stocke or the branche Some delight to be set in trees and not in the grounde and when they haue no soyle of their owne they liue in a stranger Of the fruite or kernell are planted Nuttes Almondes Pystaces Chestnuts Damsons Plomes Pineapples Dates Cypresse Bayes Apples Peares Maples Fyrtrees Cheryes Peaches and Alm coâ—tes but set or planted they prooue to be the kyndlyer Some of these doo growe in graffing and other wayes for experience teacheth that the Nutte and the Tereâ—â—ith are graffed and Demageron witnesseth as much neither are all fruites kernels and stones set in like sort as hereafter shal be seene Some are layde in water before others not some lye three dayes in hony and water and at the fal of the leafe are buryed in the grounde tyll March and then sette Nuttes are onely layd in moyst doung a day before and of some in water and hony onely a nyght lest the sharpnesse of the hony destroy the sproote Some are 〈◊〉 with their toppes standyng vpward as the Chestnut others downeward as the Almond though this is not greatly to be regarded sith we see the fruite that falles from the tree or is let fall by Byrdes dooth prosper best of any other THRA I haue a woonderfull delyght in the Impe Gardens of these Countreys I pray you tell me howe they be ordered MARIVS The orderyng of an Impe Garden may not be passed ouer wherein as in a Parke the young plantes are nourished And
with olde doung or with the newest of any other kynde of manuryng the rootes beyng thus digged vp must be layde vp togeather and burned After must the ground be consydered whether it be mellowe and gentle it is thought to be good that is somethyng greety and grauelly and full of smal peebles so that it be mingled with fatte mould withall whiche yf it be not is vtterly disalowed Dame Ceres ioyes in heauy ground and Bacchus in the light You shall perceiue it to be massy and thicke yf beyng digged and cast into the hole agayne it ryseth ouer yf it scarsely fyll the hole it is a signe that it is lyght and thinne The Flynt by the generall consent of husbandmen is counted a freend to the Uine specially where it is well couered with good mould for beyng cold and a keeper of moysture it suffereth not the rootes to be skalded with the heate of Sommer so muche that Columella dooth wyll men to lay certayne stones about the sides of the Uinetrees so that they exceede not the weyght of fiue pound a peece which as Virgil hath noted keepes away the water in Winter and the heate in Sommer Hurle in the thyrstie stone or therein throwe the nasty shelles So doo wee see the bankes of the Rhine being full of these stones to yeelde an excellent good wine but the stones that lye aboue ground are to be cast away for in the Sommer beyng heated with the sunne they burne the Uine and in the Winter they hurt them with their coldnesse contrary to those that lye in the bottome But the best of all is the foote of an hill which receiueth the fallyng moulde from the toppe or the valley that with ouerflowyng of Ryuers hath been made riche Neyther is chalkie ground to be reâ—used though the chalke of it selfe that Potters vse is hurtfull to the Uine The hungry sandy ground the salt bitter and thyrstie grounde is not meete for the Uine yet the blacke and the reddishe sande medled with some moyst earth is of some alowed well yenough Moreouer neyther grounde too hotte or too colde too drye nor too moyst too sclender nor too stiffe that wyll not suffer the rayne to sincke is meete to be vsed for Uines for it wyll easily gape and open whereby the sunne comming in at the crayuesses dooth burne the rootes that agayne whiche is ouer thinne lettyng in as it were by ventes the rayne the sunne and the winde dooth drye vp the moysture of the rootes the thicke and stiffe grounde is hardly to be laboured the fatte grounde subiect to too muche rancknesse the leane grounde to barrennesse wherefore there must be an euen temperature amongst these extreamities as is required in our bodyes whose health is preserued by the equall medley of heate and colde dryth and moysture fulnesse and emptinesse or thicknesse and thinnesse neyther yet is this temperature in ground for Uines so iustly to be euened but that there is required a more enclining to the one part as that the earth be more hotte then colde more drye then moyst more sâ—â—htyll then grosse specially yf the state of the heauens agreeâ— agayne what quarter whereof the Uineyard ought to lye it is an olde controuersie some like best the rysing of the sunne some the West some the North Virgil misliketh the West others agayne thinke the best lying to be vpon the South But in generall it is thought best in colde countreys to haue it lye toward the South in warme countreys vpon the East in hotte burnyng Countreys as Egypt and Barbary vpon the North. Plinie would haue the Uine him selfe stand towards the North and his spring or shoutes towards the South A fytte grounde and wâ—ll lying being found out must be diligently digged dounged weeded all vnprofitable weedes must be pulled vp and throwen away lest they shoulde spring agayne and eyther corrupt the young plantes or hinder the labourer THRA Before you come to trenchyng I woulde gladly heare in what sort you plant your Uine and what season is fittest for it MARIVS I wyll fyrst speake of the season and afterwardes of the plantyng The Uine is planted accordyng to Virgils rule in the fall of the leafe but better in the spring yf the weather be rayny or colde or the ground be fatte champion or a watrishe valley and best in the fall of the leafe yf the weather be drye and warme the ground dry and lyght a barrayne or a rugged hill The time of plantyng in the spring as Columella sayth endureth fourtie dayes from the Ides of Februarie vntyll the Aequinoclial and in the fall of the leafe from the Ides of October to the Kalendes of December Cassian in Constantine being taught by experience wyls in watrye groundes you should rather plant in Autumne when the leaues are fallen and the plantes after the vintage deliuered of the burden of theyr clusters sound strong before they be nipped with the frostes for then they best agree with the ground nature applying her selfe wholly to the nourishing of the roote The time of graffing Columella sayth is of some extended from the fyrst of Nouember to the fyrst of Iune tyl which time the shoote or graffe may be preserued but it is not well liked of him who rather woulde haue it to be done in warmer weather when Winter is past when both budde and rynde is naturally mooued and safe from colde that myght annoy eyther the graffe or the stocke yet he graunteth when hast requireth it may be done in the fall of the leafe when as the temperature of the ayre is not much vnlyke to the spring for which purpose you must choose a warme day and no wind stirryng The graffe must be round and sound not full of pith but full of buddes and thicke of ioyntes the tenant whereof must not exceede three inches and smoothe and euen cut the stocke and the cleft must be well closed with clay and mosse Those that growe toward the South must be marked whiche Virgil obseruyng sayth But on the barke they also note the quarter of the skieâ— The order how it stoode and grew and where the South dyd lye The lyke is to be done with all other trees Of plantyng of Uines there is two wayes the one of the roote the other of the branche or spray the roote is counted a great deale better then the branche or set by reason of the forwardnesse and vauntage that it hath in that it hath alredy taken roote The roote is set in stiffe ground well digged and laboured in a trenche of three foote the set or spray in a gentle and mellowe ground in drye ground it is neyther good to set the roote nor the branche in a drye season it is best to plant in the fall of the leafe in a hotte season and in a colde and moyst in the spring in much wet you must set them thinner in great dryeth thicker in what sort you shall make a
Moone be seuenteene dayes olde in fayre weather and in the after noone those that fall from the tree must be laide by them selues it is better to pull them then to shake them lest they be brused in their falling They are kept in fayre loftes vaultes or cold places with windowes openyng toward the North which in fayre weather must be set wyde open and therefore Varro woulde haue all Apple loftes haue theyr windowes North that they may receiue the North ayre the South windes must be shut out the blastes of the North winde dooth make them wrinckled and rugled they must be layde thinne vpon strawe chaffe or mattes I had an Apple brought me on t of Hâ—lland that endured three yeeres I haue a tree of them here in this Orchard of his colour called a Greening You must lay euery sort by them selues lest sundry sortes lying togeather they sooner rotte Some vse to lay them in Nut leaues whicâ—e both geueth them good colour and good smell They are also kept from rotting yf they be layde in Barly or Wheate Palladius would haue them kept in earthen vessels close stopped in Sesternes or in Caues Apuleus in Conctantine woulde haue euery Apple wrapped in Nut leaues and so layde vp a great sort of wayes beside of keeping them you shall reade in diuers aucthours Some to auoyde the hurt of the frost vse to couer them with wette linnen cloth which being frozen the fruite that lyeth vnder it is preserued Your Apples must be so layde vp as the stalkes stand downeward neyther must you touche any but suche as you neede Apples are hurtfull to bearing cattel so as the sauour causeth them to tyre as Lucian in his asse witnesseth the like is written of Peares the remedy they say is to let them eate some of the fruite afore Of Apples with certayne mylles for the purpose they make a drinke called Cyder and a smaly drinke beside with water and the refuse of the Apples strayned a good drinke to coole the thyrst of the poore labourer A kynde of vinegre also they make of Crabbes and sowre Apples which lying in heape togeathe three or foure dayes they afterwardes put into a Pipe or Tunne wherewith they mingle spring water or rayne water and so is it suffered to stand close couered thyrtie dayes and after taking out what vineger they neede they put in agayne as much water The Peare in Latine Pi 〈◊〉 in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chalengeth the next place and is one of the cheefest beauties of the Orcharde The Apple tree spreadeth in broade branches the Peare tree ryseth in heygth and delighteth in a riche and a moyst ground it dooth growe of the kernell and of the Pippin but is a great whyle before it come to good and when it is growen it degenerateth from them his olde good nature and therefore it is bettâ—r to take the wylde plantes and to set them in their grounde in Nouember and when they be well rooted you may graâ—â—e vpon them It is saâ—de that iâ— so sprâ—spâ—reth with oâ—ten digging and much moysture as it neuer looseth his flowâ—e You shall doo great good vnto it yf euery other yeere you bestowe some doung vppon it Ore doâ—ng is thought to make great and massy Peares some put to aâ— the asshes to make their taste the pleasanter They 〈◊〉 not â—lonely planted of the rootes but also the very little twigges beâ—ng plucked from tâ—e roote wyâ—l grew If you wyl 〈…〉 let them be three yeere old or at the least two 〈…〉 Seme agâ—yne take the fayrest 〈…〉 and set them as they doo the 〈…〉 is Marche and April 〈…〉 when the blossome is on it 〈…〉 It iâ— graffâ—d vpon the 〈…〉 the Apple and 〈…〉 vpon the Mulbery your Peare shal be redde Virgil teacheth to graffe it vpon an Ashe whereas in deede it wyll agree with any stocke the grasse must be the growth of a yeere afore it be graffed cleared of all the leaues and tender partes And yf you woulde haue the fruite pleasant and the tree fruitefull you shall bore a hole through the stocke close by the ground and driuing in an Oken or a Beechen pin couer it vp with earth yf the tree prosper not washe the rootes and water them with â—ees of olde wine fifteene dayes so shall it beare the better and pleasanter fruite It shall neuer be hurt with woormes yf when you ylant it you doo annoynt it with the gall of an Oxe yf the tree whose rootes haue been cutte seeme not to prosper Palladius his remedy is to pearce the roote through and to driue in a pinne made eyther of Oke or Plome tree If your Peares be stony and choke Peares digge vp the earth from the rootes clense them of stones and sift in good newe mould agayne in the place let your Peare trees stand thyrtie foote a sunder or little lesse your Apple tree farther as I haue sayd They are kept preserued sundry wayes some dipping the stalkes in boyling Pitch doo afterwardes hang them vp and so keepe them others keepe them in newe boyled wine or in a close vessell others in sand some in slockes and some agayne couered with Wheate or Chaffe some are of opinion there is no kinde of fruite but may be preserued in hony Of Peares Palladius teacheth as of Apples to make both drinke and sause the iuyce being prest out with the presse women haue a prety dyshe made of Peares for theyr religious fastes called Castimoniale Next in order after Apples and Peares commeth the Quince whiche was fyrst by Cato called Coâ—oncum the Greekes call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the citie â—ydon from whence it was fyrst brought the Italians Meie cotogne the Spaniardes Membâ—â—â—llo the Frenchemen Vn coignier both the Greekes and Virgil call them of the colour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 golden Apples and Struthia which kind though they differ a little are of this sort for Columeâ—a speaketh of three sortes of Quinces Sâ—â—uthia Chrysomela and Mustea whiche all serue both for health and pleasure They are planted after the same maner that Peares and Cherys are some affyrme that the sette that haue been set in March or in Februarie haue taken suche roote as they haue borne fruite the yeere after They grow well in colde and moyst countreys in playne and hilly groundes in hotte dry countreys you must set them in October Many sette them wâ—th the toppes and the sette but neyther of them both is very good and being set of scyens they soone degenerate They are better graffed in the stocke then in the barke and that in Februarie or March they receiue into their stockes the graffes in a maner of all maner of trees the Pomegranate the Seruisse all the sortes of Apples and make the fruite the better The Quince tree must be set in that order that in the shaking of the winde they droppe not one vpon the other When it is
in October or Nouember that the fyrst Ianuarie or Februarie when it hath taken roote it may be graffed vpon Martial would haue you graffe it in the stocke but in deede it prospereth better being graffed betwixt the barke and the wood It delighteth to be set in deepe trenches to haue roome yenough and to be often digged about It loueth to haue the wythered bowe continually cut away it groweth best in cold places and so hateth doung as yf it be layd about them they growe to be wyld it is also planted of the slippes and wyll beare his fruite without stone yf in the setting of the set you turne the vpper end downeward Others wyll that the tree being young and two foote hye be slitte downe to the roote and the pith taken out of both sides and ioyned togeather the seames close bound about couered with doung which within a yeere after when it is wel growen the young graffes which hitherto haue borne no fruite yf you graffe them wil beare Cherys without stones as Martial sayth There are sundry kinds of Cherys as Plinie reporteth or Apronianus that are redder then the rest Actianus as blacke as a cole whiche kinde in Germany yet at this day they call Acklische kirsen Celicians that are rounde Plinie in speaking of the sundry sortes preferreth the Duracins which in Campania they were woonted to call Plinians and a little after he sayth vpon the bankes of the Rhine there grow alsâ— Kersis of colour betwixt blacke redde and greene like the Iumper beries when they be almost ripe in whiche the common sort of bookes haue Tertius for Kirsis amongst the Germanes for Plinie whereas in many places he vsurpeth the Dutch woordes as in the .9.10.17 and .18 booke and in diuers other places which being not vnderstanded of the Latine came altogeather corrupted to the posteritie There are also Bay Cherys graffed at the fyrst in the Bay that haue a pretie pleasant bitternesse at this day the small Cherys are best esteemed growing vpon a lowe bushe with short stalkes round fruite and very red much meate soft and full of licour It is sayd they wyll beare very timely yf you lay Lime about them it is good to geather them often that theâ— which you leaue may waxe the greater for setting and plantyng of Cherys you may reade a great sort of rules in the geatheringes of Constantine There are also found a kinde of Cherys growyng wylde in the Woods and Heâ—gerowes with little beries some redde some altogeather blacke whiche the Farmers in the Countrey doo vse for to fatte theyr Hogges withall The Plome tree in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fruite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Prunus and Pruna in Italian Prune and Succiue in Spanish Ciruelâ— and Ciruela in French Prune in Dutch Proumen it is planted from the middle of Winter till the Ides of Februarie but yf you set the stones at the fall of the leafe let it be done in Nouember in a good and mellowe ground two handfuls deepe they may be likewyse set in Februarie but then they must be steeped in lye three dayes that they may sooner spring they are also planted of the young sets that growe from the body of the tree eyther in Ianuarie or in the beginnyng of Februarie the rootes being wel couered with doung they prosper best in a riche and a moyst ground and in a colde countrey they are graffed towarde the ende of March and better in the clouen stocke then in the barke or els in Ianuarie before the Gumme begin to droppe out it is graffed vpon his owne stocke the Peache and the Almond There are sundry sortes of Plomes wherof the Damson is the principal ioying in a dry grounde and in a hotte countrey and is graffed as the other Plomes are There are diuers coloured Plomes white blacke purple and redde wheate Plomes and horse Plomes wherewith they vse to fatte Hogges The fynger Plomes are most commended being of the length of a mans fynger which are brought vnto vs from Bohemia and Hungary and Iulians and Noberdians being blewe in colour but later The Damsons are dryed in the sunne vpon Lattyses Leades or in an Ouen some doo dippe them before eyther in sea water or in brine and after dry them The Peache tree called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the tree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Persica in Italian Perseo in Spanish Durasuo they are also called Rhodocina and Dorocina or Duracina whereof there are foure kindes but the cheefest are the Duracins and the Abrecocts in Nouember in hotte countreys and in others in Ianuarie the stones are to be set two foote a sunder in wel dressed ground that when the young trees are sprong vp they may be remoued but in the setting you must set the sharpe ende downeward and let them stand two or three fyngers in the ground wheresoeuer they grow they reioyce most in watry groundes which ground yf you want looke that you water them abundantly so shall you haue great store of fruite Some woulde haue them set in hotte countreys and sandy ground wherby they say their fruite wyl longer endure the better wyl also the fruite br yf as soone as you haue eaten them you set the stone with some part of the fruite cleauing to it it is graffed eyther on him selfe the Almond or the Plome tree The Apples of Armenia or Abricoct dooth farre excell the Peache vsed as a great dayntie among noble men and much desyred of the sicke they are best graffed in the Plome as the Peache in the Almond tree the fayrest graffes that grow next the body of the tree are to be chosen and graffed in Ianuarie or Februarie in colde countreys in Nouember in hotte for yf you take those that growe in the toppe they wyll eyther not growe or yf they growe not long endure You shall inoculate or imbudde them in May or April the stocke being cut aloft and many young buddes set in neither must you suffer them to stand very far one from the other that they may the better defend them selues from the heate of the sunne The Frenchmen and our Gardners also after the Italians order doo graffe the Abricoct taking a graft not full a fynger long or the budde that is well showte out with a little of the rynde cut of and slitting the rynde of a young Plome tree crosse wyse they set them in binding them well about with Hempe or Towe and that in the end of Iune or in Iuly and August Some thinke they wyl be redde yf they be eyther graffed in the Plane tree or haue Roses set vnderneath them they wyll also be figured or written in yf seuen dayes after that you haue set the stoâ—e when it beginneth to open you take out the kernell and with Uermillion or any other colour you may counterfaite what you wyll after the stone closed vp about it and couered with clay or