are so placed we cover them up again with two or three Inches depth of Earth if any of them fail to Spring up we may reimplace them with new ones two or three Months after which is to be done in the same manner as we planted the others only taking care to water the new planted ones sometimes during the great heat and to keep them always well weeded and well dug about or else we mark out with little sticks the empty places and stay till the Spring before we fill them up again Every year we cover the Bed with a little Earth taken off from the Path-way because instead of sinking they always are rising by little and little we dung them moderately every two years and let them shoot up the first three or four years without gathering any till we see them begin to grow pretty thick and then we may force as many as we please of them or if not we continue to gather of them every year a crop for fifteen years before we need to renew them Every year about Martlemas we cut down all their stems every stock producing several stems and take the seed of the fairest of them for Seed if we would have them come to bear at the time above-mentioned To draw them out of their Nursery-Beds we use an Iron Fork the Spade being too dangerous for that work because it would cut and hurt those little Plants We must not fail every Year at the latter end of March or beginning of April that is before the Asparagus begin to sprout naturally to bestow a small dressing or stirring of the Ground about three or four Inches deep on every Bed taking care not to let the Spade go so deep as to hurt the Plants which small dressing serves both to kill the Weeds and to render the Superficies of the Earth loose and thereby not only the better to dispose it to drink up the Rain and the May-dew that nourishes the Stocks but likewise to facilitate the passage of the Asparagus in sprouting The particular and most dreadful Enemies of Asparagus are a sort of little Fleas that fasten upon their shoots make them miscarry and hinder them from thriving they are most troublesome in very hot and dry years not appearing at all in other years there has been no Remedy found yet against this mischief B. BAlm called in French Melisse is an Odoriferous Herb whose Leaf when tender makes a part of Sallet-Furnitures It is multiplyed both by Seed and by rooted Branches like Lavender Time Hyssop c. Basil is an annual Plant that is very delicate We seldom sow it but upon Hot Beds and not in open Ground as we do Purslain Lettuce c. We begin to sow some in that manner at the very beginning of February and we may continue so to do the whole year It s tender Leaves are mixed in a small quantity with the Furnitures of Sallets among which they make an agreeable perfume It is likewise used in Ragou's especially dry ones for which reason we take care to keep some for Winter We gather its Seed in the Month of August and usually to make it run to Seed we transplant it in the Month of May either in Pots or Beds There are several sorts of it but that which bears the biggest Leaves and especially if they incline to a Violet Colour and that which bears the least Leaves are the two most curious that which produces midling ones being the ordinary or Common sort The Common Bays or Bay-Tree is a shurb of no very great use in our Gardens and therefore it is enough to have some few Plants of it in some well sheltered place to gather some Leaves of them when occasion requires Beans as well those of the Common and Garden sort as those called Kidney-Beans and French-Beans and in French Aricôs are sown in open Ground and grow not otherwise The Aricô French or Kidney-Beans are sown about the latter end of April and all the Month of May and are very sensible of the Frost The Common Garden Beans are sown at the same time with Hasting-Peas both in November and in February Hot Beds See the Works in November Bete-raves or Red beet-Beet-Roots are annual Plants propagated only by Seed and are seldom transplanted They are sown in the Month of March either in Beds or Borders They must be sown very thin or at least if they come up too thick they must be very much thinned or else they will not grow so fair and large as they should be They require a very good and well prepared Ground They are the best that have the Reddest substance and the Reddest Tops They are not good to spend till towards the end of Autumn and all the Winter Season To have Seed of them we transplant in March some of the last years Roots that we have preserved from the Frost their Seed is gathered in the Months of August and September White or Chard-Beets See Chards Borage and Bugloss grow and are to be ordered in the same manner as Arrach only they come not up so vigorously We sow of them several times in the same Summer because their Leaves in which consists all their excellence are good only whilst they are tender that is while they are young Their little Violet Colour'd Flowers serve to adorn Sallets Their Seed falls assoon as 't is ripe and therefore must be carefully watch'd The surest way is to cut down the stalks and lay them a drying in the Sun assoon as ever the Seeds begin to ripen and by that means we shall lose but very few Bourdelai's otherwise called Verjuice as well the White as Red sort is a kind of Vine which is pruned and slipt or layed and graffed and planted as other Vines are in the Months of January February and March Care must be taken to tie up its Branches either to props or some sort of trail about the middle of June at latest or else the wind destroys it quite We must also pick and pluck off the weak and unprofitable Branches of these Vines and when we prune them 't is enough to leave two three or four fair Branches at most upon each stock and to keep them not above three or four buds long every one of which usually shoots forth one bearing Branch with three or four fair Bunches of Grapes upon each Branch My practice is in all sorts of Vines but particularly in the Muscat or Musked sorts to keep the lower Branches shorter by two buds than the highest to keep the Plant always low when I would not have them mount up upon a Trail Buckshorn-Sallet See Hartshorn-Sallet Burnet called in French Pimprenelle or Pimpernelle is a very Common and ordinary Sallet furniture which is seldom sown but in the Spring and is sown thick either in Beds or Borders It often Springs afresh after cutting of which the youngest shoots must be chosen for Sallets the Leaves that are any thing old being too tough It does
Plant immediately dies and that without recovery In others 't is seated in the Ball of the Root as in Tulips Jacintes Imperiales Anemonies c. And these Plants do not die but when their round Root is spoiled by Heat or Cold or Wet or by being cut or bruised nor will the taking away the fore-mentioned Eye do them any great hurt In others besides its principal Seat which I shall speak of by and by when I come to Treat of Great Trees 't is diffused like a kind of Seed through all the remoter Parts as is evident in the Branches of Vines Fig-Trees Quince-Trees Salows Ivy Girostees Jaunes and in general of all sorts that easily admit of either Engraffing or Inoculation Lastly In others as in all Trees both those that do and such as do not bear Fruit this Vital Principle seems to be between the Bole and the Roots for the Upper Parts may be cut off and the Roots taken away provided nothing be done to the very place where it is lodged and yet the Tree be so far from being prejudiced thereby that on the contrary this will make it send forth both more Branches and more Roots Now that which gave me the greatest Light in judging of the Seat of this Vital Principle was the Observations I made upon the Sprouting either of Almonds or Peach-Stones or the Seeds of Melons Lettuces or any other sort of Pot-herbs that when they come once to be throughly moisten'd and heated in the Earth the Substance of each swelling so as not to be any longer contained within their respective Shells or Skins it makes it self a passage out at the sharpest part of the Shell or Seed howsoever it happen'd to lie in the Ground and thence issues out first the beginning of a Root white and proportionable to the Nut or Seed out of which is sprouts This directing its course downwards grows longer and thicker and sends forth other small Roots all along on every side of it And all this it does before any thing appears to ascend upwards to the surface of the Earth But at length when the Root has so fixed and strengthen'd it self as to be able to support and nourish the Plant whereof it is to be the Foundation then at the very same place where it sprung out the Nut or Seed perfectly opens it self to give a passage to the Stem which begins its Formation exactly in the same place with the Root and by degrees it works it self through all the Earth that lies upon it and at last appears above Ground in a few small Leaves which shew both the Top of the Plant and of what kind it is and so grows up to its natural bigness I hold then that there is in Plants a certain Principle of Life and that is the very same that Philosophers call The Vegetative Soul and that 't is a necessary Agent which at certain times cannot but act and that too sometimes after such a manner as Men shall direct But to make it do so care must be taken that That part of the Plant where this Vital Principle is chiefly lodged be perfectly sound that the Principle it self be moved and actuated by a just degree of Heat and lastly that if the Plant have Roots they be found and set in a good Earth duly moisten'd But for the better clearing of this Particular it may be necessary to observe these four Things First That that part of the Plant where the Vital Principle is seated be sound and in good condition For if it be in the least Putrified or Corroded or have suffered any thing from Cold Drought or any other Accident it will receive no benefit from that Heat which Plants require but will at best Thrive but very ill and perhaps quite die away Secondly That it be Cherished with a due and a proportionable degree of Heat both in the the Earth and in the Air For some Plants are soon Heated and put into Action as all Spring-Flowers in General the Indian Chesnut the Raspis the Sparagus and most Kitchin-Herbs and particularly the Oignons de Coronne Imperiale the Tulip and some others some of which shoot out their Roots and others their Stem without being set in the Ground and that too when the Power of Vegetation seems to be as it were asleep namely in the month of August And others again are of a colder Complexion and harder to be moved such as the Mulberry Yew-seeds Sweet Charvil c. And therefore 't is no wonder if all Plants do not enter upon Action at one and the same time tho' the Heat both of the Earth and of the Air be the same to all and upon that Consideration might be supposed to Influence all alike So that it is evident that 't is the different Nature of the Plants that makes them quicker or slower in entring upon a state of Action Thirdly That the Action of the Vital Principle is limited and confined to certain spaces of Time which in some Plants are much longer than in others as in all larger Trees and especially in those we commonly call for distinction-sake Green-Trees such as the Yew the Espicias the Holly c. as also in the Orange-Trees In most of which Trees it scarcely ever gives over Acting either in Summer or Winter provided none of those four Qualifications be wanting In other Plants this Season of Action is much shorter and can by no means be prolonged beyond that time Nature has assigned it as in Lettices Pease Tulips Anemonies Hyacinths c. all which have but a very short time of Action and appear in a manner quite dead within a very few months after they first began to give any certain signs of Life The last thing I am to observe is That the Roots must not only be sound but also set in a good Earth duly moisten'd For if the Roots be Damaged either by drought or any other way or if being Sound they happen to be set in an Earth that is either bad or exhausted or lastly if being good it want due moisture In any of these cases you will not be sensible of any manner of Action the Plant performs And this is a Truth which every body knows so that I need not Enlarge upon it We see daily Instances of it especially in the Spring in Trees both kept in Chests and newly Set. For if either of these want moisture without which they cannot Act and consequently grow too Hot and Dry they immediately seem as it were Faint and in a dying Condition but no sooner are they wet either with a Shower or by the Gardiner's Hand then you immediately observe in them just such another Change as is made the same way in Persons recovered out of a Swoon For as in this latter Case Persons in a Swoon recover themselves by receiving a little Wine or Spirits which Recovery is perform'd by the Nutritive Faculty which coming to Act upon this new Supply of Nourishment makes use of
whatsoever were desireable for the Furniture of such a Ground with the most excellent and Warantable Fruit I say Warantable because it is peculiarly due to their honnest Industry and so rarely to be met with elsewhere and other Accessories to Gardens of all Denominations as in that Vast and ample Collection which I have lately seen and well consider'd at Brompton Park near Kensington The very sight of which alone gives an Idea of something that is greater than I can well express without an endumeration of Particulars and of the exceeding Industry Method and Address of those who have undertaken and Cultivated it for publick Use I mean Mr. George London chief Gardner to their Majesties and his Associate Mr. Henry Wise For I have long observ'd from the daily practice and effects of the laudable Industry of these two Partners that they have not made Gain the only mark of their Pains But with Extraordinary and rare Industry endeavour'd to improve themselves in the Mysteries of their Profession from the great Advantages and now long Experience they have had in being Employ'd in most of the celebrated Gardens and Plantations which this Nation abounds in besides what they have learn'd Abroad and where Horticulture is in highest Reputation I find they not only understand the Nature and Genius of the several Soils but their usual Infirmities proper Remedies Composts and Applications to Reinvigorate exhausted Mould sweeten the foul and tainted and reduce the Sower Harsh Stuborn and Dry or over moist and diluted Earth to its genuine Temper and Constitution and what Aspects and Situations are proper for the several sorts of Mural Standard Dwarf and other Fruite-trees They have made Observations and given me a Specimen of that long but hitherto wanting particular of Discriminating the several kinds of Fruits by their Characteristical Notes from a long and Critical observation of the Leafe Tast Colour and other distinguishing Qualities So as one shall not be impos'd upon with Fruits of Several Names when as in truth there is but one due to them For instance in Peares alone a Gentleman in the Country sends to the Nuseries for the Liver Blanch Piguigny de chouille Rattau blane c. the English St. Gilbert Cranbourn Pears and several other names when all this while they are no other than the well known Cadillac The same also hap'ning in Peaches Apples Plums Cherris and other Fruit for want of an accurate examination by comparing of their Taste and those other Indications I have mentioned For which Gentlemen complain and not without cause that the Nursery-Men abuse them when 't is their Ignorance or the Exotic Name of which they are so fond I find they have likewise apply'd themselves to attain a sufficient Mastery in Lines and Figures for general design and expeditious Methods for casting and leveling of Grounds and to bring them into the most apt Form they are capable off which requires a particular Address and to determine the best Proportions of Walks and Avenues Starrs Centers c. suitable to the lengths and how and with what materials whether Gravel Carpet c. to be layed They have a numerous Collection of the best Designs and I perceive are able of themselves to Draw and contrive other applicable to the places when busie Works and Parterrs of Imbroidery for the Coronary and Flower Gardens are proper or desired And where Fountaines Statues Vasas Dials and other decorations of Magnificence are to be plac'd with most advantage To this add a plentiful and choice Collection of Orange-trees Lemon Mertil Baies Jassmines and all other Rarities and Exotics requiring the Conservatory after they have embellish't their proper stations abroad during the Summer and for continuing a no less ornament in the Green-House during Winter They have a very brave and noble Assembly of the Flowery and other Trees Perennial and variegated Ever-Greens and shrubs hardy and fittest for our Climate and understand what best to plant the humble Boscage Wilderness or taller Groves with where and how to dispose and govern them according as Ground and situation of the place requires both for shelter and ornament For which purpose and for Walks and Avenues they have store of Elms Limes Platans Constantinople-Chesnuts Black-Cherry-trees c. Nor are they I perceive less knowing in that most useful though less pompous part of Horticulture the Potagere Meloniere Culinarie Gardent Where they should most properly be plac'd for the use of the Family how to be planted furnish'd and Cultivated so as to afford great pleasure to the Eye as well as profit to the Master And they have also Seeds Bulbs Roots Slips for the Flowery Garden and shew how they ought to be order'd and maintain'd Lastly I might super-add the great number of Grounds and Gardens of Noble-men and Persons of Quality which they have made and planted ab Origine and are still under their Care and inspection though at Considerable Distances and how exceedingly they prosper to justifie what I have freely said in their behalf And as for the Nursery part in Voucher and to make good what I have said on that particular one needs no more than take a Walk to Brompton Park upon a fair Morning to behold and admire what a Magazine these Industrious Men have provided fit for age and Choice in their several Classes and all within one Inclosure Such an Assembly I believe as is no where else to be met with in this Kingdom nor in any other that I know of I cannot therefore forbear to Publish after all the Encomiums of this great Work of Mounsâ— de la Quintinye which I confess are very just what we can and are able to perform in this part of Agriculture and have some Amaenities and advantages peculiar to our own which neither France nor any other Couutry can attain to and is much due to the Industry of Mr. London and Mr. Wise and to such as shall Imitate their Laudable Undertankings Be this then for their Encouragement and to gratifie such as may need or require their Assistance J. EVELYN CAbala sive Scrinia Sacra Mysteries of State and Government in Letters of Illustrious Persons and Great Ministers of State as well Foreign as Domestick in the Reigns of King Henry the Eighth Queen Elizabeth King James and King Charles Wherein such Secrets of Empire and Publick Affairs as were then in Agitation are clearly Represented and many remarkable Passages faithfully Collected To which is added in this Third Edition A Second Part consisting of a Choice Collection of Original Letters and Negotiations never before published With two Exact Tables to each Part the one of the Letters and the other of the most Remarkable Occurrences Essays of Michael Seigneur de Montaigne In Three Books With Marginal Notes and Quotations of the cited Authors And an Account of the Authour's LIFE To which is added a short Character of the Authour and Translator by way of Letters Writen by a Person of Honour New rendred
thrust the Root For rugged Pumice or a scorching Clay Will stop their Passage and obstruct the way A stiffned Marl resist or Chalk deny The vital moisture and the Plant will die A rocky ground avoid with equal care That moisture wants and is averse to bear The wither'd Trunks will stretch its Arms in vain To dropping Clouds and beg supplies from Rain But Shrubs and common Flowers that quickly shoot Ask little Earth nor fix a deeper root On any Bed you may securely plant For Nature's kind and will suppy their want On little Earth they are content to live And crave no moisture but what Clouds can give With various Beauties they adorn the Soil Whilst odorous Sweets refresh the Tiller's toil Observe these Rules the stubborn'st ground will yield And Flowers and Trees will crown the poorest field Rich Orchards arise and fruitfull Branches shoot And Fields once barren wonder at their Fruit. Thus learn'd Quintinius spoke and more design'd Disclosing the large treasures of his mind But L s with officious cares opprest Revolving Fates of Empires in his Breast Thus said Enough whilst I for Arms prepare And Victory the Royal Gardens be thy care He said Enlarg'd Quintinius bow'd and took A higher Genius from his awful look Scarce had he cast enlivening Eyes a-round But hatefull Barrenness forsook the Ground Her long black Wings upon a Northern wind She stretcht nor left one blasting damp behind To Lybia's parcht inhospitable plains She fled and there in a vast Desart reigns Secure she reigns but lo the times shall come I see them roul through the Abyss of Doom When our victorous Arms shall reach the Moors And plant fresh Lilies on the barren shores With new born grace the Fields began to smile And felt his vigor ere he turn'd the soil O happist Artist Thou alone couldst grace The Royal Gardens and exalt the place Oblige great L s and thy Art alone Adorn those Seats where he hath fixt his Throne To thee her business Nature gladly yields And sits at Ease whilst Art improves the Fields Here Frost and Snow in vain cold Winters bring You break their Force and make perpetual spring In every season foreign Fruits appear And various Flowers crown all the blooming year Here groves and Forests rise here Fawns do sport In shady Grots here Sylvan Gods resort Secure from the mad tumults of the Court. And hence the gay Pomona crown'd with flowers And fill'd with Fruit enjoys Versalian Bowers With statelier pace and with a nobler port Approaches L s and adorns his Court. An Explication of the Terms of Gard'ning in an Alphabetical Order A. TO Ablaqueates or lay bare the Roots of Trees See Bare and Trees and Roots Acclivity is the sloping of the side of a Hill or Bank or Ridge or any other Ground not level considered as Rising or Ascending which when considered as descending is called Declivity See Declivity Ados is a French Term signifying sometimes a sloping Bank raised against some well exposed Wall to sow hasting or early Pease or Beans in or plant Artichokes or any thing else we would have more forward than ordinary and sometimes Ridges or Double Slopes with Furrows or Drains between them to lay the Plants dry in wet or marshy or over moist Grounds See Banks Hillocke and Slopes Agriots in French Griots are a sort of choice Cherries of the sharp sort such as are our right Kentish Cherries Alberdge is a name given to Peaches that are but of a small or scarce midling Size To Aline is to range level or lay even in and to a strait and direct Line Said of Walls Rows of Trees and sides of Banks Allies or Beds which is performed with Lines fastned to Spikes fixed in the Ground or Wall as is amply described in its proper place See to Range to Level Aliners are such Rangers or Men imployed in the abovesaid work of Ranging or Levelling Rows of Trees Walls c. It were well our English Gard'ners would naturalize those two Words not being otherwise able to express their signification without a Circumlocution and having with less necessity naturalized many other forreign terms without so much as altering their Termination which in these I have made perfectly English Allies are such as we call Walks in any Garden See Walks and their Use and Proportion see in the Body of the Book Allies are said to be Bien Tirrées Bien Repassées or Bien Retirrées that is well plain'd when they are laid smooth and firm and tight again with the beater or rouling Stone after they have been scraped or turned up with an Instrument to destroy the Weeds Diagonal Allies See Diagonal Parallel Allies See Parallel To Amend is to Meliorate recruit or improve any Ground that is either exhausted by continual bearing or that is naturally Barren with Dung Marl Compost Fresh Mold or any other usual way of improvement Amendment is Mucking Dunging or any other way recruiting or improving of Ground as abovesaid Amputation is the sloping or cutting off of any considerable Branch or Limbs of a Tree Annual Plants or Flowers are such as continue but a Year Ants Pismires or Emets are known Insects Approlch to Graff by Approach See Graffing and Inoculation in the first part of this Work To Apple or Pome See to Pome Argots or Spurs are the pointed ends and extremities of dead Branches in any Trees which no neat Gard'ner will neglect to cut off But it is particularly necessary to do it in Nurseries for Trees grafsed Scutcheon-wise See Spurs Arms are the main Branches or Limbs of a Tree Aromatick Plants are such as are Spicy and hot in Scent and Tast whether sweet or no. Artichoke-Eyes or Eyelets are the off-sets growing about the main Stool or Heart of Artichoke Roots from which Spring the Suckers or Slips by which they are propagated Artichokes Suckers are of two sorts viz. Headed Suckers that bear small Heads and shoot out of their stems round about their main Heads but grow not so big or Suckers which as is abovesaid spring from the Off-setts of their Main Roots called by the French Orilletons or Eyelets which are therefore their Slips or Slip-suckers App See Exposure and Exposition Avenves are certain Allies or Walks in Gardens larger than ordinary but more properly leading to the front of the Houses which are commonly accompanied with two Bye-Walks commmonly call'd Counter-Walks which are both Bordered with great Trees either Elms Linden Trees or Oaks and sometimes Standard Fruit-Trees Aviary is a convenient place in a Garden or House where Birds are kept to Sing Breed c. Augusted is a Term used to signifie any thing that is Sun burnt and has endured the heat of the Summer and is turned ripe and yellow like Corn in August and hard and firm withall It is spoken of several things as of Branches of Trees that are of a full Summers growth of Melons Pumpions c. when they are grown yellow and hard and will endure the
heat enough to put forth its productions and brings forth every thing later than other places It is called forward or hasty when Fruits ripen in it betimes as at St. Germains Paris St. Maur c. and backward when it has a contrary effect It is called loose light and mellow when either by art or nature it is brought to a midling consistence that is loose and light like sand and yet partaking of the heart and substance of good mould easily obeying the spade rake and other instruments and penetrable to Seeds and the shoots and Fibrous Roots of Plants and Trees It is called new or fresh when it never served yet to the production of any Plant such as is found two or three foot or more in depth beyond the surface or upper crust of the Ground It is called made or transported Earth when 't is brought into the Garden from some other place It is called Fallow Ground when 't is laid to rest a year or two or more without being planted or sown with any thing See hollow It is called over wrought or exhausted Ground when it has been a long time continually tilled sown and Planted without intermission and without any recruit or amendment Lastly it is called light and sandy when without having any body of true Earth its parts do not stick together no not with the Rain it self but are so loose that no plants can take hold enough to fix any Root there Mould is transported Earth and is either Natural or Artificial Natural Mould is pure choice well tempered Earth taken from the bottom or under pasture of a Meadow or other place where the Earth is naturally rank and mellow or made out of the castings of Ditches or Ponds well dryed sunned and dressed c. Artificial Mould is Earth composed of rotten Dung natural Mold rotted Leaves of Trees and other proper fanting and enriching Materials See Compost To Earth up is to bank or hillock up the Earth about Cellery Endive Long Lettuce Chards c. almost to their Tops to whiten them Edgings are the edges of Borders or Beds which are garnished with Sweet Flowers or Herbs Espaliers are Wall-trees or any Trellissed or pallisado'd Tree Estiloers Ever Greens are such Plants whose Leaves are always Green as Bays Lawrel Holly c. Exhautted See Earth Exoticks are Foreign Plants brought from beyond the Seas and that do not naturally grow in our Climates Exposition Exposure and Aspect signifie the same thing and denotes the posture or situation any Wall or plant is in in order to receive the Benefit of the Rays and influence of the Sun And is fourfold viz. Northern Southern Eastern Western The Good Expositions are those of the East and South whereof the South is the best The Bad Exposition is that of the North. The Midling or Indifferent Exposition is that of the West See them all described in the Body of the Work Eye a young Bud just appearing in the Bark of a Tree Is called an Eye See Bud. The Crown or higher extremity of any Kirnel Fruit is likewise termed an Eye F. FAggots is the brushy or small part in the middle of a Faggot laid at the bottom of Cases for Orange-Trees to keep the Earth lose and let the moisture pass Fall the falling or sloping of any piece of Ground downward is called Declivity Which See Fallow Earth or Ground is Ground laid to rest and only tilled mucked and amended without sowing or planting any thing in for a certain time till it be recruited See Earth False Flowers or Blossoms are those Flowers or Blossoms of Cucumbers Melons c. that do not knit or set for Fruit but fall off without producing any thing False Wood. See Branches Fangs is a term signifying the Claws of Ranunculus and such like Roots with which they take hold in the Ground See Claws To Fan or Skreen Corn or Seeds is a well known Term. Fane is a French Term the top or leafy part properly of such Plants whose Leafs are only or mostly in use as of Radishes Turneps c. being that part of them as the word imports that is subject to fade and wither It is called in English sometimes Foliage See Foliage Tops Leaves A Fathom is a measure of six Foot called in French a Toise and is a Term much used by this Author See Toise Feed as to feed Vines with Blood and other nourishing and refreshing mixtures Fibres are small long Roots like Hairs that spring out of the larger Roots of Trees To Fill or Knit is said of Fruit when it begins to Plump See Knit and Plump Fine as Roses or Arroses fine are gentle waterings Fleas are a sort of black Vermine that hang upon and spoil Plants called Pucerons in French from their likeness to other Fleas Flavour is a grateful tast mixed with a fragrant smell as in some Wine and Fruit when we say they have a fine Flavour To Fill or Knit is said of Fruit when it begins to Plump See Knit and Plump A Florist is a Gard'ner that cultivates Flowers or any other Person that understands and delights in the same Feliage is the leafy part of a Tree or other Plant or a great quantity of Leaves Ferest-Trees are such Trees as bear no Fruit but are planted only for Yards Avenues c. Fork and to Fork the Earth c. are Terms that need no Explanation Forward Fruits Plants or Legumes are such as ripen or grow fit to be eaten betimes in the Year See Hastings To Force is to advance things to Maturity upon Hot-beds before their natural Season Fotherd Grounds is ground upon which Cattel are fed upon in Winter with Hay c. to better it A Free-stock as Free-stock upon Free-stock is a Graff upon a Wilding or a Graff of a Wilding upon a Wilding See Stock Frost-bitten is said of Blossoms Buds Shoots Fruits or any Edible plants that are killed or otherwise spoild with the Frost A Fruit-loft Garner Room Store-house or Magazine is a place where Fruit is laid up Kernel-Fruit is Fruit that comes of Kernels or Seeds as Apples Pears Quinces Stone Fruit is Fruit that comes of and contains Stones or hard Shells inclosing their Seed growing within the pulp of the Fruit as Peaches Plums c. Furnitures are all hot and spicy Herbs mixed with Lettuce Purslain and other cold Herbs in Sallets to temper and relish them as Rocket Tarragon Basil c. To fold in is said of Leaves of decayed or blasted Plants that shrink wither and curl up together on a heap The Foot of a Tree is that swelling part of a Tree between the Body or Trunk and the Roots of the Trees that are covered in the Earth It is sometimes called in French the Neck of a Tree G. AGage is a Hole or Trench dug to plant a Tree in of a certain depth which serves a measure for all the rest in the same row Gardens are choice inclosed pieces of Ground planted with
or commend something in them as if they really intended thereby to discover what they are and yet nothing is more dangerous for the service of a Garden nor more disagreeable for such a Master than to expose himself to be laugh'd at or corrected by his Gard'ner which certainly happens when the Master is not capacitated to speak like an Artist upon that Subject It consists in the Fifth Place in being reputed capable of giving good advice and willingly to those who stand in need of it What greater satisfaction can a man receive than to assist or undeceive a friend who was in an error or at a loss and ready to give over his undertaking putting him afterwards in a way of daily commending the good Fortune his Friend has procured him in his Work Lastly this Pleasure chiefly consists in being capable of judging by our selves and for our selves of the capacity of a Gard'ner either to avoid the Inconveniency of sometimes discharging a good one upon very trivial pitiful reasons and then taking an ill one in his room or to resolve wisely to discard him who has not done his duty and be able to chuse another better qualify'd Now if it be true that there is so much facility in attaining so many real Pleasures which I am going to demonstrate visibly am I not in the right to conclude that when any body undertakes a Garden without endeavouring to get at least a sufficient insight in Gard'ning he deserves all the disgusts which are numerous instead of deserving all the delights it may produce the number of which is infinite and that consequently it is necessary to study the attaining of such a degree of knowledge as is absolutely requisite in those Affairs It may perhaps be objected at first that hereby I propose an Infallible expedient to introduce the most pernicious thing in nature in all manner of affairs that is to introduce Sciolists or Smatterers The Objections seems pretty strong but the two Answers I am going to make to it in my opinion are yet of much more force The first is that when a Gentleman shall once have attain'd a certain knowledge of some Principles capable of affording him a good Tincture of Gard'ning it is most certain that he will not rest with that bare knowledge of the first Elements but will infallibly have a passionate desire of knowing something more of an Art that he is so much delighted with He will soon improve the knowledge he shall have acquir'd and consequently will not remain long in that dangerous and so much fear'd station which is call'd Smattering The Second Answer which is no less material is that without doubt that Smattering of an Ingenious Person if we may call it so is much better being grounded upon good Principles than the false Notion of knowledge of common Gard'ners it being most certain that you seldom find any thing among such beyond a presumptuous Pratling Ignorance upheld by some wretched Rote Is it not a great happiness to be able to attain a sufficient insight into those matters and to put our selves above so many false reasonings we should otherwise be lyable to and so avoid a great deal of vexation to purchase abundance of Pleasure CHAP. II. How easie it is for a Gentleman to acquire at least a sufficient Knowledge in Point of Gard'ning NExt to that first Foundation which establishes that a Judicious Man must apply himself to the attaining a sufficient skill into Gard'ning I propose this That if he cannot afford so much time as to arrive to a full Perfection which is not absolutely necessary he may rest assured that he may learn enough for his purpose that is to be capable of ordering the most material Things that are to be done in his Garden and to hinder the Gard'ner from Imposing daily upon him provided he be in some measure instructed in the Five or Six following Articles The First relates to the Quality of the Ground its necessary Depth to the Tillage Amendments and ordinary modelling of useful Gardens The Second relates to the Trees to chuse them well qualified either when they are still in the Nurseries or taken from thence to know at least the Names of the Principal Kinds of Fruits of every Season to be able to distinguish them and what number of each the Compass of his Garden may require to understand how to prepare Trees both as to the Head and Roots before they are put into the Ground again and afterwards to place them at a convenient distance and expose them well to know if not all the Rules of Pruning yet at least all the Principal ones either as to Dwarfs or Wall-Trees how to Pinch off some Branches being over Vigorous to Pallisade such as require it as also the Triming of such useless Buds and Sprigs as cause a Confusion and lastly to give every one of them the Beauty which they are capable of The Third Article relates to Fruit to make it grow fine gather it prudently and eat it seasonably The Fourth relates to Graffs on all kind of Fruit-Trees whether placed in Gardens or still in the Nurseries both as to the Time and Manner of applying them In fine the Fifth Article relates to the general Conduct of all Kitchen-Gardens and especially to understand the Pleasure and Profit they may yield in every Month of the Year In my Opinion the Number of these Articles is not Considerable and I assure the Curious that they may be fully Instructed therein and in a little Time by the short Abridgment that follows CHAP. III. An Abridgment of the Maxims of Gard'ning First ARTICLE Of the Qualifications of the Earth or Soil THE Earth of a Garden is known to be good particularly for Fruit-Trees First when all that the Ground produces of it self or by Culture is Beautiful Vigorous Abundant and consequently nothing Poor or small when it should be strong or yellow when it should be green Secondly when in smelling to a handful of that Earth it casts no ill Smell Thirdly when it is easie to Till and is not over strong Fourthly When in the handling of it it is mellow without being too dry and light like Turf Earth or like Grounds that are altogether sandy Fifthly When it is not over-moist like Marshy Ground or too hard like Loomy Ground at the bottom of good Meadows approaching near the Nature of stiff Clay Lastly in Relation to the Colour it must chiefly be of a Blackish Grey and yet there are some that are Reddish which do very well I never saw any both very White and Good Second ARTICLE Of the Depth of the Ground Beneath the Surface that appears good you must have Three Foot of Earth like unto that which is above which is a very material Maxim of which you must be reasonably well assur'd by sounding the Ground at least in five or six different Places It is a great Error to be satisfied with less Depth especially for Trees and long
Rooted-Plants viz. Artichokes Beet Roots Scorsonnera Parsnips c. Third ARTICLE Of Tillages The most frequent are commonly the best at least in relation to Trees there must be Four Yearly viz. at the Spring and Midsummer at the end of August and immediately before Winter and generally speaking the Ground must never be left unmanur'd and full of Weeds nor trampled or beaten by great Showers of Rain It is very pleasing to the Eye when newly Till'd Your small Plants as Strawberries Lettice Succory c. require to be often Weeded the better to perform their Duty Fourth ARTICLE Directions for Amendments All sorts of Rotten Dung of what Animals soever Horses Mules Oxen Cows c. are excellent to amend the Grounds that are used for Kitchen Garden Plants Sheeps Dung has more Salt than all the others so that a smaller quantity of it must be used It is partly like that of Hens and Pigeons but I would not advise any one to make use of it by reason of a little sort of Fleas they abound with which generally spoil the Plants The Dung of Leaves throughly rotten is hardly fit for any thing but to be thrown over new sown Beds to hinder the Rains or Waterings from beating too much upon the Surface and so hinder the Seeds from rising All the Legumes of the Kitchen-Garden require a great deal of Dung the Plants or Layers of Trees require none The only good place to put the Amendments in is towards the Surface The worst place for Dung in Trenches or places that are Dug in order to plant Trees is in the Bottom As to those Trenches it cannot be said they are good and well made unless they be near six Foot wide and three in depth Fifth ARTICLE As for the common Disposition of Fruit and Kitchen-Gardens in my Opinion the best and most convenient for a Gard'ner is that which is made as much as can be in well regulated Squares so that if it be possible the Length may somewhat exceed the Breadth the Breadth of the Walks must likewise be proportion'd both to their Length and the whole Extent of the Garden The narrowest must not be less than six or seven Foot to Walk in and the broadest though never so long must not exceed three or four Fathom at most and as for the largeness of the Squares in my Opinion it is a Fault to make any above Fifteen or Twenty Fathom on one side to a little more or little less on the other they will be pretty well of Ten or Twelve on one side to Fourteen or Fifteen on the other all which is to be regulated proportionably to the largeness of the Kitchen-Garden The common Paths for the Convenience of Service are commonly of a Foot No Kitchen Garden though never so agreeable in the Disposition of it can ever succeed well without a Convenience for Waterings Sixth ARTICLE As to this Article which relates to the Knowledge of Fruit Trees that are to be planted it suffices and is material to know That a Tree to be worth the Chusing whilst yet in the Nursery must have a clean and shining Bark and the Shoots of the Year Long and Vigorous And if it be already out of the Ground it must besides these Conditions have fine sound Roots and passably thick in proportion to the Stem I seldom take any of those Trees that have nothing besides certain hairy or Capillar Roots The streightest Trees having but one Stem in my Opinion are the fittest to be chosen in order to Planting As to Peach and Apricock Trees those that have not been Graffed above a Year provided the Shoot be fair are better than those that have been Graffed Two or more and yet the Peach Trees require more exactness in this than the Apricocks and you must never take a Peach Tree unless it has fine sound and whole Eyes or Buds at the lower part of the Stem The thickness of an Inch or somewhat more in such Stems is what is particularly to be esteem'd in Peach Trees Peaches Graffed upon Almond Trees thrive better in a dry light Ground than in that which is Loamy and Moist But the clean contrary is to be observ'd for those that are Graffed upon Plum-Trees In all other Dwarf Trees the thickness must be between Two and Three Inches Circumference about the Lower Part. Only excepting Apple Trees Graffed upon Paradice Stocks for which the thickness of an Inch is sufficient The Thickness of high Standards is to consist of Five or Six Inches on the Lower Part and the height of about Six or Seven Foot The Graff of little Trees must be applied within two or three Fingers from the Ground And when it closes again it argues much Vigour in the Foot as well as a great deal of Skill in the Gard'ner who has had the Ordering of it All manner of Pears succeed in Dwarfs and Wall-Trees and upon free Stocks as well as upon Quince but it must be Noted they must only be Graffed upon free Stocks in Light Grounds as well as in those that are but of an ordinary Goodness Winter Bon Chrestien Pears can hardly attain that Yellow and Carnation Colour which is to be desired in them either upon Dwarfs or Wall Trees being Graffed upon free Stocks and therefore must be Graffed upon Quince Your Virgouteé and Robines upon Free Stocks are hard to bear but yet there is a Remedy for it they always bear much sooner upon Quince Your Bargamots and little Muscat Pears seldom succeed upon Dwarfs especially in moist Grounds The Principal kinds of Fruits either Pears Apples Peaches or Plums are sufficiently known but whereas the making of a very well contriv'd Plantation is of great Consequence Our new Curioso will do well to consult the Treatise I have written with a great deal of Exactness upon the Choice and proportion of all sorts of good Fruits to be planted in any Garden whatever either Dwarfs High Standards or wall Trees otherwise I dare affirm that he will be liable to commit abundance of Faults that will very much vex him In the mean time he ought to know that as to Pears the best for the Summer are the Little Muscats the Cuisses Madam or Lady-Thigh the Skinless Pear the Blanquettes or White Pears viz. the large the small and the long Stalk'd one the Robine the Cassolette the Musk Bon Chrestien the Rousselette and the Salviati The Chief for Autumn are the Beurré Burgamots Vertelongues Crasana Blossom'd Muscat Lansac and Loiiise Bonne For the Winter the Virgoule Leschasseris Espine or Thorn Pear Ambrette St. Germain Winter Bon Chrestien Colmar Bugy St. Austin and some Dry Martins As to Apples the Chief are the Calvilles both Red and White Reinettes both Grey and White all the Courpendus or short stalk'd Apples and the Fenellets As to Plums the principal are the Yellow Hasty the White and Purple Perdrigon the Mirabelles the several sorts of Damask the Rochecourbon the Emperasses the Apricock Plums the
this Matter but in general Terms in which as we have already said they make use of the Sparkish Term of Kindness to perswade the more agreeably Neither do I believe that if they were pressed to declare their Opinion they would say that they mean the most Vigorous since great Vigour appearing inconsistent with the abundance of Fruit it would be an ill Expedient in order to get Fruit to have recourse to a thing they should believe proper to maintain that Vigour and perhaps to augment it moreover Dung being only look'd upon as a Remedy and Remedies being only us'd for the Diseas'd it follows from thence that that Dung is not to be us'd for those Trees which far from being any wise Infirm have all the Signs imaginable of perfect Health throughout their whole Extent supposing then that Dung were capable of Improving Trees still I do verily believe that it would sooner harm these than procure them the least Advantage Therefore we may conclude that their Opinion is that Infirm Trees stand in need of the Assistance of Dungs Now in order if possible to disabuse the World of such an Error I affirm sincerely that by a study'd Experience of a long Series of Years I do know with certainty that all the Dung in the World can operate nothing in Favour of any Tree whatever I had liv'd long in that Common Error my Curiosity having begun by that as well as by the Rote of the Declinings of the Moon c. but am now happily undeceiv'd and all those who will take the Pains to inform themselves of the Truth thereof without prejudice will certainly conclude with me that at best it is but a useless Labour and Expence besides I declare that it is a great Happiness when it does not prove prejudicial those Dungs as I have hinted elsewhere being apt to Ingender Worms which kill the Trees and at most all the Vertue that is in them extends no farther than to produce small Roots which Roots though really good for small Plants can no wise contribute towards the forming of those fine Shoots by which we judge of the Vigour we desire in Trees But in order to enter a little farther into the convincing Proof of this Truth which I establish I should be glad to be inform'd exactly what an Infirm Tree is it is a matter I have enlarg'd upon sufficiently in the Treatise of the Distempers of Trees c. therefore I shall now only say that for Example an infirm Pear-Tree is not always to be concluded so by reason of its producing Yellow Shoots since there are some that are very vigorous and yet produce Leaves of that Colour they are only such upon which some thick old Branches die or such of which the Extremity of the new Shoots wither or such as produce none at all and remain scabby full of Cankers and Moss and yet blossom exceedingly yet little of the Fruit knits and that which does knit remains small stony and bad And when the Tree happens to produce large Yellow Shoots which happens frequently to some Pear-Trees Graffed upon Quince-Stocks which being planted in a dry lean Ground are naturally in a good Case this defect of Yellow Leaves proceeds from that some of the principal Roots lying level with the Ground are parch'd by the great Heats of the Summer Now the Dung which is imploy'd for Amendments and is consequently put pretty deep into the Ground can no wise prevent this On the other hand if any of the Branches of that Infirm Tree chance to die that Defect may proceed from that either the Tree may be overburthen'd with Branches compar'd to the small Vigour of it so as not to be able to Nourish them all or else from its being planted too high or too low or lastly from that the Earth which is to Nourish it is either bad or worn out and especially when the Foot of the Tree has many dead Roots As to the first Case Dung cannot discharge that Tree from its Burthen In the Second it cannot make it to be better Planted And in the Third it cannot revive the dead Roots And Lastly can produce no thick new ones for Dungs have never been able to Effect that neither great Dungs though never so Rotten nor the small ones we call Soil Thus as long as it produces no thick new Roots we must expect no fine new Shoots and while none of those kind of new Shoots are produc'd the Trees will always remain ill-favour'd and the Fruit will never be well-condition'd in its kind nor give us Satisfaction by the Abundance of it To this I add that if Dung had the Faculty of rend'ring a weak Tree Vigorous in the first place I should have Experienc'd it at one time or another after having try'd it so often which being I should be much to blame to dissent from an Opinion so well Establish'd and to endeavour at the same time to introduce a new Doctrine in the Room of it which instead of doing me any Kindness would only serve to turn me into Ridicule In the Second place if Dungs could afford Vigour especially to old Infirm Trees that Advantage would certainly be attended by a very great Inconvenience which is that it would occasion the Shooting of abundance of False Wood or Suckers and destroy the Disposition of that Tree towards the producing of Fruit since contrary to the Masters Intention it would cause those Buds which were grown round for Fruit to shoot out for Wood which Wood must of necessity be remov'd as being Ill-condition'd and ill plac'd I explain more particularly in another Place what is most proper to be done in such a Case and that is at the End of the Fifth Book where I propose Remedies for the Infirmities of old Trees But supposing it were good to Dung Trees which I do not allow what true Rule can be had for the more or less quantity of Dung each Tree may require Will a moderate quantity produce the same Effect as a great one or will not a great quantity perform more than a small or moderate one Moreover in what place shall that Dung be plac'd shall it be near the Stem or Foot or at a distance from it It will be useless near the Stem since the Extremities of the Roots where all the Action is perform'd being distant from it can receive no Benefit by it and yet it is commonly laid particularly in that place therefore those Amendments should be plac'd near those Extremities but how shall one be certain in what part they lay especially since those Extremities stretching out Yearly consequently Yearly change their place c. I conclude by this Vulgar Observation That Infirm Trees are met with in good Grounds as well as in ill ones will the same Remedy be proper for both There appears to me a great deal of difficulty to answer those three last Questions justly so that those certainly engage themselves in a great Confusion who will
if their roots be much defective we must e'en reckon such Trees good for nothing To be able to pronunce a Tree then to be well qualified as to its roots in the first place they must be of a proportionable thickness to the bigness of the Tree that is it must have at least one root very near as big as the body of the Tree for when they are all small and Fibrous and like a head of Hair it is almost an infallible sign of the weakness of the Tree and of its approaching death or at least of its never being likely to produce any good effect neither is the over great quantity of such Fibres any very good sign In the second place we must see that the principal roots be neither rotten nor split nor very much peeled or unbarked nor grown very red or dry or hard for if they be rotten they show a great infirmity in the principle of life of the whole Tree the roots never rotting when the Tree is in good health If they be split in the place out of which they Spring it is a wound that may be termed incurable and the Gangreen and Rottenness will sieze upon it and so it will be left like a Work-man without either hands or tools And therefore they who pull up Trees should be very careful to do it dextrously and gently and for that effect to make good holes that they may not be obliged to strain any part of them too violently when they draw them up or else they will not fail to split or break some good Root or other If likewise they be too much grated or unbark't in those parts which should be most particularly preserved those are also dangerous wounds and especially in Stone Fruit-Trees the gum seldom failing to breed in them And in fine if the roots be dried up either by frost or by having been too long drawn out of the Ground and exposed to the air we are to Reject that Tree it being certain it will never take to grow again I most particularly value the young roots that are Newliest shot out they sprouting commonly out of that part of the main body nearest the surface of the Ground and care little for the old ones which are commonly knotty and in Pear-Trees Plum-Trees Wildings c. they are blackish whereas the young ones are reddish and pretty smooth and even In Almond-Trees they are Whitish in Mulberry-Trees yellowish and in Cherry-Trees Reddish CHAP. XIX How to prepare a Tree for Planting THis preparation is of so great a consequence for the making of Trees take new footing and grow again that very often they take and produce a good effect only because they were well prepared before they were replanted and no less often fail taking or producing a good head or top because they were ill prepared There are two things to be prepared in them viz. a less principal one which is the head or top and another which is most highly principal and important and that is the foot or roots As to the head there is but little mystery in ordering that either in Standard or Dwarf-Trees it being needful only for that effect to remember these two points The first is that as it appears we do a great prejudice to a Tree when we pluck it up because we always weaken it thereby and abate its vigour and its activity at least for some time we must therefore take off so much of its charge and burthen about its head as may be proportionable to what we take from it of that strength and activity as we certainly do by removing to a new place and retrenching it of some of its Roots That is a maxim that needs no proof The second point we are to be mindful of is that we must leave its body no higher than is convenient for the use the Tree is designed for Some being to produce their effect very low as the Dwarfs and Wall-Trees which therefore must be cut pretty short and others to produce theirs very high as the Standard-Trees which therefore must be left of a considerable height But I seldom cut either sort of them to the length they are to be of till I have first finish'd the whole operation that is to be performed about their roots And this is the Method I observe in doing it First I order all the Fibres to be cut off as near as can be to the place out of which it springs unless it be a Tree that I plant again assoon as ever 't is pluck'd up without leaving it a moment out of the Ground otherwise if it continue never so little while in the air all that would be good to preserve of its root which is a kind of tuft of White small hair like roots or Fibres turns presently black and consequently spoils being as it seems no more able to endure the air than some sorts of fish that die as soon as ever they are out of the Water But we can never have opportunity to save this White Fibrous part of the roots but when we pull up a Tree in one part of our Garden to plant it immediately in another place of the same Garden for then indeed we may save some part of those Fibres which is not broken and whose extremities or points appear still acting as 't were and that comes out of a good place otherwise if all those conditions be not found in it we are not to make any account of it and for the better preservation of it we may too at the same time take along with it some of its former mold that hangs next about it like a kind of Turf taking care in planting it to place and spread out well that hairy or Fibrous part To return now to order a Tree that has been longer pulled up I first of all then take away all that Fibrous or hairy part which many Gard'ners save with so much care and so little reason in such Trees as those And when I am about stocking any large Plantation Iorder my people immediately to fall to work to retrenching from the Trees what is to be cut from them before I plant them and that both in the day time in some bye place of the Garden and particularly in the night in some place within-doors by candle light to hinder the delaying of some other work no less in hast that cannot be done but without-doors and so by that means I take advantage of the night which comes upon us so soon and so unconveniently at the usual season of making our plantations The Fibres being thus taken away and by that means the greater roots laid open to my full view I am the better able to see the bad ones to take them quite off and to discern the good ones to save them and afterwards to regulate the cutting them to the exact length I would leave them of and very often when I find the roots of any Trees
replanting that every one might see what a Tree well prepared and well planted should do to thrive and succeed well and wherein it may have been faulty if it prospers not And when I have done all that I think fitting to the roots then I endeavour discreetly to judge what depth the lowest roots require in the Ground and what quantity of earth the highest roots must have laid over them for they must be secured and put out of the reach as well of the Injuries of the Air as of the delving tools c. and then I determine of what length or height the Tree must be above Ground that I may have no occasion to touch it any more after 't is planted for we must needs shake and loosen it when we let alone cutting it till after 't is planted and that shaking seems to me to be very dangerous to the Tree We need not fear the Frost will do any harm to the place where the Tree is cut off and shortned there assuredly never hap'ning any inconvenience that way as I can maintain to you by certain experience which you may venture to believe upon my word The length of the Bodies of the Trees to be left above Ground to all sorts of Trees is to be regulated as follows If they be little and to be planted in a dry Soil they must be allowed six or seven Inches because that in Summer their head or top may be able to skreen their foot or rooting from the burning heat of the Sun In moist Grounds they may have ten or eleven or twelve at most that their head or top may not too much hinder the heat from imparting its influence to the foot or root which there has need of it As for the height of the Bodies of Standards that is always to be about six or seven Inches in all sorts of Grounds for taller ones would be too apt to be shaken or torn up by the roots by the Winds and shorter would be unpleasing to the sight unless it were a whole entire Plantation of Half Standards as is often practised for Plum-Trees Cherry-Trees c. We must have a great care in Peach-Trees to leave them two or three good Eyes or Buds in that proportion of length that is to remain to them otherwise they will be in danger of producing nothing but wild Shoots I have already told you that for all sorts of Trees and especially for Dwarfs I would chuse plants consisting but of one straight stick As for Standard-Trees I am not much against their having some Branches and I willingly leave those Branches long that being the feeblest cannot so well contribute to the beauty of the Figure but yet may yield fruit soonest and of the thick ones I leave two or three or sometimes four which when well placed may serve to begin the forming of a fair round top and I shorten them to the length of seven or eight Inches CHAP. XX. When and how to plant Trees when ready fitted and prepared for it THE first thing to be observed here is that in the season of planting which as all the world knows lasts from the end of October to the middle of March that is from the time that the Trees quit their Leaves till they are almost ready to begin to put forth new ones we must choose dry and mild weather without troubling our heads to take any notice of the Age of the Moon as formerly was practised rainy weather is not only incommodious to the Gard'ner in his Work but also hurtful to the Trees that are then planted because the mold is then too apt to be reduced to a mortar-like consistance which makes it not so proper to settle all cleverly down round about and close to the roots without leaving some hollow between which it is very expedient to prevent Now though all those months be equally fit to plant in so that it may seem the sooner it be done the better yet as I willingly affect to plant presently after Martlemas in dry and light Grounds so I care not to plant neither till the end of February in cold and moist ones because the Trees in these last can do nothing all Winter and may more likely be spoiled there than be able to preserve themselves whereas in lighter Grounds they may begin even that very same Autumn to shoot out some small roots which is a great advance to them to put them in the way of doing wonders in the following Spring The second observation is that we are to regulate exactly all the distances which are to be between one Tree and another whether they be Wall-Trees Dwarfs or Standards that we may know perfectly both the number of Trees to be planted in general and how many there are to be of every particular kind The third is to regulate exactly the places to be assigned both to each sort of Tree and to each particular Tree I liking best that all the Fruits of the same season should be placed in the same Canton or Parcel of Ground The fourth is to make even by a line holes about the wideness and form of a hat for I suppose trenches to be well made and if so the Hole though little will be big enough to plant the Tree in and it would be but time expence and Labour lost to make it bigger The fifth is to order every Tree to be carried and laid near its hole before we begin to plant any of them and if there be occasion to plant any Dwarf-Trees about any Squares or to form a Quincunce I would have the fairest and best qualified placed particularly at the corners of the several Squares or Ranks and likewise in Wall-plantations It 's most convenient always to plant the sinest Trees and those that bear the finest Fruits in the most eminent places and the most visited as near the Gates and along those Fruit Walls near the fairest Walks Yet though I here make choice of the fairest it do's not follow that we are never to plant any but such as are fair and accompanied with all the hopeful appearances of thriving Though it be true enough that after we have taken all the care we can to choose none but sine ones yet some of them will be always siner than the others The Trees then being all carried and laid every one near its assigned place if we be to plant Dwarfs I begin with the corners of each Square that they may serve to guide us to place the others direct in the same Lines and if the Soil has been newly dug up and moved and mixed with a good quantity of long dung so that it seems not to be so firm and close as it should be I take care to sink my Trees but about half a foot meaning that the extreamity of the lowest root of the Tree is but half a foot deep in the Earth because as I reckon the Ground will sink at least half
a foot and because it is better to plant too high than two low at the end of some months my Trees will be found sunk about a foot into the Earth which is the justest measure we can assign them in that respect Trees planted deeper almost always dying in a few years When I have planted the corner Trees then I place a man at that rank I have a mind to plant to adjust the Trees with a line that they may be sure to be planted in a right line and I take another man with a spade to cover up the roots of the Trees as fast as I present them in their places and be informed by my line manager that they are right in the line and so in one morning I will plant four or five hundred Dwarf-Trees with ease It is yet more easie to plant in a little time a great many Wall-Trees because there is no need of using a line but in forming a Quincunce we cannot go so fast because that as every Tree must answer exactly to two ranks there must be two Aliners viz. one for each rank and there is always some time lost before the Tree can be placed so exactly as equally to answer two several ranks And we must not only be careful to plant our Trees a little high and very straight but we must be particularly mindful to turn their principal roots towards the good Soil this being the most important point of all so that though it be much to be desired that all Trees designed for Dwarfs should appear straight upright upon their feet after they are planted yet if the disposition of their Roots which perhaps naturally incline to Pirot or spread round require that the Tree should be a little stooped to give that good situation to its Roots which I desire they should have that is to give them scope to spread rather between two Earths than to shoot right downward I not only make no difficulty to hold the head or the top of the Tree a little stooped and that always over the line that is stretched out by it but I counsel it as a thing necessary otherwise the roots that shoot from such a Tree being naturally inclined to follow the bent of those out of which they sprout it will happen that those roots being forced to shoot downwards as low as the bad mold towards the bottom or beyond the reach of the rain water the Tree will thereupon grow sick and languish and will make an ill-favoured figure and bring but scurvy Fruit and will at last die From what I have said of the good situation of the roots it follows that if we be to plant any Trees along by the sides of any Walk or Alley we must take care to avoid turning the principal roots towards the Alley side and with much greater reason ought we to do the same when we are planting Wall-Trees and to take special care we leave not any good root of them in vain to spend its force and vigour against the Walls This stooping of the head in low Trees need not raise in us any scurple or put us in any apprehension of spoiling the beauty either of their figure in particular or of that of the whole plantation in general because it is not the same case with Branches that are to spring forth as 't is with roots for the Branches do not at all follow the Disposition of the stooping head on the contrary they grow regularly upright round about their trunk and so because their rise is very near the Ground their Trees make as a well shaped figure as if they had been planted upright upon their center It is the standard Trees that are to grow in the full air that we are necessarily obliged to plant as upright upon their center as 't is possible for otherwise their Trunks would always remain standing awry and consequently would make an unseemly figure and besides would be more subject to the insults of violent winds and be apt to be overturned by them and therefore for that same consideration they must be planted a little deeper than other Trees that is they must be placed a full foot deep in the Ground and though I caution people not to trample over the Ground where our small Trees are planted for fear of making them sink too deep and because they are in no danger of the Winds on the contrary I advise them to press the Ground as hard and close as as they can against the feet of these Standards to fasten them and make them the firmer to resist the violence of the winds After the planting of every Tree if I have the convenience of any dung-hills I put a bed of two or three Inches thick of dung over every Tree foot and cover it over at the same time with a little Mold to hide it from being seen as being no handsome sight This bed of dung is not so much to improve the Ground which I suppose already to be good and well prepared as particularly to hinder the burning heat of the Months of April May and June from penetrating to their roots and by consequence from putting them out of due temper and hindering them from performing their function which would cause no less than the death of the Trees If I want dung I content my self during those first dangerous Months to cover the feet of my Trees with a bed of Weeds or Fern I hinder any thing from growing there that may shade or cloud the young shoots and if there be a great drought as it often happens I order a pitcher of water to be poured upon each Tree foot every fifteen days during the three or four hot Months making first a kind of circular trench round the Tree that the water may pierce quite down to it and when the water is all imbibed I fill and make up this circle again even with the rest of the Ground so that 't is not discerned But if the season prove rainy those waterings will not be necessary And after all these preparations and precautions yet we commonly think our selves happy enough if we can Stock our plantations so well as to have but few Trees miscarry under our conduct CHAP. XXI How to order Trees planted for Reserves in Osier Cases or Baskets BUT notwithstanding all this because some Trees may happen to die and yet as far as 't is possible it is to be desired our plantation should be compleated the very first year I use to prepare a greater number of Trees than I have actually need of to fill up my plantation that I may always have some as 't were in a Body of Reserve and for that purpose it is my practise at the same time I am filling up my plantations to plant some Supernumenary Trees of every kind in Osier Cases or Baskets but more of Stone than of Kernel Fruits because those former most commonly are in greater hazard of dying than the others
Branch being small at the time of its Graffing becomes afterwards much thicker than before methinks that it is hard forbearing to say that it is grown the stronger by it there being no likelyhood of maintaining on the contrary that the thicker it is the weaker it is From all I have been saying to explain the signification of those words Strong and Strength Weak and Weakness it follows that they may according to my sence be usefully employ'd and distinctly understood in the Treatise of the Pruning of Trees Now among these Trees there are some which yearly produce a great quantity of thick Branches and few small ones There are some that produce a reasonable number of both and in fine there are some which grow but little either from Foot or Head That is that produce but few new Roots under Ground and even those all small ones and but few new Branches above ground and those likewise almost all short and small which are consequently far from appearing as they say commonly Fine Strong and Vigorous Trees but on the contrary look if I may express my self so Sick and Languishing This Production of different Branches is only the Work of Nature which is perform'd innocently and without the least dependance on the Reasonings of Philosophy and tho' this Production has not been the work of the Meditation of Man yet it has furnish'd him a fair Subject to work upon so that we pretend to have drawn great Instructions from it towards the Cultivating and Management of our Fruit-Gardens Being then certain that all the Parts of which all manner of Trees are Compos'd do not receive an equal quantity of Sap since all the Branches are not of an equal thickness and length I mean some being considerably thicker and harder to break which consequently may be said to be stronger than others their Neighbours Being likewise certain that upon the same Trees there are certain Branches which are considerably smaller and more easie to break and therefore may be said to be weaker than other Neighbouring ones It is moreover certain as I have heretofore offer'd and 't is what I have observ'd which perhaps few had done before me I say it is certain that very seldom Fruit-Buds form themselves upon thick and strong Branches so that for Instance if a Pear-Tree produce none but such it will commonly bear no Pears whereas on the contrary the small and weak Branches produce generally a great deal of Fruit insomuch that if sometimes in one and the same Tree all one side appears as it were Pining in not having produc'd any new Branches or at least but very weak ones It is observable that that side grows ordinarily full of Fruit-buds while the other part of the Tree which by the abundance of Fine Branches appears very Healthy and Vigorous produces but very few and often none at all This Observation has put me upon performing two Operations which I have found very successful The first is that when a Fruit-Tree remains several years without producing hardly any thing besides these kind of Branches of an extraordinary thickness and length and consequently bears but little Fruit In that case I have found no better and readier way to make it Fruitful than by the extraordinary Pruning I have mention'd heretofore that is by applying my self at the beginning of the Spring to the Source or Spring of that Force and Vigour which are the Roots in order to diminish their Action and to that end I lay open half the Foot of that Tree and wholly take away one or two and sometimes more of the thickest and most active Roots I meet with and retrench them so well from the Place where they grow that there does not remain the least part capable of performing the least Function of a Root by that means I prevent the Luxuriance of the Sap for the future and consequently render the whole Head less Vigorous whence it follows that it Shoots less of these thick Branches and more small ones and thus it is dispos'd to bear Fruit. The second Operation is that when in the Month of May a Branch shoots out of an extraordinary thickness either in the ordinary Course of an old Planted Tree or in the first Years of Graffing and that consequently it will be evident that such a Branch will be at the same time very long and have no Disposition to bear Fruit this being grounded upon the Reason of its Strength or Thickness which proceeds from too great an abundance of Sap in such a case I am of Opinion that it is easie for those that are willing so to do to divide as I may call it that Torrent of Sap and whereas instead that its whole Tendency was only to the Production of a thick Branch which for the most part would he of no Use at all it is easie to reduce it and as it were oblige it to make several very good ones whereof one part will be weak for Fruit and others sufficiently thick for Wood. And that is fit to be done in the Month of May Therefore at that time I cause that young thick Shoot to be Pinch'd that is broken with the Nail and leave it no greater length than that of two three or four Eyes at most Hereafter I will explain the manner and success of such an Operation after having explain'd what relates to Pruning But before I enter into the particulars of Pruning I suppose that we are to Prune either young Trees which have never yet felt the Pruning Knife and for Example have not been Planted above a Year or two or Old Trees which have already been Prun'd several Years before I suppose besides that these old Trees are in a good condition as having been govern'd by Persons of Understanding so that they only want being preserv'd or else that they are in an ill case either for having always been neglected that is not Prun'd or else for having been ill Prun'd so that it may be necessary to endeavour the correcting of their defects I do not really believe that I may so foresee all the Cases of Pruning as without forgetting one be able to give Rules for every one that may happen I am far from being so presumptuous knowing that it is almost in this case as it is in Physick and in the matter of Law-Suits Hypocrates and Gallen with so many Aphorisms for the one Le Code and Le Digeste with so many Regulations and Ord'nances for the other have not been capable of foreseeing and providing against all nor consequently to decide all since there daily occur new Cases All I pretend is to give you exact Information of the Method I have practis'd for these Thirty Years with an extraordinary application in which I have been very successful as well as those who understand it and who in imitation of me do me the Honour to Practise my Maxims To explain the particulars of this Method I will divide what I have to say into three
light the best Remedy is to soak it often with frequent Waterings or by Artificial falls of Water or else by ordering Spouts or Dreins in such a manner that they may Conduct the Water of Rains into the Squares and Bordures as I have explain'd it in the Treatise about Soils When the Ground is too moist that part must be rais'd where the Trees stand making lower Ridges to receive the Waters and Conduct them out of the Gardens by Gutters or Aqueducts as I have done in the Kitchen-Garden of Versailles When there is not Mold enough it must be augmented either about the Roots removing all the ill Mould to put better in the room of it or else laying new Mould over the Surface of it the Mould being thus amended without doubt the Trees will thrive better in it and grow more Vigorous When the distemper is only visible by a certain yellowness as for Example Pear-Trees Graffed upon Quince-Stocks in certain Grounds always grow yellow tho' the Ground seems to be pretty good it is a good and certain Advertisement to remove them and to place others in their room upon Free-Stocks which are much more Vigorous and agree better in an indifferent Soil than others When Peaches Graffed upon Almond-Stocks cast too much Gum in moist Grounds others must be Planted upon Plum-Stocks and when they do not thrive upon Plum-Stocks in Sandy Grounds only such must be Planted there as are Graffed upon Almonds If on the other hand the Tree appears over-burthen'd with Branches so as only to shoot very small ones it must be eas'd until it begins again to produce fine Shoots always performing that Pruning by lowering the uppermost Branches or by removing part of those that cause a Confusion in the middle observing the Maxims I have establish'd for good Pruning When the Distemper proceeds from the Trees being ill-Condition'd before its being Planted as for instance from its having a Scabby poor Foot half dead for want or from its being too weak the best way is to pull it out and place a better in the room of it If the Tree being good in it self has been Planted too deep or too shallow or with too many Roots the best expedient is to take it up again Prune the Roots a-new and Re-plant it according to the Rules of Art And to all these Ends it is very necessary to keep always some Dozens of good Trees in Baskets to place new ones ready grown in the room of such as must be remov'd When the Trees are attack'd with some Cankers you must with the point of a Knife remove the part so tainted to the quick and then apply a little Cow-Dung to it covering it with a piece of Linen a kind of Rind will grow over it which will cover the Wound and so that Accident will be Cur'd When Catterpillars annoy a Tree Care must be taken to remove them When Rats gnaw the Barks Snares and Traps must be laid for them When the Distemper is suppos'd to proceed from Tons the Foot of the Tree must be uncover'd to Extirpate them absolutely putting new Mould in the room of the old after having shortned the Roots that are gnaw'd Among the Incurable Distempers of our Trees I reckon first Old Age when for Instance a Pear-Tree or Plum-Tree has serv'd for Thirty Forty or Fifty years we may conclude that it has attain'd a decrepit Age and consequently that it has perform'd its part and is out of date there is no hopes of a return it must be taken out not leaving any of its Roots into the Ground putting new Mould into the room of it in order to Plant new Trees there when People are desirous of seeing Trees in the same Place In the second place I reckon the Tigers which stick to the back of the Leaves of Wall-Pear-Trees and dry them up by sucking all the green Matter that was in them among the Incurable Distempers I have imploy'd all manner of strong sower corrosive stinking Lees Viz. of Rue Tabacco Salt Vinegar c. to wash the Leaves and Branches I have by the Advice of some of the Curious imploy'd Oyl I have smoak'd them with Brimstone by the Advice of others I have burnt the Old Leaves I have scrap'd the back of the Branches and Stem to which the Seed sticks I daily endeavour to find out some new Expedient and after all I confess freely and to my shame that I have never succeeded in any of them there still remains some of the Seed of that Cursed Insect in some part or other And in the Months of May and June this Seed is hatch'd by the heat of the Sun and then multiplies ad Infinitum and therefore one of these two things must be done either no Pear-Trees must be suffer'd against a Wall or in Espalier which is a violent Remedy especially for small Muscat-Pears Burgamots and Winter Bon-Chretiens which seldom thrive from a Wall or else we must resolve to see those Tigers upon them contenting our selves with burning all the Leaves yearly and with cleansing the Trees as much as is possible Thirdly I reckon among the Incurable Distempers the Gum which fastens to Peach-Trees and other Stone-Fruits when it only appears on one Branch it is no great matter 't is but cutting the said Branch two or three inches below the part so Distemper'd whereby this kind of Gangreen is hinder'd from extending farther as it would Infallibly do if it stuck about the Graff or all over the Stem or on most of the Roots and then the sole Expedient is to lose no more time about it and consequently to remove such a Tree out of the Ground in the manner aforesaid The Gum sometimes proceeds from an external Accident for instance from a Wound which has been made by way of Incision by a Scratch and sometimes from an Evil inward disposition In the first Case that Gum is nothing but a spurted Sap which is subject to Corruption and Rottenness from the time it ceases to be inclos'd in its Ordinary Channels which lye between the Wood and the Bark in that Case the Remedy is easie especially when it happens only on a Branch as I have declar'd in the preceeding Article when the Distemper affects the Stem it often Cures it self by a knob or a Continuation of new Bark which extends over the part so Wounded sometimes it is necessary to apply a Plaister of Cow-dung over it cover'd with a piece of Linen until the Wound be clos'd When the Gum proceeds from the inside I judge it Incurable on the Stem or Roots A TREATISE OF THE Graffs of Trees AND OF NURSERIES CHAP. XI Of Graffs I Never Reflect on what we call Graffing of Trees and the Advantage which accrues from thence for the Imbellishment of our Gardens but at the same time in my mind I compare all young Persons before their being Educated to so many Wildlings to be Graffed It really seems to me that as most Trees before their
supposing always that they be reasonably well cultivated And there are some that besides that have the faculty to produce them more early some than others and they are such Grounds as they commonly call Black Sands in which is found an equal temper between dry and moist accompanied with a good exposition and with an inexhaustible Salt of fertility rendring them easie to be entred by the spade and to be penetrated by the rain waters But on the other hand it is no less certain that it is rare enough to find any of these perfect sorts of Earth and that on the contrary it is very usual to meet with those that offend either in being too dry light and parching or over moist heavy and cold or else by being unfortunately situated as being some of them too high some too sloping and some again too low and too much in a bottom Happy are those Gard'ners that meet with those first sorts of Ground that are so admirably well disposed for Cultivation in which they have hardly ever any bad success to fear but commonly all manner of good Fortune to expect on the other side unhappy or at least much to be pitied are those whose Lot it is to have always some of the great Enemies of Vegetation to combat with I mean either great drought or more especially excessive moisture because this last besides that it is always attended with a chilling cold that retards its productions is likewise apt to rot the greatest part of the Plants and consequently it is very difficult to correct and almost impossible entirely to surmount so great a defect but it is not altogether so difficult to qualifie a dry temper for provided it be not extream great and that we have the convenience of Water to water it and of Dung to amend and inrich it we are Masters of two Soveraign and Infallible Remedies which we must apply for its cure And so by care and pains we may get the Conquest over those dry and stubborn Lands and force them to bring forth in abundance all things we shall regularly demand of them It follows thence that when we are so happy as to meet with those choice good sorts of Ground we may indifferently both sow and plant every where in them any sorts of Legumes or Plants whatsoever with an assured Confidence that they will prosper there The only Subjection we are obliged to in such Grounds is first to weed much because they produce abundance of Weeds among the good Herbs and secondly to be often removing our Legumes and changing their places which is an essential point of Practice in all sorts of Gardens it being not at all convenient to place for two or three times together the same Vegetables in the same piece of Ground because the Nature of the Earth requires these sorts of Changes as being as 't were assured in this Diversity to find wherewithall to recruit and perpetuate its first vigour And though in those good Grounds all things prosper admirably well yet is it a most undoubted truth that Southern and Eastern Expositions are here as well as every where else more proper than those of the West and North to forward and improve its productions witness Strawberries Hasting Peas Cherries and Muscat-Grapes c. To balance which these last Expositions have likewise some peculiar advantages that make them to be esteemed in their turn for Example during the excessive heats of Summer that often scorch up every thing and make our Legumes and other plants run up too hastily to Seed they are exempt from those violent impressions which the Sun makes upon those places that are fully exposed to his burning Rays and consequently our Plants will maintain themselves longer in good plight in those situations than in the others It also follows from hence that if any Person have Ground though tolerably good yet not of an equal goodness all over either caused by the difference of its natural temper or situation and sloping inclination upwards or downwards that then I say the skill and industry of the Gard'ner shews it self by knowing how to allot every plant the place in which it may best come to maturity in every Season as well in regard of forwardness and sometimes of Backwardness as of its outward Beauty and inward perfection Generally speaking those Grounds that are moderately dry light and sandy and such as though they be a little strong and heavy are situated on a gentle rising towards the South or West and are backed by great Mountains or fenced by high Walls against the Cold Winds are more disposed to produce the Novelties of the Spring than the strong heavy fat and moist Sands but likewise on the other Hand in Summers when there falls but little Rain these last produce thicker and better nourisht Legumes and require not such large and frequent Waterings so that we may find some sort of Consolation and Satisfaction in all sorts of Grounds However though absolutely speaking all things that may enter into a Kitchen-Garden may grow in all sorts of Grounds that are not altogether Barren yet it has been observed in all times that all sorts of Earth agree not equally with all sorts of Plants our able Market Gard'ners in the Neighbourhood of Paris justifie the truth of this by a most convincing Experience for we see that such of them whose Gardens are in Sandy Grounds seldom mind to plant in them any Artichokes Collyflowers Beet-Chards Onions Cardons Cellery Beet-raves or Red beet-Beet-Roots and other Roots c. as those do that have theirs in stronger and more hearty Lands and on the contrary these last employ not their Ground in Sorrel Purslain Lettuce Endive and other small plants that are delicate and subject to perish with Mildew and the wet rot as do those whose Gardens are in lighter Lands From all that I have asserted there result two things the first is that an able Gard'ner which has a pretty dry or hilly Ground to cultivate with an Obligation to have of all sorts of things in his Garden should place in the moistest parts those plants that require a little moisture to bring them to perfection as Artichokes Red Beet-Roots Scorzonera's Salsisies Carrots Parsnips Skirrets Beet-Chards Collyflowers and Cabbages Spinage Common Peas Beans Currans Gooseberries Raspberries Onions Ciboules Leeks Parsly Sorrel Radishes Patience or Dock-Sorrel Sweet Herbs Borage Bugloss c. And supposing the Provisions above specified without which nothing will be sightly be already planted in its other parts he should fill up the drier parts of the same Garden with Lettuces of all Seasons Endive Succory Chervil Tarragon Basil Burnet Mint and other Sallet-Furnitures and Purslain Garlick Shalots Winter-Cabbages Hot Beds of all sorts of Plants and of little Sallets he may likewise plant in the same places what Grapes he has a mind to and he must place his Legumes there at moderate distances because they grow not of so large a Size and Stature there as in
commonly the best of the three it requires temperate Countries like that of the Isle of France and the Expositions of the South and East and always a light Ground we seldom see any good ones in pure Earth and if it be in hot Climates or Gravelly and Sandy Ground they prosper very well upon Counter-Espaliers or Pole Hedge-Trees and even in the open Air. Their Goodness consists in having large yellow and crackling Berries and growing thin in their Clusters and in a pretty rich musked taste but yet not too strong like the Spanish ones The Province of Tourain produces admirable ones Their Culture is exactly the same with that of the Chassela's Grapes both as to their Pruning and manner of Propagation The Long Muscat called otherwise the Passe-Musquee is another sort of Grape whose Berry is bigger and more longish than that of the ordinary Muscat and its clusters are also longer but yet its taste is nothing near so rich as that of the others N. NAsturces See Capucin Capers O. ONions are red or white which last are sweeter and more prized than the red ones There 's no Body but knows how many uses they serve for They are propagated only by Seed which is commonly sown at the latter end of February and beginning of March in Beds of good Earth and well prepared and afterwards raked with an Iron Rake to cover them as is done to other small Seeds They must be sown thin that they may have room to grow to their full bigness and therefore if they come up too thick they must be thinned by pulling some of them up as soon as they are big enough for that which is towards the Month of May which we transplant in order to use instead of Cibouls Though the ordinary Season for sowing Onions be at the end of Winter yet we maysow some in September and transplant them afterwards in the Month of May by which means we may have some full grown at the very beginning of July which we may gather plucking them first out of the Ground as soon as that time comes and then after we have dried them two or three days in the hot Sun lay them up in some dry place to keep all the year in case of need We must not forget when our Onions begin to appear with pretty thick Stems above the Superficies of the Earth that is when they begin to advance towards their Maturity to break them down either by treading them under our Feet or with a board pretty hard pressed down upon them because by that means the nourishment that was before spent in their stems being hindered from mounting upwards will remain and settle all in that which I think is but improperly called their head and make it grow so much the bigger I have already told you elsewhere how their Seed is to be raised P. PArsley as well of the Curled as ordinary sort is of great use in Kitchens all the year long as well for its Leaves as Roots It is comprehended under the Title of Verdures or green Pot-herbs We ought not to fail in the Spring to sow a reasonable quantity of it in every Garden and that pretty thick and in good and well prepared Ground When its Leaves are cut it shoots out new ones like Sorrel It well enough resists a moderate but not a violent cold and therefore 't is best to bestow some covering on it in Winter to defend it When we would have any of it produce large Roots we must thin it in the Beds or Borders where 't is sown It requires pretty much watering in very hot weather There are some that pretend to have a kind of Parsly bigger than ordinary but for my part I know no such kind The Curled Parsly appears more agreeable to the Sight than the Common sort but is never a whit better than it for that We gather our Parsly Seeds in the Months of August and September Macedonian Parsley or Alisanders is one of the Furnitures of our Winter-Sallets which must be whitened like Wild Endive or Succory that is to say at the end of Autumn we must cut down all its Leaves and then cover the Bed where it grows all over with long dry Dung or Straw Screens so close that the Frost may not come at it by which means the new Leaves that spring from it grow white yellowish and tender We sow it in the Spring pretty thin because it produces a great many large Leaves and we gather its Seed at the latter end of Summer It is a good hardy Plant and that defends its self very well from the Drought without requiring much watering Parsnips are a sort of Roots well known in our Kitchens We sow them towards the end of Winter either in open Ground or Borders and that always pretty thin and in good and well prepared Ground and if they come up too thick they must be thinned as soon as May comes in that they which are left may be the better nourisht and grow the fairer They are propagated only by Seed for the raising which the same care is to be taken as we have directed for that of Red Beet-roots Carrots c. Passe Musquee See Muscats Patience or Sharp Dock See Dock Peas or Pease may be placed in rank of Kitchen-plants It is a good rustical or hardy Plant which commonly is sown in the open Field without needing any other Culture than being weeded whilst 't is young that is before it begins to codd But when they are propt they yield more than when they are not They require pretty good Ground and a little Rain to make them tender and delicate and must be sown pretty thin There are several sorts of them viz. Hastings Green White and Square ones otherwise called large codded Peas c. We may have of them in the Months of May June July August September and October For to have some all that while after the first we have no more to do but to sow them in different Months to have them fit for eating three Months after Those sorts we are most choice of in Kitchen-Gardens are the Hastings both White and Green which are of a midling Size We sow them at the end of October under the shelter of some Eastern or Southern Walls and we raise Ridges or sloped Banks too sometimes for that purpose and to dispose them to come up so much the sooner when they are Sown we make them Sprout five or six days before by laying them to steep two days in Water and afterwards laying them in a place where the cold cannot reach them till their first Root begins to appear Hard weather spoils them quite which is the reason why all we can do will not procure us any good ones till the latter end of May. We likewise sow some upon hot Beds at the end of February in order to transplant them by the sides of some well exposed Walls in case those sown at the latter end
of October preceeding happen to have been spoiled by the Frost Our last time of Sowing them is at Midsummer to have them fit to eat about All-hallow-tide Pompions and Potirons or Flat Pompions See Citrulls Purslain is one of the prettiest Plants in a Kitchen-gardens which is principally used in Sallets and sometimes in Pottages There are two sorts of it viz. The Green and the Red or Golden this latter is the more agreeable of the two to the Eye and more delicate and difficult to rear so that in hard weather we have much ado to make it grow even upon hot Beds and under Bells for it seldom prospers in open Beds till about the middle of May and then too the Earth must be very good sweet and very loose and the weather very fair And therefore for our first Purslain which we are not to begin to sow upon hot Beds till towards the Middle of March we must use only the Green sort because the Yellow or Golden sort dwindles away as soon as 't is come up unless the Season be a little advanced and the Sun a little hot which is towards the end of April It is commonly sown very thick because its Seed is so very small that it cannot be sown thin When we sow it upon hot Beds either when 't is cold and that by consequence Glass-bells or Frames are needfull or in milder Weather we only press down the Mold about it with our hands or with the back of a Spade but when we sow it in open Beds which must be well prepared for that purpose we rake it over five or six times with an Iron Rake to make the Seed enter into the Ground They way to raise Seed from it is to transplant some Plants of it that are big enough into Beds well prepared at the distance of eight or ten inches ones from the other The Months of June and July are proper for that effect And then in a little time after they are run up and have done flowring assoon as ever we perceive any of their Husks to open and discover some black Seed we must cut down all their Stems and lay them some days in the Sun till all the Seed be quite ripened and then we beat them out and winnow them c. We must be carefull to transplant each sort apart by it self that we may not be mistaken in the Seed when we are to sow it The Stick Stalks of Purslain that is run to Seed are good to pickle in Salt and Vinegar for Winter Sallets R RAdishes when they are qualified with all the goodness they should have that is when they are tender and snap easily and are sweet are in my Opinion one of the Plants that give the most pleasure of any in our Kitchin-gardens and that give it as often and for as long a time as any of them all and I look upon them as a kind of Manna in our Gardens There seems to be no great pains required to make them grow it being indeed only necessary to sow them pretty thin in well prepared loose and mellow Earth and to water them soundly in drie Weather and with this culture they will attain to all the perfection they are capable of But the main points here in Question are first to be always provided with Seed of a good kind and secondly to take order to have Radishes without discontinuation from the Month of February till the coming in of the Frosts in the middle of November As for Seed of a good kind know that is it that produces few Leaves and a long red Root for there are some that produce a great many leaves and little Root and when we are once provided with Seed of a good kind we must be extreme carefull to propagate it that we never be without a stock of it for which effect in the Month of April we must choose out among those Radishes that are come of the last years Seed such as I have said which have the fewest Leaves and the most Root and reddest Necks and transplant them quite whole in some well prepared spot of Ground a foot and a half a sunder Being so transplanted they will run up flower and yield Seed ripe enough to gather towards the end of July and then we cut down their stems and after they have been dried some days in the Sun we beat out the Seed and winnow it c. Those stocks of them that run up to Seed shoot up their Branches to such a height and perpetuate their flowers so far as if they knew not where to stop and therefore it is good to pinch off these Branches to a reasonable length that the first Podds may be the better nourished But 't is not enough to raise good Seed we must likewise take order to be supplied with good Radishes for eight or nine Months in the year The first that are eaten grow on Hot-beds the manner of raising which I have explained in the Works of November and by the means of those Hot Beds we may have some during the Months of February March and April otherwise we have none and in order to have some all the other Months we must sow some among all manner of Seeds they coming up so very quickly that we have time to gather off our Radishes before they can do any harm to the other Plants Radishes are extreamly apprehensive of the excessive heat in Summer which makes them grow strong as they term it that is too biting stringy and sometimes very hard and therefore in that Season we would affect to sow them in very loose Mellow Ground where the Sun shines but little and the best way should be to make up along by the sides of some Northern Walls a Bed or two for that purpose filled with mold to the depth of a large foot and an half and to sow our Radishes there and water them well In Spring and Autumn when the Sun is not so Hot Radishes take well enough in open Ground and in the wide unsheltered Air. Rass-berries or Rasp-berries as well as the White as Red begin to Ripen at the beginning of July They are planted in March either in Beds or borders observing the distance of two foot between Plant and Plant. They shoot out during the Summer many well Rooted Suckers some of which we take away to make new plantations with by which means the old ones are likewise renewed for they drie assoon as their Fruit is gathered The only culture used to them is first in the Month of March to shorten all their new shoots which we preserve round about the old stock and which ought to be only the thickest and handsomest and in the second place to pluck away all the small ones as likewise the old ones that are dead Reponces are a sort of small sweet Radishes which grow wild in the Country and especially in the Corn and are eatch in Sallets in the spring time They are multiplied only by
Seed Rocamboles See Shallots Rocket is one of our Sallet Furnitures which is sown in the Spring as most of the others are It s Leaf is pretty like that of Radishes and its Seed is very small and almost like Purslain Seed but it is of a Reddish or rather darkish Cinnamon Colour Rosemary is another sort of Odoriferous Plant which is principally used for the perfuming of Chambers and in decoctions for washing the Feet It is multiplied in the same manner as Rue and other border Plants and lasts five or six years in its place Rue is a Plant of very strong smell of which we plant some borders in our Gardens it is propagated both by Seed and Rooted slips and is hardly of any use but against the vapours of the Mother S. SAge is a border Plant whose culture has nothing of particular but is like that of the other border Herbs as Rosemary Lavender Worm-wood c. There is a sort that is parti-Coloured which to some people appears more agreeable than the common Sage which is of palish Green Colour Spanish Salsifie or Sassifie otherwise Scorzonere is one of our chiefest Roots which is multiplied by Seed as well as the others and is admirable good boiled both for the pleasure of the taste and the health of the Body It is propagated only by Seed which is sown in March We must be careful to sow it pretty thin whether it be in Beds or borders or else at least to thin it afterward that its Roots may grow the bigger Scorzonere runs up to Seed in the Months of June and July and is gathered assoon as 't is Ripe Common Salsifie is another sort of Root cultivated after the same manner as the preceeding one but is not altogether so very excellent They easily pass the Winter in the Ground It is good to water both sorts of them in very dry weather and to keep them well weeded and especially to put them into good Earth well prepared of at least two full foot deep Samphire called in French Pierce Pierre or Passe-Pierre is one of our Sallet Furnitures that is multiplied only by Seed and which being by nature very delicate requires to be planted by the sides of Walls exposed to the South or East the open Air and great Cold being pernicious to it We usually sow it in some Pot or Tub filled with mold or else on some side-Bank towards the South or East and that in the Months of March or April and afterwards transplant it in those places above-mentioned Savory is an annual Plant a little Odoriferous which grows only from Seed and whose Leaves are used to some Ragou's and particularly among Peas Beans it is sown in the Spring either in Beds or borders Scorzonere or Scorzonera See Spanish Salsifie Shallots otherwise Rocamboles or Spanish Garlick require no other culture than common Garlick and are particularly remarkable for that their Seeds are as good to eat as their Cloves taken out of the Earth Their Seed is large and serves to propagate them as well as the Cloves or Kernels that compose their Root Skirrets are a sort of Roots propagated by Seed and cultivated like other Roots as is directed in the Month of March Spinage is one of those Kitchen Plants that requires the best Ground or at least that which is most amended and improved They are multiplied only by Seed We sow them either in open Ground or else in furrows or strait rows upon well prepared Beds and this we do several times in the year beginning about the sixteenth of August and finishing a Month after the first are fit to cut towards the middle of October the second in Lent and the last in Rogation time Those which remain after Winter run up to Seed towards the end of May which we gather about the middle of June When they are once cut they spring up no more as Sorrel do's All their culture consists in keeping them very clear from Weeds and if the Autumn prove extraordinary dry it is not amiss to water them sometimes They are never transplanted no more than Chervil Cresses c. Sorrel in Kitchen-Garden terms is placed under the title of Verdures or Green Pot Herbs and accordingly is much used in the Pot. There are some sorts of it that produce a larger Leaf than others which are called Sorrel of the greater sort All the sorts may be sown in the Months of March April May June July and August and in the beginning of September too provided they be allowed sufficient time to grow big enough to resist the rigour of the Winter we sow Sorrel either in open Ground or else in strait rows or furrows in Beds or borders in all which cases it must be sown very thick because many of its Plants perish It requires a ground that is naturally good or else well improved with Muck. Its culture consists in being kept very clear of Weeds in being well watered and being covered with a little mold once or twice a year after 't is first cut down very close to the Ground That mold serves to give it new vigour and the Season most proper for applying it is in the hot Months of the year Sorrel is most commonly multiplied by Seed though sometimes we transplant some of it that thrives very well We gather its Seed in the Months of July and August There is a particular sort of Sorrel which is called Round Sorrel its Leaves being indeed Round whereas those of the other sorts are very sharp and pointed The tender Leaves of this sort are sometimes mixed with Sallet Furnitures But it is ordinarily used most in Bouillons or thin Broths It is multiplied by running Branches that take Root in the Earth as they run over it which being taken off and transplanted produce thick Tufts which also produce other runners and so in infinitum Sharp Dock or Dock-Sorrel See Dock Wood Sorrel or Alleluia See Alleluia Straw-berries as well the White as the Red multiply and perpetuate themselves by running Suckers that springing out of their old stocks take Root It is observed that a new plantation of them taken out of the Woods turns to better account when transplanted than one slipt of from the Garden Straw-berries We plant them either in Beds or borders both which must be well prepared amended and laboured or stirred up in one manner or other If it be in dry and sandy Ground both the Beds and borders must be sunk a little lower than the Allies or path-ways the better to retain both the rain that falls and the water we bestow on them a quite contrary course must be taken if we plant them in strong heavy and fat Earth and that is almost all pure Clay because excessive moisture rots the Plants We place them usually nine or ten Inches asunder putting two or three little Plants into each hole which we make with a planting stick The best time to plant them in is during the whole Month of
supplied by a Tunnel from without with Water the Vapor of which would exceedingly temper the Pipes and Contribute to the Perfection of this Experiment Facile est Inventis addere J. EVELYN A TREATISE OF ORANGE-TREES Translated by John Evelyn Esq PREFACE AMong the Florist Gard'ners of whom there are a great many very able Men one frequently meets with some pretending as if to them alone pertain'd the Government of Orange-Trees and would make the World believe that the Culture of those sort of Trees is the only Master-Piece of Gard'ning and upon this make a great deal of shew and talk mightily about the Preparation of Earths and of finding out all the Ingredients which they 'll tell you ought to go to their Composition Nor boast they less of their In-Casement Potting Waterings the setting them in bringing out and Exposure c. There are likewise some among 'em who carry the Secret a great deal farther and that pretend the Kinds and Species of Orange-Trees are almost infinite and such as how true soever were enough to affright the most Curious if as they would make one believe every one of those Kinds did absolutely require a certain Specific Salt peculiar to them and would imbark us upon such an Ocean of Difficulties as hardly any Body would adventure upon a Voyage so dangerous and where the Ship-wreck seems almost inevitable But as in our Ort-yards and Olitorie Gardens where the Number of the Species and several Kinds do greatly exceed those of Orange Trees Experience teaches us that the very same Culture does very near serve for all sorts of Kernel-Fruit all kind of Stone-Fruit and all Verdures whatsoever Upon this Experience therefore we presume that there needs no other Culture for all the sorts of Orange Trees and this upon very good Assurance daily Trials and convincing Proofs I shall not therefore stand upon so many and great Difficulties by which both the one and the other have deterr'd many Curious Persons Passionate Lovers of the Orange Tree A Passion in my Opinion the most reasonable and best plac'd of any since in effect through the whole extent of Gard'ning we find neither Plant nor Trees that afford us so much Delight and that are so lasting For there is not a day throughout the whole Year wherein Orange Trees may not and as they should do gratifie and court their Lovers either by the Verdure of their Leaves the Agreeableness of their Shape Plenty and Perfume of their Flowers and in a word the Beauty Goodness and Durableness of their Fruit so as I must acknowledge there is no Man more charm'd with them than my self In Favour therefore of such whose Inclinations I find so general for these Trees I take a third Party totally opposite to the Doctrine of these Mystery-Men and do declare that after a long and ample Examination there seems nothing in the whole Art of Gardning so easie and little difficult as the Culture of Orange Trees be it either the raising them from their first Principles the governing them afterwards and maintaining them in good Condition when once they have been set there being only the Recovery of those that are sick of any Difficulty notwithstanding all which I think one may according to every Man's Ability resolve to store ones self with Orange-Trees provided one have an able Gard'ner and a good Green-House without which indeed I would advise none to enter upon this Curiosity for certain I am the Orangist Gard'ner is absolutely guilty and to blame either through gross Ignorance Laziness want of Diligence Application or over-fondness to his mysterious Fancies if his Orange-Trees do not thrive provided I say that his Green-House be not faulty nor the Earth and Mould in which they are planted or that the Head of the Tree be not disproportionate to the Root or there be some defect in the Casing which may perhaps be ill made or not in fit Season or especially by over-watering and the too much use of Fire during Winter which is not at all needful or of Water during Summer which should be given with great Moderation I shall in the next place after I have declared what my Opinion in general is as to the easie Culture of Orange-Trees explain what Conditions are required in a good Green-House This easie Culture which I speak of I know does not please many of our Doctor Orangists They 'll tell ye that both those who believe it and those who publish it do not themselves understand it However without being in the least discourag'd with what they say I shall adventure to declare my Opinion upon this Matter A TREATISE Of the CULTURE of ORANGE-TREES CHAP. I. Of the easie Culture of Orange-Trees IN Confirmation of what I undertake to prove in this Chapter I advance Five Propositions which I hold for indubitable The First is That we have hardly any Plants or Trees which take Root so easily Secondly That there 's none which so naturally agree with all sorts of Nourishment Thirdly That these are the most lasting and longaevous Trees of all others And in the Fourth Place That there are none less obnoxious and subject to Infirmities And Lastly None that have so few particular Enemies as Orange-Trees The Tons which kill our Strawberry-Plants at the Root and the Caterpillar which spoil their Leaves the Canker-worm that cuts them off to the very Ground the Field Mice little Flies and Gnats which destroy our Artichoaks The Gumm Pismires small Fleas that ruine Peach-Trees and the Tyger-bob which ravage the Pear-Trees all these afflicting Accidents attacquing our Melons and invading all our Olitory and Kitchin-Garden Furniture are what we may truly reckon to be the greatest Enemies to Gard'ning in general Enemies I say redoubtable Enemies invincible and by consequence a Thousand Times more dangerous than any others whatsoever that menace our Orange-Trees Some Foes I confess they have nor are they altogether exempt as there 's no Plant which is I shall here therefore examine them one by one and in the mean time prescribe such Remedies as are proper for their Cure and Preservation The particular Enemies of Orange-Trees are the Pismires the Punaise or Bug Ear-wigs c. but all the Mischief they are able to do is far from being Mortal There 's nothing more easie than a Defensive War against their rudest Insults for first of all as to Ants and Pismires which sometimes come upon Trees in whole Troops and gnaw the Leaves they rarely invade the Orange-Tree save when baited and intic'd by Bug-Eggs This filthy Spawn as all Orangists well know without need of much Description can prejudice them no further than to make the Tree look all over soul squalid and not so agreeable to the Eye as a Tree should be whose principle Beauty consists in the Neatness and Cleanness as well of its Boughs as Leaves this sort of Filth is bred by certain winged Mother-Insects but too well known by their green Colour and nasty Smell proceeding
it as a Remedy and dispenses it out of the Stomach where it received it to all the Parts of the Body Just so when the Tree which either in a Chest or newly Set had suffered for want of Water comes to be Refreshed by a new Supply of Water its Roots and especially the extreme Parts of them being throughly moisten'd therewith immediately the Vital Principle begins to act again upon the moisten'd Earth and sends up a great quantity of Sap which distributing it self into all the several Parts of the Tree its Boughs Leaves Flowers and Fruits puts them all into the very same condition they were in before when for want of moisture the Roots gave over Acting And this it does provided this Cessation of Action be not too long which if it be 't will kill the Plant the Vital Principle being not able to preserve it self if it have not always something of moisture to work upon which moisture it can have no way but by the Action of the Roots just as continual Evacuation and long Abstinence prove mortal to Animals which cannot live any considerable time without fresh Supplies of Food And 't is likewise to be observed That Flowers and Fruits and Leaves which are all tender and short-lived have much more need of constant Supplies of Sap to keep them alive and to preserve their Beauty then the Stocks or other Parts of the Tree which being more solid and massive will live a long time though the Roots should perform no Action that might any way advantage them We are further to note That though the greatest part of the Sap that is prepared in the Roots goes up into the upper Parts of the Tree yet it does not equally at all times make them grow longer sometimes it does only and that too so as we cannot perceive it strengthen its Parts and enable it to send forth fairer Sieâ—s whereas when the Sap goes up in a greater abundance it makes it shoot out in Length as we often see it does in a double Quantity at both the Solstices and at the Vernal Equinox And in the last place I hold That the Vital Principle being duly moved and quicken'd serves as an Instrument to Enliven to Strengthen and to Envigorate the Roots So that the Strength or Weakness of their Action depends wholly upon the Strength or Weakness of the Motion or Impression they derive from this Principle as also That the Vigour and Activity of this Principle being not Infinite but proportion'd to the Nature of the Tree which it is to Enliven it communicates it self to all the Roots that depend upon it and which it is to Actuate according to their several Capacities as being Instruments it must necessarily make use of in the Performance of its Office CHAP. IX Considerations upon the Number of Roots to be left in the Planting of Trees FRom what has been said it evidently follows that the more Numerous those Roots are which depend upon that Principle so much a lesser share of the aforesaid Motion and Impression does accrue to each of them in particular For 't is most certain that when only three or four Roots receive the whole Impression of such a certain proportion of Vigor as might have been distributed to a greater Number each I say of those three or four being thereby more plentifully supplied doth consequently become capable of producing more than if that Impression had been divided amongst a dozen It is also as certain that since this Impression can never lie useless in that part where it is received it must necessarily act in proportion to what it is in it self that is either strongly or weakly according to its own Strength or Weakness Now since the effect of this Impression upon the Root is nothing but the Production of other Roots if the Impression it self be weak and feeble such also by consequence must the Roots be that are produced by it 'T is upon this Impression that the Goodness and Vigour of these Roots and the continuance of the whole Tree in its Beauty do entirely depend So that when the Roots succeed well and exert themselves strongly the Tree cannot fail of thriving both in its Trunk and Branches as on the contrary if the Roots do not take well the Tree will of necessity grow but very poorly But to proceed Since every one that Plants in a good Soil proposes to himself the Raising a Tree as soon as may be that shall be Vigorous and capable of being long Liv'd He must take special Care so to order it in the Setting as to make it in a little time put forth some of those good new Roots since it is from them only that he can expect the Accomplishment of his Desires Now for the better attaining of this it is to be considered First That although there are few Trees Planted but what have some of these Roots yet they will receive no Advantage from them whatever their Number be if those Roots soon after they are Planted do not produce new ones Secondly You must take notice that it is from these thick and strong new-grown Roots that Trees become fair great thick Leav'd and firmly Rooted in the Ground whereas those new Roots which are small and feeble act but very weakly and always discover the Symptoms of their Infirmity either in the Leaves or Branches of the Trees belonging to them Thirdly These thick and hard new Roots shoot forth only from two Places viz. Either from the very Body of the Tree which rarely happens or else as is most usual from some other thick and strong old Roots For as I have observed before such Roots as are small and feeble can only produce others as feeble as themselves and therefore not likely to turn to any account Fourthly You must observe that even of those old thick and hard Roots from which only you are to expect such new ones to shoot out as you desire some are much better than others The best and principally to be chosen are those of the latest Growth out of the foot of the Tree and they are easily distinguished by their smooth and reddish Skin from those that are older which always look black rugged and full of wrinkles whereby you will presently discover them to be unfit for use Fifthly This sort of good Roots cannot be produced but by virtue of that Impression proceeding from the Vital Principle of the Tree and this Impression will be so much the more strong and active the fewer you leave of those old Roots amongst which it is to be divided You must observe likewise that this Impression will be the more effectual the nearer it is made to the Principle from which it proceeds But this Nearness is not to be strictly and absolutely understood but with such a Restriction as when we say A good Eye can better distinguish Objects which are near than those which are remote since it is well observed by the Philosophers That all Extremes are to
since furnish'd him with so many Varieties This Artificial and Curious Edging may very well deserve some Place in our Philosophical Meditations If we consider the Circumstances attending the Bulbs of Tulips we cannot but acknowledge that Philosophy has not yet been able to give us a satisfactory Account of them They are put into the Ground in October and there take Root and in March following each of them puts out a Stalk in order to Budding and Blossoming in due time Hitherto you will say there is nothing extraordinary since the same thing is always seen in the Imperial Crown the Hyacinth Tuberose Jonquil c. but here then lyes the Wonder that this Tulip-Stalh which grew manifestly out of the very Middle or Center of the Bulb just as the Stalk usually grows out of the Middle in all other Bulbs is at length remov'd from its first Seat viz. the Center to the Outside or Superficies of its Bulb a peculiar Case which happens not to any other Plant. Now who is it that can solve the Difficulty how this Transposition is brought to pass Does the Bulb force it back again Or does it by a sort of Leger de main in its Ascent penetrate the sides of the Bulb This indeed is a Mystery in Vigetation that can never be look'd upon with sufficient Astonishment and Admiration It would be an endless Labour should I particularize all my Observations of this kind in Vegetables But these are sufficient to demonstrate that every Plant has a peculiar determinate certain and infallible Stint or Term for the Beginning and Duration of its Action for the Manner of its Appearance above Ground for the Quality of its Soil for the Taste Colour and size of its Fruit for the Figure Bigness and Colour of the Seed the Difference of its Leaves and Stalk or for the Parts of the Tree where the Fruit and the Seed grows And though as I have said divers times it be very difficult to explain all these peculiar Differences by the Doctrine of Pores the different Configuration of Parts or Atoms of a Figure justly proportioned for the Penetration of them I shall here notwithstanding conclude this Subject at present after I have given the Reader my Thoughts concerning that Circulation of the Sap which some pretend to have discovered in Plants CHAP. XVIII Reflections upon their Opinion that maintains the Circulation of the Sap. AS I am of Opinion First That there is in the Spring a certain Rarefaction in all Vegetables which is the first Mover in Vegetation And Secondly That there is in every Plant a Vital Principle which being a necessary Agent receives the first Effects of that Rarefaction as I have already discoursed elsewhere So I cannot think of any Comparison fitter to make my Notion intelligible than that of a Clock which needs no more to set it going than only to pull up the Weight and give a little Jog to the Pendulum The Truth is I always thought it absolutely impossible to make this pretended Circulation consistent with the Action of the Roots which we daily see to extend themselves both in Length and Thickness at the very same Instant that they receive their Nourishment And the Objections that prevail'd with me were these First I cannot apprehend either at what time or in what Place this Circulation should begin Secondly I cannot see either any Necessity or Advantage of it Thirdly Supposing we should admit it I am in the dark whether we must assert one general Circulation only in every Tree or whether there must be as many Circulations as there are particular Branches c. As for the Time when it begins if there be such a Circulation it must certainly have its Beginning the very same Instant that the Roots begin their Action and also must owe that very Beginning to the Influence and Virtue of the Roots so that consequently there may be a Time when there will be no Circulation for as much as the Roots are not continually in Action Now as the principal Reason of admitting this Hypothesis of Circulation in Animals is drawn from the Necessity of it viz. for the Purifying the Blood which we are told would be in great Danger of being corrupted if not kept in continual Motion So if that Instance hold in Plants it must then also follow that the Sap would be in the like Danger of Corruption that very first Moment of its Circulations being intermitted and consequently we should see a general Mortality of all those Trees that should happen not to be in Action whatever the Cause of it might be whether their being hindred by the Frost or their lying out of the Ground and much more that all Branches when once separated from the Tree that bare them must immediately perish just as the Members as soon as they are cut off from the Body But now there is nothing more contrary to the Experience of every one than this will as appears evidently by that infinite Number of Plants and Grafts which are so frequently and with such good Success sent into foreign Countries without the least ill Accident provided they be not overmuch dry'd by excess of Heat But supposing there be really such a Circulation and that it commences at the same time with the Action of the Roots Yet how will they be able to solve the Production of those Branches which shoot forth in the Spring without any Dependance upon the Roots That it is so there can be no doubt since we have Instances of it every Spring in Trees newly planted and which have not yet put forth any new Roots As also in Trees digg'd up in the Winter and left lying on the Ground and even Branches lopp'd off in that Season and set up an end in the Ground will put out little Shoots in the Spring In fine How is it possible to give a clear Account of this Circulation when we find that Almonds Nuts and even common Seeds shoot out within the Earth and in a few days put forth a Root growing in length downward but do not cause any Production to rise up out of the Ground When we see that the Bulb of the Imperial will send out Roots in August but no Stalk and on the contrary other Bulbs put out Stalks in the Autumn and Spring but no Roots when Tulips Tuberose's and especially the Asparagus grow upright in such a manner as that which was the extream Part at its first Appearance still continues so and that all of it rises entirely and at once from the Bottom to the Top when the Sprouts shooting out from the Extremity of a Branch which has been cut or cropt have such an extream difference in Length and Thickness as I have formerly described It is I think sufficiently clear from hence that there is a very unequal Distribution made of the Sap seeing that the Fruit-buds are form'd only upon the Top of the weak Branches and grow only at the Bottom of the Strong I
Outside as the whole Mass of the Tree doth so that there is no Analogy between the Vessels in the Body of an Animal and those in a Tree and consequently the Inference deduced from that Comparison must needs be erroneous The third Question wherein I desire to be satisfy'd viz. Whether upon supposition that there be such a Circulation we must say that there is but one general Circulation in each respective Tree or else that there are as many particular Circulations as there are Branches is perhaps as difficult to resolve as any For if we admit but one in general we shall be hard put to it to give an Account how a Slip set in the Ground comes to take so as in a short time to become a perfect Tree We must be forc'd to say that in every one of these Branches there was a true Circulation which ceas'd from Action as soon as they were cut off from the Tree upon which they grew but that as soon as by their Re-plantation they were restor'd to a Condition of Acting of themselves their Circulation also began to resume its Action and by these Steps they came to be perfect Trees If therefore to give a Reason for this Growth of Slips we must admit of a particular Circulation in every Branch we must likewise be forc'd to admit of many Circulations in every Branch For since any Branch may be divided into several Parts if every one of these Parts be set in the Ground with all the due Circumstances belonging to them they will as easily take to grow as if they had been entire Branches But this Solution will draw us into a Progressus in infinitum than which in Ratiocination nothing can be more absurd Thus when a Layer of a Vine being put into the Ground takes a new Root and thereupon that Part of the Layer next to the Earth which before was the smallest becomes in a little time thicker than the Part next adjoyning to the Tree Must we not of necessity have recourse to a new Circulation since the former seems plainly to be at an end or at least to have become altogether useless I must confess I cannot find any Expedient of adjusting all these particular Circulations with the general one to make them act in Conformity with and Subordination to it when they are all together in the same Tree at the same time Such a Cloud of Difficulties and Inconveniencies have prevail'd with me not to give any Credit to this new Opinion of the Circulation of the Sap though I have at the same time an extreme Veneration for those Worthy and Learned Persons who are the Authors of it CHAP. XIX Reflections upon the Opinion that maintains the Conveyance of the Nourishment through the upper parts of the Plant. THere have been some of Opinion that the Nourishment of the Tree is not only derived to it through the Pores and by the Operation of the Roots in the Earth but that there is likewise some Contribution of maintenance afforded by the Air and subtilly conveyed to it through the upper parts of the Tree This Opinion of theirs is grounded upon this Observation That if you make a very strait ligature round any Branch or even if you strip the Bark off it the Boughs that are below that part so tyed or stripp'd will notwithstanding encrease both in length and thickness But to this I Answer First That in some Vegetables viz. In Almonds and Stones of Fruit as also in ordinary Seeds there is no Necessity for this Aerial Nourishment since the whole Series of their Vegetation is performed in the Bowels of the Earth without having the least Communication with the Air. Secondly I Answer that it is impossible to tye any Branch so straitly as that the Sap a Liquor not only very subtil and delicate but also very Impetuous in its Operation shall not insinuate it self and find some passage through for tho' the main stream of the Sap rises up between the Bark and the Tree yet it is certain that some little quantity doth constantly penetrate through the Fibres of the solid Wood neither is it any Wonder if Nature who out of her great abhorrence of a Vacuum does frequently perform such extraordinary and surprizing Wonders may likewise in this case force up the Sap which was stop'd in its Ascent either by that ligature or stripping off the Bark through the very substance or Fibres of the Wood in order to its Nourishing the upper parts of the Tree which must Infallibly have perished without a seasonable Supply Lastly I say it may be Answer'd with very good Reason that this Distension or Tumor of such tyed Branches in their breadth and accretion to their length may be Stiled rather a kind of Dropsie than a real and firm Augmentation of their sound substance and continuity for Experience tells us That in Trees thus tyed or stripp'd the upper parts of the Tree come to dye in a very little time as they must needs do if the Channel be not open'd again to give a free passage to the true Nourishment of the Tree Now to give some other Instances to confirm our Opinion we may consider that those Plants whose Roots lye very deep in the Ground as Tulip-bulbs c. do always grow up to the greatest heighth As also we may observe the Pointed and Pyramidal Extremity of all Branches every one of which seem in the manner of their Growing as with one consent Naturally to tend upward To which we may add as another Corroborating Circumstance the shooting out of new Sprouts upon the Back or Elbow of such Branches as are bent violently or by force to the Ground the Suckers that grow out of the foot of the Tree when it has been injured at the top the decay of the Branches at the Extremities notwithstanding their being still vigorous at the Root as also the Withering and Fading of Plants at the top of their Leaves in hot Weather when they are newly Set All these Instances seem to me evidently Contradictory of any descent of the Sap which they suppose to be caus'd by the Influence of the Air either upon the Bark of the Tree or the Extremity of the Branches The different Tastes in Fruits which always have a smack of their Soil are a sufficient proof that their Nourishment is derived from a Soil of such a Savour and not from the Air which has none at all and certainly if any of the Sap could find a passage across or through the solid Wood it might as well enter in the same manner through the Skin of the Fruit and so the Stalk which by a long Prescription has hitherto been look'd upon as the true and only Channel for Conveyance of the Aliment to the Fruit would have a great many Partners in that Office and consequently become in a manner wholly useless I will not deny but that it is highly necessary for Trees to enjoy the benefit of a temperate Air
depicti floribus agri Sunt silvae ingentes sunt nemora alta recessusque Umbriferi insanae loca tuta tumultibus Aulae Versaliis visa hinc Pomona ferocior arvis Florigerum caput attollens calathique tumentes Ostentans natos è fundo divite fructus Regales inter par Nympha incedere Nymphas Santolius Victorinus IN TABELLAM QUA IMAGO EJUSDEM QUINTINII EXPRIMITUR HAnc decorate Deae quotquot regnatis in hortis Floribus è vestris supráque infráque Tabellam Hic dedit arboribus florere edulibus herbis Et se mirata est tanto Pomona colono Santolius Victorinus VERSES TO Mr. Quintenay Written Originally in LATIN BY Santolius Victorinus a French Man YE Hills ye purling Streams and christal Springs Ye stately Piles the Rural Seats of King Ye Sylvan Nymphs who by exalting fate The Country lost and here arise to state Ye Royal Gardens taught at last to bear No more ungratefull to the Tiller's care Whence rise your Flowers your Trees what Art doth yield Whence spring the Beauties that adorn your field Wreath Lawrels wreath a lasting Crown prepare For learn'd Quintinius and repay his care Tho' cold unlivening Suns and barren Earth Oppos'd his Art nor would assist the Birth He ventur'd on and his industrious toil Bestow'd new Beauties on the Horrid soil Repos'd in Ease and stretcht in softest Bowers Let Him enjoy his Fruits and pluck his Flowers Whilst L s conquers Lands unknown before And reaps fresh Lawrels on a foreign shore At gay Versailles the brightest Court below Where Pleasures dwell and Joy unmixt with woe Pomona mourn'd nor would her grief be tame Of Honors void and conscious of her shame She mourn'd to see when our Auspicious King Made all things flourish and restor'd the Spring And better days that she alone should find The Heaven adverse and prove the Earth unkind In vain she planted Earth refused the root And wither'd Trunks deny'd the promis'd Fruit. She mourn'd to see all Arts but Hers restor'd Make gratefull presents to their greatest Lord She mourn'd to see with what high Pride they strove To show their Duty and express their love Whilst he their labours generously surveys With wealth supports them and excites with praise This mighty Monarch partial foes confess None cheers the Arts so much or needs them less Thy glorious Actions foreign Aids refuse Lasting themselves and great without a Muse Contemn'd she liv'd despairing of Access In such an Habit and so vile a dress No flowers hung on her Breast her Head was bare And ruffling Winds disperst her scatter'd Hair Her Basket empty she that lookt so gay When deckt with all the various pride of May Had now her Honours and her Beauty lost As beat by Winters Snow or nipt by Frost Old Autumn mourn'd her Sister Nymphs around Conspir'd in Tears and curst the barren ground At last the glory of our mighty King Recall'd her often and unfledg'd her Wing Tir'd with Disgrace unable to support Her trouble she resolves to leave the Court To fly to happier Seats and strive to gain Her usual Honours on a better plain She fear'd now L s had resign'd his ease To Arms and Mars her Art too mean to please Tho' Earth and Sylvan Gods should aid to bring A Present equal to so great a King But Earth denyed her Aid the stubborn Land Prov'd more rebellious to the Tiller's hand All care refus'd and much averse to Grace Was pleas'd with native Horror on its Face That mighty Prince whom wildest Streams obey At whose command they take an Airy way O'er Mountains climb ascend the steepest Hill Forget their Nature but observe his will Shall Earth oppose Shall feeble Fruits and Trees Deny Obedience to his great Decrees What start of Nature Let her learn to yield To know her Duty and correct the Field But I return the stubborn Fields remain Intractable and all her care is vain Rude unmanur'd the Dales and Mountains lay An undigested heap of barren Clay A Desart frightfull to the sight the worst That Nature knew e'er since the Ground was curst To leave these Seats she imp'd her wings a new She all the Winds to her assistance drew She just took rise for flight and markt her way For the delicious plains of Signelay Quintinius stopt her beg'd a short return And said No more shall there be cause to mourn You shall enjoy so well his Art he knew The choicest Honours to Pomona due She turn'd the Nymphs a general shout began And o'er Versails the pleasing Rumor ran That now the time was come when Fields should bear No more ungreatfull to the Tiller's care When gay Pomona should her state regain And live the glory of the Royal train Yet still she doubted many vows before Deceiv'd her Hopes and she would trust no more Till learn'd Quintinius did his rules impart And prov'd the sure Foundations of his Art He show'd how others spent their fruitless toil Not marking well the Genius of the soil He taught as fill'd by some Diviner fire What site what Suns the different Fruits require What proper Gounds peculiar Trees preferr The King stood by and caus'd him not to Err For Kings are Gods and they divinely taught Their subjects influence and secure their thought All Soils affect not every sort of stock The Apple chooseth Earth the Pear the Rock The Peach flies Marshes some delight to share The hottest Sun and choose an open Air Some love the shade here Trees and Shrubs will spread Their Flowers from Seed adorn a noble Bed Some Soils will mend and care and pains produce What Nature wants and give a better juice But if untractable remove the old And fill thy Baskets with a fresher Mould Let richer Grounds the poorer Fields maintain And lend their Plenty to a barren plain These Laws Quintinius gave and every part Appear'd the product of the greatest Art He show'd the Seasons and Pomona saw The rules exact as she her self could draw But more he taught how Trees and Fruits improve By mutual Bonds and know th' effects of Love He taught how barren stocks unus'd to bear Themselves will thrive in an adopted Heir For Trees have seeds of Passions Love and Hate Rule them and make a difference in their state One seeks a Prop her amorous Branches rove In wanton Mazes and confess their Love Rais'd by her Mate she thrives but dies disjoyn'd The weaker Vessel of the woody kind Another single stands the losty Maid In her own fortune rich expects no aid Content with her own Fruit she keeps her state And flies the juices of a meaner Mate Yet this observ'd you may improve the kind And to poor stoks the richest Cion bind As 't is in Men just so in Trees 't is found Propose but Fortune they receive the Wound The stock cleaves freely and the Adulterous Root Forgets her Shame and glories in her Fruit. To shallow Ground forbear to trust the Fruit That Earth require and downward
Branches as grow and spread on the same side of a Wall-Tree A Mother Branch is a Branch that after its last Pruning has shot forth other new Branches And thus we say that in Pruning no young Branches are to be left upon the Mother Branches but such as contribute to the Beauty of the figure of the Tree Main or whole Branches are called Arms and Limbs Branches Chifonnes Skrubbed or Shrubbie Branches are such as are very small and very short or Skrubbed whether they be of but of one or more years growth and because they do but stuff a Tree with a confused quantity of unless Leaves must therefore be taken clean away Water Branches or Water shoots or Water Boughs are such Boughs that on Standards being shaded and dript upon remain smooth and naked without Buds which are as I suppose those which our Authour calls Jarrets or Hams See Hams A Wood Branch is a Branch that springing out of the last years Pruning in a regular and natural order is reasonably thick A half Wood Branch or Branch of half Wood is a Branch that being too small for a Wood Branch and two thick for a Fruit Branch must be shortned to the length of two or three Inches to make it produce other new ones that may be better either for Wood or Fruit and at the same time contribute to the Beauty of the figure and to spend off and divert some of the over Luxuriant vigour of the Tree Branchss of False Wood are such as shoot from any other part of the Tree than that which was Pruned last year or else suâ—h as though they spring from the last Pruning are thick and gouty in those places where they should be slender The main Running Branches of Melons or Cucumbers are called Vines To break off See pinch and Brout and Brouse To break up Is said properly of plowing or digging up Ground that never was tilled before or at least not a long time To Brouse or Brout in French Brouter is to break off the extreamities of small Branches when they are too long in proportion to their vigour Brugnons See Nectarins Bruised Fruit that is bruised in falling without piercing the skin is called in French Cottii or Squatted A Bud is the Head of a Young shoot that begins to peep out A Young Bud or Eye is a Bud as 't were in its first Seed and principles when it just only appears in the Bark of the Tree before it swells to peep or shoot forth To Bud is to Graff by Inoculation or set a young Bud of one Tree into another an operation to be performed about Mid-summer See Innoculate and Inoculation and Graffing in the fifth part of this Work Well Buddod or well set Trees is said of those Fruit-Trees that have abundance of Fruit Buds and the contrary of those that are not so A Bucket or Tub used by Gard'ners sometimes to sow some choice particular Seeds in they are made sometimes square or oblong but most commonly round and about the bigness of a Barrel The French call them Baquets See Tubs Bulls or Bulbous Roots are all such Roots as are Roundish and Coat upon Coat like Onions as those of Garlick Tulips c. and are mostly propagated by Off-sets And accordingly in French they are called by the general name of Onions Mother Bubs are those which produce Off-sets A Bunch is a common Term as a Bunch of Radishes Turneps c. Bunch is also said of Grapes or any Fruit that produces several Fruit upon one stalk as also of knots of Wood c. Burly-Trees are said to be or grow Burly when a Graff grows bigger than the stock it is Graffed upon which is asign the stock or wilding is not vigorous enough The French term is Burlet Bubo is said of some Fruit Shrubs as a Curran-Bush a Goose-berry-Bush c. Also the tops of Dwarf-Trees are said to be Bushie when the Branches grow into a Tuft Bushel A French-Bushel is a measure containing near a peck and half English or 20 pound weight To Butt See Hillock A Button is a round and turgid swelling Bud containing the Blossoms that produce the Fruit in any Tree in Kernal Fruit every Bud contains several Blossoms and in stone Fruit but one C. CAbbage a known Plant. To Cabbage or Pome is to curl or fold up into a round firm head like a Cabbage or an Apple Thus not only Cabbage but Lettuce is said to Cabbage or Pome and Artichokes are said to Pome See Pome Calebas is a term used for Plums that in the Month of May instead of Plumping or preserving their Green grow broad lank and Whitish and at last fall off without Plumping at all A Canker is a sort of Scurf Scabbiness or dry Rot in Trees which breeds both in the Bark and in the Wood and most infests the little Muscat and Robine and Bergamot Pear-Trees as well in their Stems or Bodies as in their Branches Capers and Capucin Capers see them described in the sixth part treating peculiarly of Kitchen-Gardens Caprons are Straw-berry Plants that have large Velvet Leaves and bear large Whitish Straw-berries which have but a faint taste and are not very Fruitful and therefore not much valued A Carpet Walk is a Green Walk of Grass Camomil or the like kept neat and even with mowing and rolling See Walk Cases or Boxes are conveniences made of Wood to plant some certain rare and tender Plants as Orange-Trees in c. See Boxes To Castrate or Geld is said of Cutting or Pinching of the superfluous shoots of Melons Cucumbers c. Castings of Ponds or Ditches Is the slime or mud cast out of Ponds or Ditches which after it has been a while exposed to the Sun is profitably used to recruit improve or amend exhausted or lean Ground To Chap is said of the Ground or of any Wood or Fruit that cleaves and gapes by any cause whatsoever Chalk and Chalkie Earth See Earth Chassis See Class Frames Cherry-Gardens or Cherry-Orchards or Cherry-Plantations are known terms There are in France some Cherry-plantations in the open fields confining upon the Vine-Yards of some miles extent and the like there are of Plums Olives c. Stock Cherry-Trees are Cherry-Trees sprung from the Roots of others which yet bears good Cherries without being Graffed Chevreuses are Hairy or Goat Peaches so called because they are Hairy like Goats Chevre signifying a Goat Chevreuses are Peachos Hairy like Goats See Goat Peaches Chovons Colly-flower plant in Flowers Cions or Scions are young slips or suckers of any Tree fit to Graff See Scions Circumposion See Baskets A Glass is a rank or order by which things are sorted and in which they are placed Claws or Fangs called in French Patts See Fangs Clay or Clayie Ground are terms well known see Earth Cleanse as to Cleanse a Tree of Moss Scab or Canker Gum Rust Vermin and their Eggs c. Clear as to Clear a Tree of some of its superfluous
Branches when they grow too thick or of its unless suckers and Cions Cleft to Graff in the Cleft See it in the fifth part of the Book Clod as a Clod of Earth is called in French Motte To Close a Tree that is Graffed is said to Close when the Bark grows over the cut where it was Graffed so that it appears smooth without a Scar or when the Bark grows over and covers any other cut or wound in Pruning A Close cut See cut Cloves is a term used to signify the Off-sets of Garlick and some other like Roots See Oss-sets Clusters or Bunch To Coffin themselves is said of Flowers that shrivel up and dry away in their Buds without flowing or spreading Compartiments See knots Compost Is rich made Mold compounded with choice Mold rotten Dung and other enriching ingredients A Conservatory is a close place where Orange-Trees and other tender Plants are placed till warm weather come in See Green house A Coronary Garden is a Garden planted with Flowers and other materials that compose Nosegays and Garlands To Couch is to bend a Wall-Tree for palisading or to lay down layers to take Root Counter Espaliers are Pole Hedges or Trees growing in Pole Hedges fronting the Wall-Trees and spread palisadoed and Trellissed like them They are now almost out of use in France but only for some sorts of Garden Vines Cotty or squatted is said of bruised in falling without cutting their skin Courtilliere is a sort of insect or Palmer Word bred in Horse Dung and consequently in Hot Beds about two Inches long at full growth pretty thick and yellowish with many legs It crawls very nimbly and gnaws the Roots of Melons Succory c. growing on Hot Beds See Insects and Palmer Crop is a known word to signifie the whole increase we gather from any thing as a crop of Corn c. To Crop also is to plant sow or furnish a Ground that is empty c. To Crop is to break or pinch of useless Branches without cutting To Cross is said of Branches in Wall Trees that grow cross one another Crown is used for the head or upper hollow extreamity of Kernel Fruit. to Graff in the Crown See Graff in the fifth part of the Book Crumpling or Guerkins are small Cucumbers to pickle called in French Cornichons They are also small crumpled Apples A Cubical Toise or Fathom See Toise and Fathom Cuckows are Straw-berry Plants that blow without bearing Cucurbit Glasses filled with honied Beer or water are hung upon Wall-Trees to catch and destroy wasps and flies Culture is the Tillage of Ground or the whole care and labour that is taken for the Tillage of Ground dressing of Gardens or rearing raising and improving of any particular Plant or Fruit. A Curtain To Cut and the several ways of it see in the Treatise of Pruning A close Cut is a Branch of a Vine shortned to the length of 3 or 4 Eyes or young Buds Cuttings are ends of Branches cut off from some certain Trees shrubs and Plants which being set or planted will take Root and grow Cutworks are Flower Plots or Grass plot consisting of several pieces cut into various pleasing figures answering one another like cut work made by Women D. DEclivity is the sloping of the side of a Hill Bank Ridge or any Ground not Level considered as Falling or Descending and is contrary to Acclivity which see Deaf Beds See Beds Dented is spoken of any Leaves of Trees or Plants that are dented Devils Gold Ring in French Lisette a sort of a Worm or Cater-pillar infesting the young shoots of Vines Diagonal Allies or Lines are Allies or Lines drawn cross one another through the Center of each and cross any square in a Garden from corner to corner thereby to give them that walk in them the fuller view of the square Diet. See Milk Diet. Feed Refresh To DIG or delve are terms known to all Doughie Is said of the Pulp of fruit as a Doughie Pear a Doughie Peach c. See Pulp Drains are Dykes or Gutters made in Grounds to carry off the water See Dykes Gutters Water-courses To Dress Is said of the Tillage or Tighting up of a Garden or any part of it It is likewise said of the pruning and trimming of Trees Thence we say a Vine dresser or to dress a Vine c. Dung is a known Term and is long and new or short and old Long and new fresh Dung is Litter that has served Horses or Mules but one or two Nights at most and has all its straw entire in it and has not yet fermented and much less rotted old and short Dung is Dung that has fermented and lost its heat and whose Straw is rotted and formed into a kind of Mold with the Dung. Dwarf Trees are Low Standards or Trees so dressed and pruned in Planting as to have but low Trunks and moderately spreading Branches and Tops Musty Mouldy or Hoary Dung is used for a Mushroom Bed See Beds Mouldy and Mushrooms Dikes See Drains Gutters Water-courses E. EMbroidery is a term used in Flower Gardens signifying Flower Plots that are wrought in fine shapes like patterns of Embroidery Ear-Wigs are an Insect well known Earth in Gardning is taken for the Soil or Ground in which Trees Legumes or Edible and useful Plants or their Seeds are to be sown or planted and is of several sorts as for example It is call'd Sower Bitter and Stinking when in smelling to it or taking the water in which it has soaked we perceive it Sowr bitter or stinking It is called White Clay when it is of a White stiff and slimy substance and is fat heavy gross and Cold and cuts like Butter and is very apt to chop with the Summers heat and some call it dead Earth because of its unfruitfulness It is stiled good when we can make any thing grow in we have a mind to And bad when neither Trees Plants nor Seeds thrive in it It is called hot and burning when it is so light and dry that upon the least heat all the Plants in it dry away and wither It is called Gravelled when 't is mixed with much sand and many little stones tempered with a little light Red Clay It is called Tough heavy and by some stubborn and because of its unfruitfulness Chast and in England Red Loamy stiff Clay when it cuts smooth and stiff and is very hard to Till or dress because the great rains beat it all into a marsh like mortar and the heat on the other side ehops it and makes it hard as a stone It is called strong free or rank Earth when without being stiff and Clayie it is like the bottom or mould under the turf of good medow Ground and in handling sticks to the fingers like a paste and receives any shape or impression from them whether long round c. It is termed Cold moist and backward when upon the advance of the Spring it is long before it conceives
Edible Plants Fruit-Trees and Flowers and differ from Orchards which are commonly planted with Standard Fruit-Trees and are seldom walled or so curiously inclosed as Gardens Kitchen-Gardens are chiefly for Kitchen and Edible Plants Fruit Gardens for Fruits And Flower-Gardens or Patterres for Flowers Marsh or Market Gardners are such as frequent the Markets See Botanists and Florists Nursery-Gardens See Nurseries To Garnish well is said of Wall or any pallisaded Trees when they spread well and cover the Wall or Trelliss on all sides without leaving any place bald or bare Glass-Frames or Classis Goat-Peaches are Peaches that are very hairy See Cheureuses A Graff a young Cion shoot bud or sucker set into another Tree or stock To Graff see the several ways of doing it in the fifth part of the Book A Graffing Knife is a known instrument to cut withal in order to Graffing Gravel is a thing well known see Earth A Green-house is a Room or House framed with Conveniencies for the housing and sheltering of Orange-Trees and other tender foreign plants from the cold in Winter time and cool Weather Gritty sticky or stony is said of Pears whose Pulp is hard or harsh near the Core or all over To Grub as to grub up Weeds by the Roots is a word known of Signification Gutter Gutters are little Channels or Dykes that serve for Drains or Water-Courses to carry off the water in moist marshy Grounds and keep it dry Sometimes they are paved and made up with Stone H. HAlf Standards are Trees whose Trunks are shortned in planting to a midling length between High Standards and Dwarfs or Low Standards Ham is said of a Branch of a Tree very long and bare of any other Branches either by Nature or by the Gard'ners ignorance in cutting them off which Hams must be cut pretty close off to make them shoot out new Sprouts Hastings or Hasting is spoken of Fruits Sallets Legumes that ripen or come to perfection betimes in the Year as Hastings Peas Beans Artichokes Cherries c. See Forward The head or top of a Tree is known to all what it is To Head a Tree is to cut off the Head or Top leaving only the bare Stem without any Top Branches To Heat as to heat Beds or Paths with new Long Dung in order to force on and advance Sallets and Fruits before the natural time Haugh See Hough Hedges Besides common Hedges there are Hedges made of Straw or Reeds to shelter tender Plants against the cold Winters call'd in French Brise-Rents Pole Hedges are Hedges composed of palisaded Trees spread and fastned to Lattice frames and Trellisses See Counter Espaliers or Counter Wall-Trees The Heel of a Branch is the grosser and thicker bending part of a Branch that is cut off which is Graffed into a stock when the other end is too small and weak The Heel or stool of an Artichoke slip is that end that joins to the main Root Herbalist or Herborist is one that understands or sells Herbs and Plants Hillocks are little Hills or round Banks raised about the feet of Trees or other Plants as Vines Hops Artichokes c. as also about such plants as are earthed up to be whitened To Hillock is to raise such rounds Banks or Hillocks about any plant as are above described Hoary Dung See Mouldy Dung and Mushrooms Hortolage See Potagery Hot Beds See Beds Hough or Haugh is an instrument well known to Gard'ners and most Country people as likewise the action of using it I. TO Inarch to Graff by approach See in the Treatise of Graffing part 5. To Incase is to put curious tender or Exotick Plants into Boxes or Cases for their more advantagious Culture and preservation To Innoculate or Bud See in the Treatise of Graffing part 5. Increase a Tree or plant is said to be of great Increase when they yield plenty of Fruit or a good crop of any thing else as grain pulse c. Insects are all little animals whose bodies are divided by several cuts as 't were and sectures Mother Insects Insuccation or Mangonism To Interr or Replant is to set Onions Tulips or any Boulbous Roots into the Earth again after they have been taken up all the dead of the Winter K. A Kitchen or Olitory-Garden is a Garden chiefly made for Kitchen or Olitory Plants Kitchen or Olitory Plants are all Plants that are usually Eaten and used in the Kitchen See Olitory Kernells are the Seeds of Apples Pears and Quinces which from them are called Kernel-Fruit in Contradistinction to such as come of stones as Plums Peaches c. call'd Stone Fruit. Kernel Beds See Beds To Knit or set for Fruit said of Trees and Plants or their Blossoms when they begin to form their Fruit. The Knop of a Flower is the head case or cup wherein a Flower is contained whilst in Bud. Knotty said of Trees that are rugged and full of knobs Garden knots are Flower-Plots or Plats and Beds of Flowers formed into curious intricate fanciful and delightful figures to please the Eye but seen from some Eminent terret or room L. LAtter Fruits or Legumes are such as ripen late in the year To lay or Couch is to lay down and cover some part of the lower part of the suckers of some certain plants and Trees or shrubs in the Earth to make them take Root in order to be slipped off and Re-planted Layers are such suckers as are so laid and couched Lattices are the square works in wooden frames or Trellisses that support Wall or palisaded Trees Seed Leaves are the first Leaves that Spring up like ears on each side at the first cleaving or sprouting of any Seed Legumes are properly such as we call Pulse as Peas Beans c. But this Author often uses the word for all esculent or edible Kitchen plants A Level is an even piece of Ground without any slope either rising or falling A Level slope is a slope that rises or falls so gently and evenly that it is hardly discernible from a plain or true level It is called in French Micote and when made so in digging a Talus Light Earth See Earth Limbs the main Branches of a Tree are called its Limbs Losan and Loamy Earth See Earth Litter is such Straw as is used to little Horses with which has not yet been used or converted into Dung Loose Earth See Earth Litter Counter Walls M. MAlacotoons are Peaches which are clothed with a Cotton like Down Mangonism is an Art used by some by the infusion of certain injuries or tinctures of several Colours or tastes infused into the Roots or stems of Plants and chiefly Flowers or Fruits the same taste or Colour Which knowing Authour's condemn as vain Mare is that which remains of the Grape after they are pressed it is also used to signifie the Gritte stony or Earthy part of a Pear or any Fruit that resists and disobliges both the Teeth and taste in Eating Market or March Gard'ners See Gardners Marl
eats dry and mealy as in over ripe Dean-pears Cadet-pears c. It is called Doughy when it is fattish and disagreeably soft like Dough as in white Butter-pears Lansacs that grow in theshade It is called Tender in certain Pears that though they be neither melting nor short yet are tender and excellent without being soft fatty or otherwise distastful as in unknown Chaineaus Vine Pears Lastly some Pears have sower taste as the St. Germain Pears and some sharp and biting as the Crasauns A Punaise or Bug is a sort of a Tyke that preys upon Plants as the stinking Bugs of the same Name do Human Bodies Pure See Plain Q. QUince Stocks that are smooth strait vigorous and fit to graff upon the Author calls Coignassiers and those that are rough knotty and skrubbed and unfit he calls Coigniers But he believes them not Male and Female according to the vulgar Fancy Of these the Portugal are best R. RAke a Gard'ners Rake whether of Wood or Iron is well enough known and the action of using it Rame and Ramberge are terms used of Melons when instead of a pleasant they have a stinking and filthy taste contracted from the neighbourhood of some stinking Weeds or being too near the Dung the same happens to hasty Asparagus from the Hot Bed To Range is to place in good order or plant even in a Line Rank Earth See Earth Random Plants are such as having been smothered and deprived too much of Light and Air or oppressed with any weight grow white small Curl'd and crooked and slim like such we find under great Stones or Logs when we take them up See Estioler To Recreate is to turn up Ground and recruit it with some heartning and fatning Mold or Mixtures and convenient waterings c. Red Winds are the dry and blasting North East Winds that Reign in March and April To Refresh is said in two Senses viz First Trees are refreshed by Ablaqueation i. e. by laying their Roots bare and retrenching their decayed and superfluous Roots and recruiting them with good fresh Earth or well tempered Mould or by turning up side down and well dressing and stirring the old Earth Secondly To Refresh is likewise to water Trees or Plants as also to feed them and diet them with Water diluted with Milk or well tinged with Dung or other rich ingredients or with Bloud or other fatning and nourishing things when they are Sick To Release See Unbind Retrench Rye-Straw being long firm and steept in Water to make it pliable is used to make Bands to tie up Lettuce or Cellery c. to whiten or wads to wrap about them or covers to cover them or other Plants and some tender Trees in Winter See Stram A Ridge is a double Slope between two Furrows in any digged or plowed Land See Slope Roses or Arroses fine are gentle waterings Rossane is a Name for all Yellow Peaches Roots such Plants whose Roots are most in use are called often simply by that Name as Carrots Turneps c. Rub as to rub of superfluous Buds See it in the Treatise of Pruning Rust is the effect of Blasting or Mildew S. THE Salt of the Earth so called in Gard'ning Terms is a certain Spirit which renders its Fertile supposed to be communicated by the rays of the Sun tempered with the nitrous parts off the Air and Dew Sand and Sandy Earth See Earth Sap is the radical moisture or Juice that nourishes a Plant. Saped see Sobbed is any thing that is too much soaked in Water Scar is a gash which remains after the cutting or pruning of a Tree To Scrape as to scarpe off Moss Spawn or Eggs of Vermines c. needs no Explication Scions See Cions A Scoop to scoop out Water and the use of it are things well known Screens or Skreens are inventions made of Straw or other Matter to shelter Plants Scutcheon or Escutcheon a Term of Graffing See it explained in the Treatise of Graffing part Season a thing is said to be in Season while it continues fit to eat Seedlings are little young Plants sprung from Seeds or Kirnels in order to form Stocks fit to graff on Thus we say an Apple Seedling a Seedling Orange-Tree Seed-Leaves See Leaves Seminaries are Nursery Beds or Gardens See Nursery To Set is to plant with the Hand as distinguisht from sowing Well Set or Budded See Budded To Settle is the sinking of the Earth in order to grow firm after digging or plowing or otherwise tilling or of a Hot Bed after its great and first heat is past To Sever is to sever that end of any young Graff that is graffed by Inarching or a pqroach from the Stock on which it grew when the other end of it has taken good hold and footing in the Stock into which it was graffed 'T is said also of rooted Layers when slipt off from their old Stock To Shed Fruit Trees are said to shed their Flowers or Blossoms when blasted or nipt by Winds or Frosts they fall off without producing Fruit. To Shoot is the same as to spring or sprout out Shoots are such young Branches as shoot out every year To Shrivel or Fold is said of Leaves Blasted or dying Trees or Plants Shrubs are small kind of Trees of a midling sort between Trees and Herbs Slips are Suckers slipt off from any Trees or Plants to set again to propagate them To Smooth is to pare or cut even a large Bough with a pruning Knife after it is sawed off Smut is the Blacking or Smutting of Corn or other Plants that happens to them in some Years Snivel called Morve is a sort of rotting moisture hanging about some Plants Spicy is said of all hot scented and tasted Plants Spikes are separated Sticks fixed on the sides of Beds or in Rows where Trees are to be planted to guide the Eye to keep them in a direct Line Spindles are those stalks in stocks or Tusts of Carnations or Clove-gilliflowers that bear the Flowers Spit is the depth a Spade pierces into the Ground as one Spit deep two Spit deep c. Sprigs are small young Shoots Sprouts are young green Shoots A Stalk is said of that part that bears any Fruit immediately and tacks it to the Branch on which it grows It is also the stem of any Plant or Herb that is not a Tree or Shrub Standards are tall Bodied Trees growing in open Ground Stake Squatted See Cotty Stem is the Body of a Tree between the Foot and the Head Stick is said properly of a strait Stem that runs up high and upright all the way without any Branches till just at the top Sticky or Stringy is said of Roots when not kindly or running to Seed Stiff is said of some Earth See Earth To stir or stir up is gently to move the Earth without diging or plowing it though sometimes it be used for any sort of Tillage A stock is the stem or Body of a Tree upon which after due trimming and
preparation the Graff or Cion of another Tree is Graffed To top is by pinching breaking cutting or treading the Branches or main stalks of Trees or other plants the sap is checked ot stopped from mounting upwards or at least strait forwards Stool the crooked bottom part of an Artichoke slip by which it is fastned to the main Root is called its stool To strike Root Any new planted Tree layer slip or cutting is said to strike Root when it begins first to take Root or at least take new Root after its planting To strip is to despoil a Tree of its Leaves Fruit bark or Branches that form not the Head Striped is said of Flowers diversified with streakes of several Colours as Tulips Carnations c. To string as to string Straw-berry plants is to clear them of their superfluous strings and runners Strings See sticky A stone is the Seed of any Fruit which is enclosed in a woody shell hard like a stone which from thence is called stone Fruit as Plums Peaches c. A stone Peach is a Peach growing upon a Tree sprung from a stone without Graffing Stub Stump is the Trunk or stock of a Tree cut down very low or a Branch cut very close To cut or Prune stump wise See it in the Treatise of Graffing Pruning Surface and supersicies is the outward or upper crust of the Earth Surface Earth is that Earth or mold that is uppermost and exposed to the Air. Suckers are young Cions or slips commonly growing from the sides of the Roots ot else of the main joints of any plant or Tree sit to be slipt off and planted or Graffed Sweet Herbs are such as the French call sine Herbs as Rosemary Marjerome c. T. A Tendrel is a young tender shoot of a Vine or other Fruit-Tree that is not yet hardned or grown Woody A Terrass is an artificial bank or mount of Earth commonly supported with a fronting or facing of stone and raised like a kind of Bulwark for the ornament of a Garden To thin is to pick off Fruit pull up Herbs and Roots or cut away Branches when they grow too thick that the rest may thrive the better To Ticket is to fasten Tickets or notes about Fruit-Trees containg their names and order to distinguish them To Till is to dig delve plow and otherwise dress or prepare the Ground for planting or sowing Toise or Fathom is a measure of six foot see Fathom A Cubical Toise is the 216 foot every way of any thing measur'd by the Toise or Fathom Ton is a sort of Worm or Maggot that gnaws Straw-berry Roots A Trail is a Trelliss or Lattice frame made for the support of Wall and palisaded Trees To Transplant is to take up any thing out of the Bed or place where it was sown when it is grown to a fit bigness and to plant or set in another place where 't is to remain or to be improved to a greater perfection To Tread is used in more sences than one as to tread down Earth about Trees c. To make it settle firmly c. or to tread as the the tops of Carrots Parsnips c. are troden down to keep the sap from mounting that it may nourish the Roots the better c. To Trench is to dig the Ground up and to make Trenches furrows and holes to plant Trees Artichokes c. in Trenches are Furrows with Holes fitted for Trees c. To Trelliss is to pallisade nail up and fasten Trees upon Walls or Pole-Hedges and on wooden Trails or Trelisses A Truss of Hay is a Term well known To Truss up is to raise up a Branch of a Wall-Tree that hangs down and tack it up fast that the Fruit may not break it or disfigure the Tree by Swagging it down with its weight To Turn up or loosen the Earth See stir and Till A Turf is either a Turf of Grass with its Earth or so much Earth that hangs firm about the Root of a Tree or Plant or Tuft of any Plant that grows in Tufts when they are pulled up Tuft is a knot of Roots or Boughs as 't were united together in one round Body or Cluster so we say a Tufted or Bushy Tree a Tuft of Strawberries c. Tyger-Babbs are a sort of pestilent insects infesting Wall-Pears and Pear-Trees V. VEin as a Vein of Earth is said Comparatively of some parts of a Garden that produce better or worse than other parts of it whence we say here is a good and there is a Bad Vein of Earth Vegetables are all sorts of living Plants Trees or Herbs that grow Vegetation is the springing or growing of any Plants Verdures is a Term denoting all Plants whose green Leaves chiefly are in use Vermine are all mischtevous Creatures that hurt plants Vigorous To Vindemiate is to gather Grapes and make them into Wine Vine-yard is a piece of Tilled Ground planted with Vines in order to make Wine Vine Dressers are those Husbandmen that order and dress the Vines Vines of Melons are their main running Branches so called because they run along like Vine Branches Vinous is said of a Winy tast and smell or flavour in Fruit. To Unbind is to take off the Bands of a Graff when it is well fixed See Release To Uncase is to take any Plant out of its Case Under Pasture is Mold taken from under the Turf of choice pasture Ground to improve the Soil of Gardens with Unhealthy is said of Melons or Cucumbers when they are troubled with a kind of Whiteness that decays them To Unpot is to take Plants out of Pots W. WAds of Straw See Wrap and Straw Walks See Allies Carpet Walks See Carpet Wall-Trees are Trees nailed couched and spread or displayed in a Decent and profitable Form against Walls Wasps are known insects See Cucurbits Water Courses are drains to carry off Water See Drains Dykes Gutters To Wean or Sever See Sever. Weeds are all noisom Herbs that annoy the useful Plants in a Garden To Weep or Bleed said of Vines See Bleed Windfalls are Fruit which the Wind blows from the Trees Red Winds See Red. Winter-greens are such Plants as are green all Winter See Ever-greens Wicks See Wrap Wood is the substantial part of a Tree that is solid and not tender Wood Branches See Branches To Whiten is to use art by Dunging Earthing tying up c. to whiten Plants and sweeten them to the tast To Wound is so to cut Trees in Pruning or otherwise as to hurt them and such hurts are called Wounds To Wrap as to wrap up Plants or tender Trees with Wads or VVisps of Straw to keep them from the Frost Y. YEllow Peaches are call'd Rossanes ADVERTISEMENT THe best Pruning-knives and other Instruments for Gard'ning made according to the Directions of Mounsr. de la Quintinye when last in London are Sold at Mrs. Gillyflowers a Toy-Shop next to the Kings-Bench in Westminster-Hall the Corner-Shop The Kings Kitchen Garden at
St. Catherine the Imperial the Royal c. As to Peaches the most considerable are the Early Peach the Troy Peach the Maudlins White and Red the Rossanne the Minion the Chevreuse the Bourdin the Violets both Early and Late the Persiques the Admirable the Purple Peach the Nivet the Smooth Yellow Peaches and the Latter Yellow Peaches And as for the Pavies or Bastard Peach the Purple Nectarin the White Pavie the Cadillac and the Rambouillet As to Figs those that are White both Inside and Outside viz. the Long and Round are best for this Country As to Grapes the Muscat is chiefly to be esteem'd whether White Red or Black Long Muscat being well plac'd and in a good Ground is admirable the Chassolas succeeds more constantly than any As for Cherries every Body knows that the Latest and the Griote and even Bigarros are very good Fruits upon Standards Early Cherries are of no Value unless upon Wall Trees Seventh ARTICLE To prepare a Tree both as to the Head and Roots before the planting of it I am of Opinion that all the Capillar Roots must be taken away Only preserve a few thick Roots especially the Youngest that is the Newest These are Commonly Reddish and have a more lively Complexion than the old Ones they must be kept short in proportion to their Thickness The Longest in Dwarfs must not exceed Eight or Nine Inches and in high Standards about a Foot you may allow them more Extent in Mulberries and Cherry-Trees The weakest Roots must be satisfied with one two three or four Inches at most according as they are more or less thick One Rank of Roots is sufficient when placed as they should be that is when there are Four or Five Roots round about the Foot especially when they are partly like so many Lines drawn from a Centre to the Circumference and even Two or Three being good are better than Twenty mean ones I have often planted Trees with one single Root which indeed was extraordinary good and they succeeded well you may easily see what I mean by a Rank of Roots in the Treatise of Plantations where I have caused Plates to be Ingraven to that End Eighth ARTICLLE In order to Plant well you must chuse dry Weather to the End that the Earth being very dry it may easily cling about the Roots and leave no vacuity and particular Care must be taken lest it grow to the Consistence of Morter which afterwards coming to harden might hinder the Production and the Shooting of the New Roots The best Season for Planting is from the beginning of November until the End of March yet in dry Grounds it is very material to Plant at the very beginning of November but in moist Soils it is better to stay till the beginning of March The Disposition of Roots requires that the Extremity of the Lowest should not be above a full Foot deep into the Ground and the nearest to the Surface must be covered with Eight or Nine Inches depth of Mould In a dry Soil it will not be improper to make a little But or Hillock over those Roots to hinder the Sun from spoiling of them and when the Tree has taken Root into the Ground it must be Levell'd again After having Prun'd the Roots of a Tree you must cut the Steem of the Length it is to remain before you Plant it and never stay to cut it till after 't is Planted In Dwarfs I regulate that height to be about Five or Six Inches in a dry Soil and about Eight or Nine when Moist And in high Standards the proper height is between Six and Seven Foot in all manner of Soils In Planting care must be taken to turn the best Roots on that side which has most Earth and that none as much as is possible may incline streight downwards but rather look towards the Horison Those who after planting shake or trample on little Trees do them a great deal of Injury whereas on the contrary it is absolutely necessary to trample and raise the Ground about the great ones to secure them against the Impetuosity of the Winds The Head or Top of Espaliers or Wall Trees must lean towards the Wall yet so that the Extremity of the Head must be at Three or Four Inches distance from it and the Wound must not appear The distance between them is to be regulated according to the Goodness of the Earth and particularly according to the height of the Wall they must be nearer to one another against high Walls and at more distance against low ones In this particular Case of the common distance of Wall Trees it is to be regulated from Five or Six Foot to Ten Eleven or Twelve The Walls being Twelve Foot high or more you must always let one Tree shoot up to garnish the Top between two that shall garnish the Bottom in which case the Trees must be planted within Five or Six Foot of one another But against Walls that are not above Six or Seven Foot high the distance must be about Nine Foot The distance of Dwarfs must be from between Eight and Nine Foot to Twelve or even a little more being Plum-Trees or Kernel-Fruit upon Free Stocks In high Standards from Four Fathom to Seven or Eight for great Plantations In good Soils the Trees must be at a greater distance than in bad ones because there their Heads or Tops spread more When Trenches are newly made the Earth will sink at least Three or Four large Inches This is a very necessary Observation to make in order to the keeping the Earth about them higher than the Neighbouring Surface and to avoid falling into the Inconveniency of having Trees sunk too deep into the Ground For the Success of Kernel Fruit it matters but little whether the Graff be above or under Ground But as for Stone Fruit it is better not to be in the least cover'd with Earth Yet for the Beauty of both it is to be wish'd that it may appear but the main point is to have the Roots well plac'd so that neither the great Heat nor great Cold nor the Iron of the Spade may prejudice them As for the Understanding of the Expositions that are most proper for the different kinds is an account which will be best learned in a Treatise written on purpose upon that Subject Yet generally speaking I may say that the best of all in our Climates is the South and the Worst is the North the East is almost as good as the South especially in hot Soils and lastly the Exposition of the West is not amiss for Peaches Plums Pears c. but is stark nought for Muscat Chasselas and all manner of large Grapes Ninth ARTICLE To have a reasonable Insight into the Pruning of Trees it is necessary at least to know the Time and Cause and especially if possible the Manner As to the Time it is always good to Prune from the Beginning of the Fall until the New Leaves grow
the Conveniency and Pleasure of Hunting the Facility of making Fountains or Canals the Advantage of the Income or some other Consideration of the Adjacency of Friends c. So that the Gardens in Question are commonly the last Thing thought upon and consequently much more the Works of Nicety and After-thought than of Choice or Forecast And indeed it is much more common to become Master of a House ready Built either by Purchase or Succession c. than to chuse the Situation and begin to lay the Foundations of it so that generally People are necessitated to make such Gardens as the Dependencies of their Houses will allow which is the Reason they are not commonly so good as they should be But supposing a Man were in a Condition to chuse I will take the Liberty to explain here what I think most proper to be done to suceeed in the choice of a Garden for a House as I would willingly do as to the Choice of the Situation of that House were this a proper Place for it CHAP. I. Of the Conditions that are necessary in order to make a Good Fruit and Kitchen-Garden I Find in this seven particular Considerations and all of them in my Opinion very material First I would have the Ground good whatever Colour it were of Secondly A favourable Situation and Exposition Thirdly An easie Conveniency of Water for watering Fourthly To have the Ground upon a small rising Fifthly An agreeable Figure and well plac'd Entrance Sixthly A fine Enclosure of pretty high Walls And Lastly That in case this Garden were not within sight of the House which is not always to be wish'd for at least it might not be far distant from it but above all that the Access to it may be easie and convenient Let us now explain those seven Articles asunder in order to shew whether my wish be grounded upon sufficient Reasons and whether the Execution of it be material CHAP. II. Of Earth in General IN Order to prove what Earth is not taking in a Philosophical or Christian Sence whereby is understood the whole Mass this not being a question proper to be decided in this Place It is sufficient to know Earth being considered in that Sence that it is a great round Mass which forming one part of the created World is Situated in the middle of the Celestial Sphere where by the Orders of the Creator it sustains it self as it were by its own Weight But to take Earth in the Sence of a good Husbandman or a Gard'ner to be able to Explain what it is in relation to all the small Particles that compose it and the Culture it receives from the Hand of Man In that Sence I think I may say that Earth is a quantity of a certain kind of small Sand which by the Operation of a certain Salt wherewith Nature has endued every Grain of that Sand is proper for the Production of Vegetables in order to which there must be several Grains together which receiving a temperate Moisture form a compacted Body which afterwards receiving some degrees of moderate Heat seems to compose an animated Body So that without these two helps of Moisture and Heat this Earth remains useless and as it were dead 'T is almost in the same manner that Flower which is an entire Body composed of an Infinite Number of small Particles all well seperated the one from the other this Flower I say being moistned to a certain degree forms Paste or Pap either of which being season'd with a little Salt and afterwards heated to a certain degree become proper for the Nourishment of Man whereas this Flower would remain useless or dead if Water Salt and Fire were not introduc'd to Animate it However we find this difference between Earth and Flower that the last being once wetted alters its nature to that degree that it cannot return to its first Condition although the Moisture be altogether drein'd out of it whereas on the contrary Earth having once lost the Moisture it had receiv'd remains in the same Condition it was before when it receives a second Moisture but yet this difference ought not to destroy our Comparison The Reason that induces me to say that Earth is a kind of Sand is that in the handling of it it really appears a sandy Thing I will not take upon me to explain what Sand is since I can say nothing that is particular about it nor new I shall only say in General That there are several kind of Sands of which some are very dry and barren like those of the Sea Rivers Sand Pits c. others Fat and Fruitful some more some less Those that are Fattest and most Fertile make the best Earth the others that are not so Fat or have no Fatness at all make but ordinary or bad Earth especially such as are Light Dry and Sandy Moreover some are softer which make soft easie Soil or Mould others courser which make a rough Loam hard to be manag'd In fine some are Unctuous and Sticking together of which those that are but moderately so make strong Earth others that are more inclining to it make clean Loamy Earth and those that are extreamly Unctuous make clayish and heavy Earth altogether unfit for Culture Besides the difference of Sands in Relation to Fruitfulness and Barrenness there are others which only differ as to Colour for among Sands some are Blackish others Reddish some are White some Grey and others Yellow c. from whence Earth derive the Names of Black Red White Grey c. But those kind of Colours are not very Essential to the goodness of Soil as we shall demonstrate hereafter It is most certain that those Fertile Sands have really some Qualities in themselves or rather a certain fruitful Salt which is communicated to the Water that Moistens them which being season'd by these Qualities must serve for the Production of Plants Just in the same Manner as Senné Rubarb and most Plants have in themselves Medicinal Virtues and Properties which communicate themselves to the Water into which they are Infus'd for the Use of the Health of Man c. which Truth is undeniable I might assert here in the first Place that Earth considering it in it self as one of the Four Elements has really no Original or Natural Disposition for Vegetation being in its principal Qualities Cold and Dry whereas Vegetation requires Heat and Moisture but as by the Express Order and Command of Divine Providence it finds it self endu'd with a Salt necessary for Fertility and is afterwards assisted both by the Rays of the Sun and Subterraneous Fires which give it heat as well as by some Waters that moisten it it seems to change its Nature so that in submission to so absolute a Command of the Sovereign Master it appears as if it were a living animated Being a Being having its particular Activity that is of Producing as if in Effect Plants were no more in relation to it
than the Teeth of an Animal are in relation to that Animal I mean that as it is the Animal that Lives and not the Teeth so it would be proper to say that the Earth lives and not the Vegetables This Earth I say in Obedience to that Command makes that vast number of different Productions we have so much Reason to admire I might say Secondly That there was a second Command after the Curse occasion'd by the Disobedience of Man and that by Vertue of that second Command that Earth seems most Inclin'd to produce Ill Plants or Weeds so that this very Man having for his Punishment receiv'd a particular Order to Cultivate that Earth for his Subsistance he finds himself in some manner necessitated to wage a perpetual War against it He Labours and makes use of all his Industry to Vanquish and Overcome the malicious Inclination of that Earth which on its part defends it self with all its Might to avoid deceive and cross the Subordinate Authority of that second Master And so we see that being no wise inclin'd to favour Children that are in some manner Strangers to her which by Culture we make her produce against her Will. She relapses as soon as she can shooting vigorously Thistles Nettles and a Thousand other Plants of no Use to us which are properly her natural welbelov'd Children In this the Earth resembles those Children who are seldom tired with Voluntary Games and Sports though never so Rough or Violent in themselves and yet appear soon weary in the performance of what a Superior Authority enjoins them for their good though never so easie in the Execution Thus then this Earth is oblig'd to obey in a great many Things which Man requires of it in which perhaps it might be compar'd to a young Colt Vigorous and Obstinate which being once subjected to the Hand and Spur of an able Rider becomes subservient for Pleasures Combats and Triumphs c. Thirdly I might say that all sort of Soils are not proper for all Sorts of Productions so that every Clime seems in some Sence to be reduc'd to some particular Thing which it produces happily and with Ease whereas other Plants cannot succeed in it without much Toil and Care It is in this point that Man stands in need of Industry nay even of Obstinacy finally to overcome the Resistance he meets with sometimes in the Culture of his Ground Those happy or unfortunate Successes of Plants in certain Places ought to inform us demonstratively what kind of Earth is absolutely fit for every sort of Fruit and which is improper for Instance the large Cherry Trees of the Vale of Montmorency and the fine Plum Trees of the Hills of Meudon c. Instruct me what Soil is proper for Cherries and what for Plums c. least I should engage to the rearing of them in Soils of a different Temper with Confidence and Presumption of succeeding without difficulty I might finally say what is known by every Body that some Earths are much better than others in every Climate nay even sometimes in a small Compass of Ground vulgarly term'd Veins of Earth For Instance Wheat grows well in one Place and yet cannot grow in another close by it where the Ground is only fit for Rye or other small Corn. Wine proves good in one Place and is not so in another tho' close by it Muscadine ripens perfectly well in some and in others neither acquires Taste Firmness Colour c. From whence it follows that it is very difficult to give general and positive Rules for every Climate in general considering the great Proximity or Nearness of good Soil to bad So that we say in respect to the Production of Earth in every Clime that some are extraordinary good that is very Fertile as we have often cause to say in respect to the said Production that some are very Bad that is very Barren This difference proceeding apparently from the Internal Qualifications of every Ground since it cannot be imputed to the Sun which looks upon them all with the same Eye it may likewise proceed from another Cause which we will demonstrate hereafter But in fine our Gardens absolutely require Earth therefore let us now examine what Conditions are necessary to that Earth in order to make our Garden thrive CHAP. III. Of the Conditions that are Necessary for the Earth of a Garden to Qualifie it to be good MAny Things are to be said in relation to Earth which are necessary to be understood I will speak of each in particular without omitting any Thing of what I know but whereas we have establish'd heretofore that the first and most essential Thing to be desir'd for Fruit and Kitchen-Gardens is a good Earth it will be proper first to Explain what a good Soil is to the making of which many Things must Concur First Its Productions must be Vigorous and Numerous Secondly That Earth must be able to recover it self with ease when it has been worn out Thirdly It must have no ill Taste Fourthly It must have at least Three Foot Depth Fifthly It must be clear from Stones and easie to Till Sixthly It must neither be too Moist nor too Dry. I explain these Six Maxims in Six particular Sections before I enter upon the other Necessary Conditions for the Perfecting of a Fruit-Garden First SECTION Of the First Proof of good Earth In my Opinion the best Proof of a real good Ground or Soil is chiefly when of it self it abounds in very vigorous and numerous Productions appearing seldom or never Exhausted When Plants grow visibly with large thick Leaves c. When Trees grow up in few Years producing fine Shoots green Leaves not drooping until the great Frosts come in having sine lively shining Barks c. These Marks are certain Proofs of a good Earth SECTION II. Of the Second Proof of good Earth Besides this the Nature of this Soil must be such that it may easily repair what has been Impair'd by some Extraordinary Accident viz. by a great Heat or a great Cold by a great Drought or great Moisture by a long Nourishment of some Foreign Plant c. so as easily and certainly to recover its former Goodness if left in quiet and as it were abandon'd to it self which supposes that the Accidents that had troubled it in its ordinary Productions ceasing the goodness of its Nature and particularly its happy Situation are apparently the principal Causes thereof which is so true as to that Situation that such a Soil being admirably good in such a Place will soon cease to be so if carried into another where it may not meet with the good Fortune of such an advantageous Situation Whereas on the contrary if Barren in some Place being Transported into another where the Situation happens to be better it will undoubtedly prove much better in its Production there This is the Reason that Transported Earth though never so good in the place
whence it was brought only has a Transitory Goodness and will soon cease to be so not meeting with a proper Situation in which case it will require extraordinary Helps to be maintain'd in a Fruitful Condition Therefore we may lay down as a certain Maxim that no Earth can be call'd good unless it shows a great Fertility by its natural Productions and be capable to recover it self without help Those are the Earths that are absolutely necessary for Gardens without amusing our selves in hopes of correcting a natural Barrenness absolutely by laying out a great deal of Money in Dunging c. especially in Relation to Fruits as for Pot-herbs I grant that having abundance of Dung and Water together with several Indefatigable Gard'ners they may be made to grow in a common Soil but that Remedy is too Expensive and the real Pleasure of a Garden is inconsistent with so much Toil and Charge SECTION III. Third Proof of a good Earth Moreover in my Opinion the real Goodness of Earth consists in having neither Smell nor Taste since it would be Vain for our Fruits to be the Children of a very Fruitful Soil and to be large and beautiful if at the same time that Soil had any ill Smell or ill Taste by Reason that the Fruits and Legumes or Edible Plants will infallibly be tainted with it and consequently cannot be good or pallatable which is their main Excellence The Example of those Wines that taste of the Soil is a convincing Proof of this Truth it being most certain that the Sap which is prepar'd by the Roots is only made by the Water which soaking in the Ground where those Roots are to Work of necessity participates to the Taste and Qualities of that Soil and still retains them notwithstanding its being turn'd into Sap. Earth to be good must be altogether like good Water that is that without being Tart or Insipid and Sweetish it must have no manner of Smell whatever neither Good nor Bad. This is the first and most material Observation to be made in order to Resolve and Determine upon the Ground of a Garden when it appears Fertile which Observation is very easie since every Body is capable of making it either in Smelling barely to a handful of that Earth to judge of the Smell or in tasting the Water in which it shall have soak'd to judge of its Taste For Example leaving some small Quantity to soak for Five or Six Hours in a Glass which being afterwards drein'd through a clean Cloath to remove all Suspition of Dirt or Uncleanness may be tasted to judge by its good or ill Taste of Stink and Tarness or Pleasantness and Sweetness whether that Ground may be proper to produce good Fruits in order to resolve upon the making or not making a Garden there It is impossible to be too Nice in point of Taste Legumes do not require quite so much nicety by Reason that most of them in the boiling lose whatever might be disagreeable in their Taste SECTION IV. The Fourth Proof of good Earth Though it might seem sufficient in order to judge of the Goodness of Earth to find its Production Vigorous and that it does not grow weary of Producing as also that it has no manner of ill Taste yet notwithstanding the Knowledge of our Curious who will make a Garden must extend farther It is necessary to sound the Depth of the Ground and to dig into its Entrails to see whether it contains at least Three Foot of as good Mould as the Surface The Tress he shall plant there will not grow so easily as those which Nature has produc'd of it self they will not thrive unless they be as it were certain of a Provision of Food for the Time to come which Provision consists in having Three Foot of good Mould very soft or labourable on the Top and whereas by daily requiring some new thing from that Earth it is tired at last and grows Lazy and Lean in its Productions it is necessary to make some Alterations the most material of all which as well as the most easie is to lay the Mould that lay in the Bottom on the Top where not having had any Thing to employ it it preserv'd its natural Fruitfulness in Expectation of being put to Tryal that is of being Expos'd to the Sun and Cultivated in which Motion of the Earth the Surface is turn'd in the Room of the other which was taken up there to lay at rest in its Turn in order to come to it self again in some Years Time and to be put into a Condition of acting again as well as ever Not unlike those Animals which though never so tired at the end of the first Day 's Journey go on the next Day with the same Vigour as before provided they have Rest in the Night It is not enough to have laid down as a Maxim that Trees absolutely require Three Foot in Depth of good Mould it is necessary besides to decide how much will be proper for long Rooted Legumes For Example Artichokes Beet Roots Scorzonere Parsneps Carots c. all which in my Opinion likewise require the same Depth of Three Foot Other Plants as Sallads Greens and Cabbage c. may do with a Foot less But those among the Curious who in both cases of Trees and large Legumes are satisfied with less Depth than I have Instanc'd are certainly in a very great Error and are to be pitied or rather blam'd They will be liable to have abundance of Trees grow Yellow and Sick and to see a considerable part of them Perish and consequently will be obliged to a new Expence to plant others at a Time when after Five or Six Years Patience they ought to Enjoy the Benefit of their Plants And lastly they will be Expos'd to have small Trees and Legumes and those neither good nor come to perfection c. Which Inconveniencies ought to be avoided by following of my Precepts in chusing of a sufficient Depth SECTION V. The Fifth Proof of good Earth The Natural and Perpetual Fertility of Earths their Taste and Depth being thus establish'd as Four indispensable Conditions there remains a Fifth which is That Earth without being too light ought to be easie for Cultivation like those we call Fat Sand or Flax Land c. and pretty free from Stones not only for the Ease of Culture and to make Plants grow the easier but also to please the Eye which undoubtedly is offended at the sight of many Stones or Rubbage in stirring of the Ground So that when any Earth has that Imperfection it must be remedied when there are but a few they may be easily clear'd with a Rake but when the Ground is full of them I know no Remedy but sifting of it I explain the Use of that Operation in the Treatise of the Preparations of Soils Light Moulds have great Advantages for Culture they are convenient to Plants for the Multiplication of their Roots they easily
its Duty alternatively not failing besides this to allow it the common Culture it requires I have had the Honour of making one of the best Kitchen-Gardens that could be for a great Minister I had the Liberty of chusing my Ground and found it according to my wish and as I wish it to all Gentlemen that are Curious in Gard'ning This Garden is so perfect that no Inconsiderable Things are seen in it nor any Thing that belyes its Excellence No Place can afford more vigorous Trees or more excellent Fruits nor in greater Quantity nor siner and better Legumes There is but one thing wanting in it which is that it is not altogether so forward as Gardens that lie in a Sandy Ground but that Defect which Art cannot correct is sufficiently recompens'd by all the other Advantages I have mention'd CHAP. IV. Of the other Terms that are us'd in speaking of Earth AFTER having explain'd the good Qualifications that are to be wish'd for in the Mould of Gardens I might now apply my self to the Explaining of the other Conditions that are necessary for the perfecting of the said Gardens viz The Situation Exposition Figure and Conveniency of Watering c. But whereas in our Gardens we often speak of worn out or Exhausted Earth of Fallow Earth of new broken up Earth of Transported Earth c. I think that before I proceed any farther it will be proper for me to declare my Opinion thereof SECTION VIII Of Exhausted Earth First It is an old saying that Earth wears out or exhausts in process of time whatever quantity of Salt it may have to preserve its Fertility that is though never so good in its Nature with this difference only that whereas some are extraordinary Good and others very Indifferent some are much sooner and much easier worn out than others We may in some measure compare them to the Treasures of every State of which some are certainly very considerable and others not whereby some are more able to sustain long Wars and bear greater Expences than others but yet the Treasures of the Richest cannot hold out for ever they not being Infinite They may be Exhausted or Wasted either by being ill Manag'd or ill Employ'd or by being Dispers'd or Squander'd away though perhaps with a Prospect of other Advantages for the Benefit of the State Foreign Amendments are sometimes necessary to that State for Example great Trading a Considerable Alliance c. and chiefly no long Wars or great Dissipations It requires at least some Rest and Occonomy or good Husbandry In the same manner whatever Fruitfulness Earth is endu'd with it will waste at length by the Abundance of its Productions I mean such as have been forc'd upon it but not those that are natural and voluntary wherewith it seems only to sport for Instance the Ground of a good Meadow is so far from wasting by the Nourishment it affords the Grass it yearly produces that it improves in its Disposition of producing it as if it delighted in following its natural Tendency but when we go about to alter its Function and force it to produce Saint Foin Wheat or any other Corn that is a Stranger to it it will be soon perceiv'd first that it begins to slacken in its Production and finally Exhausts or Spends it self insomuch that it will want some help to be put again in Vigour otherwise it will remain for a time almost useless It may be also that the Grounds where Wheat and other Corn grow of themselves for it is very probable that those first Grains grew naturally and without any Industry in some Soils It may be I say that those Corn Grounds might be worn out sooner in producing of Hey than in the Continuance of their Natural Productions So that it is Evident by the Experience of all Husbandmen that Earth frequently wears out or exhausts I add that according to the greater or lesser quantity of Salt every particular Plant requires all Plants not consuming an equal quantity of it that Earth which is abundantly provided therewith shoots without wearing out so soon several different kind of Plants and sometimes all of them together and at the same time witness the good Grounds of Meadows every part of which abounds with an Infinity of different Plants all equally Vigorous Sometimes and that only when the Ground is indifferently good that Earth only produces many successively the one after the other as we see by small Corn as Barly Oates c. which are sown in those very Grounds that have just before produced Wheat and Rye which though not capable of producing some of the like so soon after it have yet the Force of producing smaller The same things may be said of Grounds that have serv'd long for Vinyards Woods or Forests or Orchards c. where when we destroy those kind of Plants we must not expect that it will succeed immediately if Employ'd in the same manner it was before it being too much wasted or worn out for that purpose but yet it may be good enough to serve a while for the Production of smaller Plants and less Voracious for Example Pot-herbs Pease Beans c. and yet at last it will yeild to the common Fate of all manner of Earth which is to wear out quite It is in this that the Gard'ner must shew his skill for he must have a perpetual Application to observe in what manner all the Plants of his Garden do grow not to Employ his time in planting his Ground with Things that can no longer thrive there and yet he must leave no part of his Garden unmanur'd it will be sufficient to shift his Legumes and Seed His Earth can never be so worn out or Exhausted as to oblige him to leave it altogether unimploy'd he may make it produce all manner of Things one after another provided he never lets it want some Helps it requires However supposing he were oblig'd to plant or put Things of the same kind in the Room of the old Ones for Instance new Trees in the Room of others that are Dead then in such a Case there is some work to be done and some Oeconomy to be practis'd which I will speak of hereafter besides the manner of Employing Earth well is fully examin'd in the Treatise of the Kitchen-Gardens SECTION IX Of Fallow Earth These Terms of Fallows or Earth that lies at Rest and Unimploy'd intimate that the Grounds sometimes want Rest thereby to be recover'd or reinforc'd whether the Influences of the Stars and more particularly the Rains cause that useful Reparation as certainly they contribute much to it or rather whether those Earths have in themselves a fund of Natural Fruitfulness with a Faculty not indeed to render that Fruitfulness undrainable but to re-establish it and produce it again when after having been impair'd by continual Productions we let it lie Fallow for some time as if we did abandon it to its own Discretion and judg'd it
capable of knowing its own Distemper and to remedy it Thus Philosophers impute to the Air an Elastic Force and to use a more sensible Example Thus Water has in it self a kind of Natural Coolness with a Principle of re-establishing and reproducing that Coolness when after its having been heated by Fire or by the Sun it is remov'd out of their Reach Heat is certainly a stranger to it and as it were an Enemy so that it keeps this Water in a violent Motion But when 't is remov'd from that which caus'd and maintain'd that Heat and thereby left at Rest it destroys that which render'd it defective and by degrees becomes cool again as before that is it recovers the perfection which is natural to its Being and Temper Thus good Earth being Impair'd by the Nourishing of some Plants that were Strangers to it and drain'd it at once of all its ancient Salt and even of all the new as fast as it repair'd it if we discharge or ease it of those Plants and leave it for a while without requiring any thing from it that is Fallow or at Rest it will easily return to its natural Fertility especially if instead of planting it with little ordinary Plants we mix a little good Dung with it insomuch that the Straw that shall Rot or be Burnt among it will afford it new strength Nature shows us in this a true Circulation which we will Explain hereafter in the Chapter of Amendments SECTION X. Of Transported Earth There is but little to be said in the Cà se of Transported Earth unless it be that it is a Novelty our Age has introduc'd in Gard'ning The Author of the Georgics who has Treated with so much Exactness about the Differences of Earth has not in the least mention'd this This Expedient of Transporting Earth is seldom practis'd but when a Garden is to be made in a Place that has none which does not happen often at least where great Gardens are to be made or when we design to fill up some Trenches which we have cause to believe worn out in which cases Earth must be sent for from Places where it is very good Wo to him who being necessitated to be at the Charge of such a Transportation only chuses that which is bad which is a Fault I believe few People do commit Good Earth seems to meet with a kind of Improvement in that Transportation which is the Reason that People say Such and such a Garden cannot be Ill since it is altogether compos'd of Transported Earth The Reason of this Improvement by Transporting is as difficult to be solv'd as that of the Amendment which proceeds from the Burning of Stubble The Poet gives Four without determining upon any perhaps being willing to insinuate that he Judges them all equally good Thus it appears Evident to me that Earth really Improves by Transportation whether that Improvement proceeds from that in the removal the Air penetrating more into it revives some Principle of Vigour that was conceal'd or that the Air Purifies some Ill Qualities it had contracted or in fine whether it renders it looser and more penetrable to the Roots which roam as it were every where to look for some fresh Nourishment SECTION XI Of New Earth or Ground new broke open There still remains to Explain what New Earth is I mean Earth never having seen the 〈◊〉 It is a Help or Succours newly Introduc'd in our Gardens and apparently as much unknown in the Ancient Husbandry as that of Transported Earth which Authors do not in the least mention We have a particular value for it and indeed cannot have too much since it is certain that this New Soil possesses not only all the first Salt which was given it at the Moment of the Creation but also the Major Part of the Salt of the Surface which was press'd down to the Bottom by Rains and Waterings the Weight of which made it descend where-ever it could penetrate This Salt preserves it self in those hidden Earths until they become a Surface themselves and then the Air gives them a proper disposition to employ with Glory that Fertility wherewith they are Endu'd and indeed they are no sooner at Liberty to Act but they produce Vegetables of a surprising Beauty It is not difficult to apprehend what New Mould is all Earths were so Originally that is at the Moment of their Creation God by his Command having bestow'd upon them the Gift of the Faculty of Production which till then had not been put in Use From that time none of the Earth of the Surface of that Terrestrial Body or Mass can be called New since all those that were capable of Producing have not ceas'd to Act hitherto But whereas there are many Places where the Bottom of that Earth within Two or Three Foot of the Surface has always remain'd without Action and others where that very Surface has not been allowed to Act both the one and the other afford us New Earth to make use of in our Necessities So that by New Earth we mean such as never serv'd towards the Nourishment of any Plant. For Instance such as lies Three Foot beneath the Surface and from thence as low as it can go provided it be really Earth or else we mean such as having already nourish'd several Plants has afterwards been long without nourishing any others for Example such as has been built upon We say and that by Experience that in the first Year both the one and the other of these Earths are wonderfully good especially for our Gardens all manner of Plants and Legumes Improving Growing and Thickning visibly in them And when we plant Trees in them provided they be good in themselves and be well planted few of them Miscarry whereas in those that are naught or really worn out the greatest part of them Die though never so well condition'd or so carefully planted The Eyes are not capable to distinguish whether Earth be new or worn out that Knowledge must proceed from other Things the one and the other being extreamly alike and it might be said with Reason that those Earths that are bad whether they have always been so or are grown so are not unlike Gun-Powder which being bad or having taken Vent cannot take Fire and yet looks altogether like that which is good Thus Earth that is naturally naught and barren or having been good is worn out not having any thing within it to animate it when it receives heat and moisture remains as if it were dead notwithstanding a Succours which would animate any other Earth so that not contributing in the least to the Action of the old Roots of Trees they at last rot and together with them the whole Body of the Tree as I have fully Explain'd in my Reflections upon the Beginning of Vegetation From whence it follows first That it is pleasant to make new Plantations and that in good new Earth and in the second Place that all those who
sudden gluts of Water to see sometimes the Earth tumbled from the top to the bottom and sometimes the Walks utterly spoil'd and in fine all the neatness delight and advantage of it utterly over-thrown It were to be wish'd that all Gentlemen might meet with such favourable Situations for their Gardens but whereas they are scarce and that People are often reduc'd to make them in the middle of great Plains which is most common others upon Hills and others in Valleys or Dales we will declare hereafter what may be most proper to be done in order to succeed in them as well as is possible CHAP. VI. Of the Exposures of Gardens as well in general as in particular with the Explication of what may be good and ill in every one of them IT is not enough for a Garden to have a good Ground and to be well situated it must also be well expos'd and a small rising not being well expos'd cannot be call'd an advantagious Situation There are four sorts of Expositions the East the West the South and the North all easily known by the Names that have been given them with this difference that among Gard'ners these Terms signifie the clean contrary of what they do among Astrologers and Geographers these only regarding those Parts where the Sun actually appears and not those which are lighten'd by his Beams for Instance by East they mean that part where the Sun Rises by West the part where it Sets c. Whereas the Gard'ners only consider those parts of their Garden upon which the Sun directly shines and in what manner it shines upon it throughout the course of the day either in relation to the whole Garden or only in relation to some of the sides of it for Example as to the sides when the Gard'ners see the Sun at his Rising and during all the first half of the day continue to shine upon one side they call that side the East and indeed it is really the East of Gardens so that when the Sun begins to appear later upon it or to remove sooner from it it can no longer be call'd East and by the same reason they call that side the West upon which the Sun shines all the second half part of the day that is from Noon till Night and according to the same way of speaking they call that part South where the Sun shines from above nine in the Morning till Evening or else that part where it shines longest in the whole day whatever hour it begins at or removes from it in fine they call that North which is opposite to the South and consequently that part which is least favour'd by the Rays of the Sun for perhaps it does not receive the benefit of it above one hour or two in the Morning and the same at Night This is the true meaning of Exposures in point of Gard'ning and particularly in relation to the Walls of Gardens whereby may be understood the meaning of that manner of speaking so common among Gard'ners my Fruits of the East are better than those of the West my Wall Fruits of the East are not so often water'd by Raine as those of the West c. Besides those Names of Expositions likewise express those Winds Gardens are more or less expos'd to and consequently can be more or less prejudicial to them for the Winds in respect to Gardens especially for Trees are almost all to be fear'd but yet some more and others less and that according to the different Seasons of the Year Although it may be urg'd that whatever Situation a Garden be in it has of necessity all the Aspects of the Sun and consequently is in a Condition to enjoy the Favors of all the Expositions as well as to fear the Insults of all the Winds yet every body agrees that some are better expos'd than others which is particularly understood of such as are upon Hills or the sides of Mountains of which some have the Rising Sun others the Setting some lye South and others North for as to the Gardens that are situated in Plains and are neither cover'd by Mountains or high Woods or lofty Buildings the difference of those Exposures is not so sensible The usual manner of speaking to express the Expositions in respect of every Garden in the whole and without any particular distinction of sides must be understood in relation to the Expositions of the whole coast where those Gardens are situated as the manner of speaking of the Exposures of Walls in particular relates to the manner of the Suns shining upon every one of them in the course of the whole day and so for Example when in speaking of a Garden situated upon a small Hill we say that it lyes to the East we mean that the Sun shines upon it as soon as it Rises and shines but little upon it in the Afternoon and when we say that a Garden lyes full South it is when the Sun shines upon it all the day or at least from Nine or Ten in the Morning till the Evening and by the same reason when we say that such a Garden lyes to the West we mean that the Sun does not begin to shine upon it till about Noon and remains there till it sets Now the meaning of Expositions is fully understood in order to decide which is the best of the four either in general for the whole Garden or in particular for every one of the sides it will be fit to know in the first place that those of the South and East are by the Opinion of all Gard'ners the two chief and therefore to be preferr'd before the two others it is likewise fit to know that the Exposition of the West is not amiss or at least much better than the North which consequently is the worst of all Secondly In order to decide between the two first which is the best the temper of the Earth must first be distinguish'd for if it be strong and consequently cold the South is best but if light and consequently hot that of the East will be most favourable The Exposures of the South in all Earths is commonly proper to secure all Plants against the rigors of the Winter to give a taste to the Legumes and Fruits and to forward all that is to be early in all Seasons and therefore since it is favourable to all sorts of Earth it must be so particularly to a strong cold Earth which can hardly act unless animated by an extraordinary heat from the Sun which is the most proper Exposition for it but not for light Earths especially in hot Climats it being apt to scorch the Plants in Summer to that degree that the Kitchen Gardens become of no use it engenders a thousand Emots or kind of Fleas which gnaw and wrinkle the Leaves it hinders the Fruits from growing to that bigness they should do and thereby lessens the goodness of the Taste and even often makes them drop before their time
Threescore c. For it is most certain that those square Figures afford the Gard'ner wherewith to form fine Squares with Ease and to raise fine Beds there is a great deal of Delight in seeing true Squares of Stawberries Artichokes Asparagus c. great Beds of Charvel Parsly and Sorrel all very even streight exactly proportion'd out c. which cannot be done when the Figure is Irregular or at least not without losing a great deal of Time when in some Measure to hide the Deformity of it he endeavours to find or make something approaching to a Square Whence it is easie to conclude how much I dislike in the Case of Kitchen-Gardens all other Indented Figures Diagonals Rounds Ovals Triangles c. which are only proper for Thickets and Parterres or Flower Gardens in which Places they are at once both very useful and of a great Beauty I do not question but all People will be Curious to afford their Gardens the Beautiful Figure now in Question when at Liberty to pick and chuse It is a great Vexation when an ill Neighbourhood reduces us to the Necessity of suff'ring imperfect Figures Inlets and unequal sides c. Happy are those who meet with kind obliging Neighbours Wo to them who meet with such as are cross and ill natur'd Although the Figure of an Oblong Right Angled Square be the most proper yet I have made a fine Kitchen Garden of one hundred and ten Toises or Fathoms in length and sixty broad somewhat resembling the Figure A of a Lozenge and whereas I have dispos'd the chief Entrance in the middle of the narrowest side it is not easie to distinguish the small Irregularity a Geometritian would sind in it and it is a very necessary Precaution to conceal as much as is possible certain inconsiderable defects which are met with in the space of a Garden and to dispose the Ally's and the division of the Squares or Plats as if the Ground was exactly of a Square Figure for though neither the Angles or the four sides are perfectly equal it does not hinder the Plats from appearing perfect in their Proportion Moreover for the better Ornament of our Kitchen Garden especially if it be large it is proper that the Entrance should be plac'd just in the middle of that part which has most Extent as it appears by the Figure at the Point A in order to face an Alley which consisting of the whole length of the Garden may appear stately and divide the Ground into two equal parts each of those parts composing Squares or Plats too long in proportion to their breadth must afterwards be subdivided into other small parts if necessary the Entrance would not look so well in the middle of one of the broadest sides as it appears by the Figure B. a long Prospect moderately broad on both sides is much more pleasing than to have a long one on the sides and a short one before however it is sometimes impossible to dispose the Entrance otherwise and in such a Case we must have Patience and the same when we are necessitated to make it in one of the Corners or thereabouts though it be not so well yet I have made very fine Gardens which have their Entrance in one of the Corners which I would not have done had the disposition of the Ground permitted me to place it better and yet no body finds fault with it by reason that it faces a fine Alley which is border'd all along by one of the great Espaliers or Walls full of Fruit which is very agreeable to the sight when it is kept in good Order such is the Entrance of the Kitchen-Garden of Rambouillet CHAP. X. Of the sixth Condition which requires a Garden to be well enclos'd with Walls and Doors that shut well THIS Inclosure I desire sufficiently testifies that for Fruit and Kitchen Gardens I am not very desirous of those open Prospects which are so necessary for other Gardens not but when the Situation will permit I am very glad to enjoy the benefit of it But that which I desire above all things is that my Garden may be secur'd from Foreign as well as Domestick Thieves and that the Eye may be so delighted in surveying all the things that should be in it that there may be no room left to wish for any thing besides to divert it A Wall well garnish'd Dwarfs well order'd and very vigorous all manner of fine good Fruits of every Season fine Beds and fine Plats well furnish'd with all manner of necessary Legumes clean Walks of a proportionable largeness fine Bordures fill'd with useful things for the House In fine a well contriv'd diversity of all that is necessary in a Kitchen Garden so that nothing may be wanting either early or late or for the abundance of the middle Seasons these indeed are the things we ought to covet in our Gardens and not a Steeple or Wood in Perspective a great Road or the Neighbourhood of 〈◊〉 Râ—vâ—r In my Opinion the Cloth as it were should always be laid in a fine Garden without mattering to see what passes in the open Fields A Kitchen Garden might have the finest Prospect in the World and yet appear to me very ugly in it self if wanting any thing of what it should have instead of finding it 〈…〉 re I should be necessitated to go without it or to have recourse to my Neighbours or my Purse So that preferably to all manner of Prospects I would have my Garden inclos'd with Walls though I were to lose some fine point of Prospect by it besides that the shelter they may afford against troublesome Winds and Spring Frosts are very considerable It is almost impossible to be truly delighted with a Garden as for instance to have early Legumes and fine Fruits without the help of those Walls besides there are still many things which dreading great heats would hardly be able to grow in the hottest part of the Summer unless a Wall expos'd to the North favour'd them with some shadow In effect Walls are so necessary for Gardens that even to multiply them I make as many little Gardens as I can in the Neighbourhood of the great one whereby I have not only more Wall-Fruit or Espaliers and shelter which is very considerable but am also thereby enabled to correct some defects and Irregularities which would render the Garden desagreeable for in fine I will at any rate have a principal Garden that may please in its Figure and size design'd for large Legumes and some high Standards a large Garden would without doubt be less pleasing if for Instance it were too long for its breadth or too wide for its length if it had a corner or some visible wriness to disfigure it which being retrench'd would make all the rest square and thus such Gardens being lessen'd either on one or on both ends will afford ground to make little agreeable useful Gardens as I have done in many great Houses in
the Neighbourhood of Paris Besides the Inclosure of the Walls I am likewise for having good Locks to my Doors that my Gard'ner may be able to answer for all that is in the Garden I am sensible that there are some who are very discreet and careful but then I likewise know that there are others who desire nothing more than to have some Pretences CHAP. XI Of the last Condition which requires that both the Fruit and Kitchen-Garden should not be far distant from the House and that the coming to it should be easie and convenient I Am not ignorant that the Countrey affords large and moderate Houses of which the first may be accompany'd with several Gardens and the other satisfy'd with one only As to those which may have several Gardens it is proper that those that are design'd for Flowers and Shrubs I mean the Parterres should face the principal Aspect of the House since nothing can be more agreeable than to see at all times on that side the charming variety of a Succession of Flowers whatever they be they are so many different Scenes or Decorations upon a Stage of which the Figure never alters they afford perpetual matter to delight the Eye and charm us with their Sweets but whereas generally those Parterres are as publick and as open to every body as the very Court of the House it is not fit to put any thing into them the loss whereof might discompose us For these Reasons I allow that in such Houses the Fruit and Kitchen-Garden should not be Situated in the best Place besides the last being subject to have many things which though necessary are not always pleasing to the Eye or Smell as also producing many things design'd for the Pleasure and Satisfaction of the Master which might tempt some licourish indiscreet Persons and so occasion cause of Displeasure and Complaint I think it very necessary to place those Gardens out of the reach of the Publick Therefore as much as can be we content our selves with placing them in the best Ground we can meet with without prejudicing the place of the Parterre pretty near to the House being of a convenient easie Access the Ancients were of this Sentiment when they said that the Steps of the Master that is his frequent Visits were of wonderful use for the Neatness Abundance Goodness and Beauty of Gardens so that Gardens that are at a distance or of difficult Access are liable to Disorders Filth and Sterility c. I hope that whereas in the beginning of this Work I have presum'd to say that none ought to pretend to have one of our Gardens unless he were passably well skill'd in the Culture of it none will undertake to make one unless he may be able to afford himself the Pleasure of seeing it well Cultivated and consequently he will desire to see it often which cannot be done the Garden being at a distance or of a difficult Access As to the Houses that can no wise afford above one Garden I suppose it will hardly enter into any ones Thoughts to employ it wholly in Box or Bowling-Greens instead of Imploying it in Fruits and Legumes In such a Case whether in the Town or Country the space of the Garden being reasonably large it will be proper to take part of that which is nearest to make a small Parterre leaving the rest for things that are of use and necessary but if the Place be not large my Advice is to make no Parterre at least I would make none being persuaded that Flowers may be easily dispens'd with resolving then to employ ones Ground in Plants that are for use that part of the Kitchen-Garden which is most pleasing ought to be put most within sight of the House keeping such as might offend the Sight or Smell most at distance Fine Espaliers Dwarfs Greens Artichokes Sallads and the perpetual Action of the Gard'ners c. being sufficient to employ the Neighbourhood of some Windows even for pretty considerable Houses as well as for ordinary ones I am so sensible of the innocent Pleasure the sight of a fine Kitchen-Garden can afford that I am for making some fine Arbor in all large Gardens not only to serve for shelter in case of a sudden Storm which happens pretty often but also for the Satisfaction of conveniently seeing the Culture of a Ground that is well employ'd Notwithstanding all I have said I do not condemn those who having but a very small Garden affect Flowers their Inclination leading them to it preferably to any other Plants Having said what is to be wish'd for when People are at liberty to choose the Place of a Garden let us now consider what is to be done when within the Dependency of a House we find our selves reduc'd and necessitated to make use of any Place whatever it may be regular or irregular good indifferent or bad and let us follow the same Order we have observ'd in the pretended choice I have explain'd CHAP. XII Of what is to be done to correct a Defective Ground either as to the Quality of the Earth or the Lack of a sufficient Quantity WHereas the most material Article for Fruit and Kitchen-Gardens is to have a good Ground if notwithstanding the Ground where this Garden is to be situated should have some considerable Defect which might be corrected I think I should be blame-worthy to go on without explaining my self upon what I think proper to be done in such a Case in my Opinion those kind of Defects may be reduc'd particularly to Five The First is a very bad Earth The Second an indifferent Earth The Third a pretty good Earth but not enough of it The Fourth to have no Earth at all The Fifth and Last That though never so good the too great Moisture it may be subject to may render it incapable of Improvment by the Culture of a Skilful Gard'ner As to the first Case I cannot forbear pitying those who start so Ill as to make a Garden in a place where the Ground is absolutely defective especially if there were any possibility of placing it better First I pity them by reason of the great charge they expose themselves to which I dread of all things especially in Fruit and Kitchen-Gardens being perswaded that the property of those Gardens is to cost little and to yield much Secondly I pity them for the small Success that infallibly attends such an undertaking especially when those Works that are necessary there are only perform'd by halves I wish none of the Curious may be expos'd to such Hardships but yet supposing an unavoidable Necessity of falling into the first Case to make a Garden in a very bad Ground let us consider what remedy may be apply'd to it and finally endeavour to make this Garden with as few Defects and as small a Charge as can be possible First then if the Earth be absolutely defective either in stinking or being absolute Loam or Clay or such as
preserving our Height Therefore the same Operation must be perform'd in removing all that is bad under good Earth when the Surface being too high compar'd to the level of the House there is a necessity of sinking it in order to be one step higher than the level of the Garden upon which all People may easily regulate themselves to do it more or less according to the Exigencies of their Ground and its wants but still keeping to the quantity of good Earth propos'd as well as to the distance that must be from the Surface of the Garden to the Door which serves for an Entrance into it The Earth being according to our Wishes both as to quantity and goodness and yet too low in the Surface we must likewise examin how much too low it lyes in order to raise it conformably to our Wants and Wishes it might chance to lay so low that there would be a necessity to raise it considerably above three Foot in which case all the good Earth must be dug up and laid aside and the bottom rais'd sufficiently with what ever could be got good or bad after which the good Earth must be laid over it again with the management and mixture heretofore explain'd I could wish I had better Expedients to propose to avoid the Charges of Transportation but truly I know none There now remains to Examine what is to be done in the fifth Case to correct the over great Moistures some Gardens are subject to which rot every thing and make the Production not only backward but also insipid and bad none but hot and dry Earths are forward those that are moist are always cold and consequently have no disposition for Novelties This cold which is inseparable from Moisture is of all defects the most difficult to be cur'd The Ancients knew it as well as we do and have given it the Name of Deceiver But still since Earth has been submitted to the Industry of Man and that there are but few things labour cannot overcome let us declare what a long Experience has taught us in this Case Moistures are either natural and perpetual in Earth or only accidental and passing in the first case we have two Expedients The first is to turn aside at a distance if possible by Conduits or Gutters the Waters that annoy us and give them a discharge to remove them from us which being done the Ground will not fail becoming dry and when the first is impracticable The second is To raise the whole Plats or only the great Beds upon Ridges and to that end make deep Furrows to serve for kind of Paths The Earth that is taken from thence will serve to raise the Plats or Beds But if those Moistures are only Transitory and for Instance only occasion'd by great Rains and the nature of the Ground not proper to soak them in recourse must be had to the same Expedient of raising of the Earth to drain them and to the making of Conduits or Gutters to carry those Waters out of the Garden Finally The Moisture not being extraordinary the contrary of what we have prescrib'd for very dry Grounds must be done that is the Earth must be rais'd a little higher than the Walks to the end that those Walks may serve as a drain to those elevated Beds just as in the other Case the haughing of the Borders serves as a drain to receive and improve by the Waters of the adjacent Walks In order to raise Grounds nothing can be better than what we have said to raise the Surface and in case Conveniences be wanting for the Transportation of Earth having abundance of great Dung at hand it may be us'd instead of it as I have said about the Kitchen-Garden of Versailles mixing it abundantly at the bottom of the Ground or underneath the Earth in order to raise it as much as is necessary but still great Conduits are of great use I conclude what relates to the Preparation of such Grounds as are defective either in their quality or too small quantity carefully exhorting those who dig the Ground along some Walls to take care first not to approach too near the Foundations and to leave always some solid Banck undug lest the Wall might tumble down by its own weight or by some unexpected showers I exhort in the second place to fill up such Trenches immediately after their being empty'd or rather at the very same time one part after another for want of which and for the same Reasons the danger of tumbling is yet greater After having examin'd what relates to the Conditions that are necessary for the Fruit and Kitchen-Gardens that are to be made viz. The quality and quantity of good Earth the happy Situation and favourable Exposure the convenience of Waterings the level of the Ground the Figure Entrance and Closure of the Garden together with the Proximity of the Place having also propos'd the means to correct the defects of Drought and Moisture there still remains to speak upon the Subject of the Acclivities and Declivities when they are too sleep for the Gardens we are absolutely compell'd to choose CHAP. XIII Concerning the Acclivities and Declivities of every Garden WE have already said what is to be wish'd for certain Inequalities that may be favourable in Gardens and Insinuated what is to be fear'd from the Inconveniences of the great ones let us now speak of what may be proper to remedy such as may be corrected In order to which as soon as the Place of the Garden is resolv'd on upon the Considerations heretofore establish'd the Figure being either very square so that the Sides and Angles may be altogether or at least partly Equal and Parallel which is most to be wish'd for or else Irregular the Angles or Sides being unequal or having perhaps more or less than four Sides or Angles both the one and the other differing in themselves either in length or overture c. are Defects fit to be avoided if possible or at least endeavours must be us'd to rectifie them The Place of the Garden being I say resolv'd upon either Voluntarily or out of Necessity the Enclosure must not be begun until after having taken the Level of all the Ground to know all the Acclivities and Declivities in order to take Measures accordingly otherwise one might fall into many great Inconveniences either as to the Walls that are to be made or in respect to the Allies and Squares It is most certain that every piece of Ground may chance to have different Risings and Falls viz. One Two or Three for as many sides and One for every Diagonal And 't is almost impossible to know the true Level of a Garden without having first taken and afterwards regulated all the Inequalities The Diagonals to speak more Intelligibly in Favour of some Gard'ners are as it were the two Arms of a St. Andrew's Cross which may and ought to be figur'd by Trenches carried from Corner to Corner a cross
to see and visit what those Plats or Squares contain as also that the Culture of them may be perform'd with more ease and convenience by the Gard'ner Therefore as I have already said in our distribution we ought to look at once for the advantage of Production and the Convenience of Culture of Walking As for the advantage of Production we will certainly find it if in the first place we plant good Trees against all the Walls even sometimes without excepting the Face of the House especially in a small Garden planting Dwarfs also round about the Squares instead of the Counter Espaliers or Polehedges that were formerly in use but are now abolish'd by reason that the keeping of them in good order was very troublesom and their Productions very Inconsiderable Secondly We will find those Advantages if our Squares are garnish'd with useful Bordures at a convenient distance from those Dwarfs and finally if the Body of every Square be continually fill'd with good Legumes insomuch that those of one Season be no sooner gather'd or pick'd than the Earth be again prepar'd to receive others for or of another Season The Third Part of this Treatise will shew what Trees will be proper to plant in all kind of Gardens either for Wall-Fruit or Dwarf-Standards the Fourth will shew the manner of Cultivating and Pruning of them and the Sixth which contains the Treatise of the Kitchen-Garden will shew which are the Bordures I call useful and which the Legumes of every Season together with the Culture that is proper for them in order to be fine good and seasonable It is not sufficient to have set down in general what relates to the Advantages of the Production we must likewise declare what relates to the Conveniences of Culture and the Pleasure of Walking therefore we are now to regulate the space that is to be allow'd before the Espaliers or flat Bordures when any are made to regulate the largeness of the Squares and finally the place and breadth of the Walks of every Garden whatever size it be of When I shall speak here of the Allies or Walks I only mean the place destin'd for Walking and nothing else as some do who in their Disposition give the name of Walks to all the Space that lies from the Wall to the Dwarfs of the Counter Espalier or Polehedge or the Distance that lies from one Dwarf to another in the Division of the Squares or Ground Plats This Space of Walks must never be narrower than five or six Foot though the Garden be never so small and ought seldom to exceed Eighteen or Twenty though the Kitchen-Garden be never so large This is what I had to say as to the breadth with this Proviso That in the first place every Walk must be more or less broad in proportion to its length and in the second place that it must always be kept very smooth and gravell'd and as firm as can be under Foot otherwise it would not be convenient for Walking It will not be improper to declare here wherein the Difference between a Walk and a Path consists A Walk must be broad enough for two Persons to walk a-breast at least and therefore cannot be allow'd less than five or six Foot without which it would no longer be a real Walk but a large Path and as to Paths provided one person can go through them they are large enough and therefore do not require above a Foot or a Foot and a half at most in breadth CHAP. XV. Of the Disposition or Distribution of a very small Garden I Proceed now to the particulars of every Garden and say That commonly there are but few Gardens that have not at least five or six Fathom in breadth with a proportionable length since the name of Garden could hardly be bestow'd upon a narrower place but however whatever it be it is certain that such a place being well situated that is in the Face of the House is a great Ornament to it whether immediately joining to it or divided by some small Yard In case then of such a small Garden in my Opinion in order to manage the Ground to the best Advantage the Entrance must be made in the midst of that breadth with a Walk of about six Foot which must be the only Walk leaving only small Paths along the Walls and Bordures about a Foot broad and in case the Entrance should chance to be at one of the Corners as sometimes one is necessitated to make it we must likewise be satisfied with one Walk along the first Wall which presents it self at that Corner this Walk may chance to have the Sun one part of the Day and be shaded the rest whereby it will be sometimes pleasant for walking If such a Garden being five or six Fathom broad should happen to be as long again it may very well be order'd so as to contrive at every End or at least at one of them a Walk of an equal breadth with the former especially at that end which is nearest to the House in which Case this walk may be allow'd a little more breadth than the other which is an Observation the Practice whereof is very necessary in all kind of Gardens especially great ones to the end that as it is customary to stop at the Entrance of a Garden to consider it a place may be found at first passably large and consequently agreeable and airy Those Walks at the ends will afford room for two or three disterent or separate Companies which is a thing to be wish'd for Besides this I would have the Walks that are along the Espaliers or Walls at least at three or four Foot distance from the Walls that the Trees may have at least three or four Foot of Cultivated Earth whereas their former allowance was not near so considerable by which means this Bank being pretty large as I would have it for all Espaliers even so as to make it yet much larger in great Gardens the Trees will not only be better nourish'd but yet besides the Bordures which support the Earth and form an agreeable Figure in Gardens some of those useful Plants that delight in the Neighbourhood of Walls may be planted in them I mean such as love to be shelter'd from cold dangerous Winds which is a thing altogether necessary in order to have something in the Spring CHAP. XVI Of the Breadth that is to be allow'd the Bordures of Espaliers I Desire every Body to reflect upon this Article in which I advise them to place the Walks at a pretty distance from the Espaliers or Walls by reason of the Advantages that may accrue from the shelter of the Walls which shelter is of no use when it only favours Walks which receive no benefit by it for in fine what Inconvenience can attend the Cultivating of three or four Foot more to the right or left of the Walk in respect to the good use that is to be made of the Mould of
Moistures of Rains and Dews may easily and the sooner penetrate to the Roots as that the Earth may be duly heated by the Rays of the Sun which it stands indispensibly in need of Now to put that Earth in a Condition of producing advantageously what we require of it without allowing it time to imploy it self in other Things as also to preserve cleanness in the whole extent we must be careful to Till the Ground to amend and cleanse it when it requires it Let us now examine those four kind of Cultures to shew the Manner Use Cause and Success of them CHAP. XXI Of Tillage TIllage properly speaking is nothing but a Movement or Stirring which being perform'd on the Surface of the Ground penetrates unto a certain Depth and makes the lower and upper parts reciprocally change place Now it not being my Intention to speak in this Place of the Tillage that is perform'd with a Plough in the open Fields but only of the Tillage of our Gardens it is proper to know that it is perform'd several different ways First With the Spade and Haugh in easie Grounds In the Second Place with a Pitch-Fork and French Mattock in stony and yet pretty strong Ground some are perform'd deeper for Instance in the open Ground and in the middle of the Squares or Plats and others lighter viz. about the Foot of Trees upon Asparagus among small Legumes c. It must be noted next that in all likelihood the Cause or Motive of Tillage is not only to make the Earths appear more agreeable to sight though they really thereby become so but that it is in the first place to render such easie as are not so or to preserve those in a good Case that are so naturally and in the second place that it is chiefly thereby to augment Fertility in such Earths as have but little or to preserve it in such as have a sufficient Store Earths that are absolutely barren must not be Till'd When I talk of rendring Earth easie I mean to make it become sandy and loose insomuch that the Moisture and Heat which comes from without may easily penetrate through it and that it may be no wise compact or sticking together like clayish gravelly Earth which by the Constitution of their Nature are no wise proper for Vegetation And when I speak of endeavouring to give Fruitfulness I mean that the Tillage must contribute to give a temper of Heat and Moisture to a Soil that is already provided with that Salt it stands in need of for the chief part of Fertility this temper of Heat and Moisture being so necessary to the Earth that without it its Salt is altogether useless insomuch that it can produce no manner of Plants in the same manner as Animals can enjoy no perfect Health without the temper of Elemental Qualifications It is not enough to have given Reasons for the Cause of Tillage we must besides give Rules that may serve to procure this Temper in question to Earth Upon which I say that it is observable that some Earths are easily heated for Example such as are light to which we have but little to do in Relation to heat but whereas they are commonly dry and parch'd we must work carefully to procure them Moisture Others are not easily heated for Instance those that are Strong and Cold and those require but little Culture for an augmentation of Moisture on the contrary they have generally too much of it but they require a great deal of help for an additional Heat Moreover some kind of Plants require more Moisture for Example Artichokes Sallads Sorrel and thick Rooted Plants The Earth which produces them must be dispos'd in such a manner as to receive a great deal of Water from without Others are satisfy'd with less as Fruit-Trees and Asparagus c. and we need not much trouble our selves to afford it them but however as we have nothing in our Gardens which requires either an excessive Heat or Moisture so we have nothing but what requires some The Sun Rains and Subterranean Waters provide for one part and we ought to provide by other means for what may be wanting besides which is what we do by a well understood Culture of which Tillage is one of the chief Parts Those Tillages are to be perform'd at different Times and even differently as to the multiplicity in respect to the difference of Earth and Seasons Earth that is hot and dry must be Till'd in the Summer Time either a little before or while it Rains or soon after it especially when there is any likelihood of more at which time they can neither be Till'd too often nor too deep when it Rains as by the Reason of Contraries they must but seldom be Till'd in very hot Weather unless they be water'd immediately after it Those frequent breakings of the Ground make way for the Waters of Rain and make them penetrate towards the Roots which stand in need thereof whereas otherwise they would remain upon the Surface where they would be of no use and soon after evaporate Tillage likewise makes a passage for heat without which Moisture can be of no use On the contrary Cold Strong Moist Earth must never be Till'd in time of Rain but rather during the greatest Heats at which time they can neither be Till'd too often nor too deep especially to hinder them from parching and splitting on the Top which as we have often said does a great deal of prejudice to the Roots and to the End that it being softned by Tillage the heat may penetrate the easier to them and thereby may destroy the Cold which hinders the Action of the Roots and makes Trees yellow The Nature of the Earth shews us in this as well as in many other Things that it will be order'd regularly so that it answers our Intentions with success when it is prudently manag'd whereas on the contrary it opposes them when it is govern'd Ill The Season of putting most Coin into the Ground which commonly are only sown each in one Season the time of Graffing of Pruning and of Planting Vines as well as Trees c. which likewise is only done in certain Months all these I say are so many Instructions which Nature gives us in order to teach us how to study well what the Ground requires and precisely at what time By those Observations a great Application has taught me that it is good to Till often about Trees either in dry light Earths or in such as are strong and moist the one in rainy Weather and the other in great Heats Those frequent Tillings which I advise when Convenience will permit it are of great Use for besides their hindring part of the Goodness of the Earth from being exhausted by the Production and Nourishment of ill Plants they on the contrary make those Weeds which Rot being laid under Ground serve for an Amendment to fatten it but moreover those
frequent Tilths partly destroy the Ancient Maxims which had Establish'd but one Tillage for every Season and what I like most in them is that at least they establish the Necessity and consequently the Usefulness of them But I add that they are not sufficient unless during their Intervals care be taken to scrape or pull out those ill Weeds which especially in the Summer and in Autumn grow upon Earths and then Multiply ad Infinitum when they are suffer'd to run up to Seed We must say here by the by that the times in which Trees bloslom and the Vine shoots are very dangerous for Tillage it must never be performed at those Times neither about those Trees or Vines the Earth being newly stir'd in the Spring exhales abundance of Vapours which upon the least white hoary Frosts which are common at that Season being stopt near the Surface of the Earth stick upon the Blossoms soften and moisten them in so much that rendring them susceptible to the Frost they contribute to kill them Earths that are not Till'd at that time and consequently are hard about the Surface are not subject to exhale so many Vapors and therefore not subject to so many Accidents of Frost From what I have said heretofore to favour the Nourishment of our Trees it follows that I condemn those who Sow or Plant either many Pot-herhs or Strawberries or Flowers near the Foot of their Trees such Plants being certainly very prejudicial to them The Rule I Practise for the Culture or Tillage that is to be perform'd about our Trees as well in the Winter as in the Spring in dry light Earths is to allow them a large one at the Entrance of the Winter and the like as soon as it is past to the end that the Rains and Snows of the Winter and the Rains of the Spring may easily penetrate into our Earth and as for the strong and moist Earths I give them a small Tillage in the Month of October only to remove the Weeds and tarry to give them a large one at the end of April or the beginning of May when the Fruit is absolutely knit and the great Moistures over thus the Surface of that Earth being kept hard firm and close has left but little passage for the Waters of the Winter and Spring which we have no occasion here for the Snow being melted without having been capable of penetrating remains part upon the Surface where it is converted into Vapors and the rest following the Declivities of the Place descends into the Neighbouring Rivers I must needs say in this Place that nothing moistens so much and penetrates so far as the Water of melted Snow I have seldom known Water to penetrate above a foot deep whereas the Water of Snow will penetrate two or three Foot as well because it is heavier than common Rain Water as by reason that as it melts slowly and by degrees and from the undermost part of the Mass of Snow it soaks in with more ease without being hindred by the Wind or by the heat of the Sun Therefore as much as I dread abundance of Snow upon strong moist Grounds and cause it to be remov'd from about our Fruit-Trees I like it and cause it to be gather'd in dry Earths there to make a kind of Magazine of Moisture and especially in those Earths I cause that which lyes and is of no use in the Walks to be taken up and thrown into the Bordures of the Espaliers or Wall-Trees and particularly to the Expositions of the South which in the Summer time want most moisture and the same into the Exposures of the East even in strong Earths by reason that the Summer Showrs seldom falling upon them the ground of those Expositions remains commonly dryer than the rest and consequently the Trees are thereby expos'd to suffer This Necessity of Tillage which I recommend and advise is sometimes contradicted by the success of certain Trees which being cover'd with Pavement or beaten Gravel about the Foot do notwithstanding thrive well though they are never Till'd to which I have two things to say in answer the First That as commonly such Trees are plac'd under Spouts or Gutters a great deal of Water falls upon them which penetrating through the Crany's of the Pavement or through the beaten Gravel furnishes a sufficient Nourishment for the Roots The Second is That the moisture which has thus penetrated into those Grounds cover'd with Pavement preserves it self much better in it and longer than in others the wind and the heat of the Sun not being capable to destroy it yet notwithstanding I still recommend Tillage as well for the good of the Earth and Plants as for the Pleasure of the Eye the Universal Experience we have of it can never be destroy'd by so small an Objection no more than the use of Bread and Cloathing can be condemn'd although the Savages do not understand it Fig-Trees Orange-Trees and other Plans and Shrubs in Cases sufficiently justifie the Use of Tilling or breaking of the Ground to give a Passage to the Water or Waterings without which they Pine and often Perish CHAP. XXII Of Amendments or Improvements AFTER having explain'd the Motive Use and Manner of Tillage we must do the same thing about Amendments which are nothing but a bettering or recovering of Earth we have already said that this Improvement might be done with all manner of Dung of which we must now explain the Motive Use and Manner As to the Motive it is likewise certain that when we amend or Dung the Ground it is with an Intention of affording Fruitfulness to that which wants it that is that which has many defects and consequently little Disposition towards Production or else to preserve it when it has it and might lose it unless it received from time to time some necessary Reparations according to the Productions we require of it either beyond its Capacity or conformably to its Power and likewise to amend it more or less according to its Temper whether good or bad For Example There must be a great deal of Dung to produce Pot-herbs which grow in a short time abundantly and succeed each other quickly in a small compass of Ground which without that might grow barren on the other hand Trees require but little or none for their Nourishment by reason that being long a-growing they make but inconsiderable Productions compar'd to the Ground they take up and Lastly Though they remain long in one and the same Place yet by means of their Roots which stretch out to the right and left they make a shift to pick up the Nourishment that is proper for them far and near I add that the Earth which has a great deal of Fruitfulness in it self requires less than that which has but little and Finally Cold moist Earth requires more than those that are hot and dry Certainly and no body can be ignorant of it the great defects of Earth consists as
for Example Horse and Mules Dung never putting too much nor too little but a moderate quantity excess being dangerous in these Cases on the other hand putting none at all in the Earth in question is a defect that would soon be perceiv'd as likewise putting but too small a quantity is a help which not being sufficient must be look'd upon as useless especially in lean Earths from which more is requir'd than it is able to produce that is abundance of thick well fed Legumes The most reasonable measure for imploying of that Dung is to lay a Basket full and that of a moderate size upon the length of every Fathom of slope when it is about the thickness of a foot of Earth and thus the length of twenty Fathom to the breadth of six foot and the depth of three will consume sixscore Baskets full of that moderate size that is about such a size as a Woman may partly be able to carry And when there is not Dung enough to make the mixture I have explain'd here the small quantity there may be of it must only be spread upon the Surface spreading it with an even hand after which Tilling it sufficiently about nine or ten Inches in depth it must be buried so that it may no longer appear on the out-side and yet not so deep as to be out of the reach of the Roots of Plants The Excrements of Sheep and Goats are very fit for that kind of Dung and it will suffice to spread about two Inches thick of it that small quantity will contribute to amend the Earth as much as a greater of Horse or Cow-dung And in truth I look upon Sheeps-dung as the best of Dungs and that which has most disposition to fertilize all manner of Earths the Treatise of the Culture of Orange-Trees will show more particularly how much I value it above all others La Poudrette and the Dung of Pidgeons and of Poultrey may also make some amendments but yet I seldom use them the one is too stinking and pretty scarce the others are full of little Fleas which sticking to the Plants are very prejudicial to them As for the Excrements of Aquatick Animals or such as commonly live in Water it is stark nought as well as that which comes from Cunny Warrens witness the Sterility that appears about the Clappers the rotten Leaves of Plants occasion blackness and cold which far from amending rots the new Plants and therefore it must not be us'd at all The Leaves of Trees gather'd up and rotten in some moist Ground become rather a kind of Soil than Dung and are fitter to be spread to secure the Earth from parching than to fume the inside of it Terreau or Soil is the last Service we receive from Dung the Dung having serv'd to make Couches consumes it self to that degree that it becomes a kind of Mould which then is no longer employ'd like Dung to fatten but like Earth which produces small Plants and so seven or eight Inches of it is laid upon new Beds for Sallads Raddishes and Legumes that are to be transplanted or to remain as Melons Comcumbers hard Lettuce c. and about two Inches thick of it is likewise laid over Earths new sown at the Spring and in the Summer when they are too dry of themselves or inclin'd to harden and split easily by heat the Seeds would dry up in the first and could not penetrate the Surface of the other Therefore this Soil is us'd which preserving its Moisture occasion'd by Tillage or Waterings makes the Seeds rise easily and shoot with Success besides it has another property which is to hinder the Birds from picking off the new Seeds Ashes of all kinds would be of great use to amend the Earth if there was enough of it but whereas we have but little of it it is only us'd about the Feet of some Fig-Trees or some other Trees where they are not useless Some People have a particular Value for Turf to make Amendments but I look upon it in a different Manner that is as being fit to produce of it self and not to Fertilize other Earth and I have a great Value yet for the Earth that lies under that Turf which we call new Earth the which having never been wrought is consequently full of all the Fertility that can be expected from New Earth and therefore happy are those who can make whole Gardens of such But when People have not a sufficient quantity to compass this and yet have a reasonable Stock of it I would have them employ it either wholly for Fruit-Trees or at least in the same manner as I have caus'd Dungs to be Employ'd for deep Amendments CHAP. XXIV To know whether it be proper to Dung Trees I Cannot approve the Sentiments of those who being Infected with the Vulgar Error in relation to Dungs use it indifferently every where even so far that to make a grand Maxim of it they say in a pretty popular manner that especially in relation to Trees it is impossible to afford them too much Kindness which is the soft and sparkish Expression they use in speaking of what we vulgarly call Dung But in order to examin whether their Opinion is any wise reasonable I desire them to answer five Queries I propose upon that Subject First Whether they mean all manner of Trees Secondly Whether only Fruit-Trees Thirdly Whether if those Fruit-Trees they mean all of them in General to preserve such as are Vigorous and re-establish those that are Infirm Fourthly Whether they have a certain Rule for the quantity of Dung that is to be allow'd to each and for the place where it is to be laid And Fifthly Whether they should be Dung'd in all manner of Earths whether good or bad I dare not believe that their Opinion in relation to Dungs extends to all Trees in General since every body knows that the Trees of Forests those in the open Fields and those that serve for Avenues to Houses thrive commonly very well without ever having been Dung'd In case those Gentlemen allow this to be true as to Trees that bear no Fruit they condemn themselves unawares as to Fruit-Trees since both the one and the other receive their Nourishment in one and the same manner that is by their Roots and indeed those Roots working in a natural Ground when it is passably good never fail of finding enough of what is necessary for them to live But however in all probability those Gentlemen only apply the Maxim in question to Fruit-Trees and yet really I cannot believe that they dare own that they mean all those Trees in General since it would be ridiculous to say that one and the same thing can be equally good for so many Trees of such different Constitutions some more or less Vigorous and others more or less Infirm some Kernel and some Stone Fruit c. and yet they have never Explain'd themselves upon that difficulty and have never spoken upon
have the only Remedy for Fruit-Trees to consist in Dunging either to preserve their Vigour or to restore that which they have lost I find much more Advantage and less Charge in using new Earth than any Dungs whatever they be I explain in another place the manner of Employing those new Moulds which has occasion'd me to say in another place that one of the chief Conditions to succeed in the planting of young Trees provided they be good and the Roots well Prun'd is to plant them in passable good Earth and such as has never been Dung'd CHAP. XXV What Sort of Earth is most proper for every kind of Fruit-Trees I Conclude this Second Part after having said that the Wildlings of Pear-Trees and Apple-Trees and even those we call Paradice and likewise Plum-Trees and Fig Trees agree very well with all manner of Earth whether hot and dry or cold and moist provided the Ground be deep enough that is at least two good Foot and a half or three Foot deep Fig-Trees do not require near so much Quince-Trees do not thrive well in dry light Grounds they grow yellow too easily Almond and Stone Peach-Trees thrive better in this than in strong Earth in which they are too subject to Gumm those strong Earths are fitter for Plums Merisiers or small bitter Cherrys Goose-berries Raspberry Bushes c. Vines thrive better and produce better Grapes and better Wine in certain dry Grounds than in strong and cold Earth Cherries thrive pretty well in dry light Grounds but yet better in clear Mould After having Explain'd what sort of Earths are best for every kind of Plantations one might think to draw necessary Consequences for the kinds of Fruits that are Graffed upon those kind of Stocks for Instance for Pears Graffed upon free Stocks or Quince for Peaches upon Plum or Almond-Trees c. But yet as we shall declare in the Sequel Earth has not the same Effect as to the good Taste of Fruits as it has as to the Vigor of Trees Winter Bon Chrestien Pears Petitoin Lansac and Thorn Pears c. will always remain insipid and most of them stony or meally in a cold moist Ground whether Graffed upon a Wildling or Quince-Stock especially for Dwarf-Standards the same with Peaches and Pavies c. Those kind of Fruits do particularly require a pretty dry Ground or at least such a one as is drein'd well by Gutters or studied Declivities the Ground being naturally moist In fine generally speaking Trees are commonly Vigorous in strong Earth but the Fruit seldom acquires that delicacy of Taste there it should have the which they meet with in dryer Grounds It is not sufficient to have our Gardens well Cultivated by Tillage and Amendments besides this they must be kept very clean that is the Walks must always be kept very free from Stones and Weeds always firm under Foot to walk conveniently and with ease the Ground likewise clear from Stones and Weeds the Trees always free from Caterpillars Snales and Moss c. Finally useful Gardens should be as pleasing when old made as they are displeasing when new in which particular they differ from Parterres or Flowey Gardens which are never so neat or agreeable to sight as the very day they have pass'd through the Gard'ners Hands being then adorn'd with Flowers newly planted the Walks being newly Gravell'd and very smooth the Green Turf fresh c. In sine if I may use the Expression at that time they are not unlike a new Bride adorn'd with Powder Patches Ribbons Nosegays c. to render them the more pleasing whereas our useful Gardens which should in some measure resemble a good Housewife must have a natural unaffected cleanness without any studied constrain'd Adornments The End of the Second Part. OF FRUIT-GARDENS AND Kitchen-Gardens VOL. I. PART III. What is to be done in all sorts of Gardens as well in making a judicious Choice as in proportioning and placing the best kinds of Fruit-Trees whether Dwarfs Wall-Trees or Standards AMONG the Fruits that are at present in use in the World It may without prejudice be said There are some so Exquisite and Perfect that nothing is known more Delicious to the Tast and perhaps hardly any Thing more useful for the Health And accordingly we are accustomed to make such frequent use of them at all times That we are almost perswaded to Rank them among Things absolutely necessary to Life we hardly meet with any body that can be without them so that there is nothing almost but People will do to have some which is the Cause That how Magnificent and Abundant soever any Great Feasts may be they are still found Fault with if Fair and Good Fruits be wanting to set out their Lustre and to help to leave behind them a certain Idea of Greatness in the Minds of the invited Guests and thence it also comes to pass That the most sumptuous and stately Country Mansion in the World is thought to want one of its principal Ornaments if it be not accompanied with Fair and well Planted and Contrived Fruit-Gardens And therefore Nature which does nothing in vain has been careful to provide us almost an infinite Number of different sorts of Fruits and at the same time has inspired us with a strong Inclination not only to Cultivate those of our own Climates but also to multiply them by adding to them those of Foreign Countries so that to speak Truth we ought to look upon the abundance she has blest us with in this kind as one of the greatest Obligations we have to her and it seems as if all she had done besides to make us Live and Subsist would be thought very inconsiderable if we were deprived of the Treasure the Gardens afford a Treasure that is to us a very great Assistance For in effect What is there more Precious or Commodious to Life than to find good Fruit Planted in all inhabited Countries and what is more Valuable to us than to have abundance of them at all seasons of the Year And here a goodly Field offers it self were I minded to persue it in praise of those Rich Presents which the Earth furnishes us of her own accord even in the obscurest Forrests and most horrid Desarts But that is a Task that belongs not at all to my Profession and much less is it any part of my present Design and therefore as I am sensible how uncapable I am to undertake it with success I shall not venture upon it but shall rather confine my self within the modest pleasure of Communicating to the World what by long Experience I have found useful to Instruct Men to make the best Improvement of those Master-pieces of Nature and to assist them to add still more and more Perfection to them by their Industry Now though under the Name of Fruits we ordinarily comprehend all the productions of Gardens that go under that Appellation yet I pretend not here to Treat of any of the Fruits of
has room for a hundred Trees and another for as many more c. and all of them are studying what Choice to fix upon and that with a great deal of eagerness too for nothing is so hot upon the Design as are the Young Curioso's in Gard'ning who always are big with longing to see their Gardens made up and that quickly too and yet none of them know where to begin having yet received no directions from any body Skill'd in those Affairs To ease them therefore of their Pain and Perplexity I shall fancy my self in the place of every one of them one after the other that I may be the better able to Counsel each of them to do what I would actually do my self if I had that to do which any one of them would undertake so that sometimes you must suppose me some curious Gentleman that would plant but a very small Garden sometimes one that would cultivate but a middling one and sometimes another that would form a very great one And I shall act all these several Personages not only to be able to give my more effectual Assistance in well-forming new Plantations but in reforming old ones too when ill contriv'd so that by this means I pretend that after a few Years time every one of those Gentlemen that will take my Advice shall infallibly find that pleasure in his Gardens that he proposed to himself to enjoy in them It may be objected That it is not very ordinary to have Gardens so little to admit of the planting but of one Tree or two of each sort but though that were true as it is not witness the little Gardens of so many Religious People in Convents and of so many petty Burgesses in Cities c. yet would I demand the Liberty to suppose such a Case as a thing not only serviceable to my Design but which appears to me more necessary than any thing to make me be the better and more advantageously understood by all the World And this being then supposed I shall first advertise you That among all sorts whether Kernel or Stone Fruits there are some that I would willingly plant in a Garden of a certain bigness which yet I have not esteem enough for to Plant in one of a smaller Extent it being easie enough for a great one to receive any thing that is to be found in a little one though the same Consequence from great to less does not appear to me so feasible to be drawn Besides there being different Manners and Forms of having Fruit Trees I am to advertise you in the next place That for Example as to Pears there are some that I would seldom plant in any other Form than that of Dwarf-Trees as the Buttred Pears or Beurrees and Virgoulees c. and others again which I more willingly raise in the Figure of high Trees as are all the Fruits of an indifferent bigness and more especially such as are apt to doughy and insipid such as the Petit-oins the Sucré-verts or Sugred-greens the Thorn-pears the Louise-bonnes or good Louisas the Lansacs c. And that there are some that regularly bear not well any where else but against Walls as Boncretiens Bergamots Little Muscats or Musk pears c. and others again that will prosper well enough in what Figure or Place soever you plant them as Russelets Robines Leschasseries St. Germains c. In fine There being also Soils of several Natures and Gardens of different Situations I must likewise advertise you First That there are some Fruits which delight only in dry Grounds as Peaches Muscats or Musk pears c. and others that prosper well enough in Soils that are a little moist as Cherries Plumbs c. Secondly That there are Grounds that will not agree indifferently with all sorts of Plants as for Example Peaches upon Plum-tree Stocks and Pear-tree Graffs upon Quince Stocks love rather fat than dry Soils and on the contrary Peach-graffes upon Almond-trees and Pear-tree-graffs upon Frank or Good-Kernel-Stocks prospering both well in Sandy Grounds Thirdly That there are some Fruits that do not ripen well but when very well sheltred from the Cold as Muscat and Figs and particularly about Paris and others that endure well enough the open Air as all Red Fruits and most Kernel Fruits Fourthly and Lastly That moist Grounds are proper to produce large Fruit but not to make them so delicate without an extraordinary Care and Cultivation whereas dry Soils are qualified to give them a delicious Taste yet they are apt to yield but small Fruit unless they be extraordinarily assisted Now having designed to give my Advice upon all these Differences that is to say the Differences of Extent of Gardens and Grounds and the Differences of Expositions in them the Differences of Soils and their Situations the Differences of the several Forms of Trees and of the Stocks on which they are Graffed as also to give my particular Counsel and Directions about all sorts of Fruits viz. 1st how to chuse the best 2dly How among those best to cull out those only that are most likely to prosper in that particular Form of a Tree in which they must be planted 3dly How to dispose of each Tree in that part of the Garden that is most necessary for it And 4thly and lastly How to observe a just proportion between the Number of Trees of each sort of Fruit I shall pursue this Method First I shall speak of Kernel Fruits beginning first with Pear-trees to shew first which are those that may succeed best upon Dwarf-trees 2dly Which may be most happily planted in Form of Standard Trees 3dly Which require to be placed against Walls And 4thly and lastly which are those that give Satisfaction all manner of ways After which I will succinctly deliver my Judgment as to Apples remarking to you which I esteem most and which least whether to be rear'd in the form of Dwarf-trees or of Standards not thinking it worth any ones while to give themselves the Pains of Planting them in any other Fashion that is to say of making Wall-Fruit of them And when I have given Order how to fill up with Dwarf-trees and Standards the middle Space of each Garden I shall proceed afterward to the most curious part reckon'd in all Gardens which is that of Wall-Fruit and shall endeavour to shew in what manner I judge any Gentleman may most usefully employ what walling he has let its Extent in length or heighth be what it will and what Fruits will best merit place there and what are unworthy of that choice Station under which Head I shall treat not only of Plumbs and Peaches but also of Grapes c. and shall tell what Fruits of all those Sorts delight in such and such certain Expositions and can hardly endure any other and which of them in fine are of a Temper good enough to agree indifferently with any of them When I shall go about to give Counsel about
cultivation be very skillfully applied to correct that defect You may be pleased to take Notice what for that purpose I have practised with good success enough in the Kings Kitchin-Garden The Scituation of the place which is naturally Marshy and the Temper of the Earth which is cold and gross put me on upon making many Experiments as I have said elsewhere for I was absolutely minded to have of all those sorts of Pears that really had any thing of worth to make them desirable and for that effect striving particularly to content the palate of the Master I have the honour to serve I endeavoured to lay in there a proportion of Molds of all sorts of Constitutions to give those Pears the means to attain their due perfection And therefore I raised a part of my ground into double Slopes and Ridges with convenient Furrows and Gutters between to drain them and consequently to dry them from all superfluous Moisture and planted upon the most Elevated parts of these Ridges or Slopes as well in form of Dwarf or Standard-trees such sorts of Fruits that could the least endure humidity and placed those others that find their Account better in a Scituation not so dry in other parts which I had not raised so high The Counsel then that I take the Liberty to give to all curious persons is that if their little Gardens offend in humidity and they be minded to correct that Fault in them they would imitate as far as they can in due proportion what I have practised in a very great one and on the other side that they who have only a very dry Soil if they please to believe me would plant but few Crasane or St. Germain-Pear-trees unless it be upon free-stocks for fear otherwise of a little biting sharpness in the first and a little sowrness in the second tho both those Tasts are easily allayed with a little Sugar or else vanish when those Fruits come to their full Ripeness and would rather fix upon the five other sorts which will amply recompense them for all their pains and care But those again who have ground that is moderately Moist will do well to give some good places to some Dwarf-trees of the Crasane and St. Germain-Pears grafted either upon free or Quince-stocks and at the same time to reject the Louise-Bonns or Good-Louise the Petit-Oins and the Marchioness-pears unless they plant Standard Trees of them or take great care that nothing cover them from the heat of the Sun The short Eating Pears which were formerly in such great Vogue in all Gardens are so far from seeing themselves in favour at this day that now no esteem at all is made neither of the Messire Johns nor Dry-Martins nor Portals nor Besideries and if they appear upon Noble Tables it is not never to return any more or to give any pleasure to the Taste but only with design at most to help towards a solid construction of Fruit-Pyramids there used for State or Shew Yet notwithstanding all this these kinds of Pears are not without some Patrons and therefore as they are sensible they have still as much worth as ever they had formerly they demand to be admitted to have the fair play to shew it with the best advantage to the world to endeavour what they can to retrive their credit and to be suffered at least to follow next those fifteen choice preceding Pears which have had all the honour of the First Gardens The Excellency of the Dry-Martin which is sometimes called the Dry-Martin of Champagne to distinguish it from another that is called the Dry-Martin of Burgundy does not consist in its being of the bigness and shape of a Russelet so that in some places 't is called the Winter Russelet tho there be another Pear that having no other Name but that takes it very ill the Dry Martin should so enviously usurp the Title from it Neither does it's Merit consist in that being tinged with an Isabella Red on the one side and a very High Coloured Red on the other it extreamly pleases the Eyes for that would not be enough to carry the Prize in a contestation about the goodness of Fruits but it lies first in that it has a pulp that eats short and that is pretty fine together with a sugred Juice with a little smack of perfume and in the second place in that it has the advantage to be good to Eat with its skin and all as is the true Russeles or Russetin nay and to be eaten too as soon almost as 't is gathered Thirdly in that it is a Fruit of Great increase and sometimes keeps pretty long so that it is of some use in the Month of November and lastly that its Plant forms a very fine Dwarf-tree and produces well in all sorts of Figures of Trees and in all sorts of Grounds And therefore I cannot but have some esteem for this Pear and accordingly shall admit it to appear when we shall come to model the Plantations of Great Gardens and especially when we come to finish that of a hundred Trees But in little ones it durst not presume to shew it self among so many other excellent tender Pears that come in as well as that in the Month of November As for the Messira-John whether it be White or Grey for they are both but the same sort who is there that knows it not It has not in Truth the Gift to please all the world For those that like it not find Fault with its stoniness to which it is very Subject and Objject against its rough and gross Pulp which by this means it contracts and that with but too much Reason yet methinks they lash out a little too far in their contempt of it when they say 't is but a Pear for a Curate a Burgess or a Serving-man or at most a Pear for the Vulgar people but whatsoever they are pleased to say they cannot but confess however in its justification that as much as it dreads and abhors Grounds that are too dry and Summers too burning hot which make it small and despicable so much it desires and delights in a Soil that is moderately moist either by Nature or by Art that is to say Moist by the the help of Watering and so accommodated in a Summer that is pretty mild it infallibly prospers so as to grow a fair large Pear and of great increase thriving almost as well upon a Free as upon a Quince-stock and in the Form of a Standard-tree as of a Dwarf The shape of this Pear is flat and its Skin is a little rough in those that are Grey but in those that are White it is a little gentler and in a short Eating Pulp it yields a very sugred Juice with a midling quantity of stony substance and it may even be praised for so well nicking the time of its Ripening for that in fine to avoid the confusion it might suffer if it should be so bold
hardly ever arrive here to that Point of ripeness unless it be in such another hot and long Summer as was that of the Year 1676. I have little to say about Apricocks all the World is well enough acquainted with their Tast Colour Shape and Bigness and do indeed make some account of them but it is only to make use of in Sweet-meats as well dry as wet it being not a very delicious Fruit to eat raw in any great quantity yet in the Gardens in the time of their being ripe we find Pleasure enough in gathering here and there one to eat upon the Spot There grow pretty good ones upon great Standard Trees upon which they grow all tanned and speckled with little red spots that recreate the Sight and stir up the Appetite with a much richer and more exquisite tast than they have upon Wall-Trees But then in recompense the VVall augments their bigness and gives them an admirable Vermilion and principally it secures us of a more certain crop of them But both sorts of them are equally good for preserving the best of them are a little sugred but yet most commonly of a substance too like Dough. There are few Gardens where there must not be some one Tree of them This Fruit is early that is it begins to appear at the very beginning of July and especially a small sort called the Hasting Apricock and which must be planted in the full South Quarter the Pulp of this latter is very white and the Leaf rounder and greener than that of the others but is never a whit better than they for that The Ordinary Apricocks which are much larger and have a Yellow Pulp ripen not till about the Middle of July we must have some of them in every one of the four Expositions if we have Walling enough to spare or otherwise we may chance to want wherewithall to make the best of all our Compotes or wet Sweet-meats a thing that is very surprising to consider that Fire and Sugar should be able to raise up and awaken in an Apricock when preserved a certain perfume which was not perceivable but seemed to lie Dormant while it was raw The reason why I would have some of them planted in all sorts of Expositions is because putting forth their Blossoms very early that is in the middle of March a Season much traversed with white hoar Frosts which are of mortal influence to their Blossoms from what side soever the cold wind comes to blow full upon them it certainly freezes and nips those Blossoms dead and le ts but few of them escape and because the Winds that reign in the Spring do not every year blow full upon all the four Walls of a Garden that which shall happen not to be afflicted with their pernicious Blasts may at least recompense us for the loss our Trees may have suffered on other sides and by this means sometimes we have had of these Fruits on the North-side Wall of our Gardens when we could have none neither on the Eastern Southern nor Western Quarters and sometimes the happy side is only on the South sometimes on the East and sometimes again only on the West And therefore as far as our convenience will permit us we should venture some Trees in all the several Expositions that we may not fail in one or other of them to have some Apricocks And if there knit too great a number of them as it often happens we must not fail to pluck a great many of them being assured of this Satisfaction that they will not be lost as those commonly are which we are forced to take away small and green of other Fruits but that they may be employed in making green Compotes or wet Sweet-meats and dry ones too and all of them so very good as we should hardly dare without the encouragement of experience to hope they could be In the Country of Anjou we have commonly a little sort of Apricock with a Kernel so sweet that one would almost take them for Filberts and accordingly we often crack the Stones for to eat them This sort of Apricock has a white Pulp and is very good in that Country but they most of them grow on Standard Trees and that is it which has so well established the Reputation of their Goodness In very hot Years such as was the Year 1676. if there chance to remain any Apricocks for any long time upon our Wall-Trees they acquire there almost the same Perfection as they do when they are preserved after they have quite lost a certain sharpness which is natural to them as we have proved to our great Surprize Having then ran through and examined all the several sorts of Fruits that are fit to be employed in stocking our Wall-Plantations let us now dispose of them against our Walls in that Order of Rank and Precedence as their greater or lesser Excellencies shall deserve in order to which let me tell you That I will call a good Exposition First that which is posited towards the South because it is commonly the best or at least that which makes Fruits most forward And Secondly that which is towards the East which I esteem almost as much as the preceeding one And I shall call a midling or indifferent Exposition that which is towards the West and a bad one that which is towards the North. This being laid down as a Ground my Advice is that if a Gentleman has but never so small a Proportion of the good Expositions that he should plant a Fig-tree there of the White Round sort which of all Figs is without Contradiction the best and since whatever it cost it is necessary to have a few Figs he can never choose a better sort than that This Wall Fig-tree alone will require the extent of ten or twelve foot of Wall I suppose the least Gardens to have at least five Toises or Fathoms extent of Wall on one side and a little more on another so that in a Garden supposed to have about twenty four yards of Good Exposition as well towards the East as South ten or twelve of midling or indifferent and eight or ten of bad I would have first placed in the good one a Fig-tree and that should be just at the corner joyning the Southern and Eastern Wall that is the place I design in all Gardens for the Fig-trees as being the best to defend them from the North Winds and from the Galern otherwise called the North and North North-West Wind which reigns commonly in the Month of April which is the time of the putting forth of the first Figs called Fig-Flowers and because at that Season this Wind is seldom without Frosts it most unmercifully destroys those poor little Infant Figs which being very tender as being but newly born are not able to resist the rigour of a Frost for the united shelter of those two Walls of the East and South
10 Fig-Trees 7 common Abricocks 123 Peach-Trees 8 Plum-Trees and 74 Pear-Trees The 123 Peach-Trees are 21 Admirables 12 Chevreuses 7 Pourprees 13 Bourdins 12 Troy Peaches 6 Avant or Forward Peaches 11 Hasting Violet Peaches 9 Italian Peaches 7 Persicks 10 Latter Peach Royals 4 Nivettes 5 Violet Brugnons or Nectarins 1 Rossane 1 Red Alberge 2 Yellow Alberges and 2 Double Flower'd Peaches The 8 Plum-Trees are 2 Violet Perdrigons 2 White Violet Peaches 2 Mirables and 1 Plum Royal. The 74 Pear-Trees are 17 Winter Boncretiens 15 Autumnal Bergamots 5 Leschasseries 5 Ambrets 4 Winter Thorns 5 Mareuil Thorns 4 Russelets 2 Butter Pears 4 Virgoulees 2 Little Muscats 5 Robines 2 Cassolets 2 Lady Thighs 1 Lansac and 1 Magdalen Pear To the North consisting of 300 Fathoms 178 Pear-Trees 10 Prunes 66 foot of Goose-berries and Currans 6 Peach-Trees 70 Rasp-berry Plants 77 of Bourdelai's 20 of Chassela's Grapes and 7 Apricock-Trees The 178 Pear-Trees are 17 Butter Pears 8 Verte Longues or Long Green Pears 4 Orange-Green Pears 19 Virgoulees 11 Bergamots 4 Ambrets 4 Leschasseries 11 Dry Martins 6 Bugi's 2 Winter Thorn Pears 2 Mareuil Thorn Pears 10 Frank Royals 3 Sugar Green Pears 6 St. Lezins 4 Lansacs 2 Blanquets or White Pears 2 Epargnes or Reserve Pears 3 Robines 2 Cassolets 2 Doyennes or Dean Pears 3 Vine Pears 9 Double Flowers 8 Angobers 7 Besideries 2 Cuisse Madames or Lady Thighs 3 Messire Johns 2 Maudlin Pears and 2 Melting Pears of Brest The 10 Plum-Trees are 4 Imperials 2 Cernay Perdrigons 2 Castellans 2 Ilverts and 1 Mirabel The 6 Peach-Trees are all of Admirables In the 66 foot of Goose-berries and Currans there are 34 of Red Dutch 8 White Dutch 18 of the Common sort and six of the Prickly ones Among the 70 of Rasp-berry Bushes there are twenty of the White ones I have already explained above of what consists the 66 foot of Goose-berries and Currans placed towards the North and the 211 foot of Grapes which are placed partly to the South and partly to the North and likewise how the forty five Toises or Fathoms of Bank are filled up which are all placed to the South Wall And so there you have Fruit Walls garnished as far as to the extent of 1200 Toises or Fathoms and that with Figs Peaches Plums Pears Early Cherries Azerolls or Garden Haws Grapes Goose berries and Currans Rasp-berries c. And you have Pear-Trees and Apple-Trees both Dwarfs and Standards planted to the number of 1200 for Dwarfs and as many as you can desire for Standard-Trees Let us now see how we can contrive a Plum and a Cherry Garden if the extent and Quality of our Ground will permit it Plums are a sort of Fruit that is pleasing enough to every Body and Plum-Trees prosper well enough in all sorts of Ground let it be dry and sandy or moist and hearty They every where produce very sightly Trees both Dwarfs and Standards and commonly flourish very much every where But they are likewise very subject every where unfortunately to miscarry in their Blossoms because there often happen Frosts in the Spring that destroy them which is the cause that Plums are very often scarce But however when they meet with a favourable March and April they produce an unconceivable quantity of Fruit. We have some certain kinds of them whose Blossoms are much more tender and susceptible of the injuries of an unkind season than others as for Example the Perdrigons and particularly the Violet one and therefore I would have none of them planted in the open air especially in Countries that are inclining to cold or on those sides that are a little more subject than the rest to the insults of the Frosts My self for that reason as well as for the improving them to a greater perfection of goodness taking care to plant them by Walls as I have already told you Those sorts of Plums that are a little better able to defend themselves are the Cernay Perdrigons of which I make little account and next them all the sorts of Damask Plums among which I most particularly value the Red or Round Violet the Great White and the Latter Black Damasks the Queen Claudia the Violet Imperial the St. Catharine the Apricock Plum the White Mirabel the Violet Diaper Plum the Diapred Roche Courbon the Royal Plum the Minion Plum the Brugnolle the Empress the Hasting or Forward Morin and the Cerisset or Little Cherry Plum All which sixteen sorts are very good Raw and very good Dried or Preserved The Ilverts Casselans Moyens or Pith Plums St. Julians Cloth of Gold Plums and Green Damasks are only for preserving It were good to have of all these kinds if we can but if our Ground will not admit of the planting but of a small number those sorts which I should preferr are they which follow For a Garden where there could be but one only Plum-Tree whether Dwarf or Standard I would take for the first a Round Violet Damask For a second a Queen Claudia For a third an Imperial For a fourth a White Great Damask For a fifth a Diaper Roche Courbon For a sixth a Mirabel For a seventh an Empress For an eighth a Black Latter Damask For a ninth a St. Catharine For a tenth an Apricock Plum For an eleventh a Royal Plum For a twelfth a Minion Plum For a thirteenth a Diaper Violet Plum For a fourteenth a Gray Damask For a fifteenth a Brugnolle Plum For a sixteenth a Hasting or Forward Morin Plum For a seventeenth a Ceriset or Little Cherry Plum because of it's Earliness For an eighteenth a Cloth of Gold Plum For a nineteenth a Castillan For a twentieth an Ilvert For a one and twentieth a Cernay Perdrigon because of its abundant increase and of its being good in Compotes or wet sweat-meats For a twenty second a Date Plum And I would double the twelve first three or four times over before I would double the other ten and would plant none of any other Kind till I had at least once doubled the ten last neither would I plant any but Standard-Trees of the St. Julian and Black Damask Plums Thus Insensibly we might form a Plum Garden of fourscore or a hundred Stocks of Trees and that is a great deal considering how little a while that Fruit lasts when it comes and how troublesome it is when it takes up a great deal of Room to no purpose as it often happens for when they take that number is enough to furnish us a sufficient abundance of Plums to convert into both Prunes and Sweet-meats The number of the other sorts of Plums is very great and they that have a mind to it may stuff their Gardens with them if they please but at least they shall have no reason to blame me for counselling them to it About mid June the Red Fruits begin to come in and hold at least till the end of July Among which I reckon Cherries Griots and Bigarro's or
are in reputation to be knowing exact and faithful for otherwise we run great danger of being grosly deceived in the kinds of our Fruits and especially of Peach-trees because they all resemble one another so much both in Leaf and Bark excepting the Troy-peaches Forward or Avant peaches and the White Maudlins which are distinguished by some more visible differences for which reason I would advise no Body to take any Trees of suspicious or unknown Gard'ners or that are of ill repute how cheap a bargain soever they may offer them such an errour as that being of too great a consequence to be ventured on at what rate soever Tree stocks then are to be chosen either whilst they are yet growing in the Nursery-Gardens or after they are pulled up and brought from thence In both Cases we must consider first the figure of each Tree Secondly its bigness or thickness Thirdly in what manner they are fashioned and composed and if the Trees be already pulled up we must take special notice of their Roots and of the Bark both of their Bodies and Branches CHAP. XVII How to chose Trees as they stand in the Nursery-Gardens IF we choose our Trees in the Nursery-Gardens which 't were always to be wished we could and that about Mid-September to mark out the Trees we choose and pretend to carry off though that be not always feasible because of the too great distance sometimes of the places where the choice Nurseries are yet if we can go to the places we must only fix upon those Trees that have shot vigorously that year and that appear sound both in their Leaves and at the end of their young shoots and by their smooth and shining Bark so that if any Trees have no shoots of that years growth but what are very feeble or perhaps have none at all if any before the Season for the fall of the Leaf have all their Leaves lesser and more starveling than they should be and the extreamity or their young shoots Black and mortified or their Bark rough and wrinkled and full of Moss and if Pear-Trees Apple-Trees or Plum-Trees they be Canker'd or if they be stone Fruit and found to have Gum either about their Body or Roots all these are so many Marks of Trees which we are to reject to which we shall subjoyn some other particular Marks yet of very great importance Peach-Trees that have been Grafted above a year or above two without being stript below are worth nothing they being hardly vigorous enough to sprout above the old Branches the same judgment is to be made of those which are above three Inches or not so much as between one and two Inches thick below and of those that are Grafted upon old Almond Stocks and are about four or five Inches thick Plum-Trees Apricock-Trees Azeroll or Garden Haw-Trees are passably good at two Inches and an half and admirable at three or four It is no matter whether the Graft be of one or two or three years grow'th or whether it be covered up again or no though it would be better it were but I would not have them either smaller or older than I have Expressed Those sorts of Trees that attain to a due bigness the first or at least the second year prove ordinarily admirable ones because that shows they are Grafted upon a very good Stock Apple-Trees Grafted on Paradise Stocks and Early or Hasting Cherry-Trees are good from an Inch and an half to two Inches thickness Standard-Trees must be straight and be at least full six good foot high and five or six Inches thick below and four or five above having always their Bark as little rugged as may be and rather on the contrary smooth and shining as a mark or their Youth and of the goodness of the Soil from which they are taken As to the manner how Trees should be fashioned I Judge that for all sorts of Dwarf or Wall-Trees it is better they should be straight and consisting only of one entire Stick and of one only Graft than to be composed of two or three Grafts or several branches the new sprouts that will shoot out round about the single body of the Tree when top't and new Planted being more fit and pliable to be turned as we would have them to make a fair Tree than if they consisted of two Sticks or of old branches because we cannot be assured from what part of those old branches of the new planted Tree the new Sprouts will shoot and because commonly they grow ill favouredly and so confusedly interlaced one with another that we are forced to cut them quite away and consequently to make so many wounds in the Tree which is time lost both for the advancement of the beauty of it and of its producing Fruit both which are by this means retarded I would have my Tree then without any branches at all below but yet I would have it have good Eyes or buds which may by consequence promise good Branches and especially in Peach-Trees so that we must never take those whose Eyes are as 't were put out that is to say their issues stopt up because 't is very rarely that any new branches spring out from such and 't is so true that I desire but one single stick that commonly when I find two grafts I take away the weakest and preserve only that which is the more vigorous and better placed of the two As for Standard-Trees that are to be planted in the full and open air I am content they should have some branches about their tops that may be shortned when they are new planted because we require not so regular an exactness for the Beauty of these tall Trees as we do for that of lesser ones it being sufficient if those of the former sort be adorned with tops that Spread into but any thing nigh a round figure to be reasonably enough handsome in their kind CHAP. XVIII How to choose Trees when already drawn out of the Nursery Gardens IF the Trees be already pull'd up we must not only have regard to all the particulars above expressed without neglecting one of them but we must besides have a care they have not been too long taken up so that their bark is grown shriveled and their wood dry and perhaps quite dead or that their bark be not too much peeled off or the grafting place strangled with too hard binding with Pack-thred or that they be not grafted too low and especially in Peach-Trees so that to place the roots as they should be we must necessarily be forced to bury the Grafts under Ground in planting them or else grafted too high so that they cannot begin a well proportioned Wall or DwarsTree both which ought to begin about six or seven inches from the Ground But this is not all for we must take special heed too to the roots because though they had all the other necessary good qualifications in perfection yet
Accordingly I chuse out some good place in the Garden the most shady parts of it being the most proper for this effect and there I plant some Trees in Osier Baskets well ticketed or at least carefully set down in my Book according to the order both of their Ranks and of the respective places allotted to them in those Ranks that I may have recourse to them when any Tree shall happen to die or languish in its place Being desirous if it be possible that my plantation should continue finished and compleat as well in its figure as in the kinds of Trees according to my first modelling of it In order to which I keep in a leaning posture in the Reservatory Baskets those Trees that are designed for the Wall and in a straight and upright posture in the middle of the said Baskets those that are intended for Dwarfs that when I have occasion for either of them I may the more commodiously remove and place them with Basket and all so as the Tree may be every whit as well situated as if it had been first planted there which it would not be if the Tree designed for a Wall-Tree were placed bolt upright in the middle of the Basket because we could not so easily bend the Tree towards the Wall the same inconvenience almost happens if we be to plant for a Dwarf a Tree that we find in a leaning posture in a Reservatory Basket though of the two that be easier to place well than the Tree designed for a Wall-Tree This operation of the Transporting of Reserve Trees may be done till Mid-summer and when we have a mind to go about it we must first by way of preparation water those Reserve Trees well that we design to remove which probably will be the fairest we have and then move the Earth away neatly round about the Baskets for fear of breaking the roots of the plants in case they have shot any beyond the compass of their Baskets and we must ch 〈…〉 rainy weather to do it in or at least weather that is mild and temperate and a time when the Sun is low or a little after he is set or a little before he rises and he must be extreamly carefull not to shake or loosen the Tree in the least manner in the World neither when we are taking it up nor when we are carrying it off nor when we are replacing it in its designed station the shaking and loosening of it being in this case very pernicious and often Mortal Now when in removing these Reserve Trees we perceive any roots of them to have begun to shoot out of the Basket we must first in placing it be very careful to preserve the points of those new Roots place them well and support them with good mold cover them immediately and ramm the Earth close against the Basket and then water the Ground pretty plentifully round about the Basket to make the Earth next to it cleave the closer about it so as there may remain no hollow which may be known by the waters not sinking so hastily when you pour it on the place as before And this watering is indispensably necessary in what manner soever we remove our Reserve Trees And lastly on those days when the Sun shines hot we must cover the head of the Tree with straw Screens till such time as it begins to sprout and then we may begin to take them off a nights But this last precaution is not necessary but when we see any new roots Sprout out of the Basket or when the Tree has been shaken and loosened The same care and caution we use in placing against Walls Trees thus brought up in Reserve Baskets We must practise too in placing the same sort of Trees for Dwarfs or Standards and above all we must have a special care to leave those new roots as little as possible in the Air otherwise they will presently grow Black and consequently die I have nothing else to add about this head but only directions how to make these Baskets which must be made purposely and so loose wrought that you may see through them as well because the roots of the plants may the more easily grow through them as that taking up less stuff they may cost so much the less and besides when there is so much stuff as to make them too thick and impenetrable it do's but harm They must be made of the greenest and freshest gathered Oster that is to be had that being put quite green into the Earth they may last the longer without Rotting that is at least a whole Year for those that have been made any time rot sooner They must not be very deep because then they would be too troublesome to remove eight or nine Inches depth is enough that when they are set into the Ground as deep as till their brims be covered we may have room enough to put into them first about four or five Inches depth of Mold and then the Tree and after that cover their roots with a little quantity of Earth more and we may in removing these Reserve Trees with their Baskets take off some of the uppermost Mold if we find them too cumbersome to carry But as I told you before we must be very careful to ramm down the Earth close about the Baskets that there remain no chink or hollow As to the bigness of the Baskets it must be proportionable to the length of the roots of the Trees we design to plant in them They must be at least big enough to afford us room to put in three or four Inches depth of Mold between the ends of the roots and the Brim of the Basket so that for Trees designed for Wall Trees the Baskets need not be so large as otherwise because those Trees are planted in them in a leaning posture and therefore lie so near one side that all their roots are turned to the other and so their new roots may find room enough provided the Basket be wide enough But for Trees designed for Dwarfs because they must be planted in the middle and therefore shoot out roots round about them the Baskets for them must be a little Larger The Baskets likewise for Standards must be proportionably greater than for low Trees I need not tell you that the Baskets must be round because every Body knows that though they might be made Oval or Square too but then they would cost more and be never a whit the better The Difference therefore of the Bigness of Trees obliges us to make Baskets of three different Sizes viz. Little ones of about a foot Diameter Midling ones of about fifteen or sixteen Inches and Great ones of about eighteen or twenty The principal Quality most to be look'd after in them is that their bottom be strong and solid enough to bear without bursting the weight of Earth to be charged upon them and that the Edges both above and below be so well wrought
as not to unravel There must be also a Welt round about the middle for the same reason And I am not content to make use of this precaution of Reserve-Trees at the time of my first planting any great plantations but I practise it every year for a certain finall number of Trees according to the bigness of the plantation I have to cultivate that when there happens any accident to any of the Trees placed in it as there may happen many I may remedy it assoon as I am threat'ned with it or assoon as ever the accident happens for in fine we should always be in a condition to keep our plantation full and compleat without suffering any Tree in it that will not comply with our design A little cost will put our minds at ease in this respect and for want of that we may lose much time and pleasure too It is now time for us to proceed to the Master Work of Gard'ners which is Pruning The End of the Third Part of Fruit and Kitchen-Gardens A TABLE Of the Chapters and Matters contained in the Three Parts of the First Tome PART I. Chap. I. HOW necessary 't is for a Gentleman that would have any Fruit and Kitchen Gardens to be at least tolerably instructed of what concerns the ordering of such Gardens p. 1. Chap. II. How easie 't is for a Gentleman to attain at least a sufficient knowledge in Garden Concerns p. 3. Chap. III. An Abridgment of the Maxims and Rules of Gard'ning p. 4. Article I. Of the Qualities Requisite in Soil ibid. Art II. Of the Depth required in Soil ibid. Art III. Of its Tillage and Cultivation p. 5. Art IV. Directions how to amend it ibid. Art V. Of the Ordinary way of modelling Fruit and Kitchen Gardens ibid. Art VI. How to know Fruit-Trees ibid. Art VII How to prepare a Tree as well at Head as at Root before it be Planted p. 7. Art VIII What time we are to choose to Plant in ibid. Art IX How to attain a tolerable knowledge in the Pruning of Trees p. 8. Art X. When Wall-Trees are to be bent and Palisado'd p. 10. Art XI How and when to gather all sorts of Fruits of every Season and to lay up and stow in the store Rooms those that do not Ripen upon the Trees to preserve them in their Beauty and Eat them in due Season without giving them time to rot and spoil ibid. Art XII Concerning Graffs and Nurseries ib. Art XIII and last divided into two Heads viz. One that concerns the Improvement of the Kitchen Gardens and the second the Work that is to be done in every Season p. 11. Chap. IV. How to choose a Good Gard'ner ib. Chap. V. An Explication of the Terms of Gard'ning ibid. PART II. Chap. I. OF the necessary Qualifications for a good Fruit and Pot Garden p. 17. Chap. II. Of Earth or Soil in General ib. Chap. III. Of the Qualifications required in the Soil of a Garden to constitute it good p. 19. Sect. 1. Of the first proof of a good Soil ibid. Sect. 2. Of the second proof of a good Soil p. 20. Sect. 3. Of the third proof of a good Soil ibid. Sect. 4. Of the fourth proof of a good Soil p. 21. Sect. 5. Of the fifth proof of a good Soil ibid. Sect. 6. Of the sixth mark of a good Soil p. 22. Sect. 7 Of the seventh mark of a good Soil p. 23. Chap. IV. Of other Terms used in speaking of Soils p. 25. Sect. 8. Of Soils exhausted and worn out ibid. Sect. 9. Of Fallow Soils p. 26. Sect. 10. Of Transported Soils ibid. Sect. 11. Of Soils new broken up or new Soils p. 27. Sect. 12. And last of the Colours most Commendable in good Soils p. 28. Chap. V. Of the Situation required in our Gardens and of the ordinary advantages of those that are situated upon a gently rising Ground p. 29. Chap. VI. Of the Expositions in Gardens both in general and particular with an Account of what is good and bad in them ib. Chap. VII Of the third Condition which is the convenience of Waterage p. 32. Chap. VIII Of the fourth Condition which is that the Garden should be upon a Ground that is almost Level p. 33. Chap. IX Of the fifth Condition which is that a Garden should be of a pleasing Figure and that the entrance into it be well placed ibid. Chap. X. Of the sixth Condition which is that the Garden be inclosed with Walls and well secured with Doors that shut fast p. 35. Chap. XI Of the last Condition which is that the Fruit and Kitchen Gardens be not far from the House and that the passage to it be easie and convenient ibid. Chap. XII What is to be done to correct a Ground that is defective whether in the Quality of its Soil or in its too small quantity p. 37. Chap. XIII Concerning the Acclivity and Declivity or rises and falls in every Garden p. 40. Chap. XIV Of the modelling or Distribution of the whole Ground in every Garden p. 43. Chap. XV. Of the modelling and Distribution of a very little Garden p. 45. Chap. XVI Of the breadth of the Ground to be tilled next the Wall-Trees ibid. Chap. XVII Of the Distribution or modelling of a Garden of a Competent bigness p. 46. Chap. XVIII Of the modelling or Distribution of Gardens of several Sizes from fifteen to forty Toises or Fathoms Extent ibid. Chap. XIX Of the modelling or Distribution of Gardens of an extraordinary bigness p. 47. Chap. XX. How to cultivate Fruit Gardens p. 48. Chap. XXI Of the labourage and Tillage of them p. 49. Chap. XXII Of Amendments p. 51. Chap. XXIII Of Dung p. 53. Of the several sorts of Dung p. 54. How to choose Dung ibid. What times most Proper to Dung Ground in p. 55. No Dung to be used to Trees p. 56. Chap. XXIV Whether it be good to Dung Trees p. 58. Chap. XXV What sort of Ground agrees best with every sort of Fruit-Trees p. 60. PART III. VVHat is to be done in all sorts of Gardens as well in making a judicious Choice as in proportioning and Placing the Best kinds of Fruit-Trees whether Dwarfs Wall-Trees or Standards p. 62. The design and order of this part p. 65. Some Advertisements p. 66. The Author's Judgment and Taste in Pears p. 67. Whether it be convenient to Plant any Dwarf-Trees in little Gardens p. 69. What Dwarf Fruit-Trees are to be chosen to Plant in small Gardens ibid. How necessary 't is for Gardens to be inclosed with Walls p. 70. The Pear-Tree most proper to be planted in little Gardens and why ibid. The Author's advice to Gentlemen over hasty for Fruit with the inconveniences attending it ib. What method may be taken in spacious Gardens to have Fruit early and fair while the principal Garden is growing to perfection p. 71. The effects of the difference of Climates difference of Soils and temper of Years in the same Climate p.
been under the shade of other Trees or in the Neighbour-hood of some Wood or Pallisades which by an Infinity of Roots exhaust all the Ground about them you must resolve to remove either those Trees that make the Shade or those that waste the Ground so much and before you Re-plant any thing in their room you must remove all the Earth that is worn out to put better in the room of it without imagining to better it with Dung or else resolve to Plant no more Fruit-Trees in that unhappy Place If in fine some Moles have rais'd and shaken them you must endeavour to catch them if the Worms have gnaw'd them they must be look'd for and destroy'd tho' as we have already said elsewhere it be of all the Evils that may afflict Plantations the greatest most dangerous and most incurable All the Comfort that can be had in this is That it is a kind of Torrent that must of necessity have its Course but passes and does not return often and this is what I have to say as to a Tree which is and actually appears dead the first year of its being Planted If the Tree remain green in the whole Stem or at least in a great part of it without having produc'd any thing and that perhaps it be only a kind of Lethargy which has in some measure benum'd the Vegetative Faculty as it happens to some Orange-Trees newly Planted which remain sometimes two three or four years without coming to any thing and yet at last perform Wonders 'T is strange and difficult to apprehend that the Principle of Life of those kind of Trees which in effect are so easie to take and yet are so hard to dye shou'd not withstanding be so difficult to be mov'd to begin some Roots But this is not the Point in question here our Fruit-Trees are not so long without shewing the certainty of their Life or Death In case I say this Fruit-Tree has preserv'd its greenness all the Summer without producing any Shoots it may perhaps give some hope of satisfaction for the time to come but indeed that hope is very slight and if it may be done conveniently the surest way is to replant as soon as can be another new one that appears better or at least equally good in the room of it but if no other can be had I am still of Opinion that it will be proper in the Month of November to search round about that suspicious Foot to see whether there appears any good beginning of thick Roots or none at all In the First Case that is if any good Signs be discover'd consisting in the beginning or growing of some thick Roots which is very extraordinary for as soon as any new Roots grow in Summer new Shoots appear at the same time If then I say any beginning of thick Roots be discover'd which perhaps only began to form themselves since the end of Summer you must rest there without doing any thing more and only cover the Place well again where you have open'd the Ground and besides the following Summer take some extraordinary Carefrom time to time to Water it if the Ground and the Season seem to requireit Such a Tree may very well make up the time it has lost and become fine the following years In the Second Case that is when the Tree has perform'd nothing by its Root it must be wholly taken out of the Ground and Prun'd again that is according to the Term of a Gard'ner all its Roots must be refresh'd doing the same to the Head of which the Extremity may perhaps be dead and in such a Case it must be refresh'd as far as the quick and then the Tree may be re-planted at that very time and in the same place if it be judg'd worth it having preserv'd its Roots sound and entire or you must fling it quite away if the principal Roots be defective either in being dry or black or being actually rotten or gnaw'd as it happens sometimes for in that Case no good can be expected from them The Case is different when there are only some small Roots tainted tho' it be not a good Sign but however in that Case it wou'd be sufficient to Cut them again to the quick and Re-plant the Tree in the same place where it has given Cause to believe its Destiny doubtful I have pretty often Re-planted such Trees in Nurseries where they have thriven so well that some years after I have successfully given them some of the Chief Places of the Garden and yet I had Planted very good new Trees in the Places where those could not thrive It is very difficult to have perfect Plantations without all those necessary Considerations The Coolness of a moist Ground is sometimes sufficient to preserve for a year or more uncertain signs of Life both in the Roots and Stem of a Tree as well as it preserves it in Cut Branches and yet without any certainty of their performing afterwards any happy Operation that is to Operate in the same manner as well qualify'd Trees use to do therefore it is fit to be very nice upon those kind of appearances of Life by which so many People suffer themselves to be amuz'd and deceiv'd for so many Years This is what I had to say upon those appearances of Life whether Good and Certain or Ill and Doubtful CHAP. XIII Of the first Pruning of a Tree that has sprouted weakly I pass now to the second Article of a Tree newly Planted which is to sprout but little especially if the Shoot be weak small and yellowish and sometimes accompany'd with some Fruit-Buds Upon which I declare that I have but little more value for that Tree than for the Preceeding which we have just examin'd and found it either quite Dead as well in the Roots as in the Stem or only dead as to the Roots tho' it appear'd green at the Bark or else have found it to have yet some small signs of Life in the Roots as well as in the Stem both these and the others having still preserv'd some signs of Life that is some green and a little Sap. Therefore when I am furnish'd with good Trees I never fail rejecting this altho' it has sprouted a little as well as the preceeding which has not sprouted at all But when I find my self in want or unprovided I am contented with cutting these little Shoots close to the Stem shortning that above by the half and besides I never fail to search the Foot and if I find that the Roots have Shot nothing as it happens sometime I pluck up the Tree quite and refresh the Roots to see if they are all sound which being so I plant them again or else some of the Principals being spoil'd I fling it away If in order to Replant such a Tree I fear the Earth be not good enough I put better in the room of it this is the only good expedient to be us'd the
Trees that shoot on all sides an infinite number of little weak sapless Branches with some thick ones here and there both the one and the other for the most part of false Wood In which case a great deal of time may be lost upon ill-grounded hopes That which is best to be done in all these Occasions is as soon as can be to remove such Trees and when they are not extreamly old or spoil'd by the Roots venture to plant them again in some other place in good Ground after having cleans'd them of all their Rottenness and Cankers in order to see if they will come to any thing to make use of them elsewhere which happens sometimes with Pear-Trees but very seldom with Stone-Fruit especially Peach-Trees still putting better in the room of them with all the Conditions heretofore explain'd CHAP. XXV Of the first Pruning of Trees that have been Planted with many Branches AFter having sufficiently explain'd in the Treatise of Plantations my Aversion to plant little Trees with many Branches I am willing at present to believe that as I seldom plant any those who will do me the honour to imitate me will do the same However Those that will plant such must principally observe two things The first is to cut off whatever may cause a Confusion and is not proper to begin a fine Figure The second to leave a Length of about six or seven Inches to every Branch they preserve upon them And as for the other Branches that shall proceed from these they must regulate themselves upon the Principles which we have sufficiently establish'd for the Pruning of other Trees It is certain that such Trees planted with Branches are not commonly so easily turn'd to receive a fine Figure as those I affect to plant The old Branches that are left upon them are not often happy in producing others on their Extremity yet less to have them well-plac'd they generally produce them disorderly and consequently must be often wounded before what is desir'd can be met with but when at last attain'd 't is but following what has been said distinctly enough for the management of a Tree which having been planted without any Branches has since produc'd some very fine ones and very well plac'd And when Trees have been planted with a great many more and longer Branches than they shou'd have been so that there appears no manner of disposition towards the Figure we ought to wish for Endeavours must be us'd immediately to reduce them upon a fine Beginning and that conformably to the Ideas of Beauty so often explain'd What we shall say hereafter for the first Pruning of old Trees that have never been order'd well may serve altogether for the first Pruning of these without saying any thing more about it Though commonly either as to low Standards or Espaliers I condemn the manner of Planting little Trees with many Branches by reason of the Inconveniences which attend them in respect to the Figure they ought to have I am not however so severe in relation to high Standards in which I do not condemn it so much by reason that they do not require so great an Exactness for their Beauty So that I allow they shou'd be planted sometimes with some Branches on their heads when some are found well enough dispos'd for it they will certainly produce Fruit sooner than the others But still I have a particular Esteem for those that are planted without any There are some other Occasions in which a Tree may be planted with many Branches and that is in a great Plantation where some other is dead for supposing the Ground to be very good and other good Mould put into the Hole made to plant the other in such a Case a Tree may very well be planted with some Branches especially those Trees that are difficult to fructifie For Example your Lady-Thigh Pears without Rinds Virgoulez c. CHAP. XXVI Of the Pruning of High-Standards or Tall Body'd Trees AS the Number of Principles for the Pruning of Dwarf-Trees has been very great so the number of Principles for Pruning of High-Standards Planted in open Wind shall be very small For as to High-standards Planted against a Wall they all require the same Precautions as the little ones so that instead of medling yearly with those Great Trees I only desire as I have said in the beginning of this Treatise that they should be touch'd once or twice in the beginnings that is in the three or four first years in order to remove some Branches from the middle which might cause a confusion there or to shorten a side which rises too much or bring another nearer which extends farther than in reason it ought to do As for the remainder we must refer it to Nature and let her produce freely what she can there would be too much pain and labour to order these with as much Circumspection as the others CHAP. XXVII Of the first Conduct of Graffs in Slits made and multiply'd upon Old Trees in place either Dwarfs or Espaliers NOthing is so common in our Gardens as to Graff in Slits upon Old Trees be it either to be rid of some ill Fruit we are weary of or to improve some considerable Novelty that has been discover'd so that often we do not even spare good kinds of such Trees of which we have a sufficient Number Now as many things are to be said upon those sort of Graffs and first if the Tree has so little thickness as not to be able to receive above one as none are commonly apply'd without having three Eyes it may very well happen that every such Graff shall produce three fine Branches fit to lay the foundation of a fine Tree in which Case we must have recourse to what we have said heretofore of the first Pruning of a Tree which in the first year had produc'd three fair Shoots and may allow them about two or three Eyes more in length if as in all likelyhood it ought to happen the Graff has produc'd very Vigorous Twigs especially if the Tree appears inclinable to close In the second place if the Tree to be Graffed is thick enough to receive two Graffs as it is when it has a good Inch Diameter or a little more and if the two Graffs produce each two or three fine Branches as it happens pretty often then it is fit to study hard to avoid the great confusion that is threaten'd here by the great Proximity of Graffs and consequently we must study to open therefore among those Branches those that being thick and inwards form that defect which we must never suffer must be taken away either within the thickness of a Crown Piece or slopingly according as the Prudence of the Gard'ner and the occasion of the Tree shall prescribe After which not only the first Pruning shall be perform'd a little longer than that of the Trees that have been Planted within a year or two but a greater quantity of Branches must
on that side and consequently the most active insomuch that the least part of them may not remain to be capable of acting or producing the least Thread of a capilar Root The Roots of the other Moity for I suppose there may be good ones otherwise so many must not be taken away from the Side uncovered the Roots I say of the other Moity left untouch'd will be sufficient to nourish the whole Tree This Remedy is infallible to prevent such Trees from being as it were resty to our Cares and Industry and will soon make them produce Fruit by reason that this will put a stop to the Production of the Sap so that it shall not be so abounding as before one two or three of the chief Workers being remov'd and thus the weak Branches will only receive a moderate Nourishment and the Buds begun instead of extending will grow round and consequently turn to Fruit-Buds will Blossom and finally yield what is desired of them Philosophers may Criticise upon and explain this as they please but still it is most certain that the thing happens as I have said To Root up such Trees and re-plant them immediately with the main part of their Roots and Branches either in the same place or in another as some Authors propose it is sometimes an effectual Remedy but it seems to me somewhat too violent since sometimes it threatens Death and often makes an ugly Tree which in my Opinion is as great a Defect as the other for which reason I use it but seldom though sometimes I do CHAP. XXXVI Of the Conduct or Culture of Fig-Trees AFter having said in another place and that after a long Experience that a ripe Fig according to my Pallat is the best of all the Fruits growing upon Trees that hitherto I have met with and indeed is look'd upon as being the most delicious by all judicious Persons I thought my self oblig'd in this general Treatise of the Culture of Fruits to make a particular one for the Conduct of this Before I enter upon this matter I cannot forbear expressing my Astonishment considering that notwithstanding the singular Esteem most People have for good Figs it was a general Custom in this Country to have but a very small quantity of them in each Garden not exceeding two or three at most and even those commonly abandon'd in some inner Yard expos'd to all manner of ill Treatment without the least Culture Indeed in warmer Climates they are better and more honourably treated there are always abundance of them not only in Gardens and under the shelter of a House but particularly in Vine-yards in Hedges and in the open Fields and they make a considerable Trade of those that are preserv'd and dry'd which I do not mention here I am sensible that the difficulty of preserving Fig-Trees from the great Colds of the Winter is the chief Reason for which we have so few of them in our Climates but yet considering the Consequence and Merit of their Fruit in my Opinion People should have made it their Study a little more than they have done to enjoy to a higher degree that rich Present of Nature It is not necessary to repeat here what I have said at large in the Treatise of the Choice and Proportion of Fruits touching the Diversity of the Kinds of Figs nor of my preferring the white ones whether long or round for this Country to all the others Neither will I repeat what I have said as to the Situation which is most proper for them I shall only relate the manner of my Cultivating of them and especially how that notwithstanding the ill Custom which made us be satisfy'd with a few of them I have apply'd my self to the breeding of many and that not only by the common Way of Planting them in Espaliers or against Walls but also in an extraordinary manner that is in Cases which is both pretty new pleasant and useful which if I may be allow'd to introduce a new Expression may be call'd a Figuerie in imitation of Orangeries The Delight His Majesty takes in that Fruit and the danger of Dying to which all Fig-Trees are expos'd in the open Ground in great Frosts or at least of bearing no Fruit that Year have been two powerful Motives for me who am honour'd with the Place of Director of all the Fruit and Kitchen-Gardens belonging to the Royal Family to induce me to bethink my self of the Means of Certainly having a great many Figs every Year In the performance of which I have met with very little difficulty for in the first place the common Mould of every Garden mix'd with an equal quantity of Soil or small Dung turn'd to Mould is extraordinary good for it Secondly The Roots of Fig-Trees instead of being hard and thick like those of other Fruit-Trees either Stone or Kernel on the contrary remain soft and flexible and commonly slender and so are easily order'd in Cases and even with more case than those of Orange-Trees which thrive so well in them Thirdly These kind of Trees naturally produce abundance of Roots so that it is very casie for them to live fatly and vigorously in a small quantity or space of Ground provided Moisture be not wanting Besides the universal Approbation I have met with in this Undertaking and the Imitation that has follow'd it by many of the Curious have encourag'd me to make a considerable progress in this Figuerie or Fig-Garden and that which has most induc'd me to proceed in it is that the Fruit ripens a great deal sooner here than in the main Ground and is somewhat better and yellower the Earth which is easily heated in the Cases producing the first good Effect and the open Air the two others To which I might add the pleasure of seeing in this Country abundance of Fig-Trees in the open Air which seem'd to be altogether reserv'd for hot Countries and that of being in the Summer in the middle of a Wood abounding with Figs there to chuse and gather the sinest and ripest without any trouble Therefore I have bred abundance of Fig-Trees in Cases having found that besides the Advantages above related there was yet another which is very considerable and that is that to preserve them securely and with Ease in the Winter an ordinary Covering to keep off the great Frost is sufficient that Covering or Shelter not being near so considerable as those for Orange-Trees and Jessemins these both stripping or casting their Leaves at the least Cold by which they are almost utterly spoil'd every body knowing that a Fall of Leaves proceeding from the Rigour of Cold or too much Moisture denotes in those Trees at least a great Infirmity in the Branches so stripp'd insomuch that it is almost impossible to recover them whereas we have no Leaves to preserve on our Fig-Trees it is only Wood I mean Branches of which the Wood is pretty course though extreamly Pithy or Sappy insomuch that it resists the Cold
much better than Orange-Trees it being certain that this Wood which of it self is pretty tender notwithstanding dries up at the usual Fall of the Leaves and consequently grows hard the reason of which is that the Roots of Fig-Trees ceasing to act within from the time the Leaves begin to fall on the out-side the Wood no longer receiving any new Sap ceases to fear the Rigour of the Season whereas the Wood of the Orange-Trees and Jessamins by the perpetual Operation of their Roots remains as tender in the Winter as it is all the rest of the Year Which is the reason that as the Sap continually rises particularly for the Nourishment of those Leaves that remain upon the Branches as well as for the Nourishment of the Branches themselves that Sap at that time as it were keeps both the one and the other so sensible to Frost and Moisture that thereby they often fall into those great Disorders known by every body which are almost the greatest they are liable to It being then granted that for the preservation of our Fig-Trees it is sufficient that the great Frost should not light directly upon their Branches it follows from thence that it is sufficient for the Conservatory to be reasonably close as well at the top as at the Doors and Windows insomuch that the Ground may have been pretty well frozen in the Cases and yet the Fig-Tree receive no prejudice by it So that a moderate low Cellar or a Stable or a Common-Hall which would be so pernicious to Orange-Trees and Jessemins may not be amiss for our Fig-Trees not but if that place were very moist it might harm them As also a Cas'd Fig-Tree remaining in the Winter without a Covering would be much more endanger'd than another in the main Ground for a thick Frost would kill the Roots as well as the Head whereas a Fig-Tree planted in open Ground would at least be preserv'd towards the Roots The Time of putting Fig-Trees in the Conservatories is the Month of November that is they must be plac'd there as soon as the thick or great Frosts are coming on there to re without wanting the least Culture or any Care besides the keeping of the place as close as can be and that only during the great Colds for excepting that time they need not be kept so close Lastly They may be taken out again about the middle of March and sometimes at the very beginning the Weather being very fair and the Seasons of great Frosts appearing in some manner past There is no need of staying till there is nothing at all to fear for the new Figs for then there would be a necessity of staying until the end of April it happening pretty often that until that time there are certain Frosts which blacken and kill them though reasonably thick The reason which obliges to take them out sooner is that it is necessary Fig-Trees should immediately enjoy the Rays of the Sun and some soft Showers of March and April in order to be able to shoot their first Fruit with success to the end above all things that those Fruits may insensibly be us'd to the open Air which must make them grow and ripen betimes it being most certain that the Figs which grow under Covert coming into the open Air are apt to blacken and so perish even without any Frost or considerable Cold a North-East Wind or excessive Heat in the first Days of their coming out destroying them without Redemption Whereas those Figs that have been a little enur'd to the Air have harden'd themselves so as to be able to resist notwithstanding the Intemperature of the Season In taking the Fig-Trees out of the Conservatory at the time prefix'd there are only two things to be done The first is to put them immediately along and as close as can be to some good Walls expos'd to the South or East and there leave them until the Full-Moon of April be past which is about the beginning of May. This situation is very necessary for them to enjoy the Aspect of the Father of Vegetation and be soak'd by the Rains of the Spring as well as to find some Shelter against the Morning-Frosts of the Remains of Winter which are those of March and April because that whereas this wonderful Fruit shoots out at that time ready form'd from the Body of the Branch presenting it self thus all on the sudden without the help of any Covering or being accompany'd with Blossoms or Leaves it must needs be very tender in the first Days of its Birth and therefore such Frosts which are very common and frequent at those times falling then upon them would prove very dangerous or rather mortal insomuch that though this Shelter be favourable to Fig-Trees both to such that are planted in the Ground as well as to those that are in Cases yet notwithstanding it is necessary to cover them with Sheets or Straw or long dry Dung or Peas-Cods when-ever they seem to be threaten'd by some Frost The cold North-West Winds North and North-East or some Haâ—â— or melted Snow seldom fail to occasion it in the Night after having commonly fore-told it the Day before Woe to the Gard'ner who neglects or does not improve the Signal of such an ill Omen The second thing that is to be done after having remov'd Fig-Trees out of the Conservatory and having thus plac'd them under shelter is to use the Phrase of Gard'ners to give them a good Wetting in every Case which is one good substantial Watering insomuch that all the Moat may be soak'd by it and there shall hardly need any more Watering until with some Leaves the Fruit begins to appear all together and even a little thick which is about the middle of April the Spring-Rains will supply other Waterings but this first Watering is absolutely necessary to soak the Ground a-new which after four or five Months Confinement was grown quite dry otherwise the Roots at the coming in of the hot Weather should not be capable for want of Moisture to renew their Action and consequently there should be no good Motion of Vegetation either to nourish and thicken that new Fruit the sooner or to afford us the sooner Leaves and new Wood with a Certainty that the sooner Fig-Trees shoot in the Spring the sooner we shall have the second Figs of Autumn I will take notice by the by here that the first Figs grow independently from the Action of the Roots just as the Blossoms of other Fruit-Trees open and produce their first Buds independently from the Action of their Roots Lastly The Cold that is the great Enemy of those Figs being gone which happens commonly about the middle of May the Cases must be remov'd from that Shelter and put somewhat at large to be in the open Air especially in some little Garden well surrounded with good Walls they may be dispos'd so as to border or form Allies on both sides or else a little green Wood as I do
Shade it is good to make a little Gash in those towards the Extremity though many succeed without it Thus there are abundance of Means and all very easie in order to make a pretty good Provision of small young Fig-Trees Wo to that Gard'ner who does not do it and does not use his utmost Skill to multiply so good a Tree trying immediately whenever he is oblig'd to cut some Fig-Branches to make those Layers take Root at he may do provided it has a little Wood of two Years standing because that those cut Branches that are but of a Years standing are much apter to rot than to take Root The greatest Inconveniency attending Cases is that which I have mention'd heretofore which is that during the Months of June July August and September there is an indispensible necessity of Watering them largely every Day insomuch that the Water may penetrate through the bottom of the Case at least without fail they must be Water'd so every other Day unless it Rains very hard not that the Water of Rains often penetrates the Body of the Mote but because while it Rains there is no Sun-shine capable of penetrating through the Case to dry up the Roots which is the only Reason that may stop the Continuation of Watering Neither must small Rains be minded they are of no use to Fig-Trees on the contrary often prejudice them by persuading the Gard'ner they are sufficient to supply the want of Watering which they are not the broad Leaves of Fig-Trees hindering the Earth which lies very close in the Case and is very hard by an Infinity of Roots from being soak'd by an inconsiderable Rain since even great Showers cannot do it It is most certain that the Fruit is in danger of dropping down and perishing the Roots of Fig-Trees ceasing never so little to act for want of Moisture and to furnish the Figs with the perpetual help they stand indispensibly in need of which will certainly happen upon failure of the great and frequent Waterings we recommend For those Figs that have wanted the least Nourishment remain flobby and as it were full of Wind instead of being fill'd up with a good pithy Pulp and so instead of Ripening drop down which is the greatest Inconvenience that can be fear'd and consequently this requires so great an Application that it is no easie matter to succeed in Fig-Gardens The Fig-Trees Planted in the main Ground requires no such Slavery since such as are Planted even in very dry Soils commonly produce Fine Large Good Figs the Roots which have the liberty of extending round about tho' the Earth be never so parch'd still find wherewithal to perform their Function and Duty and in imitation of those when the bottoms of Cases touch the Ground commonly some Roots get out of it which take into that very Ground and there multiply to that degree that they are able to live without frequent Waterings But then they are liable to other Inconveniencies which I shall mention in the Sequel There now remains to speak of the Pruning and Pinching or Breaking which I Practice upon Fig-Trees either Planted in the main Ground or in Cases both for the Forming of Fine Trees according to the Beauty proper to those Trees as well as to make them shoot the Figs the sooner every one in their Season that is not only the first which are call'd Blossom-Figs but also the second call'd Autumn or Second-Figs and Figs of the second Sap c. As to the Beauty proper to Fig-Trees in Cases it is not to be expected that it can be so regular as that of Orange-Trees that are likewise in Cases neither can the Beauty of Fig-Trees either Dwarf-Standards or against a Wall be expected so perfect as that of Dwarf-Pear-Trees or other Wall-Fruits We have sufficiently explain'd those kind of Beauties each in particular in Treatises written upon that Subject without repeating it here It will suffice to say That the Beauty of Fig-Trees in Cases consists chiefly in being real Dwarf-Standards without having any Stem if possible and lastly in not Shooting too high or being too much Extended and open with great bare Branches which is but too common in those Trees unless an extraordinary Care be taken of them There is no great necessity of saying that at the end of Winter or at the beginning of the Spring it will be necessary to Trim or Pluck off all the Dead Wood of Fig-Trees either in the main ground or in Cases no body being ignorant of it Those kind of Trees having very Pithy or Sappy Branches are liable to have a great many of them spoyl'd tho' the Cold be never so moderate We have often Experienc'd it particularly in the Winter of 1675. in which there was not half an inch of Ice in any part and yet a considerable number of Fig-Tree Branches perish'd as if the absence of heat alone was capable to destroy them consequently a far greater quantity must perish in long hard Winters as we had in 1670 and 1676. in which the Frost was so terrible and our Gard'ners suffer'd so much by it that they were forc'd almost in all parts to cut the thickest Fig-Trees within the very Foot altho' they had been pretty well cover'd either with Straw or dry Dung even in so much that the very Snow which is a Soveraign Remedy for the Preservation of many young Tender Plants as Pease Strawberries and Lettuce c. could not avail for the preservation of those Well-belov'd unfortunate Fig-Trees nay rather Contributed to their destruction It is true that some Gard'ners tho' pretty Careful have notwithstanding their Care had the Ill luck to see part of their Fig-Trees Perish when no body could impute the least fault to them which was occasion'd by the Walls where those Fig-Trees were Planted not being thick enough to hinder the rigour of the Frost from penetrating through them happy are those whose Fig-Trees are Planted against good Buildings particularly near Chimneys that are actually us'd or at least against Walls about two foot thick and well expos'd Happy likewise are those who have them in dry Elevated Situations and yet in a good Ground And Consequently unhappy all those who having none of these advantages are expos'd to all that 's pernicious for Fig-Trees as thin Walls to their Gardens a Cold and Moist Soil wanting both a favourable Climate and Situation Since then Fig-Trees are as difficult in the preservation as their Fruit is Precious let us give an exact Summary of what we think most proper at least to endeavour the defending of them as much as can be possible from what is capable of destroying of them The Inconveniencies wherewith they are threaten'd do not hinder me as I have already declar'd in the Treatise of the Choice and Proportion of Fruit from advising every body to Plant a reasonable quantity of them I mean in the main Ground having somewhat of the Situation that is proper for them tho wanting some of
before Midsummer generally owes a Fig either for the Autumn of that very Year which is most common or for the Summer of the following Year when the Fig has not appear'd in Autumn This being so it happens almost always that abundance of those Figs for Autumn do appear which grow in vain by reason that they seldom ripen the cold Rains that are frequent and common in Autumn and the white Frosts of the Season killing them almost all either in making them burst and open and so fall or drop or else hindring them from growing to Maturity And as for these it is not to be expected that notwithstanding they have been preserv'd Green in the Winter and well fix'd to the Tree the Renewing of the Sap in the Spring should bring them to any Perfection it being most certain that they will drop without coming to any thing But as for those Figs we call Figs of the first Sap or Midsummer Figs as they only grow in proportion to the Shoots and Leaves shot from Midsummer till towards Autumn and that often Fig-Trees particularly in Cases produce but few Branches and regularly short having but little Vigour in the Summer and yet being oblig'd to nourish their Fruit it follows consequently that they produce but a small quantity of Fruit for the Spring the weak Branches neither being capable to bear any at that time nor when they do bear them of preserving them against the Cold of the Season wherefore it is fit to have very particular Regards in order to make Fig-Trees and particularly those that are in Cases produce fine Shoots after Midsummer which depends upon the Vigour of the Foot and more particularly on the Assistance we ought to afford it when in that Condition When some Branches are preserv'd being somewhat weak they must be kept very short to the end that the Remainder may be the better nourish'd and that the Figs if any can grow upon them may grow the finer but still upon condition that if any other weak Branches should shoot from those they shall all be taken away and none preserv'd unless perhaps the lowest which thereby may grow to a reasonable thickness The same Care that is taken of Fig-Trees in Cases just after the Winter placing them in good Situations ought likewise to be taken to place them also in proper Situations at the Coming in of Autumn to the end that in order to the Maturity of the Figs of that Season they may receive the Benefit of the little Heat the Sun affords us at that time But then none of the Roots must be allow'd to get out of the Cases by reason that there being a necessity of pulling them out in transporting of the Cases both the Tree and Fruit would suffer considerably by it which must needs create a Subject of Trouble But then the only Remedy when the bottom of the Cases has touch'd the Ground in the Summer time the Roots of the Fig-Tree having extreamly multiply'd there and the Trees being really the better for it so as not to stand in need of such frequent Waterings though at the same time it rots the Cases the sooner the bottom of the Cases having thus touch'd the Ground it will be necessary before they are put in the Conservatory to cut all those Roots well or at least it must be done at the Taking them out again before they are carry'd to the place where they are to remain all the Summer for whatever part of them has been expos'd to the Air absolutely spoils But after having taken off what is spoil'd those very Cases being again put upon the Ground the Roots will multiply again more than the Year before And it is not amiss to sacrifice thus some Cases especially such as begin to be old and of which the Fig-Trees have been long Cas'd Moreover Whereas the first Figs may always ripen whatever Situation they be in the Heats of the Summer being sufficient for that it induces me to place Fig-Trees willingly into the West Part and pretty often likewise to the North by which means I have Figs much longer those that are plac'd in those indifferent Situations ripening after the others so that they almost supply the Interval between the First and the Second In which I advise others to imitate me but yet upon condition not to expect Autumn Figs from such Situations unless the Season proves extraordinary fine and dry And when Fig-Trees have been plac'd in such Expositions or Situations great Care must be taken to cover them yet better in the Winter than those that were plac'd in the other Situations Particular Precautions must be had for Fig-Trees Planted in the Ground especally not to place them under the Spouts of great Coverings which might threaten them with too much Water and particularly with a great deal of mizling Frost as well in the Winter as in the Spring And in case there be no other place proper to Plant them in those Spouts must be turn'd some other way by means of some Wooden or Leaden Gutter As to the Method of Pruning Dwarf-Standard Fig-Trees there is nothing to be added to what we have already said of those that are Planted against Walls or in Cases The Dwarf-Standards will not produce Figs altogether so soon as those Fig-Trees that are well Expos'd and even later than those that are in Cases which being heated by the Sun on all sides of the Case ripen as we have already said a little sooner than the Dwarf-Standards and even sooner than the Espaliers Those Dwarfs will likewise be a little troublesom for the Coverings of the Winter and therefore it is dangerous to have any of those unless it be in very little private places and those shelter'd from great Frosts they will likewise be apt to cause a Confusion if being in a good Soil Endeavours be us'd to keep them low and to hinder them at the same time from producing great Shoots For which reason it will be necessary to Pinch them carefully and to have always some thick Branches Prun'd low and finally to clear and free them often as well from so many old worn out Branches as from all new Suckers To that End such Dwarf-Standards must always be kept at a very considerable distance from each other in order to lay a great many Branches yearly into the Ground thereby to ease the whole Body of the Tree suffering it to grow in breadth as much as it pleases As to their Coverings Care must be taken at the End of Autumn first to assemble and close their Branches together with Oziers and Poles fix'd into the Ground that they may form a kind of Bowl or Pyramid closing it afterwards with long dry Dung as we have done to Fig-Trees in Espaliers but yet they must not be uncover'd quite altogether so soon as the others that are shelter'd by a Wall and the Coverings must by all means be renew'd during the Spring After having explain'd my Method as well as possible
possession until the end of June and towards the middle of July for the early Cherries which seldom appear but in China-Dishes and in small quantity are follow'd close by Strawberries with this difference that these to endear themselves the more above the Cherries that have preceeded them appear with a Charming scent and in prodigious quantity that is in full Basons and would think themselves disgrac'd to appear as poorly attended as their Predecessors Among these Strawberries some are Red and others White the last are seldom Ripe until they are grown yellowish and the others are never good until they are perfectly and Universally Red and neither of them are eatable until they have attain'd a Considerable size I may say by the by that those Strawberries that are soonest Ripe are those that have Blossom'd first and that those that are nearest to the body of the Plant are those that Blossom'd first I will draw some Instructions in the Treatise of the Kitchen-Garden in order to our getting of them always Finer Larger and Better from that part than otherwise we should do The Strawberries that grow Naturally and of themselves which most People are fond of are accompany'd towards the middle of June with Red and White Raspberries Currans Hearts and Plain Cherries of which some are somewhat earlier and not so good others later which are larger and sweeter and better either Preserv'd or Raw Bigarreaux also come in among them and even Morrello's but commonly they both tarry until the hurry of Red Fruits is somewhat over not but they might appear sooner for really those Bigarreaux and Morrello's are admirable Fruits The first are Ripe as soon as they are half Red but the others do not attain their perfection of maturity until they are almost Black The order of the maturity of all those Fruits is the same with what we declar'd for the Strawberries that which has Blossom'd first in every Tree likewise Ripens soonest Here 's the Month of June provided for it is call'd the Month of Red Fruits and with Reason For those kind of Fruits are met with wherever one goes we have said that the marks of their maturity is that Red Colour which surrounds them it commonly begins at that part which is most immediately expos'd to the Sun and is soonest Ripe In fine by degrees that Colour spreads all over and when the liveliness of that Red begins to turn to an obscure Red excepting only the Morello's they draw towards Corruption Among Red Fruits those that have Stones tho' never so ripe do not easily loosen from the Branch as other Fruits do they wither upon it instead of falling they must be pluck'd off and that with some Violence All those kind of Red Fruits should be the only ones during the whole Month of June to fill up the Stage of the maturity of the Fruits of that Season but that some Espaliers expos'd to the South in Dry Sandy Grounds begin to produce towards the end of June some little Muscat-Pears and some early Musck-Peaches Those small Pears are Extraordinary good if they be allow'd the time of Ripening the first marks of their maturity appear in them as in all other Pears of every Season that is near the Stalk which part must appear a little yellowish and somewhat Transparent and afterwards for a greater mark of full maturity that yellowness must appear a little through a certain Tan'd Colour and a certain Red which covers the remainder of the Rind and Lastly they must begin to drop of themselves without any exterior violence at which time it will be proper to gather and eat them I have sufficiently declar'd my Opinion as to the goodness of that Pear in the Choice of Fruits When People do not allow themselves the time of examining about the Stalk of the Pears to judge of their maturity they must as I have said judge by the natural dropping of those kind of Pears but then the Worms must have no share in it and they must neither be grown upon a sick Tree nor upon a sick Branch Pears that are infected with Worms drop soonest and soonest seem Ripe without really being so their defect is not much conceal'd it appears generally in the middle of the Eye of the Pear and when it does there 's no depending upon it for good Fruit. All manner of Fruits borh Stone and Kernel Ripen sooner upon sickly Trees than upon sound ones but we must not suffer our selves to be deceiv'd by the size for it often happens especially in relation to Peach-Trees that the Fruits of those languishing Trees are larger than those which grow upon Vigorous Trees but then that Largeness as I may say is only a swelling or a kind of Dropsie which is the Reason that the Pulp of those Fruits that are larger than they should be is generally insipid or bitter and disgusting Peaches that drop of themselves are contrary to what we have been saying of Pears by reason that Peaches which drop thus of themselves or loosen are commonly pass'd and consequently naught in so much that they should not be presented as good to any body tho' not bruis'd by the fall as it happens commonly But that Rule does not commonly extend to small Peaches in their kind nor especially to early or late Purple Peaches nor to Pavies those kind of Fruits which can hardly ever be too ripe are commonly very good when they drop insomuch that when they drop without being shook it is a good mark of their Maturity as well as Goodness The same thing may be said of Plums since we always shake Plum-Trees in order to get good Plums tho' indeed this Method is more particularly for common Plums than for Perdrigons Rochecourbons and other Principal Plums by reason that one of their Chief Excellencies consisting in the Flowry Beauty of their Complexion the which excites the Appetite of the most moderate A fall or their being finger'd too much spoils that Flower which should be preserv'd carefully therefore those that are really Curious never touch them otherwise than with the extremity of two Fingers Let us now return to our early Peaches and say that the Part which ripens first in them as well as in all other Fruits Pears Peaches Plums Apricooks Melons c. is commonly the inward part I mean that which is nearest to the Stone and moreover that which in relation to them appears first ripe to the eye is directly contrary to what we have said of Pears for whereas in Pears that part which is nearest to the Stalk ripens first in these it is commonly the Extremity which is opposite to the Stalk by reason that that part enjoys the benefit of the Sun sooner and longer than any other but when the Beams of the Sun lay upon no part of these early Peaches it seems that the heat which Reigns in the Air ripens them all over equally We begin to Judge of their approaching Maturity when we perceive that they begin
to different Distempers Gardners would certainly be blame-worthy if they did not make it their Study to find out effectual Remedies for some and to satisfie themselves as to the others and if knowing those Remedies they were not careful to apply them upon occasion For it were vain for them to breed Trees in their Gardens to be liable to see them perish in their prime for want of knowing how to Cure them and restore them to their pristine Vigour In Order not to omit any thing relating to those Accidents which our Trees are liable to without including such as proceed from too long wounds of great Heat of great Cold of Storms of Whirlwinds Hails c. I think my self oblig'd to say in the first place that there are Distempers common to all Trees in general Secondly that there are some that are peculiar to every particular kind The common Distempers consist either in a defect of Vigour which makes the Trees appear in a languishing Condition or else in a storm of large white Worms which are sometimes form'd in the Earth and there gnaw the Roots or the Bark of the Neighbouring Stem those mischievous little Insects which we call Tons by degrees cause so great a disorder that the Tree which is attack'd by them and had always appear'd Vigorous before all on a suddain dies without any Remedy The Peculiar Distempers are for Example in Pear-Treees against a Wall when their Leaves are attack'd with what we call Tigers Cankers and Scabs in other Pear-Trees Viz. Robins small Muscadins c. Gum on Stone Fruit-Trees especially Peach-Trees which commonly destroys that part on which it fixes either Branch or Stem and when unfortunately it attacks the part where the Tree is graffed which is often hid under ground it insensibly spreads round about that Graff without any bodies observing of it for the Tree still continues in a good Condition while there remains any passage for the Sap but finally this Gum hindering this Sap from rising to the upper parts of the Tree makes that Tree die suddenly as if it had been suffocated by a kind of Apoplectick Fit Moreover some Peach-Trees are also attack'd with Aemets and a small kind of green Fleas which sometimes fasten on the young Shoots and hinder them from thriving sometimes on the new Leaves and cause them first to shrink next to dry and fall We have likewise North-East Winds which blast in some Springs wither and as it were burn all the new Shoots insomuch that the Trees on which this unlucky Influence lights appears dead while others about them are green full of fine Leaves and continue to produce fine Shoots Besides this are not the most Vigorous Trees subject to have the end of their new Shoots intirely cut off by a little black round Insect call'd Bud-Cutter Fig Trees dread the great Colds of the Winter which are capable of Freezing their whole head unless they be extreamly well Cover'd but it is not sufficient to have secur'd them against Frost They are likewise subject in that Winter Season to have the lower part of their Stems gnaw'd by Rats and Mulots which makes them pine and die Those very Animals together with Laires Ear-wigs and Snails likewise spoil the very Fruit on the Trees when they approach to maturity especially Peaches and Plums have not Goosberry-shrubs their peculiar Enemies also which are a kind of small green Caterpillars which form themselves towards the Months of May and June on the back part of their Leaves and eat them to that degree that those little Shrubs remain altogether bare and their Fruit no longer having any thing to cover and defend them from the great heats of the Sun is destroy'd without being able to Ripen I might run over all the Accidents which all the rest of Gard'ning is liable to and cause abundance of Disorders in it For Example Strawberry-Plants in the prime of their Youth and Vigour are as it were treacherously attack'd in their very Roots by those wicked Tons which destroy them Kitchen-Plants especially Lettuce and Succory c. constantly have some of those Tons or other little reddish Worms which gnaw them about the neck and kill them just as they come to perfection How much do Artichokes suffer by little black Flies which infest them towards the end of Summer and Mulots or Garden-Mice which gnaw their Roots in the Winter Lettuce and Succory are absolutely devour'd by Snails some of which are long and yellow some blackish and gray and others little and white especially in Rainy Weather Sorell is tormented in very hot weather with little Black Fleas which gnaw all the Leaves insomuch that it becomes of no use Even Cabbages are spoil'd by green Snails which gnaw and spoil all their Leaves but I am only to speak in this place of those Distempers that may be Cur'd in Fruit-Trees and not of such as are Incurable nor of those that are incident to Kitchen-Plants those commonly proceed either from the defect of the Ground which does not furnish nourishment enough or from an ill Culture or a defect in Pruning or finally from a defect in the Tree which was not well-condition'd either before it was Planted or in Planting of it It therefore follows in the first place that the Soil may contribute to Distemper our Trees which commonly happens when the Earth is not Fruitful in it self or is perhaps become so by being exhausted or when it is too dry or too moist or else when tho' never so good there is not a sufficient quantity of it In order to remedy all those kind of Inconvenients I say that when the Soil is infertile as it happens in many places where there is nothing but clear Sand the Master is to blame to have Planted any thing in it the defect of it can never be Corrected whatever quantity of Dung he puts into it the only Expedient is to remove that Earth and put better Mould in the room of it Happy are those who can meet with it in their Neighbourhood and thereby avoid the Trouble and Charge of fetching it at a distance As to that which is worn out it is likely that there may be some better about it which may be us'd unless People would allow it two or three years time to lie Fallow in order to amend it by rest but there is no pleasure in losing so much time When we resolve to make this Exchange of Mould and yet are unwilling to remove the Tree which is not Old one half of the Roots must be Prun'd short again which will suffice for the first Year doing the same again at the end of two years to the other half of the Tree Nothing Exhausts the Ground more than the Roots of Trees lying long in the same place especially the Roots of Neighbouring Trees particularly Pallisado's of Elms Fruit-Trees must of necessity Pine or Perish if that Neighbourhood subsists When the Ground is too dry and
either upon St. Julian Plums or black Damask or upon Apricock Trees already Graffed or upon young Almond-Trees of that years growth they seldom succeed upon Stones of other Peach or Apricock Trees neither do Peaches succeed better being Graffed upon the Principal kinds of Plums than the Plum-Trees themselves as we have said already Peaches Budded in the Month of June are more apt to deceive the Gard'ners hope than to confirm it for the Scutcheon either perishes with Gum without having shot or often perishes after having shot or lastly as it commonly Shoots but weakly during that first Summer it perishes the following Winter by Cold and by Ice therefore they must seldom be Graffed and that but casually and upon Stocks that otherwise would be of no use Among what is vulgarly call'd Cherries we reckon Merises or a small Wild Cherry both White and Black White and Black Hearts Early and Late Cherries Griotes Bigareaux Cerisiers de Pied White Cherries All these kind of Cherries are Graffed except the Meriziers or small White bitter Cherry which are not worth it but then those Meriziers especially the White ones which grow in the Fields and in Vineyards from each others Suckers are very good Stocks to Graff other Principal kinds upon viz. Hasty and Late Cherries Hearts Griotes Bigarreaux c. Suckers which Spring from the Root of other Cherries Produce pretty good Cherries and serve to be Graffed upon particularly with Early Cherries which are a kind of Cherry of a Moderate Size that are seldom Planted but in Espaliers to produce Fruit betimes they are most Valued for their Earliness and are no longer minded when the fine Cherries which come soon after begin to appear Early Cherries require no very Vigorous Stocks as the Merisiers do which have a far greater Disposition to Shoot abundance of VVood that to bear Fruit Speedily You may Graff Fig-Trees if you please but as I have already said in the Treatise of the Choice of Figs there accrues but little Advantage by Graffing of them Azerolles are Budded or Graffed in the Cleft Particularly upon the VVhite-Thorn they are likewise Graffed some times upon small Pear-VVildlings which Succeed pretty well and sometimes upon Quince and Graffed Pear-Trees but the Success is not very certain As for the Quince-Apple it is seldom Graffed by reason that Quince-Trees Produce Fruit so easily of themselves yet they may be Graffed upon one another thus you may Graff Portugal-Quince-Trees upon French ones you may likewise Graff them upon Pear-Trees whether Graffed or Wildlings Vines are only Graffed upon old Plants of other Vines and only in the Cleft they are shorten'd on purpose for it and when the Graff is made the Place so shorten'd must be cover'd with Earth yet without covering the Twigs or Cyons that are Graffed the Heat of the Sun and Drought would kill the Graff if it were left expos'd to the Air like the Cleft-Graffs of other Fruit-Trees there is this difference between the Cleft Graff of Vines and that of other Fruit-Trees that the Graff is plac'd indifferently in the middle or on the sides of the shorten'd Trunk which cannot be done to other Fruit Trees Graffed in the Cleft as we have observ'd heretofore Meddlar Trees are Graffed either upon other Meddlars or upon VVhite-Thorn or Pear-VVildlings or Pears Trees already Graffed or else upon Quince-Stocks Almond-Trees whether with hard or tender Nuts grow most Commonly from Almonds put into the Ground or Graffed upon one another CHAP. XVI Of Nurseries and Seminaries IT is proper to begin this Chapter by saying that our Nurseries require a good Easie Soil or ground well Till'd having at least two Foot and a half Depth the Trees must be placed in rows at three Foot distance according to the largeness of the Trees and at a Foot and a half two or three Foot distance from one another in the said rows still according to the proportion of the Sizes Of all VVildlings Almonds are plac'd closest in the Rows T is easy to conclude from what I have been saying in the foregoing Chapter about all kinds of Fruits to be Graffed what kind of Stocks are most proper to make Nurseries of all kind of Fruits First for Pears you must Plant VVildlings out of VVoods and Forests or VVildlings grown from Kernels or Suckers Sprouted from the Roots of old Pear-Trees or else Plant Quince-Trees all which must be well Condition'd both as to the Roots and Stem Secondly For the Apple-Tree Seminary when you design to have them High-Standards you must Plant pretty large VVildlings taken out of VVoods and Forrests to Graff them in the Cleft or Kernel VVildlings to Inoculate them when they are about two Inches Circumference and are to shoot up in order to become High-Standards and when you design to make a Seminary of Dwarfs you must Plant Paradice-Apple-Trees at a Foot distance in the rows And that by reason that those kind of little Apple-Trees shoot but few Roots and Consequently require but little Room Thirdly To make a Seminary of Plum-Trees you must only Plant the Suckers of certain Plum-Trees viz St. Julian Black-Damask the little Cherry-Plum those that are large enough to bear it are Graffed in the Cleft and the lesser with the Scutcheon Fourthly Good Seminaries for Peaches must consist of St. Julian and Black Damask Plum-Trees which must be Inoculated or Budded in the Months of July or August or young Almond-Trees that is Almond-Trees grown from an Almond Planted in good Grounds in the VVinter time grown about September following half an Inch thick to be Budded at that time Old Almond-Trees of two or three Years standing are hot proper to be Graffed Fifthly to make Nurseries of red Stone-fruit viz. Cherries Griottes Bigarreaux no Stocks are so proper as Merisiers which is a small wild bitter Cherry especially such as beat whitish ones the Sap of the black ones is commonly so bitter that the Graffs of good Cherries do not take upon them or always pine away Suckers which spring from the Roots of other Cherries may serve to Graff good Cherries upon but they are most proper to be Graffed with early Cherries Sixthly Fig-Tree Seminaries are Planted with Suckers sprouted from the Foot of Old Fig-Trees or with Branches of two years standing laid into the Ground and notch'd in that part which is most bent and laid into that Ground Seventhly for the Nursery of Azeroles you must only Plant White-Thorn and some few Quince-stocks Eighthly no Nurseries are made for Vines they are seldom Graffed otherwise than upon Old Plants ready Planted Finally for Medlars People seldom make any particular Nurseries the least quantity of them is sufficient a dozen Wildlings of that kind or White-Thorn or Quince-stocks are sufficient to provide for the Largest Gardens Before I proceed to the Sixth Part I think it will not be altogether improper to give my Opinion about the different kinds of Lattices to the end that People may determine at first to pitch upon
Branches to clear your Trees of Moss if troubled with it which is done best in rainy weather with the back of a Knife or some such instrument But it would be to little Purpose to know what to do without being informed how to do it and therefore for your instruction in pruning I referr you to my fourth Book which treating throughly of that Subject may excuse me from speaking any more of it here And as to the way of making hot Beds you must first know they are to be made only with Long Horse-Dung or Mule-Dung which is to be either all New or mixed with a third part at most of Old provided it be dry and not rotten for that which is rotten is not at all proper for making hot Beds no more than the Dung of Oxen Cows Hogs c. as well because it has little or no heat as because ordinarily those kinds of rotten Dung are accompanied with an unpleasing smell that infects the Plants raised upon such Beds and gives them an ugly Taste By New Long Dung is to be understood that which is taken from under the Horses and has served them for Litter but one Night or two at most By Long old Dung is meant that which has been piled up ever since it was new in a dry place where it has lain all Summer to be ready to be used either to make Coverings for Fig-trees Artichoaks Endive c. against the Winter Cold or to make hot Beds after the ordinary manner which is thus performed After we have mark'd and proportioned out the place where the Bed is to be and mark'd out likewise with a Cord or with Stakes of what breadth it must be there must be brought a Rank of Baskets full of Long Dung one at the tail of the other beginning the Rank or Row where the Bed is to end which done the Gard'ner begins to work where the Rank of Baskets ends that so the Dung not being intangled with any thing lying upon it may more easily and handsomly be wrought into the Bed Then the Gard'ner takes up this Dung with a Fork and if he be any thing handy places it so neatly and tightly in laying every layer of his Bed that all the straw ends of the Dung are turned inwards and what remains serves to make a kind of back or fence on the out-side The first layer being thus compleated exactly to the breadth that is marked out which is commonly of about four foot and to such a length as is thought fit the Gard'ner proceeds to lay the second third c. beating them with the back of his Fork or else treading them with his Feet to see if there be any defect because the Bed must be equally stuft every where so that no one part may be less strong of Dung than another which being done he continues it to the designed length proportioning it still by Layers till the Bed reach the length breadth and heighth it should have which heighth is of between two and three foot when 't is first made and sinks a full foot lower when it is setled Now as to the intention of these Hot Beds some of them are designed for the raising or forwarding of some plants which our Climate is not capable naturally of producing in the naked Ground as for example for the raising of Radishes little Sallets Straw-berries Cucumbers Musk-Melons c. and the better to compass those ends we make Hot Beds during the Months of November December January February March and April These Beds must be covered over with a certain quantity of small fine mold as we shall afterward Direct and must have heat enough to communicate to that mold and to the plants that are nourished by it And therefore those Hot Beds that are an Invention of Gard'ners against the Cold which is the cruel Enemy of Vegetation must be well made In the second place there are other Beds which are to serve for Mushrooms in all the seasons of the Year and such may be made every Month though they act not till about three Months after they are made and that is when all their great heat being quite spent they are grown mouldy within this sort of Beds are made in a new and sandy Ground in which is first made a Trench of about six Inches deep then we cover them with a layer of about two or three Inches thick of the same Earth they are raised in the form of an Asses back and over the covering of Earth we lay another of five or six Inches thick of Long Dry Dung which serves in Winter to shelter the Mushrooms from the Frost which destroys them and in Summer from the great heat that broils them and likewise to prevent the mischievous effects of the same excessive heat we further take care gently to water these Mushroom Beds twice or thrice a week As for the breadth of Hot Beds it should be in all sorts of them of about four foot and their heighth must be of between two and three when they are first made because they sink afterwards a full foot when once the great heat of the Bed is past As for the length that is to be regulated by the quantity of Dung we have to make them with so that according to that we make them of several lengths But in heighth and breadth all Beds should be as near as may be alike proportioned The difference which there is in other respects between Hot Beds that are to produce plants by their heat and those which are designed for Mushrooms consists first in that those of the first sort need not be sunk down within the Earth like the others which are usually sunk about half a foot unless they be designed for such Beds as we call Deaf Beds that is to say Beds sunk so over Head and Ears into the Earth that when filled up they exceed not the superficies of the rest of the Ground about them in height In the second place this difference consists in that those of the first sort must be flat and even above whereas these others must be raised in form of an Asses Back Lastly it consists in that those of the first sort must be Loaden with a pretty good quantity of very small mold as soon as they are made whereas there must be but a very little mold laid upon the others That mold by its weight makes the Beds heat and settle the sooner We lay upon them sometimes more and sometimes less mold as for Example we throw on to the quantity of six or seven Inches thick if it be to sow ordinary plants in as Sallets or Musk Melons or Cucumbers or to plant Cabbage Lettuce and Asparagus to be advanced by heat and to the depth of a foot if we be to sow Radishes and to replant Sorrel and Musk Melons and pots of Straw-berries c. But before we sow or replant any thing whatsoever upon any new made Hot Beds the first precaution
the 5 6 7 or 8th of May Moon in earthen Pans or wooden Tubs that at least they may begin to sprout at the full Moon which sometimes happens in June but most commonly in May those plants ought to grow big enough to be removed in September into the naked Earth that so they may have taken Ground before the Equinox others again content themselves with sowing their Seeds before the Equinox We should likewise replant before the end of May some green curled and Aubervilliers Lettuce that we may have some all the Month of June together with the Chicons and Imperial Long-Lettuce We must also at this time endeavour to destroy the thick white Worms which now spoil the Strawberries and Cabbage Lettuce and take away the green Caterpillars which quite cat up the Leaves of the Curran and Gooseberry bushes and so spoil their Fruit. At the end of May we should also thin those Roots that grow too thick and replant those we have plucked up in another place as Beet-raves or Red Beet-Roots Parsnips c. We may replant Daisies Bears-Ears and white double Narcissus's though in Flower that not at all hindering them from taking Root again Works to be done in June IHere repeat the same Caution I have already given at the beginning of the Works of each Month which is that we must be careful to do that at the beginning of this Month which we could not do in the last and we must moreover continue all the same Works excepting hot Beds for Musk-melons which now have no longer need of them but we may still make some for the latter Cucumbers and for Mushrooms We may also plant some Artichokes till the twelfth or fifteenth of the Month which being well watered will serve for the next Spring Waterings are to no purpose if they soak not to the Root and therefore the deeper the Plant is rooted the more plentifully must it be watered and especially in dry Ground for in wet Grounds they must be watered both less often and less plentifully For example Artichokes growing in light Grounds have need of a Pitcher full or two of Water for each Plant whereas in stronger Grounds one pitcher full will serve three Towards the middle of June we plant Leeks in Holes or Trenches six full Inches deep at half a foot 's distance one from the other which is done with a planting stick placing but one of them in each hole without heeding to press down the Earth close about the Leek when we have done as is practised to all other Plants that are set with a planting stick We continue to sow Endive and Genua Lettuce that we may be furnisht with some to replant upon occasion all the rest of the Summer and we gather the Chervil that is the first that runs up to Seed from the Chervil that was sown the Autumn before cutting off all the Seed stems and when they are dried threshing out the Seed and fanning it like Wheat The same method is practised with all Seeds that are gathered each in their proper Seasons and especially in the Months of July and August taking great care to prevent the Birds who are very greedy of them from devouring them We replant Beet Chards in order to have them good to eat in Autumn and they are best placed in the void space remaining between the Artichoke Ranks they must be set at the distance of a Foot and a half one from the other We must take great care to extirpate all the Weeds which now grow up in abundance and that particularly before they run to Seed to prevent their multiplying which they are apt to do but too much of themselves without sowing We must now also without further delay clip all our Palisade's and edgings of Box so that they may be all furnisht at furthest at Mid-Summer and have time to shoot out again before Autumn and we must liberally water all Seeds sown in our Kitchen Gardens We must water plentifully and every day the Cucumbers upon Hot Beds and Musk-melons moderately two or three times a Week allowing half a pitcher full of Water to each Plant. From the very middle of June we begin to graff by Inoculation our Stone-Fruit-Trees and especially Cherries upon great Trees upon Wood of two years growth which are cut off three or four inches from the place where the Scutcheon is to be placed The best time for this is always before the Solstice Gross Soils must be often stirred and manured that they may not have time to grow hard and chap commonly we bestow an universal manuring or stirring up the Ground upon all our Gardens in this Season and the best time to stir dry Grounds in is either a little before or after Rain or even whilst it rains that the water may the more swiftly penetrate to the bottom before the great heat comes to turn it into Vapors and for strong and moist Soils we must wait for hot and dry weather to dry and heat them before we move them carefull Gard'ners make Dykes to convey the gluts of Water that fall about this time in hasty Storms a cross their Squares especially if their Ground be light but on the contrary if it be too strong they drain the water out of the Squares as I have said already when I was speaking of the works of May. Persons curious in Carnations and Clove-gilliflowers should have begun before this time to put Rings about each plant of them to keep up their mounting stems and hinder the Winds from breaking off their Buds or Buttons the like they do to their Sedums c. and if they have not yet done it they do it in this Month and not only take off from them the small Buds that grow upon them in over great Numbers to fortifie the principal ones but likewise the greatest part of the mounting stems in order to preserve only one of the fairest and most likely to produce the most beautiful Flowers We also still continue to destroy the thick white Worms that spoil the Strawberries and Cabbage Lettuce We carefully cultivate our Orange-Trees according to the method prescribed in the Treatise I have composed purposely on that Subject The Wild Purslain begins to appear at the beginning of June and lasts till the end of July which must be carefully scraped We take up our Tulip Roots out of the Ground at the end of this Month their Leaves being then withered We disbranch Harico's or French-Beans and towards the end of this Month we sow Peas to have them fit to eat in September Works to be done in July THis Month likewise requires a great deal of application and activity in a Gard'ner to do all that he could not do the last Month and to continue still all the same Works but only the hot Beds Now the great heats without waterings do very great damage but being allayed with frequent waterings give Birth to very fine Productions In this Month many sorts of Seeds
are gathered and Endive is sown for the provision of Autumn and Winter We also sow Royal Lettuce to have it good for use at the end of Autumn We also still continue to sow some Ciboules and white Beets for Autumn and some few Radishes in cool Places or such as are extreamly well watered to have them fit to eat at the beginning of August If the Season be very dry we begin at the latter end of the Month to graff by inoculation of a Dormant Bud upon Quince-trees and Plum-Trees We begin to replant White or Bright Cabbages for the end of Autumn and the beginning of Winter We sow more Lettuce Royal. We sow for the last time our Square Peas in the middle of July that we may have some to spend in October In this Month particularly Peach-Trees produce several shoots About the middle of July we begin to lay our Clove-gilliflowers and Carnations if their Branches be strong enough to bear it otherwise we must stay till August or the middle of September From the very middle of August we begin to sow Spinage to be ready about the middle of September and Mâches for Winter Sallets and Shell-Lettuces to have Provision of Cabbage-Lettuces at the end of Autumn and during the Winter Season We replant Strawberry Plants in their designed Places which we had raised in Tufts We gather Lettuce and Radish Seeds as soon as ever a part of their Pods appears dry and then we pull up their Plants and lay the whole a drying We also gather the Seeds of Chervil Leeks Ciboules Onions Shalots and Rocamboles or Spanish Garlick We sow Radishes in the naked Earth for Autumn At the latter end of the Month we sow some Cabbage in some good Exposition to remove into a Nursery in some other well sheltered place where they are to pass the Winter in order to be replanted in their designed places in the following Spring We also sow all the Month long some Shell-Lettuces in some good Exposition as well to replant at the end of September or beginning of October in the places where they are to remain under some good shelter as to have some ready hardned to the cold to replant again after Winter either in the naked Earth in the Month of March or upon hot Beds at the very beginning of February and if the Winter be very cold they must be covered with long Litter We may sow Onions to have good ones the next year at the very beginning of July which it is best to replant in the Month of March next following We now water liberally We replant a great deal of Endive at a large foot distance between Plant and Plant as also Royal and Perpignan Lettuces which are very good in Autumn and Winter We sow Mâches for Lent We still continue to replant Winter Cabbages We shear our Palisade's the second time We continue to nail up our Wall-Trees and by little and little to uncover those Fruits which we would have tinged with much Red as Peaches Api Apples c. We tye up our Endive with one two or with three bands if it be very high but the uppermost Band must be always looser than the rest otherwise the Lettuce will burst in the sides whilst it is whitening At the middle of August we begin to cover with compost the Sorrel that was cut very close to recruit its vigour a good Inch's thickness of Compost is enough to strew all over it because they would be apt to rot if we should use more to them We still continue sowing of Sorrel Chervil and Ciboules We pluck off the runners of Strawberry Plants to preserve their old Stocks in the greater vigour and when their Fruit is past which is about the end of July or the beginning of August we cut away all the old stems and old Leaves that they may produce new ones We also cut away all the old Stems of Artichokes when the Artichokes are taken off We still continue sowing of Spinage for the beginning of Winter We take our Onions out of the Ground as soon as their Stems begin to dry and we let them lie ten or twelve days a drying in the Air before we lay them up in our Granary or some other dry place or else we bind them up in Ropes because otherwise they would ferment and rot if they were laid up before they were dry We gather our Shalots at the very beginning of the Month and draw our Garlick out of the Ground At the end of August the Florists set into the Earth their Jacinths fair Anemonies and Ranunculus's or Crow-foots Junquills Totus Albus's and Imperials We destroy both ordinary Flies and Wasps which eat the Figs the Muscat Grapes and other Fruits and for that effect we tye some Bottles or Cucurbit-glasses full of water mixed with a little Honey to some of their Branches by which means those insects being allured by the sweetness of the Honey enter into the necks of those Glasses and so perish in that mixture but they must be emptied and shifted with new Water as often as they begin to fill with those little unlucky insects Though the first Bud of a Clove-gilliflower or Carnation is beautiful and Promising it do's not follow thence that all the rest will be so too The Beauties of a Carnation are to be high and tall well burnisht and garnisht well ranged of a lovely colour well plumed and displayed and of a perfectly Velvet-like softness to the Touch. At the beginning of this Month we tread down the stems of Onions and the Leaves of Beet-raves or Red Beet Roots Carots Parsnips c. or else we take off their Leaves quite to make their Roots grow the bigger in the Ground by hindering their Sap from spending it self above Ground It is still a good Season enough to lay Clove-gilliflowers and Carnations Works to be done in September THE Ground in Gardens in this Month should be universally covered all over so that there should be not so much as the least spot in it without some Kitchen and Esculent Plants whether sown or replanted which is not altogether so necessary in the preceeding Months both because we then reserve a good part of our Ground for Winter Plants such as are Lettuces Endive Peas c. and because some plants require a very considerable time to arrive to perfection in and would not have enough if they were allowed less than to the end of Autumn We still continue the works of the preceeding Month. We make hot Beds for Mushrooms We replant a great deal of Endive and that closer together now than in the foregoing Months that is we place them at half a foot 's distance one from the other because now their Tufts grow not so large as before They must be replanted in almost all the spare places from the very beginning of the Month till the fifteenth or twentieth day At the latter end of the Month we sow Spinage the third time which will
be good in Lent and even in the Rogation season following We still continue planting Winter Cabbages and especially those of the Greener sort We may likewise still about Mid-September sow some Cold Beds of Sorrel and replant some old there being yet time enough for it to attain to a sufficient vigour before the first Frosts come During this whole Month we continue to remove Straw-berry Plants out of our Nurseries to reimplace those tufts which are dead in our Beds and we immediately water them as we must do all Plants which we set a new We set some in Pots towards the twentieth day if we intend to force any in the Winter About the fifteenth of the Month we graff Peach-Trees upon Almond-Trees and upon other Peach-Trees as they stand in the places where they are to remain the sap being then too much diminished to be in any capacity to overflow the Scutcheons We tie up first with Osier wit hs and afterwards towards the fifteenth of the Month we carefully wrap up with long Litter or new straw some Spanish Cardons and Artichoke Plants to have them whitened or Blanched about fifteen or twenty days after But great care must be taken in wraping them up to keep them perfectly upright otherwise they will overset and snap in sunder on one side and to hinder the winds from laying them on one side too they must be fenced with a Bank of Earth of about a full foot high Towards the end of the Month we plant Cabbages in Nurseries in some well sheltred place in order to replant them in their designed places assoon as the Winter is over From the fifteenth of the Month to the end and till the middle of October we replant Shell Lettuces in some well sheltered place and especially near the foot of some Southern and Eastern Wall that we may have some of them Cabbage for our spending in Lent and during the whole Months of April and May. We bind up our Cellery with one or two bands below and then we raise a Butt or Bank about it either with very dry long Dung or with very dry Earth to whiten it but we must have a care not to tie it up but in very dry weather The same caution must be observed in all Plants that are to be tied after which we cut off the extreamity of the Leaves to prevent the sap from ascending and spending it self to no purpose by which means it is kept down in the Buried Plant and makes it grow thick We also now tie up the Leaves of some Collyflowers whose Fruit seems to begin to be formed We cover with compost the Sorrel which has been cut We sow Maches for Lent and for Reponces it is not worth the while to sow them in a Garden because there are enough of them in the Spring time to be found in the Corn Fields and by hedge sides It is particularly in the Month and during all Autumn that Gard'ners most desire rain We continue to destroy Flies and Wasps that eat the Figs Muscat Grapes and Pears and other Fruits c. with Bottles or Cucurbit Glasses of Honied Water We sow Poppies and Larks Heels in Flower Gardens to have them Flower in June and July before them that are sown in March In this Month and the precedent one we replant Endive among Cabbage Lettuces these latter having commonly performed their duty before the Endive is come to its full growth Waterings must be continued as long as the weather is Hot and dry Good Winter Endive if our Garden be in a sandy Soil must be sown from the middle of August to St. Lambert's Day which is the seventeenth of this Month and if it be in a stronger and heavier Soil it must be sown a little sooner and that always very thin that in a Month's time it may grow big enough to remove that is to say about as thick as ones Finger It should be planted till the middle of September at six or seven Inches distance between Plant and Plant that it may be replanted a second time and that nearer together afterwards at the beginning of September two or three Inches deep in the Earth if it be dry and sandy or at least in a sloping Ground without cutting off any thing from the Root which has produced a little tuft and it must be covered in frosty weather to prevent the cold from rotting it to the very Heart which caution being observed it will keep till Lent whereas Endive that is come to its full growth before the bitter cold weather will not keep at all in Winter Works to be done in October WE continue the same Works as in the preceeding Month except Graffing the Season for which is now past but we are particularly busie in preparing Cellery and Cardons we plant a great many Winter Lettuces and some too upon old Hot Beds to force them so as to have them good for our eating about Martlemas At the beginning of the Month till the tenth or twelfth day we sow some Spinage to be ready for the Rogation Season We also sow our last Chervil upon the Ground that it may be come up before the great Frosts and may yield Seed betimes the next Year At the very beginning of this Month if we did not do it at the beginning of the last we take down our Hot Beds and apply our selves to making of Stacks or large Cocks of the mouldiest Dung to raise Mushrooms on We plant Winter Cabbages on those Stacks we lay aside all the Mold or made Earth to use again when we make new Hot Beds and we carry away the rottenest Dung to those Grounds that are to be dunged About the middle of October we carry back into their Houses our Orange-Trees Tuberoses and Jasmins placing them there with some agreeable Symmetry leaving the Windows open in the day so long as it freezes not but keeping them always carefully shut at Night till at last we shut them up quite and carefully dam up both them and the Doors We lay the Tuberose Pots upon their Sides to drain them from the Water that the Roots of those plants may not rot in them We begin to plant all sorts of Trees as soon as their Leaves are fallen We still continue to plant a great many Winter Lettuces in some well sheltered Place and on some good Borders at six or seven Inches distance one from the other there usually perishing enough of them to prevent our Complaints of their growing too thick together Towards the middle of October the Florists plant their Tulips and all other Bulbous Roots not yet set into the Ground In this Month we must perform our last manuring and turning up of strong heavy and moist Grounds as well to destroy the Weeds and give an Air of neatness and agreeableness to our Gardens in this Season when the Country is more visited by all the World than at any other time as to make that sort of Ground timely contract a
use of for coverings as I have said but likewise to lay them to rot in some hole the powder of them being very good and especially to make use of for mold We now open and lay bare the Roots of Trees that seem to languish in order to take from about them the old Soil cut off as much of their Roots as is found in an ill condition and Earth them up again afterwards with good new Earth We make some Hot Beds for Mushrooms The method to make them well is to choose some spot of new and as near as can be light and sandy Ground and dig there a hollow Bed of five or six Inches deep of three or four wide throughout and of what length we please The Dung must be either of Horse or Mule and must be already pretty dry and such as has been piled up some time Then we make the Bed about two foot high ranking and pressing the Dung as close and tight as we can yet so disposing it that the upper part of it may be raised into a ridge like the Back of an Asse that it may the better shoot off the waters to the right and left which if they should pierce through it would rot the Dung after that we cover the Bed to the thickness of two foot more with the Neighbouring Earth over which again we throw another covering of three or four Inches thick of Litter which in the Winter may guard from the great Cold and in the Summer shade from the violent heat the Mushrooms which may be expected to shoot up about three or four Months after We cleanse Trees of Moss that are troubled with it They which have great Plantations of Trees to prune should now begin that operation upon those which are least vigorous We employ the long dry Dung of which we ought to have made provision in the Summer to cover our Fig-Trees as well those of the Wall as Dwarfs and for these last we tie all their Branches as close as we can conveniently together with Osier Wit hs that we may the more easily wrap them about with this covering and for the Wall-Trees we endeavour to leave so many of the higher Branches as we can on the sides and to tie several of them together to poles or forked sticks that are to serve them for Props and by that means too we cover them with more ease and less charge We leave on them that covering till the full Moon of March be past at which time we only take off part of it till the full Moon of April be likewise past the Frosts of these two last Months being dangerous to the young Fruit which then begins to put forth it self as the Winter Frosts are to the Wood which they make to turn all into Pith. They whose Pear-Trees are pestered with Tiger Babbs will do well now not only to gather up the Leaves that are attack'd by them to burn them immediately but also to scrape their Branches with the back of a Knife to clear them of the Eggs or Seed of that Cursed Insect which remains sticking to them all Winter for though we cannot so far prevail that way as totally to exterminate them yet however there will be so many Enemies destroyed as we destroy of those Eggs. The days being now very short skilful Gard'ners will therefore work by Candle-light till Supper time either in making of Straw-Screens and Coverings or preparing Trees for planting as soon as the Frost permits them or in designing c. We put those Trees into the Earth in furrows which we could not plant covering up their Roots as carefully as if we were planting them in their designed places without leaving any hollow Chinks about their Roots because otherwise the great Frost would spoil them We may begin at the latter end of the Month to force such Asparagus as are at least three or four years old and this forcing is performed either on the cold Bed in the place where they grow which is the best way or else upon a Hot Bed if we be minded to remove them But ordinarily we stay till towards the beginning of the next Month before we make any Essays of that kind it being in my Opinion long enough to have of them for four Months together by Artifice till Nature be ready to furnish us with more of them for two Months longer by her own sole Virtue and Power not but that we might begin to force them at the very beginning of September or October The way of forcing them is to dig the Earth out of a Path to the depth of two Foot and the breadth of one full foot and a half if originally the Path were but three Foot over because there must be at least six or seven good inches of Earth be left next the Asparagus Tufts The Path being thus voided we fill it up with long hot Dung very well ramm'd and trodden down till it be a full foot higher than the Superficies of the Cold Bed at the first making and after fifteen days we stir this Dung over again mixing some new Dung with it the better to enable it to communicate sufficient heat to the two adjoyning Cold Beds but if it appear too much mortified so that the Asparagus does not shoot up briskly enough then this recruiting of the path-way with fresh Dung and stirring must be repeated afterwards as often as it shall be necessary which commonly happens to be once every ten or twelve days If there fall any great Rains or Snow that may have too much rotted that Dung so that it appears not to retain a sufficient heat then must it be quite taken away and all new put in its place for in fine this Bed must always be kept extreamly hot as to the Cold Bed in which the Plants are the Ground must be digged up and stirred a little in it to the depth of about four or five Inches as soon as the path-way is filled up for it cannot be done before because of bringing the Dung to that which cannot be done without much trampling on the Soil which digging being finished we cover the said Cold Bed with some of the same long Dung to the thickness of three or four Inches and at the end of fifteen days so much time at least being necessary to give activity to those Asparagus Tufts that in this Season are as 't were dead or at least benumbed with the cold we lift up the Dung to see whether the Asparagus begin to shoot or no and if they do at every place where they appear we clap a Glass Bell which we also take great care to cover close with long Dung and especially a-nights to prevent the Frost from penetrating in the least manner in the World to the Asparagus which being so extreamly tender and delicate as 't is would be absolutely spoiled by the least breath of Cold. If in the day time the Sun shine out a little bright we must not
fatter places And lastly he must keep his Walks and Path-ways higher than his dressed Grounds as well to draw into these latter the Rain waters that would be but unuseful and incommodious in the Walks as to render the artificial waterings he shall be obliged to use of the greater advantage to them by preventing them from running out any where aside which must be one of his principal Applications He must also chuse out in the same Grounds those Parts which come the nearest to the good temper between dry and moist for the raising of Asparagus Strawberries Cardons Cellery c. because these sorts of Plants languish with drowth in places too dry and perish with rottenness in parts over-moist He must place in the Borders under his Northern Walls his Alleluia's Latter Strawberries and Bourdelais or Verjuice Grapes and in the Counter-Borders of the same Northern Quarter he may make his Nursery Beds for Strawberries and sow Chervil all the Summer long the North side in all sorts of Grounds being most proper for those purposes And as this Gard'ner should be curious of Novelties he ought to look upon the Banks under the Walls towards the South and East to be a marvellous and favourable shelter for the raising them as for Example for the procuring of Strawberries and early Peas at the beginning of May Violets at the entrance of March and Cabbage-Lettuces at the beginning of April He should likewise plant in the dressed Banks next to the same Eastern and Western Walls his Nursery of Cabbages and sow there his Winter Lettuces that is Shell-Lettuces to remain there all Autumn and Winter till in the Spring it be time to transplant them into the places where they are to come to perfection He should likewise plant in the Borders of the same Walls his Passe-pierre or Sampire which he can hardly have by any other means which course is to be followed in all sorts of Gardens and in the Winter time he should likewise observe this particular caution to throw all the Snow off from the neighbouring places upon the dressed Borders of those Wall-trees and especially those of the Eastern Quarter both for the erecting of a Magazine as 't were of moisture in such places upon which the Rain but seldom falls as upon those in which the violent heat of Summer is like to be of pernicious influence The second thing that Results from what I before laid down is That the Gard'ner whose Garden is in a very fat and moist Ground must take a quite contrary method with all his Plants to that just now above mentioned always assuring himself that those parts of it which are very moist unless he can find means to drain and render them lighter will be of no other use to him than to produce noxious Weeds and consequently that those which partake the least of that intemperature whether by their own Nature and Situation or by the care and industry of the ingenious Gard'ner are always to be lookt upon as the best for all sorts of things He must place in the driest parts most of those Plants that keep in their places for several years together excepting Currans Goose-berries and Raspberry Bushes as for Example Asparagus Artichokes Strawberries Wild Endive or Succory c. In other places let him put those things which in Summer require the least time to come to perfection viz. Sallets Peas Beans Radishes nay and Cardons Cellery c. and because all things grow thick and tall in those fat and moist places therefore he must plant his Kitchen-plants there at greater distances one from the other than in drier places he must also keep his Beds and dressed Grounds raised higher than his Walks and Path-ways to help to drain out of his Grounds the Water that is so hurtful to his Plants and for that Reason his Beds of Asparagus especially as likewise his Strawberry and Cellery Beds c. no more than those of his Sallets must not be made Hollow as those must be that are made in drier Grounds I have had good Success in the new Kitchen-Garden at Versailles where the Ground is fat viscous and as 't were Clayie by raising in the midst of it certain large squares where the frequent Rain Waters in the Summer of the Year 1682. remained without penetrating above seven or eight Inches deep and by having given to the said squares by the means of that elevation a sloping descent on each side all along the bottom of which I made at the same time some little dikes or water-courses about a foot deep as well to separate the squares from the Counterborders as particularly to receive the mischievous waters which by staying on the squares otherwise would ruine all the Plants in them which waters afterwards discharged themselves into stone gutters which I had purposely ordered to be made to carry them off I afterwards raised most of the Counterborders in the same manner Arch-wise that what water might remain in them might shoot off into the sides of the walks all along which there were other little dikes almost unperceivable to receive those waters and convey them into the same stone gutters-newly above mentioned and I can truly affirm that before I used this precaution all that I had in those squares not only of Kitchen-Plants even to the most rustical and hardy sort of them as Artichokes Beet-Chards c. but to the very Fruit-Trees were visibly perceived to perish the Plants with the rot and the Trees with the Jaundice besides which mischiefs the winds easily threw up my Trees by the Roots because they could hardly take any fast hold in that kind of Ground that were grown liquid and soft like new made mortar or Pap. My forecast and diligence were a great help to me in that cas eand I sincerely advise all those that shall have to do with places of the like difficulty to use the same method if they can find out no better expedient The reasoning by which I was induced to this way of proceeding was this That though the excessive quantity of water did reduce that unhappy sort of Ground to a kind of Marsh and thereby disposed it afterwards by the operation of the great heat to grow as hard as a stone and consequently rendred it uncapable of culture in either of those two states wet or dry yet I say my reason suggested to me that if I could hinder the first inconvenience which was the rendring of this Ground too Liquid and Marshy it would be an infallible means to secure me against the second which was to see them grow hard and stony because I concluded that if my Grounds having been once made light and loose could be kept reasonably dry after that as they would be if the waters were hindred from lodging in them they would not be any more so closely glued together as to grow into any such kind of stony consistence but would become tractable like other Lands and accordingly I found
that grows in the Woods and consequently that loves the shade we therefore plant it along by the sides of our Northern Walls at the distance of about one foot between one plant and another the more we strip it of its Leaves which is one good quality it has the more fresh ones it shoots forth It is enough to set it two Inches into the Ground it lasts three or four years without being renewed and to renew it we need do no more than to separate or slip out the great Tufts of it into several little ones and replant them again immediately which is to be done in the Months of March and April a little watering in very Hot weather and especially in sandy Grounds is a very great and welcome help to them Anis and Fennel are commonly sown pretty thin either in surrows or borders their Leaves are used in Sallets among other Furnitures They run to Seed towards the Month of August and when their stalks are cut down they shoot out new Leaves the next year that are as good as the first but however it is best to renew them every two years Arrach Orrach or Orage is propagated only by Seed and is both one of the quickest both in coming up and in running to Seed which latter it does at the very beginning of June It is sown pretty thin and to have good Seed of it we must transplant some plants of it in some separate place The Leaf of this plant is very good both in pottage and in stuffings or farces we use it almost as soon as it peeps out of the Earth for it passes away very quickly and to have some the more early we sow a little quantity of it upon a Hot Bed It thrives well enough in all sorts of Grounds but yet it grows always fairer in good Grounds than in but indifferent ones Aromatick or sweet or spicy Herbs such as are planted in Edgings of Borders as Marjoram Time Sage Rosemary c. See their Culture under the several Titles of each of those particular Herbs Artichokes as we have already elsewhere told you are multiplied by their Eyes Suckers Slips or Off-Sets which every plant of them usually shoots out every year in the Spring round about its old Root and which must be taken off as soon as they are grown big enough leaving only at each place three of the best and furthest distant one from the other For the planting them we commonly make little Trenches or Pits about half a foot deep and three foot distant one from another and filled with Mold and we place two rows of them regulated by a line in each Bed which is to be full four foot broad and parted from the next Bed by a path-way of one full foot these Trenches of Pits are to be made at about half a foot 's distance from the edge of the Bed and Checquerwise one towards the other we place two Slips in a right Line in each space containing between Nine and Ten Inches in Length We must renew them once every three years at least cut off their Leaves at the beginning of Winter and cover them with long dry dung during all the very cold weather till the end of March when we must uncover them and slip them if their Slips be yet big enough or else stay three Weeks or a Month longer till they be then we must labour and move the Earth well about them and dung them with the rottenest part of that Dung that served them for a covering we water them moderately once or twice a Week till about the end of May their Fruit begins to appear and from that time we must water them plentifully that is two or three times a Week during the whole Summer allowing half a Pitcher full of Water to each plant and especially in Grounds naturally dry those planted in the Spring should bring their Fruit to perfection in Autumn following if well watered and they which do not ought to yield their first Fruit in the next Spring after in case they be strong enough to resist the sharpness of the Winter Artichokes have not only the hard weather and excess of wet to fear but they have the Field Mice likewise for their Enemies those mischievous little Animals gnawing their Roots in the Winter-time when they find nothing better in the Gardens and for that reason it 's good to plant one Rank of Beet-Chards between two Ranks of Artichokes that the Field-Mice finding the Roots of these last the tendrer of the two may fall upon them instead of the others as they never fail to do There are three sorts of Artichokes viz. the green or otherwise white ones which are the most early the violet ones whose Fruit is almost of a pyramidal Figure and the red ones which are round and flat like the white ones The two last sorts are the most delicious Artichoke Chards See Chards Asparagus are sown at the beginning of the Spring like other Seeds that is they are sown in some Bed well prepared they must be sown indifferent thin and raked with an Iron Rake to cover them with Earth About a year after if they be big enough as they will be if the Ground be good and well prepared or if not at least at two years end we must tranplant them which is to be done about the end of March and all the Month of April and for that effect we must have Beds between three and four foot broad and separated one from the other if it be in ordinary Ground we dig these Beds hollow with a good Spade throwing up the Earth we take out of them upon the Path-ways and as to strong heavy and moist Grounds I would have them ordered as I have done the Kitchen-Garden at Versailles that is to say I would not have the Beds in them at all laid hollow but on the contrary raised and kept higher than the Path-ways too much wet being mortal to these Plants Asparagus thus sown shoot out Tufts of Roots round about their Eye or Mother Root that is to say round the place from whence all their shoots are to Spring which Roots spread between two Earths and in order to transplant them either into a hollow Bed or a high raised Bed we bestow a good thorough Tillage on the bottom of the Trench and if the Ground be not very good we dung it a little and afterward we plant two or three stocks of these young Plants orderly in ranks upon the Superâ—icies of the Bed prepared for them without needing to trim the extremity of their Roots or at least but a very little and if our intention be to force these Asparagus by an artificial heat when they are grown big enough we place them at a foot distance one from the other and if they be to remain to grow after the usual manner we allow them at a foot and a half 's distance but in both Cases we place them Checquerwise and when they
Lettuces and especially the green sort for the Bright Genua and Red Genua run more easily to Seed and will hardly come to good but in light Grounds We should therefore prepare a great many of these green Genua's against the Dog-days and the first Frosts we may also intermix with them some few Bright and some Red Genua's but more especially we should be sure to mix with them some Alfanges and a great quantity of bright or white Endive as likewise a great many Perpignan Lettuces both of the bright and green kind The great Inconveniencies that happen to Cabbage Lettuces are first that they often degenerate so far as to cabbage no more which is discovered by their Leaves growing out in length like a Cat 's Tongue as Gard'ners term it or by their changing their natural colour into another more or less green and therefore we must be very careful to gather no Seed from any but such as cabbage very well for which effect we should be sure to mark out at first some of those that turn best in order to reserve them to run to Seed where they stand or to remove them with a turf of the Earth about them into some separate place assigned for that purpose The second is that as soon as the most part of them are cabbaged they must be spent unless we would have the displeasure to see them run to Seed without doing us any Service in which Respect the Market Gard'ners have a great advantage beyond other Persons because they can sell off in one day whole Beds of these Cabbage Lettuces for commonly the Beds which were new planted at the same time Cabbage likewise all at once whereas in other Gardens we cannot spend them any faster than we need them for which Reason we are obliged to plant often of them and that in greater quantity than we are able to consume that we may have a continual supply of them successively without any Discontinuation it being much more commodious to have an over-plus quantity of them than to want The surest way is to keep particularly to those sorts that are the most Rustical and that last a great while cabbaged before they run to Seed such as are the Shell Lettuces the Perpignans the Green Genua's the Aubervilliers and the Austrichettes or Austrian Lettuces which I must confess too are a long time cabbaging The third inconvenience is that the Morie that is the Rot which begins at the ends of their Leaves seizes them sometimes and that when the Ground or the Season are not favourable to them they remain thin and lean and run up to Seed instead of spreading and cabbaging There is hardly any Remedy to prevent this Rot because there is hardly any to be found effectual against the cold and rainy Seasons that cause it but against the defects that may be in the Ground there are infallible ones that is to say it must be amended and improved with small Dung if it be barren whether it be a sandy or a Cold and gross Earth and to this last we should give a little slope if when the Ground is good the waters spoil it by settling too much in it and by that means make all the Plants growing there to rot Good Dung throughly rotten being the Soul and Primum Mobile of Kitchen-Gardens without which no more than without frequent waterings and dressing of the Ground no man can ever be rich in fine and goodly Legumes There yet remains to be known for the perfect understanding the ordering of Lettuces that they which grow biggest must be placed ten or twelve inches one from the other which is to be understood of the Shell Lettuces Perpignans Austrians Bellegardes or Fair-looks Aubervilliers Alfanges and Imperials and for those that bear heads but of a midling size the distance of seven or eight inches is enough which are the Bright Curled the short the little Red and the Green Chicon Lettuces c. Those that will be good husbands may sow Radishes in their Lettuce Beds because the Radishes will be all drawn out and spent before the Lettuces cabbage and for the same reason because the Endives are much longer before they come to perfection than the Lettuces we may Plant some of these last among the Endives they agree well enough one with the other and so we may have a double crop to gather upon one and the same Bed and in the same Season for the Lettuces are gathered first and afterwards the Endives arrive to their full goodness M. MAches are a sort of little Sallet which we may call a wild and rustical Sallet because indeed it seldom is brought before any noble Company They are multiplied by Seed which is gathered in July and are only used towards the end of Winter We make Beds for them which we sow about the end of August they are hardy enough to resist the rigours of the Frost and because they produce a great many little Seeds that easily fall though we have but a little quantity of them they will propagate themselves sufficiently without any other culture but weeding them Mallows and Marsh-mallows ought to be allowed a place in our Kitchen-Gardens though civility will not permit us to explain in this Treatise what uses they serve for and though they be rather Plants of the wild fields than of a Garden They grow of their own accord and have no more need of cultivating than any of the Weeds that infest the good Herbs When we have a mind to have any of them in our Gardens it will be best to sow them in some by-place Marjoram or Marjerom is an Odoriferous Plant of which we compose agreeable Borders and Edgings There is the Winter Marjoram which is the best and the Summer Marjoram which lasts not beyond that Season Both of them are multiplied by Seed and likewise by Rooted slips or suckers They are principally used in making Perfumes Mint called in French Balm when once planted needs no other particular culture than being cut down close to the Ground every year at the end of Autumn to make it shoot out store of tender Sprouts in the Spring which are mingled with the Furnitures of Sallets for them that love them a little spicy and perfumed It must be renewed every three years at least and placed always in good Earth The Branches when cut off take Root at the place where they are covered and by that means of one great Tuft we may easily make a great many which are to be planted at the distance of a foot one from the other In the Winter likewise we plant some thick Tufts of it upon Hot Beds and by taking care to cover them with Bells they spring very well for about fifteen days and then perish Muscats are a kind of Grapes which when they attain to their natural goodness are one of the most considerable commodities of a Kitchen-Garden There are three sorts of them viz. White Red and Black the White is
have need of being Refresh'd so as we certainly do them injury when we Water them out of Season whereas we do them good in Refreshing them when their Leaves becoming lank and wrap'd together call for help and give Symptoms that the Root is Languishing for want of Moisture But that which justifies the Comparison farther is That a Prudent and Skilful Gard'ner is never to wait for the Signal from his Orange-Tree when he should do his Duty but that when ever he perceives or suspects it if he be not mistaken he be sure to apply the proper Remedy according to our Prescription but as there are both good and wholsom Refreshments there are likewise very evil and pernicious ones too Concerning which I shall declare what I think with that Moderation I judge most convenient CHAP. IX Of the Inconveniences which happen to Orange-Trees as well from Over-Waterings as from the Fire which is made in Green-Houses 'T IS easily perceiv'd that when too much Water is given Cas'd Orange-Trees there usually ensue two great Disorders and as remarkable it is that one is not sensible of the Evil when it first begins but the consequence makes us feel it at last when 't is too late for Remedy The first Disorder consistsin this That those unreasonable and frequent Summer Watering Accustoming as one may say the Trees to a Course of Life which though Inconvenient would nevertheless enable them to subsist were it to be continued all the Winter long Their being so easily inur'd to all sorts of Nourishment would produce them this singular Advantage But since we find that such Waterings will become Mortal to them when the cold Weather comes we ought to be very sparing though to avoid one danger which in effect is of all other the greatest we are apt to fall into another which is not without its great Inconvenience namely That of an every Years loss of Leaves Now one cannot Reflect on an Accident so ungrateful without concluding it to proceed from the Roots not receiving that due Nourishment during the seven previous Months of their Confinement which they us'd to have the five former Months abroad which needs must check and put a stop to their Natural Activity This doubtless is the Cause that the Leaves finding themselves destitute of that perpetual supply of Sap which then they need are forc'd to forsake the Branches which Naturally and from their Birth produc'd them And so not well understanding from what source this Evil proceeds we make divers Erroneous Conjectures and have recourse to other things which peradventure have not at all Contributed to it always supposing that the Green-House be not in fault In the next place and which indeed is the most Important since the Nature and Quality of the Shoots intirely depend upon the Quality of the Roots and these particularly upon that of Nourishment 'T is certain That when this is peccant and feeble the New-born Roots must needs be weak and feeble also and consequently that the Sap which they prepare being of an ill Constitution the Shoots themselves which they produce must needs be short and weak also the Leaves sinall limber and often Yellow Hence it comes to pass that these Orange-Trees which for want of sufficient Nourishment during Summer are already fall'n Sick finish as I may say their Languishing and Misery so soon as the Cold which above all things they dread assaults them The main Principle of their Natural Strength and Vigour may possibly have enabled them to resist and struggle for some time against the Mischief to which their ill Culture has reduc'd them but when once this little Stock comes to be spent and exhausted as at length it will be they pine so miserably that for some years after one shall be hardly able to Recover them and perhaps at last without Success We have already said and may not improperly repeat here that it is not from the Material Substance of the Earth the Roots Elaborate and Compose the Sap administring Nourishment to all the parts of the Tree it is the Water only which percolating through the Ground is Impregnat with part of its Salt or some other qualities wherewith the Earth was endowed So as if this Earth whose Salt doubtless is not Inexhaustible and without end comes once to be over-diluted by great and frequent Washings it must needs at last be quite robb'd and depriv'd of all its Salure and within a short time after the Roots finding no more of it in the Water which moistens the Earth or but very little they can produce no more new Shoots worth any thing and consequently neither any good and laudable Sap Branch Leaves or Flowers c. as doubtless they would do in better Mould moderately moisten'd and refresh'd Whence I conclude and I think with Reason That to Water Trees to the purpose requires more Skill and Prudence than usually appears in the ordinary Conduct of most Gard'ners On the other side by the use of Fire which most of them affect to make in the Green-House Orange and Lemon-Trees fall into other very pernicious Inconveniences as by long Experience I have Learn'd The Reason is evident The Fire is either too great or too small If the latter the Heat can only affect those Plants which are very near it without any Influence on the farther distant For Example If you make it below and as commonly they practice it in several places of the Room neither the Heads of any height nor opposite sides of such as stand not near are sensible of it and in case you make it higher the under Branches receive no comfort by it Thus granting it may do some good which I don't believe 't is yet certain that the Fire being little it does but little good and in few places and consequently its Benefit is inconsiderable or rather none at all On the contrary If you make a great Fire as the Nature of such a Fire is to dry up that which is Moist as far as its Heat extends 't will doubtless parch and dry both the Bark and Branches of the Trees especially those parts on which the Leaves depend and consequently make them shrink stop and obstruct the Channels and Passages of the Sap which should always continue moist and open for its free and perpetual Intercourse whilst as above we said 't is indispensably requisite that the Sap do convey continual Supplies both to the Trunk Branches Fruit and Leaves this disorder else will be sure to happen upon the least Interception of this Supply Sap without question being to these sort of Trees what Water is to Fishes and the Air to all Terrestrial Animals and even what Foundations are to Buildings and the Hand is to the Ballance which holds it up and suspends it in the Air. In all Events this Fire as Philosophers speak Changes and Dries the Air and causes a notable Alteration and has the same effect upon it as it commonly has on Water which Experience
shew some signs of Life tho' â—it cannot thence be certainly concluded that they are really Alive For these small Sprouts are no sure Proof that the Trees are Recovered especially at the Lower End where the great Difficulty lies in producing a good Set of New Roots There lies the great Press of the Work of Nature in Recovering the Tree whereto are required much greater Efforts of the moving Sap than in those Parts of the Tree that are Exposed to the Air. Let us now see what passes in the other Element as soon as the Warmth of the Spring has Allay'd its Natural Cold and the Heated Air has Imparted its Warmth to the Old Roots We are therefore to Imagine that as the Sap being moved in the Bole and Branches requires more space than it took up before so being in the very same manner moved in the Roots neither can it be wholly Confined in them and that as the Sap appeared first in the Smaller and then in the Greater Branches So it observes the very same Method in the Roots also The swelling Sap breaks the Bark that contains it and gets out at every Passage it can possibly make and then this which as well as that above was Liquid in the Tree being got out grows Hard and assumes the Nature and Form of Roots in the Earth just as that in the Branches becomes Leaves Fruit New Branches c. CHAP. II. Reflections upon the Origine and the Action of the Roots THus then this First and Principal Part of Vegeration begins Namely the Producing of Roots Concerning which we are to know that in their first Formation they appear White much like Bubbles of some Clammy Fluid and that they continue of the same Colour for some days while they are shooting out and after that this Whiteness which we may call their Native and Infant Colour turns into a more Lively one something Red which represents their Riper state And while this lasts all those Greater Operations of the Roots are performed And at last after a certain number of Years succeeds a Dusky and Blackish hue which plainly shews them to be in their Declining Age Insomuch that those Roots being no longer able to perform any of their Offices they become not only Useless but also so Prejudicial to the Tree that we may fitly Resemble them to Rotten Teeth in Animals For as those if they be not pull'd out serve only to Torment and Disorder the Body so unless these Decrepit Roots be taken away the Lower Part of the Tree will I anguish and Decay And I have therefore shewn that the taking away of these Old Roots is the best means of Restoring a Languishing Tree to its former vigour Now of these Roots that first spring out some are Weak namely such as are Small and those that are Thicker are also Stronger And at the ends of the Former of these grow very small Ones which we commonly call Fibers These last seldom grow to any Considerable Bigness each Root acting in Proportion to those several Degrees of strength or weakness they naturally have at their first Formation And of these it may be truly said that they serve but to very little Purpose and that they are of no long Continuance notwithstanding all the Care and Pains that many Gard'ners take with them But for my part tho' I may have some regard to them so long as they are in the Earth yet when they are out and the Trees are to be Planted anew I cut them all quite away And this way of Dealing with them I endeavour to Justifie in another Place where I treat more particularly of this matter As to those Roots that sprung out Large and Strong and Good and took their beginning from a vigorous Principle which they could not do if they grew out of others that were themselves Small these are the chief Sinews and Strength of the Tree These as they encrease in Length and Thickness do also continually prepare and supply more of such new Matter as is proper to be sent up into the Body of the Tree both to Produce new Growths and also to Strengthen and Enlarge such as are already Produced at the upper end of it And to such Roots especially it is that those Trees that Thrive well are beholding for their Beauty Bulk and Fruitfulness And here we are to Observe that there are some Trees and Plants wherein that Sap which turns to Branches because it goes out at the Upper Part of the Tree which is Exposed to the Air would have become Roots if that part of the Tree where it made it's Passage on t had been cover'd with Earth c'est ce qui s'appelle Marcoter ou Provigner And contrariwise that Sap which in the parts under ground turns to Roots would have been Branches if it had come out above the Surface of the Earth And I heartily wish it were as easie to make Roots the same way in other Trees as it is in setting the Branches of Vines Fig-Trees Quince-Trees Goosberry-Trees Myrtle and some others for that the Advantages that would thence accrue would be vast and in a manner infinite will easily appear by a General Consideration without descending to Particulars And here it may not be Improper to add That though the Orifices which the Rarify'd Sap makes be ordinarily either Horizontal or on the Lower side of the Root yet sometimes they happen to be on the Upper side and instead of Roots send forth Shoots which grow up into New Trees This Observation is as certain as the former and yet I am so far from Demonstrating to others how the different Situation of those Orifices alone should be the Cause of such different Effects that I Ingenuously confess I could never find out a Reason sufficient to satisfie my self therein But to return to the Production of the Roots it is easie to imagine how they Encrease in Length and Thickness by comparing them to a Stream of Water which grows longer and broader and stronger according as the Spring from whence it arises supplies it with a greater quantity of Water For just after the same manner the Sap ascending continually from the Roots to the upper parts of the Tree is made use of in all those New Productions we there behold But I could never yet think of any Material Agent that might in the least Represent the manner how the Roots those especially of Trees Newly Planted do at the same time Grow themselves and Convey Sap to their Trees And if I were not afraid of Disparaging the Glorious Nature of the Angels I should borrow a Parallel from them to make my Conceptions in this Matter the better understood For indeed those Spiritual Beings Act with all possible Perfection from the very first Moment their Creation has given them an Existence And in like manner these New Roots no sooner appear out of the Old ones but they immediately enter upon Action in searching out their own Nourishment and by
the Course of Nature That in every Plant there is a certain Principle of Life which continuing the Rarefaction does also continue both the Being and the Action of the Roots in their Formation That 't is this Inward Principle which Co-operating with each of them in those Offices which Nature has Assigned them Assists them in performing what otherwise it were impossible for them to Effect and consequently that 't is this Principle alone that gives these Roots a Power either to Attract or Receive I shall hereafter give my Opinion in this Grand Question concerning the Action of the Roots at present I shall only say That there are but very few Roots that are able to Act of themselves and when they are once sever'd from the Trees with which they were formed I only say sever'd for of Roots first pluck'd up and then set again I know not whether any are able to Recover themselves and to Act again And though the principal Roots of Elms Rose-Trees Vines Fig-Trees Raspish-Bushes and some other very sprightly Shrubs may sometimes send forth at that end which was next to the Tree from which they were Cut off such Sprouts as may become Elms Rose-Trees Vines c. yet 't is certain that this is a Privilege peculiar to themselves so that we cannot draw any General Consequence from them that the Roots of other Trees and Plants may do the same and upon the whole we may conclude that there is in every Tree a certain Principle of Life which makes its Roots to Act and that too to the utmost of their Power and Capacity We must also allow that in respect of this Principle of Life as well as of the Soil there is a vast difference between Trees The Heat of the Sun being equal in it self does equally Heat a piece of Ground equally Good in it self and equally Expos'd to its Rays as it does also all the Trees that are Planted in it and yet though they seemed all in good Condition when they were Set some of them produce Roots in abundance and others none at all but Languish and Dye Which failure must ordinarily be Ascribed to the Trees themselves and not to the Ground which we supposed equally well Qualified nor to the Sun which also Acts equally upon both It and Them The Planted Trees therefore do chiefly Act by their Principle of Life since it is that which being Animated by the Heat makes the old Roots send forth Young ones to the Actings whereof the Trees are obliged for that constant Supply of Nourishment which preserves and makes them Grow Custom has fix'd the Name of Sap upon this Nourishment and therefore we shall commonly call it so as often as we shall have occasion to speak of it CHAP. III. Reflections upon the Nature of Sap. BEfore I proceed to a closer Disquisition about the Nature of Sap which is the same in Plants that Chile or Blood are in Animals the Water in the Bowels of the Earth being also the same to Plants that Food in the Stomach is to Animals it may be requisite to observe that as the Earth serves to produce and nourish Vegetables as having in it a Virtue or Principle of Fertility necessary for such performances so 't is also certain that of it self and unless it be duly moistened it cannot perform those Offices Just as Sené which being of a Purging Nature does not operate of it self but by means of a proportionate quantity of Water or some other Liquid wherein it is Infus'd and to which by that Infusion it Communicates its Vertue But as this Purging Quality becomes altogether Ineffectual if the proportion of Water be too great for the Quantity of the Sené so also the Earth becomes Unfruitful and Rots Fruit-Trees as well as most other Plants if it happens to be Drench'd or Cover'd with Water It requires some but not too much Moisture and too much Wet is altogether as Prejudicial as too much Drought Now wheresoever the Earth is too Dry it is necessarily Barren and therefore all the Ground we commonly call Good is attended with all sorts of Moisture which indeed is nothing else but real Water diffus'd through every part of the Ground And this Water comes for the most part either from Rain or Snow or Rivers or Springs and sometimes by Artificial Conveyances which Water having by its Weight sunk into and diffused it self through all parts of the Earth it becomes as Philosophers speak Impregnated with the Nitre or Fertile Salt of that Earth Or to use the Gard'ners Term it becomes so far Seasoned with the Quality of that Earth as to assume its Taste whatsoever it be which it Communicates to those Plants it Nourishes The Truth of which Observation is sufficiently Evinced from Experience in Wines and several sorts of Fruits which receive different Tastes from the different Soils they Grow in One part of this Impregnated Moisture whether its Tincture be perceiveable by Sense or not serves to make Minerals and Fountains And another part as we have just now said goes to the Production and Nourishment of a Thousand several sorts of Trees and Plants and Vegetables it being in every Earth of such a Substance as may serve for the use of all sorts of Trees and Plants and is in effect nothing else but that Water we are going to Treat of though it immediately appear very different both in Colour Taste and Consistency as soon as ever it has by the Action of the Roots enter'd into the several Plants and that it ceases to be pure and simple Water For whereas it was at first Liquid before it enter'd the Roots it becomes in time and by degrees in a manner perfectly Hard and as it were Metamorphosed into the Nature either of Fruits or Leaves of Wood or Bark or Pith and there makes a Body more or less Hard according as it happens to be dispos'd of into the several Fruits Trees or Plants And hence perhaps it comes that the Simple Dew which is sprinkled upon certain Flowers in Gardens and Meadows becomes changed part into Honey part into Wax and part into little thin Coats as soon as the Bees have with their usual Industry Collected and by the Instinct and Direction of Nature Wrought and Separated it Now this Hardening of the Sap is not to be Ascribed to any Quality peculiar to it self since 't is no more than what the Skin in Fruits and the Bark in Trees may be supposed to effect for both of them are in all likelihood made up of the grosser parts of the Sap and it is easie to imagine that they may have a Power of Communicating their own Density to the Sap when their inward parts come to be Bathed and Drench'd in it As for instance When the Sap passing between the Bark and the Tree not only Ascends by a kind of Filtration up to the top of the Plant but also if it be in a sufficient Quantity rises even above the top and
which my Study and the Remarks I have made upon Vegetation have suggested to me And in this Particular I shall use the same Diligence I have done in the rest of the Book 'T is true I have upon Occasion consider'd several other Parts of the Works of Nature and observ'd how the Heads of some sorts of Birds are Adorned with Tufts and Combs whilst others are Distinguish'd either by the Feathers or the Make of their Bodies And I have also often Admired the Melodious and Charming Notes of the Nightingale and Canary-Bird while those of the Magpy the Jay and the Crow are so harsh and ungrateful And how wonderfully satisfied am I in my self when considering these and an infinite Number of other Particulars I Resolve all meerly into the Good Pleasure of the Great Author of Nature which Ordain'd all these pretty Marks of Distinction that make up that Wonderful Harmony and Agreement in this Great Machine the World without ever Troubling my self to consider how possibly by the help of this Doctrine of Pores all this might be well and convincingly Accounted for So that Referring all this Variety we see in Flowers and Fruits and Seeds immediately to the Providence of God I shall only add That so Wonderful has been the Contrivance of the Great Creator in every the smallest piece of his Work-manship as well as in those great ones the Heavens and the Earth as shews his Wisdom and his Power to be equally Infinite CHAP. VII Some further Considerations upon the Action of the Roots BUT to Return to the Roots of Plants and to see what Useful Instructions may be drawn thence for the Advancement of Husbandry let us something more closely consider whether the Roots have really any Attractive Faculty whereby they as the Mdsaraic Veins in the Body of an Animal do at their Extremities Draw to them and Suck in the Impregnated Moisture of the Earth or whether like the Cover of a Pot they only by means of their Pores receive the Vapours and Exhalations which are continually ascending out of the Bowels of the Earth Each of these Opinions has its Patrons and Friends and indeed both seem to be Supported by good and plausible Reasons But my present Business being only to offer my own Observations upon Husbandry I shall be as Reserv'd in giving my Judgment in this as I have been in that other Case of Pores and declare Ingenuously That I am not able positively to Determine in Favor either of the one or the other And yet how Difficult soever it may be to Explain or even to Conceive a clear Idea of what we call Power or Quality in Sublunary Bodies I cannot but own my Inclination to Approve rather of Living and Attractive Powers than an Inanimate and Lifeless Row and Order of Parts of Matter And indeed it seems to me very Reasonable to Assign Action to that alone which has need of it namely to Plants to the end they may Attract and Suck in such Nourishment as may be Necessary both to Preserve and Enlarge themselves and to Multiply their Species And thence I conclude that 't is they that Act. Without doubt the Earth would not grow Lank Meagre and Hungry as it does if the Plants did not Suck it just as Animals do their Dams and as they do not tarry till the Milk comes to find out them so neither do the Plants expect till the Vapours and Exhalations come and present themselves to the Pores This Moisturerises up continually out of the Bowels of all sorts of Earth though those Earths do not thereby cease to be still Fresh that is in a Condition to produce all sorts of Fruits And since it is utterly false that the Goodness of any Rich Soil Decays or is in the least Diminished by being not made use of in Feeding some set Plants it necessarily follows That when such an Earth fails of its usual Fruitfulness as it sometimes does even to perfect Barrenness this Decay must proceed from the Activity of the Roots which by their Attractive Motion have Exhausted all that Fruitful Salt which Nature had furnished it with And if we observe how the Roots of a Plant set in a Chest of Earth get out in great Numbers at such Holes or Crevices of the Chest as are nearest the Ground that they may there Grow and Multiply I know not whether we may not with very good Reason allow them a kind of Local Motion And indeed it is for Reasons that Incline me to Favour this Opinion of an Attractive Power in the Roots that I do leave but a very few Roots upon the Trees I Plant for if I imagined that the Sap which the Tree requires in great Abundance did without any Action in the Vegetable barely enter into the Roots through such Holes or Pores as it found open I shou'd certainly believe that the more old Roots I left on the more Pores or Holes to receive the Sap I shou'd also leave and that it wou'd ascend in greater quantities into the Bodies of such Trees than of those that had fewer Roots But my own Experience shews me that all this is false and that a good Tree of what sort soever being Planted in a good Earth with a few Roots and reasonably short Grows much better and quicker than another equally Good and Planted at the same time in as Rich an Earth with many long Roots And in this Case I think I may safely rely upon my own Experience since I herein advance nothing but upon above Thirty Years Tryal and Careful Observation And upon the whole I lay down this as a standing Rule That the more old Roots you leave upon the Tree you Plant the fewer and the worse the New ones will be which it sends forth whereas the fewer you leave provided they be good ones and indifferently short the more and the better the New ones will be And to this I chiefly Ascribe the different Success we usually observe in Planting CHAP. VIII Considerations upon the Vital Principle in Plants I Lay down this as another Maxim which I think never fails and which having already spoken something of it I come now more fully to Enlarge upon Namely That there is in every Tree and Plant a certain Principle of Life which being Assisted with all the necessary Circumstances of a good Earth due Moisture a favourable Sun c. makes every part of the Tree or Plant so to Act and Perform all its Offices that they all continue in their Natural Vigour so long as this Vital Principle is not injured and that as soon as it is destroyed the Plant immediately Dies But this Vital Principle is not in all Plants lodged in one and the same place for in some 't is lodged in that outward Eye of the Plant which is the first that appears above Ground and distinguishes it from other Plants as in Melons Turnips and all sorts of Annual Flowers and this being cut off all the rest of the
be avoided Sixthly 'T is to be observed that these good new Roots by which the Trees are strongly fasten'd in the Ground and plentifully nourished generally shoot forth at the ends of the old Roots provided they are not left of too great a Length or planted above a Foot deep For you will find that of these new Roots of the later Shoot those which grow at a greater distance from the Body of the Tree are generally more lively and consequently of greater Virtue than those that grow nearer to it which are always observed to be somewhat smaller than the others Now since the Extremities of the old Roots must not be too far distant from the Trunk because then the Tree will not be able to resist the force of the Wind It will be necessary to cut all of them in general somewhat shorter as their Strength or Weakness will permit that is the weaker Roots may have more cut from them but the stronger may admit of a greater length Taking this as a General Rule That the Roots of the strongest and largest Trees ought not to be left above 9 or 12 Inches long but for the weaker it will be enough to leave some of them 2 and to others 5 or 6 Inches at most These Things being premised our Gardiner must remember First That to make a Tree which is planted in a good Soil thrive well he must retain those Roots only which appear Promising Young and of a sufficient Bigness and consequently cut off all the Rags and such as we call Hairy Roots as likewise all that through Age are worn out rotten or abandon'd by the Sap which abandoning you may easily discover by this Sign namely When some younger larger and fairer Roots shooâ— out above the old ones Secondly It must be allowed which yet as I have already hinted is not to be strictly and literally understood that how small soever the Number of Roots is which you retain it will be sufficient for receiving the whole Virtue of the Tree's Vital Principle and so become capable of producing such new Roots as may be good and serviceable so that oftentimes he must be contented with one single Root if all the rest do not prove good sometimes he may keep 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 at most all of them separated at a due distance from each other These altogether make up what we call a Bed or Lay of Roots and when they happen to be so many must in the Planting your Tree about a Foot deep be disposed so far below the Surface of the Ground as may secure them from being killed either by Heat Cold or the Stroke of a Spade and for this 8 or 9 Inches will be enough but yet not so deep as to hinder them from enjoying of the comfortable warmth of the Sun or so much of the Earth's moisture as is necessary for their Nourishment Lastly Let him rest fully assured that if a young Tree thus planted with a few and those but short Roots left upon it do not thrive in the two first Years it would certainly have succeeded no better though he had left it more Roots and of greater length So that without losing any more time in a fruitless Expectation to which all Gardiners are extremely subject let him resolve with all convenient speed according to the Directions here prescribed to Plant another good Tree in the room of it Thus I have given you the Rules for Planting which I had proposed to my self with relation both to the Tree and the Soil by the Observation of which the Tree will put forth good new Roots whereby that Nourishment is conveyed to it which causes it to thrive as well in the Body as Branches and makes it continue vigorous and every Year to bring forth plentifully both Leaves and Fruit. CHAP. X. Considerations upon the Motion of the Sap as soon as it is Prepared in the Roots FOR the better Illustration how that Nourishment which in the Spring begins to enter into each Root is at the same instant of time distributed into the Trunk Branches Leaves and Fruit of the Tree I cannot think of any fitter or more Instructive Comparison than that of a Torch which as soon as it is lighted in the midst of a dark Room does in a moment and at once diffuse its Light in its whole Circumference in every place of the Room wherever it can reach For Sap being a Liquid Light and Subtil Body which as well as all Vapours and Exhalations seems to participate of the Nature of Air and consequently to have its Centre in the upper rather than in the lower Parts The Resemblance in the subtility of their matter which seems to be found between Sap and Light will I hope make my Comparison allowable But how far soever it may hold in some Respects yet I am very sensible there is a considerable difference in others For as Light diffuses its strongest emissions upon those parts of the Air that are nearest to the Luminous Body which is their Source and Original Cause so likewise it grows sensibly Weaker in the Remoter Parts in proportion to their greater or lesser distance from that Source And this is grounded upon the Order of Nature which hath determined every Agent to a certain limited Sphere of Activity and to Act more powerfully upon those Objects that are at a Reasonable distance than upon such as being further off are in some manner out of its reach But now on the contrary the Sap produces its most considerable Effects in those Parts which are farthest distant from the Roots from which it is originally deriv'd For having a Natural tendency to raise it self with impetuosity to the Extremities of the Tree which are its proper Centre it only makes a quick and brisk Passage through all the other Parts which are the Channels to convey it to that Centre We find then That the Sap which is prepared by the Roots in the Ground makes its first Entrance in great Plenty into these Extremities of the Branches the other parts of those Branches tho' nearer to the Trunk receive no benefit from that Sap but proportionably as they lye nearer or farther from the Spring which produced it The only Advantage the Lower parts of those Branches can get from it proceeds merely from the abode which that Sap in its continual Ascent towards those Extremities is sometimes forced to make in the Neighbourhood of those Lower parts This abode happens when that which was already come up of the first Sap being not able to break out soon enough to be employed in putting forth Branches Leaves and Fruits is a hindrance to the Attempt of that which comes after it and consequently stopping it by the way for a while makes it tarry at some distance from those extremities till the passage be opened for it to issue out as the foregoing Sap did And methinks This seems to have a great Resemblance with what often happens in a Stream
nothing if its Sterility be not supplied by the utmost Care and Assistance of the Gardiner CHAP. XVI Reflections upon the Order of the Branches shooting out of the Tree HAving thus given my Opinion how the Sap after its entrance into the Roots does afterwards rise up and communicate it self to the upper Parts of the Tree I shall now proceed to Explain in what manner the new Branches grow out of the Extremities of those of the precedent Year and how it comes to pass that their Shooting out is generally so ordered by Nature that the higher Branches have most commonly some Advantage both in their length and thickness over the lower And here I shall resume my former Comparison of a Brook which having its Course retarded for some time by a Digue or Dam is hindred from continuing its Progress to it s designed Journey 's end This Water then which we will suppose amass'd together in a considerable quantity as we see in larger Ponds coming afterwards to find divers Vents of equal Capacity as well in the Body of the Dam which principally sustained its Pressure as in the Walls built on each side of it for the confining it within such a compass This Water I say having either found or made these Breaches will issue out at the same instant through all of them but for the most part will run out in a much greater Stream and with a stronger Current at the breach of the Dam it self than at the Crannies of the sides and still faster in proportion through those breaches which have an aperture nearest resembling that of the Dam than through those which are more unlike This so remarkable a difference is caus'd by the Pressure of the Water hastning continually towards its Centre which pressure still encreases the nearer it approaches to that Centre as is obvious to the meanest Understanding The Sap produces almost the same effect in the Branches of Trees for having found in them several Apertures of an equal bigness which we call Eyes it makes its way at the same time through those in the upper parts but principally and in greater abundance through the last Eye That I mean which is in the very Extremity of the Branch and where the Sap makes its strongest Effort than it does through the others which are at some distance 'T is true if there be such an exuberance of Sap that the parts of it which ascended first are press'd forwards by the succeeding ones it will then discharge it self into the lower Eyes but always more plentifully into those which are nearest to the top of the Branch than into those which are at a greater distance from it And as it falls out sometimes that a Stream enclosed by a Dam in the Front and by Walls on each side by striving to force its way out happens to make a greater Eruption through one of its sides than through the Dam it self so that the Water gushes out in great abundance where in all probability one should have expected it in a lesser quantity Just so we frequently Experience it in Trees that the New Sprouts which shoot out at the Extremities of a Pruned Branch instead of being bigger do oftentimes prove much less than any of those which at the same time grew out of it in other places Now that I may give the best Reason I can of this Effect which is so contrary to the Natural Course of the Sap I conceive that this Alteration may proceed from hence viz. The Sap endeavouring by its Natural Activity to make its Principal Passage through the Extremities of the Pruned Branch is diverted by some Internal Cause which the Gard'ner cannot always discover and being prevented by this Obstacle from rising up in a full Stream to that Extremity some part of it only can get through but the more Spirituous and Active Particles of that Stream having insinuated themselves into some one of those Eyes which were next below the uppermost begin there to exert their utmost Vigour and communicate their Virtue to the remoter Eyes in greater or lesser quantity according as they are more or less distant from that part of the Branch which serv'd as a Canal to Convey that Torrent of Sap to the Extremities of the Branches That little Portion of Sap which passed to the uppermost Eye or Eyes having there produced Branches of but an indifferent bigness communicates to them what it uses to do to all the weak Branches namely a great Disposition to a quick Production of Fruit Buds And upon this Account I take a particular Care in the Pruning my Trees of this Branch as of the greatest value and importance to be Preserved for the raising of Fruit. I must confess it is a difficulty which neither my long Study nor diligent Observation have been able to Solve how this Sap in proportion to its greater or lesser Quantity should produce such different Effects That it does so is very evident and thence it was that I laid down this Paradox That the Fruit is a Symptom of the Branches weakness but the manner how or the reason why this comes to be so I have not yet been able to comprehend Neither do I find it less Difficult to give an Account how Soil comes to decay and grow Barren by bearing those Plants which are not of its Native Growth such as Corn Trees Pulse c. but will not become lank or exhausted by a plentiful Production of Thistles Nettles and many other Weeds After all these Observations I think I may safely aver that in all that Infinite variety of Speculations that serve for the Entertainment of our Intellectual Faculties there is not perhaps any Subject more Nice and Intricate to adjust rightly than that of Vegetation 'T is I confess a Field of very large Extent and open to all the World where every one has free liberty to enter and make what researches he pleases though very few have had the good Fortune to succeed in the attempt So many are the particular differences that perplex it that nothing is so easie or so common as to fall into great mistakes about it when we pretend from our Observations upon one Plant to make Inferences concerning another and from thence proceed to lay down several Conclusions and General Maxims CHAP. XVII Reflections upon the different Effects of the Sap in the Outward Parts of the Plants THough it be very probable that the Formation of the Roots and Nourishment of all Plants so far as it is transacted under Ground is performed by Nature in the same manner as I have formerly explain'd it in the Ch. of Plants Yet as to their outward Appearance they may not unfitly be compared to so many little Republicks each of them differing from the other in their Government and having nothing in their manner of Acting common with their Neighbours but the Polity of the one being pretty often quite contrary to that of the other Thus we see for instance that
of those who from the Generation of Animals Argue concerning the Production of Fruits THere are some as I have formerly observed in my Treatise of Pruning who Treating of the Production of Fruits proceed the same way they do in their Considerations about the Generation of Animals Animals say they do not Procreate their Like but when they are in their Vigor Generation being an Act of Vigor in all Natural Productions Now since Trees are also Natural Beings 't will hence follow that they are never Capable of bearing Fruit but when they are in their full Strength and Vigour it being absurd to make the Production of Fruit a sign of the Weakness of the Tree And they further add That in all the Works of Nature the Cause is known by the Effects and every Extraordinary Effect must be produced by a suitable Strength and Vigour in its Agent These indeed are very plausible Arguments and Inferences and which when mentioned by Persons of Reputation may prevail with such as do not see into the Weakness of them But though I highly Esteem the Persons and the Works of those Ingenious Men who Argue after this manner yet when to expose my Notions they make me Advance such a one as this That the abundance of Moisture which makes the Trees produce a great quantity of Branches and Leaves is an Effect of their Vigour they must give me leave to say something in my own Defence I might well say and now I say it again That Blossoms and Fruits on Trees are signs of their Weakness or that they have but little Sap as on the contrary a great number of fair Branches without Fruit is of the Vigour or of the abounding quantity of their Sap. For I do not think that the word Moisture does properly signifie the Sap in a Tree and therefore should not be understood in that Assertion of mine for any thing else but the moisture of the Earth where a Tree is planted there being so great a Difference between it and Sap. And we seldom see any very great Quantity of Sap in such Fruit-Trees as have very much Moisture about their Roots Nay We sometimes see them die by having their Roots too much drenched in Water and they will never take well in very wet Ground whereas for the most part they afford both much Lop-wood and Fruit if they have naturally a Vigorous vital Principle and are planted in a good Earth indifferently mosten'd and do thereupon send forth good Roots to furnish the upper Parts with a sufficient Quantity of Sap. These Terms therefore of Moisture and Sap are not to be promiscuously used the one being to be understood only for that Nourishment which is in the Tree and the other for such Water as may be about the Root of it That which has given Occasion for Mens arguing upon the Production of Plants after the same manner they do upon the Generation of Animals has been this as I conceive that they imagin'd the Fruit to be the same in respect to the Tree that the young Animal is to its Syre that begat it and wou'd thence conclude that as Lyon's Whelp'd for Instance exactly resembles its Syre in all its Essentials so a Pear or a Cherry must in its Formation that of its Tree seeing that in time it may grow up to be as tall and big and every way like it just as the young Lyon does at length equal the Old One both in Largeness and Proportion of Parts Now Nature it self plainly shews us that it does not act the same way in both these Cases and that the most that can be gather'd from such Considerations is hat one Part of the Fruit of each sort of Trees is the same with respect to its Tree that the Seed of the Animals is to its respective Animal I am not so well skill'd in Anatomy as to know whether the Seminal Matter in Animals require as much Force and Vigor to be formed in the Body as it afterwards does in being duly employ'd in order to Generation But sure I am that no Man ever distinctly perceiv'd in himself either the Time or Manner of its Formation any more than he did those Circumstances of the Formation of his Muscles Bones or Cartilages and that 't is certainly a Provision in Nature that of the whole Mass of Nourishment one Part should go to the making of Seed and the rest should be imployed either to the Encrease or the Preservation of the Animal without ever making any sensible Effort either in Framing or perfecting any of the Internal Parts of the Body And besides he will find himself mightily mistaken that shall lay down this as a standing Rule that every kind of Fruit is in the Nature of a Case to such a Seed as is capable of producing the same sort of Tree with that it self grew upon The most ordinary way of Multiplying Trees being not by their Fruits And indeed who ever saw a Prunier de Perdrigon or a Bigarotier grow from the Stones of the Fruit a Fig or Mulberry-Tree from the Seed a Bon-Chrestien or Bergamotte from the Kernels of such Pears Though I know 't is common for an Oak to come of an Acorn and a Chestnut-Tree of its Nuts and some others to be produc'd in the same way yet Nature has provided other ways of multiplying them viz. by young Siens growing out at the Roots and several sorts of Graffs Some of those ways which Nature makes use of in preserving the several Kinds of Trees I have already treated of in another Place And now I come positively to affirm That if a Man first lays down such a Maxim as this that the only Reason why some Fir-Trees thrive well is because they grow on the South side of a Mountain And that others do not because they stand on the North Side of it And thence draw Inferences and apply them to Fruit-Trees such Arguments must necessarily be very weak for these two sorts of Trees are subjects very different and therefore should be as differently considered For what is chiefly to be considered in Fruit-Trees is scarcely at all taken notice of in Firrs In these latter we are only to compare one Part with another that is barely to consider the whole Bulk and Extent of the Tree to see whether it be good for Masts Planks Beams or Joists But in the other all the Branches are to be carefully considered both the Great and Small which may be of use and which not In these we observe the Working of Nature in Distributing the Sap to every single Part of the Tree But in the other only to what particular Use it may be put in the Building of a Ship Nature is not concern'd whether such a particular Firr-Tree be fit for Boards and whether or no it be put to that Use whereas it may not be improperly said that she is highly concerned in the Productions of Fruit-Trees which are to bethe Food of the noblest Part of
Competes or wet Sweat-meats c. The Pulp in all Plums yellow more or less but of no effect to their goodness Most Plums quit not their Stones whether good or bad Damask Plums quit their Stoues casiliest But four or five sorts fit to be planted by Walls and which they are Empresses and Mirabelles added sometimes and why The Authors sense about Apricocks Standard Apricocks best The Wall-ones larger and fairer The little July Hasting or forward Apricock The Common and larger one about Mid July No green Fruit so good to preserve as Apricocks The Anjou Sweet Kernel'd Apricock The several Expositions repeated Fig-trees where to be placed The regulation of Wall-trees in a little Garden of the extent of ten Toises or Fathoms at one side and a little more on the other A description of the Violet Perdrigon Plum The choice Peach-trees recommended The Admirable Peach described How to cure diseased Peach-trees A Toise is two yards six Foot 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 The Minion Peach described and commended Its defects The fair Chevreuse or Goat-peach described The order of ripening of these Peaches The Chevreuse Peach further commended Its faults and their causes The Nivette or Velvet-peach described It s Elogy The Trees advised for the Midling or VVestern Expositions The Purple or Vinous-peach its Character in this and the next Paragraph The Trees advised for the Northern Exposition 4 Pear-trees c. The total supputation of the choice Wall trees advised for the stocking of a Garden of 22 or 24 Fathoms in Compass Continued for a Garden of 60 Toises or Fathoms Compass From which it will be continued still augmenting to the number of 600 Toises or Fathoms of good Exposition and 1200 in all 1200 Toises or Fathoms of Wall-Trees enough for any subject of the greatest quality What quantity of Fruit every hundred foot of Peach-Trees may yield at 5 or 6 Years old c. A remark about Ants. The Persick Peach described with its Character The Violet Brugnon or Nectarin its Description and Character The St. Catharine Plum described The effect of a good Wall c. The Apricock-peach The Sandalie or Yellow Admirable-peach It s Character The latter Violet or Marble peach It s Description and Character The Character of a Bourdin-peach The qualities and Character of an Avant or Forward peach Ripens a Month before the rest It s Description What Figure is best for a fine Garden to be of The effect of the Northern Exposition in Pear-trees The Italian Peach described It is a kind of Forward Persick The Characters and Description of the Peach 〈◊〉 or latter-Admirable The Description and Character of the Rossans The Red Alberge peach It s description and Character The Apricock Plum described and compared with the St. Catharine The Red Maudlin-peach described No different kinds of it It s Character The Bellegarde Peach described The Roche-Couron Plnm excellent The White Pavie described The Red Great Pompons Pavie called the Monstrous Pavie described It s Elogy The Corinthian Grapes The White Andilly Peach It s Description and Character The Bourdelais Grape called in Paris the Verjuice Grape described The Empress Plum What. When Apricock or Plum-Trees may be mixed with Peach-Trees and when not The Azeroll or Garden Haw Described The Early Grape or Black Morillon Described It ripens in the beginning of July Tiger Babbs How to order a Plum or Cherry Garden Sixteen choice Sorts of Plums good every way Plums good only to Dry Preserve c. The Plums the Author most preferrs and their order of precedence Which only to be reared on Standard-Trees A Plum Garden of 80 or 100 Trees affords Plums enough for all uses Guignes or Guings their Character The second Forward Cherry Their Character chiefly good for Early Compotes c. Monmorancy Coulardy or Large Preserving Cherries The best sort of Common Cherry described The same Tree bears Long and Short Stalk'd Cherries The Bigarro described and commended The Griot or Agriot described Merises of common Black-Cherries described Where to plant standard Mulberry Apricock and Almond-Trees What number to plant of each Almonds commended Their Season July and August when green Some few Medlar Trees also to be added in places least in view As also some Quince-Trees And lastly a few Azeroll or Garden Haw Dwarf-Trees Fruit Trees to be bought of none but Gard'ners of known skill c. When Tree Stocks and plants are to be chosen And Directions what chiefly to consider in them Marks of Vigorous Plants Marks of unsound Plants Marks of Bad Peach Plants Of what thickness and Age they should or should not be The thickness and Age required in Plum-Trees Apricock-Trees and Azeroll or Garden Haw-Trees The proportion of Apple-Trees grafted on paradise stocks The proportion and other good qualities required in Standard Plants How Trees should be shaped and fashioned Now to choose Trees when already taken up Marks of Trees spoiled Good qualifications required in the roots of young Trees Marks of a Dying Tree What caution is to be used in taking up Trees Other signs of decaying or Dying Plants taken from their Roots The Author's Method in Triming the Roots of Trees How to order the Roots of a Tree that has been longer pulled up What the Author means by Good and bad Roots Notes how to distinguish them and instructions how to deal with them Pivot a Hinge or Axel-Tree Of what length the good Roots are to be left in Dwarfs Standards c. Fifteen Engâ—â— en different Figures of Trees with their Roots most difficultly disposel for cutting inserted by the Author in this Book taken from the Life All difficult disposures of roots may be Learnt and ordered by those Figures The Author's Regulation of the height or Length fit to be left to the Bodies of Trees above Ground A necessary caution about Peach Trees The fourth to make convenient Holes or Trenches to plant them in c. The Author's Method of Dwarf-Trees c. Of What Depth Trees are to be planted The use of Dung about Trees A bed of Weeds or fern may serve in want of Dung. In very dry weather to be watered every 15 days in the hot months How to be plaâ—â—d How the Baskets must be made and proportioned Columella Theophrastus Xenophon Qui cum judicio putat Arborem efficit ut quod Arbor sponte voluit facere Justâ—iâ violentâ cogatur ut id agat Crescentius Terrae imperamus soli nequaquam Omnis Arborum putatio quandocunque fieri potest à tempore casus foliorum Crescentius Aspices curvatos Pomorum pondere ramos Ut sua quod peperit vix ferat Arboronus Fundusque mendax Arbore nunc aquas culpante nunc torrente agros Sidera Horatius Nec sen'ire sitim patitur bibulaeque recurvas radicis fibras labentibus iâ— rigat undit Ovid. Vim tamen agrestum metuens pomaria claudit Intus accessus prohibet Idem Juniperi gravis umbra nocent frugibus umbrae Virgil. 10 Ecl. Hortus nullas amat