To the Touch 1. By coole fruits boughs and leaves 36. 2. By coole fresh Aires p. 36. 3. To the Eye 1. By decent formes of Trees Allies walks Seats and Arbors p 36. 2. By curious colours of Blossomes Leaves and Fruits p. 36. 4. To the Smell 1. By fresh Earth digged up p. 37. 2. From Blossomes and Leaves p. 38. 5. To the Tast 1. From ripe and raw Fruits p. 38. 2. From Dishes and Drinkes made of them p. 39. A Caution in the use of Earthly blessings No Earthly thing to be enjoyed properly but used only p. 41. Difference between using and enjoying of a thing pag. 42. The Nursery in it consider 1. Sowing 1. Seeds of Fruits 2. Stones of Fruits 1. The time p. 44. 2. The manner p. 44. 2. Weeding and Watering the young Plants p. 45. 3. Transplanting them in Autumne p. 45. 4. Inoculating or Ingrafting them p. 46. In Grafting observe 1. Time of Grafting 1. Generall time the Spring p 46. 2. More speciall in respect of different kinds p. 46. 2. Instruments for the Worke p. 46. 3. Manner of the Worke three waies 1. Of small Stocks p. 53. 2. Of great Stocks p. 53. 3. A middle sort of Stocks p. 53. 4. Choyce of Grafts 1. As they fit severall Stocks p. 53. 2. In respect of good hearing kinds see particulars p 53 54 55. c. In Inoculating observe 1. The time pag. 50. 2. The Buds 1. In respect of growth p. 50. 2. In respect of kinds p. 50. 3. The Stocks 1. The small and young p 51. 2. Those full of sap p 51. 4. Unbinding the Buds some sooner some later p 51. In Transplanting observe 1. The time Early removing best p. 60. 2. Pruning 1. The Rootes of Plants p 61. 2. The Branches of Plants p 61. 3. Manner of setting 1. Standards 2. Wall-trees In respect of 1. Deepnes 61 2. Distance 62 3. Order 63. In Pruning cut 1. Wall-trees 1. In Summer p. 64. 2. In Winter p. 65. 2. Standards 1. All dead Boughs p. 65. 2. All superfluous living boughs p. 65. Order the Roots 1. In opening them p. 65. 2. In laying fit soyles to them p. 66. Diseases insident to Fruit-trees 1. Mossinesse 2. Barke-bound 3. Canker 1. Causes p. 67 68. 2. Cures p. 67 68. Mischeifes insident to Fruits by 1. Caterpillers Remedies thereof p. 68 69. 2. Antes Remedies thereof p. 68 69. 3. Eare-wigges Remedies thereof p. 68 69. 4. Snailes Remedies thereof p. 68 69. 5. Wasps Remedies thereof p. 68 69. 6. Birds Remedies thereof p. 68 69. 7. Winds Remedies thereof p. 68 69. The use of fruits 1. The Alimentall 2. The Physicall Use of 1. Apples p 70. 2. Peares p. 72. 3. Quinces p 73. 4. Cherries p. 73. 5. Plummes p. 74. 6. Aprecotts p 75. 7. Peaches p. 75. 8. Mulberries p. 75. 9. Figgs p. 79. 10. Grapes p 57. 11. Medlers p. 76. 12. Wallnutts p. 77. Errors discovered in the 1. Theory 2. Practise Of the Art of Planting p. 78. In the Theory are three sorts 1. Instructions hurtfull and dangerous 1. To Graft the first Spring p. 79. 2. Not to prune Roots p. 79. 3. To use Treble Grafts p. 80. 4. To use Grafts swelling p. 80. 5. To remove the Clay p. 80. 6. To underprop Grafts p 80. 7. To mix things in Grafting p 80. 8. Not to plant against a Wall p 8. 9. To Plant on Hills p. 81. 10. To set Stones a foot deepe p 82. 11. To set Budds on knobbs of Stocks p. 82. 12. To set Appletrees 20 foot asunder p. 82. 13. To remove in Winter p. 81 12. 2. Instructions for effecting things impossible to be effected by the means prescribed other things impossible to be effected by any means 1. To mixe diverse kinds of Fruits p 83. 2. To chang the species of Fruits p. 83. 3. To make Fruits have good Tasts p. 84. 4. To make Fruits have good Colours p 85. 5. To have Nutts without Husks p. 87. 6. To have Early and Late Fruits p. 87. 7. To have Fruits with Inscriptions on them p. 88. 3. Assigning wrong causes to effects 1. That Grafting causeth early bearing and maketh Fruits better p. 88. 2. That Grafting in the Old of the Moone causeth barrennesse many years p. 90. 3. That Sap descendeth from the Branches to the Roots worketh severall effects 90 Errors in Practise of the Art of Planting are 1. Transplanting Trees in Winter p. 94. 2. Planting Trees too neere togeather p. 94. 3. Planting Trees unfit for the Countrie p 95. 4. Choosing the greatest Plants p. 95. 5. Setting Trees without disbranching p. 95. 6. Planting Trees in worse mould p 95. 7. Setting the Graft and Stock smooth on the out side p 95. 8. Grafting long or forked Grafts p. 96. 9. Suffering Fruit trees grow like Timber-trees p. 96. 10. Giving too much nourishment to Fruit-trees p 96. 11. Nursing up Quince-trees without Grafting or Inoculating p. 96. 12. Pruning off too many shootes from Wall-trees p. 96. 13. Not Pruning the Roots of Plants p. 97. 14. Breaking off Budds before Grafts grow p. 97. 15. Grafting Seede Plants before removing p. 97. A Table shewing the Principall things Contained in the Naturall part of the ensuing Worke. HOW to prepare Ground for a Nursery and to sow and set Seeds Stones Kernells c. pag. 44. Preserve Seeds from Mice and weed them pa. 44. Remove the biggest Seed-plants by themselves and the least by themselves p. 45. Small Plants grow surer and faster then great Plants p. ib. January the best Month to graft Cherry and Plum grafts p. 46. Grafts may be kept in mould many weekes p. 46. Necessary Instruments for grafting p. 46. Severall wayes of graftings that of Packing on is most sure and easy lesse hurt to the graftes and stockes then in the cleft p. 47. To joyne the inner sides of the stock and graft is a speciall Rule in grafting p. 48. The thickest grafts are for the most part the best p. 49. Choose grafts from the best hearing Trees p. 49. Unbind grafts in due season and strengthen the grafted place p. 49. Prune off all side branches of grafts that are for standards preserve only one straight shoot p. 40. Time to Inoculate is about Midsummer yet some Buds sooner then others p 50. Inoculate Buds in to fit stocks p. 51. Unbind buds in due time 52. To transplant stocks inoculated ere the Buds spring forth is the surest way for growing p. 52. The leaves of the buds to be inoculated must be cut off immediatly p. 52. Marke stocks inoculated to know the kindes p. 52. To chuse right kinds of grafts and Buds and to set them on fit stocks is above all things most necessary in this Art p. 53. Crabstocks speciall good if not the best to graft any Apple grafts upon p. 54. Peare-stocks are best for Peare-grafts p. 55. Juyce of the black hart and great bearing Cherry speciall good to make Cherry Wine or to colour Cyder to make it as
when he is most mindfull of us And that we should fall so much in love with the Token that we forget Him that sent it And now having answered the doubts and discouragements that have hindred some from entring upon this part of the Husbandmans work The Art of Planting Fruit-trees and shew'd the great esteem that all men have of it and the value and dignity thereof from Divine and Humane Arguments what a rich confluence of Profits and Pleasures are from time to time brought unto us by it with a Caution in the use of these things What remaines but that I also discover how we may obtaine our desires herein by what meanes the work may be done with most speed and best effect I shall first speak of a Nursery of young Plants Of the Nursery and shew the manner of sowing of Kernells or Seeds of Fruits and their preparation and ordering by grafting and Inoculating for transplanting into Orchards Gardens or Fields although some may plant an Orchard a more speedy way to buy yong trees ready grafted or to plant stocks of divers yeares grouth and after they have grown a year or two to graft them I shall set downe all these things as briefly as I can so that withall I make them plaine to the intelligent Reader laying down the most materiall and essentiall things concerning this Art For long and tedious discourses about things that may be comprehended in few words as many use they doe often mislead men so as it is not easie to see the most materiall things concerning their subject or what they drive at whereas a breife and plaine discovery of them may better be comprehended and remembred 1. First then Let there be a Plot of ground more or lesse digged up about the time when Fruits are ripe and let all the Grasse Weeds Roots Stones c. be clean picked out the ground cast into Beds about a yard broad and spaces between about a foot in breadth to passe between them to sow set weed c. And then procure Kernells of Apples Peares Crabs Cherry stones Plum stones and the seeds of divers kinds of Fruits and these may be set and sowed from the time that the fruits are ripe untill the spring except in frost in this manner How to sow and set seeds stones kernels c. Having made the Beds levell with a Rake sprinkle the seeds upon them all over each kind by themselves and set or sow the stones by themselves then take a spade and turne in the seeds stones about a handfull deep and after rake them all over and that none may be left uncovered sift some small mould with a Sive all over them and so let them rest all winter And carefully observe that Mice devoure not the seeds in Winter if you perceive it set Traps and lay Rats bane to destroy them In the Spring or Sommer let them be weeded from time to time cleane and if the weather be dry let them be watred now and then they will make a growth the same yeare according to the strength goodnesse of the ground wherein they grow Plants comming of seeds or stones are far better then Suckers from Roots of Trees although such are good and usefull for stocks also Draw Plants of Seeds In Autumne when they have done growing let the biggest of them be transplanted into other Beds of ground prepared for that purpose thus Let the ground be digged and cast into square Plots or long Plots as you will and said levell with a Rake then set the young seed Plants therein in this manner Having cast up the Borders handsomely on each side stretch a Line from one side to the other then take a Setting-sticke that is a hard peece of wood about a yard long with a handle at the top and made sharp at the end or pointed with iron and thrust it into the ground halfe a foot or a foot deep according to the length of the Roots close to the line and make holes all along from one end of the line to the other about halfe a foot or more as you will And having prepared the seed Plants by cutting off all the side Twiggs and the ends or bottome of the Roots set them in order in the holes to the top of their Roots and close the mould about them Draw the biggest first and set them by themselves the least by themselves Then take up the line and stretch it againe about a foot from the other Plants and make holes and prune more seed Plants and set them as before Then take up the line and stretch it againe a foot and halfe from the Plants last set that there may be a convenient space of ground to passe between to weed the Plants and to Graft and Inoculate them being growen fit And having made holes and pruned the Plants set them as before And thus set the Nursery throughout and many of these will be ready after one yeare to Inoculate and after two yeares or three to Graft Now for those that were left upon the Beds where the Seeds were sowne the largest being drawne as before Rmove all seed Plants they may grow there a yeare longer and then be transplanted or else may be removed at the same time be sure to transplant all young seed-Plants for by that meanes they get good Roots which of themselves thrust down one single Root for the most part And being growne a yeare or two after Inoculating or Grafting they are fit to transplant to make Orchards or into Fields Hedges at a competent distance as shall be shewed when I speak of setting Trees Thus men may in a few yeares prepare multitudes of Young Trees for themselves and others to give or sel as they please It is good likewise to procure Crab-stocks from the woods and wast grounds which being growne a year or two may be grafted and either grow where they were first set being fit places or transplanted elsewhere The smaller these or any other Plants are when they are removed the better they grow Small Plants grow surest so that it is a great Errour in men to chuse the greatest yong-trees to transplant into their Gardens It s true the greater they be the better were they to grow still in the place without removing but the removing of great Plants is more dangerous to them then to small Plants Experience proves this sufficiently to the losse of many a good Plant. Now for the manner of Inoculating and Grafting these Plants being thus prepared The time of Grafting and grown fit First concerning Grafting wherein we must consider the time February and March usually with most are the too cheife Monthes for Grafting but we may begin sooner and its best so to do especially with Cherry and Plum-Grafts If the weather be open without frost in the beginning of January or in December Yea I have grafted some with good successe in November and sooner
plants This is another Error Many men when they procure Fruit-trees to plant an Orchard they most commonly desire the greatest and fairest Plants Hoping such will be trees the soonest Whereas great Plants many of them dye and others live very poorely but small Plants removed live generally and thrive more in 2 or 3 yeares then great ones in 6 or 7 for removing great plants is a very great check to nature such as many times it s not able to recover 5 Setting trees without disbranching Another Error in practise is this Men generally leave too many branches on the Trees they plant and will by no meanes have the Branches cut off unlesse a few it may be whereas for want of disbranching plants they loose branches body roots and all If they will plant great plants they must disbranch them small ones need not 6 Planting trees in worse mould Another is this For the most part men neglect to plant their young trees in as good or better soyle then that from which they are removed They fetch them from Nurseries about London which are generally of very fertill soyle plant thē it may be in ordinary or poore soyle and thence it is that many of them dy or grow weakly Whereas they ought to lay speciall soyle the best they can get next to the Roots which having taken hold being well rooted in the ground they will by degrees thrust their roots and grow well in that which is worse 7 Setting graft and stock smooth on the outside Another is this Some in grafting take care to set the Graft and stock even and smooth on the outside not considering that the bark of the stocks are for the most part thicker then the barke of the grafts Whereas they ought to take speciall care to set the inner sides of the barks together which is the chiefest Rule in Grafting because there is the chiefe current of the sap 8 Grafting long or forked grafts Another Error is this Grafting long or forked Grafts commonly the longer Grafts are the lesse they grow and the shorter they are cut the longer they grow in a yeare 9 Suffering fruit-trees to grow like Timber trees Another is this Many let their Fruit-trees grow straight up very high before they spread into boughs and they are rather like Timber trees for building then Fruit-trees for bearing Fruits Whereas they ought to cut off the Top while the Plant is young about an Ell or a Yard and halfe from the ground that so the Plant may spread and enlarge it selfe and one Tree well ordered in this respect for spreading will have as many small boughs and consequently will beare as much fruit as three or foure it may be of such Trees as runne spiring up a great height without spreading 10 Giving too much nourishment to fruit-trees Another Error is this some give too much nourishment to fruit-trees Letting some fat water it may be runne to the Roots or lye too neare them or else by powring or laying some fertill substance to their roots when there is sometimes more need to deprive them of their too fat feeding which causeth them to luxuriate and spend their strength in great and large shoots and broad leaves and blossomes and leave off bearing fruits Nourishment to Fruit-trees ought to be moderate as to other Creatures 11 Nursing up Quincetrees of seed Most men nurse up Quince-trees of seed or slips from the roots and seldome or never Inoculate or Graft them as they doe other trees whereby they loose their fruits many yeares which they might gaine by Grafting or Inoculating of them And when after a long time they doe beare yet their fruits are not so good if the trees come of seed at their first bearing as grafts would bring being cut from old bearing Trees 12 Pruning off too many shoots from Wall-trees Another Error in practise is this Many in pruning Aprecot-Trees and other Wall-trees they prune off most of the fresh young Branches of the last yeares shoot and preserve the old and big branches suffering them to runne up a great part of the wall without small twigs or branches VVhereas they should still from yeare to yeare preserve the small shoots nailing them up to the wall yearely all or most from the lowest part of the Tree to the top and leave no part of the wall void of branches and cause the branches to spread along the sides of the wall both waies and not suffer them to runne upwards too much 13 Grafting seed Plants before removing Another Error amongst some is this They graft young Plants that came of seed in the place where they were sowed before they have beene removed whereby they would get good Roots And hence it followes That such thrust downe a single Root or two commonly into Clay Gravell or moist ground c. which root or roots draw bad nourishment and thereby hurt the Trees and Fruits and in case any of them be removed afterwards being grafted they want good Roots for that they were never removed being young to get good Roots 14 Not pruning the roots of Plants See how to order them pag. 45. Some also when they transplant young Trees they usually set them with all their Roots whereas the Roots of all Trees transplanted ought to be pruned See how pag. 61. 15 Breaking off Buds before Grafts grow Another Error is this Many breake off all the Buds upon the stocks that are engrafted before the Grafts put forth which endangers both Stock Graft For Buds upon the stocks shouldbe let alone all or most untill the Grafts have put forth be able to draw up sap and then break off all the Buds below the Grafts that they may have all the sap Concerning Errors in practise thus much And so I have done at present with all the particular Mysteries concerning the Ordering of Fruit-trees and Fruits Hereafter I may communicate more as God who instructeth the Husbandman to discretion Esay 28.24 25 26. teacheth him shall discover them to me None shall ever in this life know all the secrets of Nature in this Art or any other but yet by meanes of time and diligence we are still finding out new Experiments THE
the top or end of the Plant the top of the Branches will be closed or shut up and no more small Leaves will appeare as in those that have not done growing Early Removing best It s a great advantage to remove plants be time for such grow a while after in their Roots before winter and thereby not only preserve themselves in winter but also make some preparation against the Spring which those removed in winter cannot doe Stay not therefore till the Leaves fall ere you remove although they may be remov'd then with good successe but it is not so good at that time as before The time of removing being come and the place prepared for setting them againe then be carefull in taking up the plants dig round about them and take off the mould from their Roots if it be a small plant it may be drawn up easily the mould being taken away if it be great and the Roots spread much then they may be cut about halfe a yard from the body of the Plant and the greater it is the further off cut the Roots and so draw it up and break off all the Leaves the first thing you doe for the Sun and Aire by meanes of them extract the sap of the branches The next work is to prune the Roots and branches Prune the roots as they need All the ends of the Roots must be cut smooth and most of the small strings or fibra's cut away that so the mould may close to every side of those that are left and new strings may put forth at the cut place and leave not all the Roots as the custome of some is it much hinders the grouth the mould cannot possibly be made to close about all of them being many as it may about a few Likewise if the Plant be of 3 or 4 yeares grouth or more Prune the Branches some of the Branches must be cut say not as many doe her'e 's a faire tree already why should we cut away any part of it but they must be content to loose some of the Branches else they are in danger to loose all for removing of great Plants is a great check to nature and if a few Roots cut short as they must be when removed be put to feed many and large Branches they 'l have but slender and poore nourishment not sufficient many times to preserve life much lesse to make a large grouth But if Plants are very small of a yeare or two yeares grouth you need not cut the Branches except such as crosse one another or grow too nigh together but cut off the ends of the Roots of all because if cut many small strings or fibra's shoot out at the cut place which draw nourishment for the Plant which without cutting would not Plants being thus prepared Set not plants too deep the next thing is to set them again in the ground If the soyl be dry they must be set so much the deeper yet take heed of setting below the good soyl In low and moist grounds set not so deep as in that which is dry The hole for the Plant being digged set in the Root prepared as before and cast in the smallest and best mould next to the Roots and see that the small mould runne between all the Roots to that end stir and shake the Plant that there may not be any hollow place where the mould falls not and being filled up water the Plant that the mould thereby may settle close about all the Roots and so let it rest If the Plants are faire large Plants in danger to be shaken by the winds then knock down a stake close to every one and tye the Plant to it with a hay-Band or some other soft Band. Distance of setting As concerning distance in setting young trees I conceive Tenne yards is litle enough between Apple-trees and Peare-trees in ordinary soyle And if men have ground enough to plant and good soyle I should rather prescribe to Plant them 16 or 20 yards asunder for both Trees and fruits have many great advantages if planted a good distance one from another As for Wall-trees they may be planted 5 or 6 yards asunder The 1 Advantage Such are freed from frettings gallings that happens to Trees that brush and croud one upon another whereby not only the Buds Blossomes and Fruits are rub'd and broken off but also sometimes the Canker thereby breeds and destroies boughs and Branches The 2 Advantage Secondly when Trees are planted a faire distance asunder the sunne refreshes every Tree the Roots body and branches with the Blossomes and Fruits where by Trees bring forth more fruits and those fairer and better The 3 Advantage Thirdly If Apple-trees and Peare-trees are planted 16. or 20. yards asunder much profit may be made of the ground under about the Trees Yee may plant Gooseberries Rasberries Currans Strawberries Roses Flowers and all sorts of Garden stuffe commodious as well for sale as house keeping which cannot be if Trees be planted neere together as the custome is in most places the ground being cold and shady by the Trees Besides the trees would have advantage by frequent digging stirring the earth about their Roots from time to time in setting these things The 4 Advantage Fourthly When Trees have roome to spread as before they will grow very large and great and the consequences of that will be not only multitudes of Fruits but also long lasting and these two are no small advantages besides all the former And men are mistaken when they say the more Trees in an Orchard the more fruits for one or two faire large trees which have roome to spread will beare more fruits then six or ten it may be of those that grow neere together and crowd one another It is a very great and almost a generall Errour the Planting of Fruit-trees too neere together especially as to Apple-trees and Pear-trees as for Cherry-trees plum-trees and the like they need not be planted halfe the distance I speak of 5 or 6 yards in distance is usually enough and 8 yards if the ground be speciall good for all trees grow much larger in some soyles then in others Concerning Order in setting Trees Order in setting Trees though it be not essentiall to a good Orchard yet if men stand upō it they may measure out a square plot of ground more or lesse by a line and then measure the distance that must be betweene every tree according to the kinds that are to be planted and according to the goodnesse or nature of the soile as hath been said And having measured exactly the square plot and the distance of the Trees then set the foure corners first then fill up the square plot on all the foure sides with plants ordered as before and so goe on to fill up all the other places in the Plot exactly by Line or by eye if there be foure or five persons to
Clarret wine p. 55. The dryest Plumms as the Mussle Damazeene c. are the best p. 56. The white Peare-Plum stock a speciall kind to graft or Inoculate upon p. 56. Mix not Plums with Cherries in grafting they hold not long p. 56. Aprecot-Trees are propagated by the bud only not by grafting p. 56. Inoculate buds from the best bearing Trees and upon stocks full of Sap. p. 57. Nutmeg peach one of the best especially in respect of bearing p. 57. The great Blew Figg comes to perfect ripenes with us if set against a South wall p. 57. Vineyards formerly in England p. 58. The Parsley Vine and White Mukadine beare store of good fruits with us p. 58. Portingall Quince the best kind p. 59. Black Mulberry Trees beare abundanly p. 59. Chuse the fairest Walnuts of thinnest shells and good bearers to set p. 59. Graft old Trees if bad bearers or bad fruits p 59 Arbors of Fruit-trees better then of Privet c. p. 60. Begin to Transplant betime divers advantages by it p. 60. Breake off the leaves of Plants when taken up p. 61. Cut the ends of all the Roots smooth before setting p. 61. Set not below the soyle yet deeper on dry ground then on moist p. 51. In setting Trees observe a fit distance see the advantages thereby p. 52. Put some good mould next the Roots of Plants in setting 63. Ordering Plants the first yeare of setting is of speciall concernment p. 63. Suffer not the maine branches of wal-trees to rise upwards but spread them on the sides of the wall p. 64. Wall-trees must be Pruned and Ordered both in Summer and in Winter p. 94. Error in pruning Waltrees Cutting off too many shoots 65. Prune oldtrees about October or November p. 65. Bare old trees at the roots about October and lay some good soyles to them p. 66. Piggions dung Henns dung Blood of Cattle or the like is speciall good to cause Trees to beare well p. 66. Mowing of Orchards is exceeding hurtfull to fruit-trees but suffering Cattell to lye among them is very profitable p. 66. Mosse on Fruit-trees caused by coldnesse and barrennesse of the ground p. 67. Cut off the Branches of Trees Barkbound p. 67. Cut out the Canker of Fruit-trees p. 68. Destroy Catterpillers in breeding p. 68. Preserue the Fruits from Ants Erewiggs Snayles Wasps Birds and winds as much as may be 69. Cyder made of Fruits newly gathered and also when they are mellow how to make it p. 70. Preserve Cyder from Ayre p. 70. Cyder boyled with Spices is very Cordiall p. 70. Colour Cyder with the Juyce of Mulberries great bearing Cherry c. p. 70. Cyder in Bottles sunck into a well will keep good many years p. 71. How to keepe Apples p. 71. Apples helpe concoction p. 71. They are profitable in hot diseases and against melancholy the plurisie c. p. 72. Apples are singular good to cure the Strangury and other diseases proceeding of the difficulty of making water see how ordered p. 72. Peares are more nourishing then Apples p. 72. A wine of peares not inferior to French wines p. 72. Cyder and Perry Cordiall Liquors profitable for health and long life p. 73. Quinces Cordiall fruits and of manifold uses p. 73. How to keepe Quinces a yeare or two p. 73. Cherries breed good bloud in the body The sharp are best p. 73. A pleasant refreshing wine made of Cherries more fit for Summer then hot wines p. 74. Cherries boyld in brothes and drinks good for hot and feuerish bodies p. 74. Kernels of Cherry stones breake the bladder-stone p. 74. Cherries strengthen and stir up appetite to meat p. 74. Plummes cast out chollericke humors and are good in hot diseases p. 74. The infusion of dryed Aprecots is profitable in sharp feavors p. 75. Peaches coole and keepe the belly soluble eat them as all other fruits moderatly and drinke a Cup of wine after p. 75. Wine of Mulberies a small Quantity of Juyce will colour White-wine Cyder Perry c and makes a pleasant sawce p. 74. Juyce of Mulberies good against a sore mouth or throat they styre up a languishing appetite p. 76. Figgs nourish much and breed store of bloud are accompted restorative they help an old Cough boyled with Isop many other purposes p. 76. Medlers fortify digestion stay vomiting and loosnesse of the belly kernells with parslely roots c. mightly drive out stones and gravell from the kidnyes p. 77. Walnuts help digestion with other things they resist poyson greene Walnuts distilled preserve against the Pestilence p. 77. Errors discovered concerning the Art of Planting first in the writings of some secondly in the practice of others see the particulars p. 79 80 81 82. c. Planting of Fruit-Trees The best way of Improvement of Lands THE Profits of Orchards and Gardens are very well known to many in this Nation so that the things I hold forth to men are not doubtfull and questionable whether advantages will arise or noe when they have bestowed their time and labours about them but Profits are as certaine by the blessing of God if men labour in them as a harvest of Corne in Autumme when the husbandman hath plowed and sowed in the spring or other season Worcestershire Herefordshire Gloustershire Kent and many other parts in this Nation can sufficiently evidence the Profits of Orchards and fruit-trees in the fieilds and hedges And those good Common-wealths-men who have written of the Improvement of lands have all agreed that this is the highest way of improvement of any other Mr Blith in his Book intituled The Improver improved a work doubtlesse of singular use hath asserted That Planting Fruit-trees at such a distance as they cannot reach when they have attained largest growth they doe advantage the Land even in respect of Grasse although the common prejudice against Fruit-trees in feilds is that they spoyle Grasse as that some Land not being worth above 10s or 13s 4d. an Acre the Grasse by planting Fruit trees regularly upon it was afterwards worth 30s or 40s or 50s an Acre And the Fruits upon the Trees may yeild some 3l some 5l Or some 6 or 8l an Acre See Pag. 262. of his Book And that in Kent Essex Surrey Middlesex and those parts some Land that was not worth above 6 or 8s the Acre was by Nurseries of young Trees planting and ordering of them in certaine years brought to be worth 20l an Acre and some 40 or more And further he affirmeth that some Orchards in those parts are worth to grase Forty or fifty shillings or 3l an Acre and are so let to Tenants And the fruits of those Trees seldome yeild so little as Double or treble the worth of the Grasse many times five or six fold or more see Pag. 263. of his Book It may perhaps be objected That Fruit-trees so planted make grasse under and about them sower that it is not so pleasant and good for Cattle as some other where no Trees are It
is Answered Although it be not so pleasant altogether as that where ther 's no shade of trees yet other advantages doe more then make amends It s observ'd that such Grasse is earlier in the spring then upon other grounds and that such grounds beare more when it s cut for hay or if pastured it keeps more Cattle then Lands of like quantity not so planted And besides in a hot and dry summer ther 's grasse under and about Trees when it s burnt up in other grounds My advice is therefore all these Profits and advantages considered that men set themselves diligently to this work of Planting Fruit-trees for improvement of their Lands and Estates Not only that they plant good Orchards and Gardens but also that they Plant round about their feilds and in their Corne Pasture and hay grounds the fruit-trees at a large distance one from another 20 yards asunder and that they suffer no branches to spread within two yards from the ground that so they may be out of the reach of Cattle and may not be troublesome to workmen in plowing sowing reaping and other works If the Plants are faire straight ones of two yards high or thereabouts fenced about to preserve them from Cattle at the first with some stakes or the like they will in a few years preserve themselves and will need but little labour about them afterwards as long as they live And hereby men may reape every yeare two harvests from one and the same peece of land the one of Corne the other of fruits of trees and the latter when trees are growne larg probably will be the greater And in this respect this way of improvement of Lands is much better then other wayes of profit because in getting Corne or raising profits by any other wayes of improvement men must of necessity bestow much mony time and paines about them every yeare which eats up a great part of their profits but in Planting fruit-trees the worst is at first after a few years they yeild great profits with little cost and labour So that as was said fruit-trees in a few years with small cost and labour will double and treble the value of Lands and after many years the advance of Profit will be manyfold Ob. But it may be Objected That if all should plant then such great profits could not be made every man would have of his own Ans I answer that if all should plant fruit-trees that may conveniently plant yet would there be multitudes every where to buy for all that For consider in a great Citty or town what a number of people there are who have no Lands at all not so much as a peece of ground belonging to their house and many others but very small quantities these will be buyers of the husbandmans fruits and the wines that he makes of them And let us say what we will or can ther 's many that have Lands which they might Plant and improve to an exceeding great value who will yet be idle and slothfull and object with Solomons sluggard ther 's a Lyon in the way something or other that hinders yet these men when they see fruits will be as eager for them as any others and therefore will be very good Chapmen to buy the Fruits of the diligent husbandman Objections and Discouragements Concerning Planting Answered BEfore I enter upon the work it selfe it will be convenient to Answere some maine Objections to remove discouragements about this work of Planting Fruit-trees that have kept off many from this profitable imployment may stil hinder them unlesse remov'd And then I will give some encouragements to it from Divine and Humane Arguments and Testimonies Ob. 1 This is an Objection amongst many in the Northern parts they say the Northerne Countries are so cold that Fruit-trees will not prosper nor beare fruits there Ans To this I Answere That although it be true that the Northern Countries lye in a more cold Clymate then Worcestershire Herefordshire and those fruit Countries yet I doubt not but that if they were as diligent in planting Fruit-trees in the North parts as men are in these they might have store of good fruits so that some Cautions be observed in the nature of the Trees It s true Cold Countries are not so fitt for choice and tender fruits as warmer Clymates but there are diverse kinds of hardy fruits both Apples Pears Cherries which yearely experience shewes endure cold and come to perfection in cold springs when many other kinds are spoyled Let such kinds therefore be sought for and Planted And besides those good husbands in those parts who are diligent in Planting fruit-trees have fruits answerable Ob. 2 Others say that if they should plant fruit-trees and bestow much labour and cost about them when they come to perfection and bearing fruits they should be rob'd of all or most and the Trees would be spoyled who would Plant to be so serv'd Ans To this I Answere That if there were no remedy against this mischeife it might indeed be a just discouragement but this fear may be removed diverse wayes And I advise having made a good fence about the Orchard keep therein a lusty Mastiffe or two that will not be charmed in the night time and the terror of them would keep most from adventuring upon such an Occasion Secondly some that have good Orchards watch their fruits If a man keep 2 or 3 or more servants they may watch in their turns it s no great matter if you consider for what time only it is necessary which is but from the time that fruits come to be worth getting till they be ripe and that 's not long And consider it is in a pleasant season of the yeare the paines and charge would be but little to the profit we see men are vigilant and diligent much more then this would require upon farr lesse advantages 3. But there is a third means to keep Orchards from being rob'd which I esteeme best of any other It is this I would have every man that hath land to plant some fruit-trees for himselfe that so they may not be theeves to their neighbours and let those that have much fruit spare a part to them that have but little or none of their own and be no niggards but liberall to their neighbours And this bounty will bring a double blessing first from God to increase the fruits secondly from men not to deminish them But I hartily wish that such as make but a sport of robbing an Orchard would but consider the affliction and terrors of conscience that seised upon good Austen See the second Book of his Confessions Chap 4. for this very sin of robbing an Orchard which he was guilty of before his conversion he confesseth it with much greife and aggravates it with noe lesse then tenne circumstances crying earnestly for mercy and pardon Ecce Cor meum Deus meus ecce Cor meum quod miseratus es in
of the stocke that the sap may more easily come out of the Stock into the Graft to feed it for the main current of the sap is betweene the bark and the wood And regard not the custome of many Grafters in setting the outsides even and smooth not considering the insides their successe is according to their skill for the most part We know the Bark of a big stock is much thicker then the bark of a slender graft if the outsides be smooth and even the insides must needs be uneven But I say to joyne the inner sides of both barks together all along the cleft is the Principall thing in Grafting of such big stocks The Grafts being thus placed in the Stocks and the wedg pulled out then Clay them close on every side an inch above the top of the stock to the bottome of the Cleft In chusing Grafts chuse not those that are very small Choice of Grafts and slender they commonly fayle but take the fairest upon the tree and especially those that are fullest of Buds Graft every Cyence into its own kind as all kind of Apples together and also on Crabstocks which is the wild Apple Pear-grafts on wild Pear-stocks the like of other kinds joyn not contrary or different kinds they never come to perfection as Cherry grafts on Plum-stocks or the like Experience makes it manifest to be but lost labour they 'l grow it may be a yeare or two and then dy And in choice of Grafts Observe the best bearing-trees be sure to consider what Trees of all kinds are the best bearers some kinds seldome misse and some other kinds though good fruits seldome hit and therefore take information from those persons that know by experience the nature of the Trees in this regard and accordingly chose or refuse Grafts from them Observe the like in choyce of Vines The Parsley Vine of all other is best for these parts Such Grafts as are bound as is said of the two first waies of Grafting must be unbound after a certain time Vnbind Grafts when they have well closed with the Stock about Midsommer or before they will be fast enough upon the Stock so that they may without danger be unbound but if they be not unbound the band hinders their grouth and besides the winds when the grafts are growne big bushie will break divers of them unlesse they be unbound and also by some means supported and strengthned in the grafted place which may be done by tying a small stick to them a little above and as much below the place where it is engrafted but before you thus bind the stick to strengthen the Graft put a little Clay round about the engrafted place being unbound it will cause the sap sooner to cover the head of the stock After Grafts have had their full growth the first yeare Prune young Grafts they must be Pruned such as neede Pruning As for wall Plants its noe matter of how many Branches they spread more the better but for those that are Grafted low and yet must be made standards leave only one shoot the strongest and biggest shoot and cut off all the rest and let not that straight shoot begin to spread till it be an Ell long at least rather more and then let the Branches spread and inlarge themselves And from yeare to yeare prune off those shoots and branches as are superfluous and grow too neer one another and preserve only such as are fit to make the Tree of a comely forme And if any spire up and shoot too strongly upwards in the middle of the Tree only and spread not sufficiently as is often seene in Peare-trees and some other trees cut off from time to time those strong shoots in the middle and still preserve the outmost branches for all fruit-trees ought to spread as much as may be so that the branches hang not too neere the ground And so much concerning Grafting and also Pruning while they are young Plants I shall now speak of the other work whereby Fruit-trees are increased Inoculating or putting a small Bud into a stock which as to the effects of it is the same with Grafting but differs much in the season and in the manner of the work The time for Inoculating Buds Inoculating Buds is about Midsommer a fortnight before a fortnight after is the chiefe season though Some Plants full of sap may be done afterwards with good successe That this businesse may be done to good purpose it must be considered whether the Buds which we meane to get are sufficiently grown or not they must not be too young and tender and we shall finde that some kinds of Trees have Buds ready sooner then others As the Aprecott especially and those that shoot strongly Let then the biggest and strongest shoots be cut from the Tree that have grown since the spring to that time and cut off the top of the shoot all these Buds that are too small and tender and also cut off the Leaves of the other about a quarter of an inch from the Bud and by that part left we hold the Bud being taken off the Branch but leave not on the whole leafe and stalke as some doe for the aire by meanes of the leafe extracts and drawes out the sap of the Bud in a short time and so spoiles it Observe the kindes Then goe to the Plants you intend to Inoculate which must be like as to the generall kinds with the Buds that you intend to set on as Aprecot Buds and other Plum-Buds on Plumstocks that are wild stocks the White Peare plum stock is accounted the best to inoculate Aprecot buds on or other choice Plums it being a Plant full of sap and in chusing Buds or Grafts be sure alwaies to cut them from those kinds that experience shewes are good bearing Trees Now in setting on the Bud first make a crosse cut upon some smooth place of the stock if it be for a wall-tree then halfe a foot or thereabouts from the ground from the middle of the crosse cut make another straight down about an Inch long or something lesse only through the Bark and with the end of a Pen-knife raise up the bark on both sides as much as to let in the small Bud then make hast to prepare the bud for a man must be quick at this work else the Aire by sudden drying the Bud and the cut part of the stock will much hurt Cut the bark on both sides the Bud and about a quarter of an inch above and as much below the bud and let that end which is to be downwards be a little sharp that it may more easily goe downe betweene the Barke and wood of the stocke and throw away the bark on the opposite side then with a Quill the one halfe cut away or a Pen of steele made thin for the purpose take off the Bud and bark and be sure there be the root of
smallnesse of the fruit but the Newington Peach is a very large and gallant fruit These require choice Plum-stocks to be inoculated upon as the White Peare plum stock or else stocks comming of Peach stones I know but one kind of Figs 7 Of Figs. that come to ripenesse with us in England The great Blew-fig as large as a Catherine Peare The trees grow in divers Gardens in Oxford and beare their fruits to perfect ripenesse it ordered as they should be The trees must be set against a South wall and be spread up with nayles and Leathers These trees are increased from the Root of the old tree draw up the small suckers and plant them or the cuttings of it will grow as of a Vine tree These need neither inoculating nor Grafting Some Authors affirme that there have been Vine-yards in England in former times though they be all destroyed long since 8 Of Grapes Divers places retaine the name of Vine-yards still At Bromwell Abby in Norfolke and at Elie in Cambridg-shiere what else is the meaning of these old Rimes Quatuor sunt Eliae Lanterna Capella Mariae Et Molendinum nec non dans Vinea vinum Englished thus Foure things of Elie Towne much spoken are The Leaden Lanthorn Maries Chappell rare The mighty Milhill in the Minster field And fruitfull Vineyards which sweet wine doe yeeld And doubtlesse men might Plant Vines with good successe to make good wine even with us There are many kinds of Vines but I know none so good and fit for our Climate as the Parsley Vine we see by experience yearely it beares abundance of fruits unto perfection And whosoever would plant Vines in England I think he cannot meet with a better kind then the Parsley Vine both for bearing and goodnesse The Fox Grape is a faire large Fruit and a very great bearer though not of so much esteem as divers others The Red and White Muskadine Grape is an excellent fruit and if the Vines grow upon a South wall and be well ordered they beare store of good fruits I know but two sorts of Quinces 9 Of Quinces the English and Portingall Quince The Portingall Quince I esteem as the better both for bearing and use These are increased from the Roots of old trees Suckers must be drawn up and set in the Nursery or in other convenient places which being grown up must be Grafted with some grafts from old bearing trees but the custome is for the most part to nursse them up without grafting and so ordered they are long ere they come to beare fruit Therefore I advise to Graft or Inoculate them with Grafts or Buds from old bearing Trees There are two kinds of Mulberrie-trees 10 Of Mulberries with us in England the Blacke and the White As for the White I never saw any of its fruit they very seldōe beare any with us But the Black Mulberry-tree never failes of fruit after it is grown up These Trees are not increased by Grafting or Inoculating but by Cuttings from the Branches or sides of the Trees Cut a Bough off as big as a mans arme and after cut it in small Truncheons or peeces a yard long or more lay these in the ground a foot deep only the one end out of the ground a hand breadth or two or thereabouts and keep the earth moist with some good fat water from a standing Pool or Dunghill and clean from weeds and the first or second yeare usually these peeces spring up with severall shoots all which may be cut off with some small Roots and Planted at a fit distance and the old Root will yearly send out more which may either be cut off as before or else bowed down and laid in the earth on one or severall sides which will take root and multiply abundantly and in a few yeares be fit to be transplanted These kinds of Fruits are of least esteem with us 11. Of Medlers yet some like them well being ripe and almost rotten The Trees are increased by Suckers from the Roots and need not Grafting nor Inoculating but if the Fruit be small then get some Buds or Grafts from those Trees which beare large Fruits and Inoculate or Graft upon small Plants or upon the small Boughs of great Trees According to directions given Walnut-trees are propagated from the Nuts 12. Of Walnuts which may be set from the time of ripenesse untill the spring an Inch deep or little more and afterwards transplanted and set at a very great distance 24 or 30 yards asunder for they are very large spreading Trees Be sure to chuse of the best Nuts to set the fairest nuts and thinnest shells and good bearers Thus much briefly concerning the best bearing Trees and how they are propagated As for those Fruit-trees which beare but little or no fruits Graft old Trees if bad bearers by reason that Grafts and Buds were not chosen from good bearing kinds wherewith they were engrafted I advise by all means to Graft or Inoculate such againe though great and old Trees such whose boughs are as big as a mans hand-wrist or smaller may be cut off and grafted in the Cleft with a cupple of good Grafts of good bearing kinds but such Branches as are very great I should rather cut off a convenient height from the ground a slope-wise that no wet may rest upon the top and then after a yeare or two to graft the small Shoots or Branches that are put forth or some of them this is a better course then to graft such great Branches for that moisture will get into the top and rot the Branches and perhaps the Body too ere the Grafts can cover such great heads As concerning Arbors Seats c. in Orchards and Gardens I advise men to make them of Fruit-trees Make Arbors of fruit-trees rather then of Privet or other rambling stuffe which yeelds no profit but only for shade If you make them of Cherry trees Plum-trees or the like there will be the same advantage for shade and all the Fruits superadded All that can be objected is that Fruit-trees are longer in growing up then Privet Virgin-Bower or the like whereof Arbors are commonly made It is answered Though Fruit-trees are something longer in covering an Arbor then some other things yet they make sufficient amends in their lasting and bearing fruits Of Transplanting Trees I shall now give some Rules concerning Transplanting young plants after a yeares grouth or more whether Inoculated or Grafted The time for this work in generall is in Autumne when trees have done growing and that is divers weeks before the Leaves fall Stay not as the custome is till November or after before you transplant for the best time is about the later end of September but because some trees are ready for Transplanting sooner then others observe this Rule Immediatly after Plants have done growing its best to transplant them And when they have done growing may be seen by
assist in the work And by this meanes the Trees will stand in Rowes every way This square once planted though but small at first may be enlarged every way as the ground permits or else the Orchard may be drawn out in length and yet the Trees stand in a right Line every way by this meanes A speciall rule in transplanting In setting all sorts of Trees consider what soile they came out of whether a fat and forc'd soile as divers of the Nurseries about London or some ordinary naturall soile If they came out of very good ground then procure as good or better if it may be had though but a little to lay next to their Roots when they are set againe This should alwaies be observed To Plant Trees in as good or better soile being remov'd as that out of which they were taken For every thing in nature advanced to the better it is gratefull and beneficiall to it but if it be carried to the worse it is a check and repulse to nature and such a one as that if it be in any great degree it either much weakens it or quite destroies it Therefore chuse Trees out of naturall soyles and the worse the better for the Trees but if they must be had out of rich soyles then be sure to procure some more or lesse of as good or better then that out of which they are remov'd to lay to their Roots when set againe For want of observing this course many hundred of good plants have been lost from time to time The well ordering of young Plants the first and second yeare of planting has an influence upon them many yeares which if neglected then the labour and diligence of many yeares after cannot countervaile it the ordering of Cattell while they are young either makes or marrs them so of Trees and other things in some proportion after they have well taken Roote the first and Second yeare they will then grow in ordinary soyles the great danger is at first planting Concerning Wall-trees Wall-trees the Aprecot Peach Nectarine Vine-tree c. these and such choice fruit-trees must be planted upon a South-wall if it may be The best next that I accompt the East-wall and the West not so good the North-wall is nothing worth as having no advantage by the sunne as the other These trees being set as before is said they must be plaisht or spread upon the Wall being young and so from yeare to yeare as they grow greater with Nailes and Lethers And as they grow larger cut only some of the superfluous Branches and twiggs in the middle part but cut not the utmost sides or top Branches untill they be spread as large as they should spread and be sure to leade the maine and biggest Branches along the sides of the wall both wayes and suffer them not to rise straight up as naturally they will but correct nature by art Prune Wall-trees Wall-trees being growen as large as they may be permitted must be Pruned from yeare to yeare first in Sommer secondly in Winter About the end of June or middle of July the Aprecot-trees especially will have put out many large shoots 1 in Sommer some of which must be cut off and others spread up to the wall where there is roome for them Tye up as many as you can conveniently with Lethers and Nayles and cut the rest off that will not so well spread to the Wall then with a paire of sheeres or hook or sharp pruning knife cut all the forepart of the Trees even and smooth as may be and so cut and spread the branches as that the fruits which by that time will be growen towards their bignesse may have the sunne to refresh and ripen them 2 In Winter Secondly towards the begining of October or so soone as the Leaves are fallen off the branches that crosse one another or are not well placed may be rectified or any of the great boughes which are growen old and have but few small branches upon them may be cut off which must not be cut off in Sommer time lest that too great and sudden obstruction of sap kill the whole tree But the cutting of the small Branches in Sommer is some small check and stop to the sap and hinders the excessive rising of it at that time which else would spend it selfe in large superfluous branches and so rob the fruits And besides as that cutting conduceth to the fairnesse and early ripening of the fruits so also it causeth multitudes of Branches and Buds for blossomes the next Spring but this winter Pruning is chiefly for the well ordering of the branches that could not be well placed by reason of the Fruits Leaves in Sommer-time and for the cutting off of greater Branches when need is It is a great errour amongst some who suffer all the young Errour in Pruning large Shoots to grow as much as they will all Summer without cutting and then in Winter they usually cut all or most of them quite off from the trees and preserve only the old stumps or biggest Branches of the trees and by this meanes in the middle part of the Tree and neere the Root there are few or no young Branches to be seene Whereas they should preserve the young Branches to spread up against the wall untill it be full of small Boughs And then some young Shoots every yeare may be cut off in Sommer as before And in cutting away Branches be sure to take those away that grow the straightest out and will not so easily be bowed to the Wall as the other And preserve branches as low and as neere the ground as may be and cause them to bend and grow straight along the sides of the Wall both wayes and suffer not the biggest Branches to rise straight upward as commonly most doe but naile them downwards As for great Trees in the Orchards Fields Hedges Pruning old standard-trees c. they must be Pruned from yeare to yeare as need is in October November or thereabouts observe to cut off the superfluous Branches such as crosse one another and such as grow too close so as the Sunne cannot well come about the bearing Branches Leave no dead Twigges or Branches and scrape off the Mosse that is upon the Body and great Branches Opening the Roots is profitable to some Trees Ordering the Roots of old Trees especially such as grow upon dry and barren grounds In October or there abouts take away the Earth round about the Roots a yard broad or more and so leave the Roots bare and open all Winter that the Raine Snow beames of the Sunne c. may refresh the bottome Roots and make the ground better At Spring fill up the holes againe Also to lay Pigeons dung Hens dung Sheeps dung to the roots or the like stuffe that is very hot and fertill will much help the Trees and make them beare store of fruits Vines or other
Fruit-trees So also of Lees of Wine the washing of strong Beere-Barrels Blood of Cattle dead Dogges Carrion or the like laid or put to the Roots of Trees when opened as before is found very profitable unto fruit-bearing But in case the soyle about the Roots be over fat and fertill it may hinder bearing for it will cause Trees to shoot forth great large shoots and to send forth broad Leaves and but little fruit if so then take away some of the fertill soyle and put in instead sand or cole ashes or any stuffe that is barren that it may dry up and abate some of the too full feeding that the Trees had and so cause fruitfulnesse Though Meat and Drink be never so good wholsome yet excesse hurts the body And further observe That Mowing of Grounds yearely where Fruit-trees grow is exceeding prejudiciall to Trees in respect of bearing unlesse the soyle be exceeding fertill But pasturing of Orchards and Grounds where Fruit-trees grow is observed to be of great advantage to their prospering and bearing Fruits When Cattle are suffered to lye and pasture under about the Trees they much benefit the Roots by their warmth in sitting and by their soyle which soaks down among the Roots and is a great refreshing to them as hath been found by cleare Experience Therfore permit Cattle if it may be convenient to lye pasture under among Fruit-trees after they are grown strong out of their reach save only at those seasons when Fruits are ripe because rubbing against the Trees would shake down the fruits and spoil them And it were better they did not rub against the Trees at any time for in that respect they may doe hurt therefore set Stakes or Posts about the Trees for the Cattle to rubb against whereby the Trees may be preserved And concerning Transplanting Pruning and Ordering the Roots of Trees thus much See further Errors in Practise Diseases incident to Fruit-Trees FRuit-trees are subject to divers Diseases Baptist Port. saies De cultu insit l. c. 35. Affliguntur Plantae omnes veluti Animalia diversis morbis All Trees or Plants are afflicted with divers Diseases as sensible creatures And therefore we should apply our selves to Cure them not for pitty to the Trees as the indulgent compassionate Manichees but for our own profit I shall at present mention only three Diseases that sometimes happen to Fruit-trees Mossinesse Bark-bound and Canker Concerning Mossinesse of Fruit-trees the way to cure that and other Diseases is to take away the Cause sublatâ causâ 1 Mossinesse tollitur effectus If the spring be stopt the streames cannot runne Some to cure this only scrape off the Mosse not indeavouring to take away the Cause so that in a few yeares they are as bad againe that 's but like endeavours for cure of the Tooth-ach or Gout or the like with some outward applications which though they may give some ease for a while yet they strike not at the root they remove not the Cause and therefore they returne againe So that it must be considered what the Cause of Mossinesse is sometimes it is caused by over coldnesse of the ground as in waterish and clay grounds likewise by Barrennesse of the soyle If it be Coldnesse through moysture then use all means to lay it dryer by trenching the ground or if it be Clay-ground then bring in some warmer soyls to mixe with it as Sand Ashes Sheeps-dung Pigeons or Hens-dung or the like If the soyle be too barren then help it by mixtures of good soyles round about the Roots But withall take away the Mosse that is already upon the trees in this manner after Raine rub it off with a Haire-cloth else scrape it off with a piece of hard wood in the forme of a knife Another is the Barke-bound disease 2 Bark-bound This exceedingly hinders the growth of trees it makes them live lingringly and poorly This happens when there is but a dull and slow passage up of sap and in small quantity either by reason of barrennesse of soile or want of due culture to the Branches therefore if the soile be barren it must be mended and likewise some of the Branches cut off and the rest scored downe all along to the Root through the bark on each side with some crosse cuts and nicks in the bark let this be done in the spring time the sap will arise more plentifully Another disease is the Canker 3 Canker naturall to some but accidentally hapning to others by bruises c. This hurts many and spoiles some To cure it cut it out if it be upō the body or great Boughs of trees then cover the place with clay mixed with horse-dung and cut off the small Branches that are dead but withall endeavour to stop the fountaine and cause of it being a sharp and virulent sap by laying Cole Ashes or ashes of burnt wood Nettles Ferne and such like vegetables to the Roots but if the Trees grow upō gravell ground they 'l hardly be cured without altering the soile in a great measure Secondly concerning Mischiefes incident to Fruits 2 Mischiefes incident to fruits by Caterpillers Ants Erewigs Snailes Wasps Birds and cold and strong Winds In the spring time Caterpillers 1 Caterpillers breed and devour many buds blossomes and young fruits especially in a dry season of the Dew and Leaves as one saies when the East Winds blow much which causeth that moist and slimy matter to vivifie L. Bac nat hist pag. 182. They breed also as is observed of the Spawne of Butterflies Now how to to destroy them I know no better way then to pluck off those leaves which have the Cobwebs made upon them in which they breed and tread them under foot for one of them containes multitudes And for those that escape being upon the Trees some smoake them with straw or such like which makes them fall off They may be destroied also by squirting water up into the Trees among the Boughs which washeth them off Secondly Ants 2 Ants. and Pismires hurt Fruits multitudes creep up into some Trees and eat the Fruits Therefore seek out their hils where they breed and lye and powre in scalding water amongst them till they be destroied Or else anoint the bottome of the Trees neere the Root with Tarre round about that so these little theeves may be taken Prisoners by sticking in it Thirdly Fruits growing ripe are sometimes eaten with Erewigs 3 Erewigs One way to destroy them is by setting Oxe hoofes Canes or any hollow thing neere the Roots of the Trees and among the Boughs upon the ends of sticks and they 'l creep in and lye there then take off these hoofes quickly and shake them into a boule of water or crush them with your foot upon the ground These Creatures doe most mischiefe to Wall-trees 4 Snailes especially upon old walls Pick them off betime in the morning destroy