To graffe one Vine upon another.

BUt for to graffe one Vine upon another, ye shall cleave him as ye doe other Trees, and then put the Vine graffe in the cleft, then stop him close and well with Waxe, and so bind him, and he shall grow.

YE shall uncover his roote, and make a hole with a Pier­cer, or small Auger in the greatest roote he hath, without piercing through the roote, then put in a pin (in the said hole) of dry Wood, as Oke or Ash, and so let it remaine in the [Page 54] said hole, and stop it close againe with waxe and then cast earth and cover him againe, and he shall beare the same yeare.

For to have Peaches two Moneths before other.

TAke your Cions of a Peach-tree that doth soone blossome in the Spring time, and graft them upon a franke Mul­berry-tree, and he shall bring of Peaches two moneths before others.

To have Damsons or other Plums unto Alhallontide.

FOr to have Damsons all the Summer long, unto Alhallon­tide, and of many other kind of sorts likewise, ye shall graft them upon the Gooseberry-tree, upon the franke Mulberry-tree, and upon the Cherry-tree, and they shall indure on the Trees till Alhallontide.

To make Medlars, Cherries, and Peaches in eating to tast like spice.

TO make Medlars, Cherries and Peares, to tast in the eating pleasant like spice, the which may also keepe untill the new come againe: ye shall graffe them upon the frank Mul­berry-tree, as J have afore declared, and in the graffing, ye shal wet them in Hony, and put a little of the Powder of some good spices, as the Pouder of Cloves, of Cinamon, or Ginger.

To make a Muscadell tast.

TO make a Muscadell tast, take a Gouge or Chezill of Iron (and cut your Sap round about) then put in your Gouge or Chesill under your Sappe on your Cion, and raise three eyes or oylets round about, and so take off faire and softly your barke round about, and when he is so taken off, doe annoint it all over within the barke, with pouder of Cloves, or Nut­megs, then for it on againe, and stop it close with Waxe round about, that no water may enter in, and with within thrice bearing, they shall bring a faire Muscadell Reison, [Page 55] which ye may after both graffe and plant, and they shall be all after a Muscadell fruit: some slits the barke downe, and so put in of Spice.

To set Apples and Peares to come without blossoming.

FOr to make Apples and Peares, and other sorts of fruit to come without blossoming, that is, ye shall graft them (as ye doe other kind of fruit) upon the Fig-tree.

To have Apples and Chesnuts rath and also long on Trees.

FOr to have Apples called (in French) de blanc Durell, or de Yroall, and of Chesnuts very rath, and long (as untill Alballontide) on the trees; and make such fruit also to en­dure, the space of two yeares, ye shall graft them on a later­ward fruit, as Pome-Richard, or upon a Peare-tree, or Apple-tree of Dangoisse.

To have good Cherries on the trees at Alhallontide.

TO have Cherries on many trees, good for to eat untill Al­hallontide, ye shall graft them upon a franke Mulberry Tree, and likewise to graft them upon a Willow or Sallow-tree, and they shall indure unto Alhallontide on the Trees.

To have rath Medlars two Moneths before others.

FOr to have Medlars two moneths sooner then others and the one shall be better farre then the other, ye shall graft them upon a Gooseberry-tree, and also a frank Mulberry-tree, and before ye doe graft them, ye shall wet them in Hony, and then so graffe them.

For to have rath or timely Peares.

FOr to have a rath Peare, the which is in France, as the Peare Cailonet, and the Peare Hastimean. For to have [Page 56] them rath or soone, ye shall graft them on the Pine-tree: And for to have them late, ye shall graft them on the Peare called in French Dangoisse, or on other like hard Peares.

To have Misples or Medlars without Stones.

FOr to have Medlars without Stones, the which shall tast sweet as Hony, ye shall graffe them as the other, upon an Eglentine, or sweet Bryer-tree, and ye shall wet the grafts (be­fore ye graft them in Hony,

To have Peares betimes.

ALso to have the Peare Anguisse, or Permai [...], or Satigle, (which be of certaine places so called) a Moneth or two before others, the which shall endure and be good untill the new come againe, ye shall graft them upon a Quince-tree, and likewise upon the franke Mulberry-tree.

To have ripe or franke Mulberries very soone and late.

FOr to have franke or ripe Mulberries very soone, ye shall graffe them upon a rath Peare tree, and upon the Goose­berry-tree, and to have very late, and to endure unto Alhal­lontide, ye shall graft them upon the Medlar-tree.

To keepe Peares a Yeare.

HOw for to keepe Peares a yeare, ye shall take of fine salt very dry, and put thereof with your Peares into a barrell, in such sort that one Peare doe not touch another, so fill the barrell if ye list, then stop it, and let it be set in some dry place that the Salt doe not waxe moist, thus ye may keepe them long and good.

To have your fruit tast halfe Apples, halfe Peares.

IF ye will have your fruit tast halfe a Peare, and halfe an Apple, ye shall in the Spring take Graffes, the one a Peare [Page 57] and the other an Apple, ye shall cleave or pare them in the Graffing joynt or place, and joyne halfe the Peare Cion, and to set them into your stocke, and see well that no raine doe en­ter therein upon your joynt, and that fruit shall bring thee halfe a Peare, and the other halfe an Apple in tast.

Times of Graffing.

IT is good also to graffe one or two days before the change, and no more, for looke so many more dayes, as ye shall Graffe before them, so many more yeares it will be ere your Trees shall bring fruit: also it is good graffing all the increase of the Moone, but the sooner after the change, the better.

To Graffe the Quine Apple.

IF ye graffe the Quine Apple, upon an Apple stock, he shall not long continue without the Canker, but to graffe him on a knotty young Crabstocke, he shall indure long without the Canker.

To destroy Pismires or Ants about a Tree.

TO destroy Emets or Ants, which be about a Tree, if ye remove and stirre the earth all about the root of the said Tree, then put thereon all about, a great quantity of the foote of a Chimney, and the Ants of Pismires will either away or else shortly dye.

Another for the same.

TO destroy Ants another way, ye shall take of the Saw-dust of Oke wood onely, and strow that all about the Tree root and the next raine that doth come, all the Pismires or Ants shall dye there: For Earewigs, shoots stopt with Hay, and hanged on the Tree one night, they come all in.

To have Nuts, Plummes, and Almonds.
Nuts greater then other.

TO have great Nuts, Plums, and Almonds greater then others, ye shall take foure Nuts, or of any of this [Page 58] fruit above-said, and put them into a pot of earth, joyning the one to the other as neere as ye can, then make a hole in the bottome of the pot, through the which holes, these Nuts shall be constrained to issue, and being so constrained shall come to perfection and grow together as in one Tree, the which in time shall bring his fruit more greater and larger then others.

To make an Oke or other tree greene in Winter as in Summer.

ALso to make an Oke or other Tree to be greene as well in Winter as in Summer, ye shall take the Graffe of an Oke tree, or other Tree, and graffe it upon the Holly Tree; the best and most surest way is, to graffe one through the o­ther. And who so will edifie or make an Orchard, he ought (if he can) to make it in a moist place, where as the South winds, or Sea winds may have recourse unto them.

The time of Planting without Rootes, and with Rootes.

ALso the best time to plant or set without rootes as with branches or steverings of all sorts of Trees which hath a great pith, as Fig trees, Hasell-ttees, Mulberry-trees, and Vines▪ with other like Trees, all which ought to be set from the mid­dest of September (if the leaves be of) unto Alhallontide, and all other Trees with rootes, ought to be set in Advent untill Christmas, or anone after, if the time be not very cold and dangerous.

To keepe fruit from the Frost.

ALso to keep fruit from the Frost, and in good colour, untill the new come againe, ye ought so for to gather them when the time is faire and dry and the Moone in her decreasing, and that they lye also in very dry places by night, covered thinne with Wheat straw, and if the time of Winter be cold and very hard, then put of Hay above them in your straw, and take it [Page 59] away when as a faire time commeth, and thus ye shall keepe your fruit faire and good.

The dayes to Plant and Graffe.

ALso (as some say) from the first day of the new Moone, unto the xiii. day thereof, is good for to plant, or Graffe, or sow, and for great need, some doe take unto the xvii, or xviii. day thereof, and not after, neither graffe nor sow, but as is afore-mentioned, a day or two dayes afore the change, the best signes are, Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorne.

To have greene Roses all the yeare.

FOr to have greene Roses, ye shall (as some say) take your Rose buds in the Spring time, and then graffe them upon the Holly-stocke, and they shall be greene all the yeare.

To keepe Raisons or Grapes good a yeare.

FOr to keepe Raisons or Grapes good all a whole yeare, ye shall take of fine dry Sand, and then lay your Raisons or Grapes therein, and it shall keepe them good a whole yeare. Some keepe them in a close Glasse from the ayre.

To make fruit laxitive from the Tree.

FOr to make any fruit laxitive from the Tree, what fruit soe­ver it be, make a hole in the stocke, or in the maister roote of the Tree, (with a great Piercer slope-wise) not through, but unto the pith, or somewhat further, then fill the said hole with the juyce of Elder, of Centory, of Seny, or of Turnith, or such like laxitives, then fill the said hole therewith of which of them ye will, or else ye may take three of them together, and fill the said hole therewith, and then stop the said hole close with soft Waxe, then lay it thereon, and put mosse very well over all, so that nothing may issue or fall out, and all the fruit of the said Tree shall be from thence-forth laxitive.

To graffe one Vine on another.

YOu that will Graffe one Vine upon another, ye shall (in Ianuary) cleave the head of the Vines, as ye doe other stockes, and then put in your Vine, Graffe or Cion, but first ye must pare him thin ere ye set him in the head, then Clay and Mosse him as the other.

Chosen dayes to Graffe in and to choose your Cions.

ALso whensoever that ye will Graffe, the best chosen time is on the last day before the Change, and also in the Change, and on the second day after the change [...] if ye Graffe (as some say) on the third, fourth, and fifth day [Page 62] after the change, it will be so many yeares ere those Trees bring forth fruit. Which thing ye may beleeve if ye will, but I will not. For some doe hold opinion, that it is good graffing from the change unto the xviii. day thereof, which J thinke to be good in all the increasing of the Moone, but the sooner the better.

To gather your Cions.

ALso such Cions or Graffes, which ye doe get on the other Trees, the young Trees of three or foure yeares, or five or sixe yeares are best to have Graffes. Take them of no under boughes, but in the top upon the East side, if ye can, and of the fairest and greatest. Ye shall cut them two inches long of the old Wood, beneath the joynt. And whensoever ye will graffe, cut or pare your Graffes taper-wise from the joynt, two inches or more of length, which ye shall set into the stocke; and before ye set it in, ye shall open your stocke with a wedge of Iron, or hard wood, faire, and softly; then if the sides of your clefts be ragged ye shall pare them with the point of a sharp knife on both sides within and above, then set in your Graffes close on the out-sides, and also above; but let your stocke be as little while open as ye can, and when your grafts be well set in, plucke forth your wedge, and if your stockes doe pinch your grafts much, then ye must put in a wedge of the same wood to helpe your Graffes: Then ye shall lay a thicke barke or pill o­ver the cleft, from the one Graft to the other, to keepe out the clay and raine, and so clay them two fingers thicke round a­bout the cliffes, and then lay on Mosse, but wooll is better next to your clay, or else to temper your Clay with wooll or haire, for it shall make it bide closer, and also stronger on the stock-head, some take wooll next the clay and wrappeth it all over with linnen clouts, for the wool being once moist will keep the clay so a long time. And other some take Wollen clouts, that have beene laid in the juyce of Worme-wood, or such like bitter thing, to keep creeping Worms from comming under to the Grafts. If ye graffe in Winter, put your clay up­permost, for Summer, your Mosse. For in Winter the Mosse is [Page 63] warme, and your clay will not cleave. In Summer your clay is cold, and your Mosse keepes him from cleaving or chapping. To bind them take of Willow pills, of cloven Briers, of Oziers, or such like. To gather your Graffes of the East part of the tree is counted best; if ye gather them below on the under boughes, they will grow [...]ggie, and spreading abroad: If ye take them in the top of the tree, they will grow upright. Yet some doe gather there Cions or Graffes on the sides of the trees and so graffe them againe on the like sides of the stocks, the which is of some men not counted so good for fruit. It is not good to graft a great stocke, for they will be long ere they cover the head thereof.

Of Wormes in Trees or fruit.

IF ye have any trees eaten with Worms, or doe bring Wor­my fruit, ye shall use to wash all his body and great bran­ches, with two parts of Gowpisse and one part of Vineger, or else if ye can get no Vineger, with Cowpisse alone, tempered with common Ashes, then wash your trees therwith before the Spring, and in the Spring or in Summer. Anniseeds sowne a­bout the tree rootes, drive away wormes, and the fruit shall be the sweeter.

The setting of Stones and ordering thereof

AS for Almond-trees, Peach-trees, Cherry-trees, Plum-trees, or others, ye shal thus plant or set them. Lay first the stones in water, three dayes and foure nights untill they sinke there­in, then take them betwixt your finger and your thumbe, with the small end upward, and so set them two fingers deepe in good earth. And when ye have so done, ye shall rake them all over, and so cover them: and when they begin to grow or spring, keepe them from weeds and they shall prosper the better, specially in the first yeare. And within two or three yeares after, ye shall set or remove them where ye list, then if ye doe remove them againe after that, ye must proine of all his twigs, as ye shall see cause, nigh the stocke: this ye may doe of all kind of Trees, but specially those which have the great Sappe, as the Mulberry or Fig-trees, or such like.

To gather Gumme of any Tree.

IF ye list to have the Gumme of an Almond-tree, ye shall sticke a great naile into the Tree, a good way, and so let him rest, and the Gumme (of the Tree) shall issue thereat, thus do men gather Gumme of all sorts of Trees: yea, the common Gumme that men doe use and occupy.

To set a whole Apple.

ALso some say, that if ye set a whole Apple foure fingers in the earth, all the Pepins or Curnels in the same Ap­ple, will grow up together in one whole stocke or Cion, and all those Apples shall be much fairer and greater then others: but ye must take heed, how ye doe set those Apples, which doe come in Leape-yeare, for in a Leape-yeare (as some doe so) the Curnels or Pepins, are turned contrary, for if ye should so set as commonly a man doth, ye shall set them contrary.

Of setting the Almond.

ALmonds doe come forth and grow commonly well if they be set without the shell or huske, in good earth or in rotten Hogs dung: Jf ye lay Almonds one day in Vineger, then shall they (as some say) be very good to plant or lay him in milke and water, untill he doe sinke, it shall be the better to set, or any other Nut.

Of Pepins watered.

THe Pepins and Curnels of those Trees, which have a thicke or rough barke, if ye lay them three dayes in water, or else untill they sinke therein, they shall be the better, then [...]et them, or sow them, as is afore-mentioned, and then remove them, when they be wel rooted, or three or foure years growth and they shall have a thinne barke.

To Plant or set Vines.

IF ye Plant or set Vines in the first or second yeare, they will bring no fruit, but in the third yeare they will beare, if they [Page 65] be well kept: ye shall cut them in Ianuary, and set them soon after they be cut from the Vine, and ye shall set two together the one with the old wood, and the other without, and so let them grow, plucking away all weeds from about them, and when ye shall remove them in the second and third yeare, be­ing well rooted, ye shall set them well a foote deepe, (in good fat earth) with good dung, as of one foot deepe or thereabouts, and keep them cleane from weeds, for then they will prosper the better, and in Summer when the Grape is knit, then ye shall breake off his top or branch, at one or two joynts after the Grape, and so the Grape shall be the greater, and in the Win­ter when ye cut them, ye shall not leave past two or three lea­ders on each branch, on some branch but one leader, which must be cut betwixt two joynts, and ye shall leave the young Vine to be the leader. Also ye shall leave thereof three or foure joynts at all times, if a young Cion doe come forth of the old branch, or side thereof, if ye doe cut him ye shall cut him hard by the old branch, and if ye will have him to bring the Grape next yeare, ye shall leave two or three joynts thereof; for the young Cion alwayes bringeth the Grape: ye may at all times so that the Grape be once taken and knit, ever as the superflu­ous Cions doe grow, ye may breake them of at a joynt, or hard by the old branch, and the Grapes will be the greater: thus ye may order your Vine all the Summer long without any hurt.

To Set or Plant the Cherry.

CHerry-trees, and all the trees of stonefruit, would be plan­red or set of Cions, in cold grounds and places of good earth, and likewise in high or hilly places, dry and well in the shade: if ye doe remove, ye ought to remove them in Novem­ber and Ianuary, if ye shall see your Cherry-tree waxe rotten, then shall ye make a hole in the middest of the body two foot above the ground, with a big Piercer, that the humour may passe forth thereby, then afore the Spring shut him up againe with a pinne of the same Tree: thus ye may doe unto all other sorts of trees when they begin to rot, and is also good for them [Page 66] which beare scant of fruit or none.

To keepe Cheries good a yeere.

FOr to keepe Cheries good a yeare, ye shal cut off the stalks, and then lay them in a well leaded pot, & fill the said pot therewith, then put into them of good thin Honey, and fill the said pot therwith, then stop it with Clay that no ayre enter in, then set them in some faire Seller, and put of Sand under and all about it, and cover the Pot well withall, so let it stand or remaine; thus ye may keepe them a yeare, as fresh as though they came from the Tree, and after this sort ye may keepe Peares or other fruit.

Against Pismires.

IF ye have Cherry-trees laded or troubled with Pismires or Ants, ye shall rub the body of the Tree, and all about the root with the juyce of Purslane mingled halfe with Vineger. Some doe use to anoint the Tree beneath all about the body with taro and Birds lime, with wooll, oyle boyled together, and anoint the tree beneath therewith, and doe lay the Chalke stones all about the Tree roote, some say it is good therefore.

The Setting of Chesnuts.

THe Chesnut-tree, men doe use to plant like unto the Fig-tree. They may be both planted and graffed well, they waxe well in fresh and fat earth, for in sand they like not. If ye will set the Curnels, ye shall lay them in water untill they doe sinke, and those that doe sinke to the bottome of the water be best to set, which ye shall set in the Moneth of November and December, foure fingers deepe, a foot one from another, fo [...] when they be in these two Moneths set or planted they shall endure long and beare also good fruit, yet some there be that plant or set them first in dung, like Beanes, which will be sweeter then the other sort, but those which be set in these two Moneths aforesaid, shall first beare their fruit, men may prove which is b [...]st, experience doth teach.

This is another way to prove a [...]d know, which Chesnuts be best to plant or set, that is, ye shall take a quantity of nuts, then [Page 67] lay them in Sand the space of thirty dayes, then take and wash them in water faire and cleane, and throw them into water a­gaine and those which doe sinke to the bottome, are good to plant or set, and the other that swimme are naught; thus may ye doe with all other Curnels or Nuts.

To have all stone fruit tast, at ye shall thinke good.

IF ye will have all stone fruit tast as ye shall fansie or thinke good, ye shall first lay your stones to soke in such licour or moisture, as ye will have the fruit tast of, and then set them, as for the Date tree (as some say) he bringeth no fruit except he be a hundred yeare old, and the Date-stone must soke one Moneth in the water before he be set, then shall ye set him with the small end upward in good fat earth, in hote Sandy ground foure fingers deepe, and when the boughes doe begin to spring, then shall ye every night sprinckle them with raine water, (or other if ye have none) so long till they be come forth and growne.

Of Graffing the Medler and Misple.

FOr to graffe the Medler or Misple: men doe use to Graffe them on the White Hathorne Tree, they will prove well, but yet small and sower fruit, to graffe one Medlar upon another is the better, some men doe graffe first the Wilding Cion upon the Medlar stocke, and so when he is well taken and growne, then they graffe thereon the Medlar againe, the which doth make them more sweet, very great and faire.

Of the Fig-tree.

THe Fig-tree in some Country, beareth his fruit foure times a Yeare, the Blacke Figges are the best being dryed in the Sunne, and then layed in a Vessell in beddes one by another, and then sprinckled or strawed all over, every lay with fine Meale, then stop it up, and so it is sent out of that Land. If the Fig-tree will not [Page 68] beare, ye shall digge him all about, and under the roots in Fe­bruary, and take out then all his earth, and put unto him the dung of a Privie, for that he liketh best: ye may mingle with it of other fat earth, as Pigeons dung mingled with Oyle and Pepper stampt, which shall forward him much to noint his rootes therewith: ye shall not plant the Figge-tree in cold times, he loveth hote, stony, or gravelly ground, and to be planted in Autumne is best.

Of the Mulberry-tree.

IF ye will plant the Mulberry-tree, the Fig-tree, or others which bring no seed, ye shall cut a twig or branch (from the tree roote) of a yeares growth, with the old wood or barke, about a cubit long, which ye shall plant or set all in the earth. save a shaftment long to it, and so let it grow, watering it as ye shall see need. This must be done before the leaves be­gin to Spring, but take heed that ye cut not the end or top a­bove, for then it shall wither and dry.

Of Trees that beare bitter fruit.

OF all such trees as beare bitter fruit, to make them bring sweeter, ye shall uncover all the rootes in Ianuary, and take out all that earth, then put unto them of Hogs dung great plenty, and then after put unto them of other good earth and so cover them therewithall well againe, and their fruit shall have a sweeter tast. Thus men may doe with other trees which bring bitter fruit.

To helpe barren Trees.

HEre is another way to helpe barren Trees, that they may bring fruit, if you see your Tree not beare scantly in three or foure years good plenty, ye shall bore an hole with an Auger or Piercer, in the greatest place of the body, (with­in a yard of the ground) but not through, but unto or past the heart, ye shall bore him a slope: then take honey and water mingled together a night before, then put the said Hony and [Page 69] water into the hole and fill it therewith, then stop it close with a short pinne made of the same Tree, not stricken in too farre for piercing the licour.

An other way.

IN the beginning of Winter, ye shall dig those Trees round about the rootes, and let them so rest a day and a night, and then put unto them of good earth, mingled well with good store of watred Otes, or with watred Barley or Wheat, laid next unto the rootes, then fill it with other good earth, and he shall beare fruit; even as the boring of a hole in the maister roote, and striking in a pinne, and so fill him againe, shall helpe him to beare, as before is declared.

To keepe your Fruit.

ALL fruit may be the better kept if ye lay them in dry places, in dry straw or Hay, but Hay ripeth too sore, or in a Barley-mow, not touching one the other, or in Chaffe, or in vessels of Iuniper or Cipers wood: ye may so keepe them well in dry Salt or Hony, and upon boardes, whereas fire is nigh all the Winter, also hanging nigh fire in the Winter, in Nets of yarne.

The Mulberry-tree.

THe Mulberry-tree, is planted or set by the Fig-tree: his fruit is first sower, and then sweet, he liketh neither Dew nor Raine, for they hurt him, he is wel pleased with foule e [...]rth and dung: His branches will waxe dry within every sixe yeares, then must ye cut them off, as for other Trees they ought to be proined every yeare, as ye shall see cause, and they will be the better, and to plant them from the midst of Fe­bruary, to the midst of March is best.

Of Mosse of the Tree.

OF the Mosse on your Trees, ye must not let it too long be unclensed, ye must rub it off with a grate of wood, or a rough Haire, or such like, in Winter when they be moist

To have the Peach without stones.

FOr to make the Peach grow without stones, ye shall take a Peach-tree newly planted, then set a Willow hard by, which ye shall bore a hole through, then put the Peach-tree through the said hole, and so close him on both sides thereof, Sappe to Sappe, and let him so grow one yeare, then the next yeare ye shall cut off the Peach stocke, and let the Willow feed him, and cut off the upper part of the Willow also three fin­gers high: and the next Winter saw him off nigh the Peach, so that the Willow shall feed but the Peach onely: and this way ye may have Peaches without stones.

Another way for the same.

YE shall take the Graffes of Peaches, and Graffe them up­on the Willow stocke, and so shall your Peaches be like­wise without stones.

If Trees doe not prosper.

IF ye see that your Trees doe not waxe nor prosper, take and open the rootes in the beginning of Ianuary or afore, and in the biggest roote thereof, make an hole with an Auger to the pith or more, then strike therein a pinne of Oke and so stop it againe close, and let it be well waxt all about the pinne, then cover him againe with good earth, and he shall doe well, some doe use to cleave the roote.

How to graffe Apples, to last on the Tree till Ahallontide.

HOw ye may have many sorts of Apples upon your Trees untill Alhallontide, that is, ye shall graft your Apples up­on the Mulberry-tree, and upon the Cherry-tree.

To make Cherries and Peaches smell and tast like spice.

HOw to make that Cherries and Peares, shall be pleasant and shall smell and tast like spice, and that ye may keepe [Page 73] them well, till the new doe come againe, ye shall graffe them on the Mulberry-tree, as is afore-said: But first ye shall soake them in Hony and Water, wherein ye shall put of the powder of Cloves, Ginger, and Cinamon.

To graffe an Apple which shall he halfe sweet and halfe sower.

TO graffe that your Apples shall be the one halfe sweet, and the other halfe sower, ye shall take two Cions, the one sweet and the other [...]ower, some doe put the one Cion through the other, and so gr [...]ffes them betweene the barke and the Tree; and some againe doe p [...]re both the Cions finely, and so sets them joyni [...]g into the stocke, inclosing Sap to Sap, on both the out-side [...] of the graffes, unto the out-sides of the stock, and so sets them into the head as the other, and they shall bring fruit, the one halfe sweet and the other halfe sower.

To graffe a Rose on the Holly.

FOr to graffe the Holly, that his l [...]aves shall keepe all the yeare greene; Some doe take and cleave the Holly, and so graffes in a white or red Rose bud, and then put clay and [...]osse to him, and lets him grow, and some doe put the Rose bud into a slitte of the barke, and so patteth Clay and Mosse and binds him featly therein, and lets him grow, and he shall cary his leafe all the yeare.

Of keeping of Plummes.

OF Plums there be many sorts, as Damsons, which be all blacke and counted the best: All manner of other Plum: a man may keepe well a yeare, if they be gathered ripe, and then dryed, and put into Vessels of Gl [...]. If ye c [...] ­not dry them well in the Sunne, ye shall dry them on hu [...] ­dels of Oziers made like Lattice Windowes, in a hot Oven after Bread is drawne forth, and so reserve them. If a Plum-tree like not, open his rootes, and powre in all about the dregs of Wine mixt with Water, and so cover him well againe, or [Page 74] powre on them stale Urine or old pisse of old men, mixt with two parts of water, and so cover him as before.

Of altering of Peares, or stony fruit.

IF a Peare doe tast hard or gravelly about the core, like small stones, ye shall uncover his rootes (in the Winter, or afore the Spring) and take out all the earth thereof, and pricke out all the stones as cleane from the earth as ye can about his root, then sift that earth, or else take of other good fat earth without stones, and fill all his rootes againe therewith, and he shall bring a so [...]t and gentle Peare to eate, but ye must see well to the watering of him often.

The making of Cyder and Perrie.

OF Apples and Peares, men doe make Cyder and Perry, and because the use thereof in most places is knowne, I will heere let passe to speake any furthet thereof, but this (in the pressing your Cyder) I will counsell you to keepe cleane your vessels, and the places where as your fruit doth lye, and specially after it is bruised or broken, for then they draw filthy ayre unto them, and if it be nigh the Cyder shall be infected therewith, and also beare, the tast after the infection thereof, therefore as soone as you can, tun it into cleane and sweet ves­sels, as into vessels of white Wine, or of Sacke, or of Cl [...]ret, and such like, for these shall keepe your Cyder the better and the stronger a long time after: ye may hang a small bag of linnen b [...] a threed downe into the lower part of your Vessell, with Powder of Cloves, Mace, Cinamond, and Ginger, and such like, which will make your Cider to have a pleasant tast.

To helpe frozen Apples.

OF Apples that be froz [...]n in the cold and extreame Win­ter. The remedy to have the Ise out of them, is this. Ye shall lay them first in cold water a while, and then lay them before the fire, or other heat, and they shall come to themselves againe.

To make Apples fall from the Tree.

IF ye put of fiery coles under an Apple-tree, and then cast of the powder of Brimstone therein and the fume thereof as­cend up, and to [...]ch any Apple that is wet, that Apple shall fall incontinent.

To water Trees in Summer if they waxe dry a­bout the Roote.

WHereas Apple-trees be set in dry Ground and not dead in the Ground, in Summer if they want moy­sture ye shall take of Wheat straw, or other, and every evening (or as ye shall see cause) cast thereon water all about, and it will keepe the Trees moist from time to time.

To cherish Apple-trees.

IF ye use to throw (in Winter) all about your Apple-trees or the rootes thereof, the Urine of old men, or stale pisse long kept, they shall bring fruit much better, which is good for the Vine also, or if ye doe sprinckle or annoint your Apple-tree rootes with the Gall of a Bull, they shall beare the better.

To make an Apple grow in a Glasse.

TO make an Apple grow within a Glasse, take a Glasse what fashion ye list, and put your Apple therein when he is but small, and bind him fast to the Glasse, and the Glasse also to the Tree, and let him grow, thus ye may have Apples of divers proportions, according to the fashion of your Glasse. Thus may ye make of Cucumbers, Gourdes, or Pomeci­trons the like fashion.

THese three branches and figure of graffing in the shield in Summer is, the first branch sheweth how the barke is taken of, the middle place sheweth, how it is set too, and the last branch sheweth how to bind him on, in saving the oylet or eye from bruising.

To graffe many sorts of Apples on one Tree.

YE may graffe on one Apple-tree at once, many kind of Apples, as on ever, branch a contrary fruit, as is afore decl [...]red, and of Peares the like; but see as nigh as you [...], that all your Cions be of like springing, for else the one will not grow and shadow the other.

To colour Apples.

TO have c [...]oured Apples, with what colour ye shall thinke good, ye shall bore slope a hole with an Auger, in the big-Tree part o [...] the body of the Tree, unto the middest thereof, [Page 77] or there-abouts, and then look what colour ye will have them of. First ye shall take water, and mingle your colour therewith, then stop it up gaine with a short pinne made of the same wood or tree, then waxe it round about; ye may mingle with the said colour what space ye list, to make them tast there­after: thus may ye change the colour and t [...]st of any Apple. Your colours may be of S [...]ffron [...] soule, Bra [...]ell [...]un­ders, or other what ye shall see goo [...]. This must be done be­fore the Spring doe come: So [...]e doe [...]ay, [...] graffe on the Olive stocke, or on the Alder stocke, they [...]. Ap­ples. Also they say, to graffe to have [...] shall graffe in both the ends of your Cion into the [...] when they be fast grow [...]e to the stock [...] [...]e shall [...] middest, and let the smaller e d grow upward, or else [...] Cion and graffe the small end of the stocke downeward, [...] so shall ye have your Apple-tree on St. L [...]berts day (wh [...] is the xvii of September) they shall never wast, consume, [...]or waxe d [...]y, which I doubt.

The setting of Vine Plants.

THese figures doe shew how ye ought to plant and set your Vines, in two and two together, the one to have a p [...]r [...] of the old Tree, and the other may be all of the last Cion, but when ye plant him with a part of the old tree, he shall com­monly take root sooner then the new Cion; ye must weed them every moneth, and let not the earth be too [...] above their rootes at the first, but now and then lose it with [...] as ye shall see a raine past, for then they shall enlarg [...] [...] forth better. Further herein ye shall [...].

How to proyne or cut a Vine in Winter.

THis Figure sheweth, how all Vines should be proined and cut, in a convenient time after Christmas, that when ye cut them, ye shall leave his branches very thinne, as ye see by this figure, ye shall never leave above two or three leaders at the head of any principal branch, ye must also cut them off in the middest betweene the knots of the young Cions, for those be the leaders which will bring the Grape, the rest and order ye shall understand as followeth.

Of the Vine and Grape.

SOmewhat I intend to speake of the ordering of the Vine and Grape, to plant or set the Vine: the Plants or Sets which be gathered from the Vine (and so planted) are best, they must not be old gathered nor lye long unplanted after they be cut, for then they will soon gather corruption, and when ye do gather your Plants ye must take heed to cut & chose them, where as ye may with the yong Cion, a joynt of the old wood [Page 79] with the new, for the old wood will soonet take root then the new, and better to grow then if it were all young Cion, ye shall leave the old wood to the young Cion, a foote or halfe a foote, or a shaftment long, the young Cion ye shall cut the length of three quarters of a yard or thereabouts, and yee shall choose of those young Cions that be thickest joynter, or nigh joynts together, and when ye shall Plant or set them, looke that your ground be well digged in the winter before, then in Ianuary ye may both cut and plant, but cut not in the Frost, for that is danger of all kind of trees, or yee m [...]y plant in the beginning of February, and when ye doe plant, ye shall take two of those plants, and set or lay them toge­ther, a foote deepe in the earth, for two plants set together will not [...]o soone fall, as one alone, and lay them a foote long­wise in the earth, so that there may be aboue the earth three or foure joynts: ye may plant a young Cion with the old, so that it be thicke or nigh joynted, for then he is the better to roote, and also to bring fruit: then when ye haue set or layed them in the earth, then cover them well therewith, in trea­ding it fast downe unto the plants, but let the ends of your Cions or Plants be turned upright, aboue the earth, three or foure joynts, if there shall be more when they be set, ye shall cut them off, and ye shall cut them alwaies in the middest betweene the two joynts, and then let them so grow, and see that ye weed them alwayes cleane, and once a moneth loose the earth round about them and they shall proue the bet­ter, If it be very dry and hot in the Summer after, ye may water them, in making a hole with a crow of Iron to the roote and there ye shall powre in water in the evening. As for the proyning of them is, when the Grape is t [...]ken and clu­stered, then ye may brake the next joynt or two frer the Grape, of all such sup rfluous Cions as ye shall see cause, which will cause the Grape to waxe bigger: Ye may also breake away all supe [...]fluous buddes or slender branches, which commeth about the roote, or on the under branches, which ye thinke will haue no Grape, and when ye proi [...]t or [Page 80] [...] them in Winter following, ye shall not cut the yong Cion [...]ight the old, by three or foure joynts, ye shall not cut them like [...], to leave a sort of heads together on the branch, which doth kill your Vine, ye shall leave but one head, or two at the most of the young Cions upon the old branch, and to cut those yong Cions three or foure knots or joynts of, for the yo [...]g Cion doth carry the Grape alwayes, and when ye leave upon a great branch many Cions, they cannot be well nouri­shed, and [...] ye [...] [...]o cut them in Winter, ye shall bind [...] Oziers, in placing those young branches as ye shall [...] vine, when the branches are ten­der, ye shall bind them so, that the stormy tempest or wind do not hurt the [...] [...] to bind them withall, the best is, great [...]oft Rushes and when the Grape is clustered, then ye may breake of all such branches as is afore declared, upon one old branch three or foure heads be enough, for the more heads your branch [...]th, the worse your Grape shall be nourished, and when ye cut off a [...]y branch, cut him of hard by or nigh the old branch; if your Vine waxe old, the best remedy is, if there grow any young [...]ion about the root, ye shall in the Winter cut off the old Vine h [...]rd by the ground, or as nigh as ye can and let the young Vine lead, and he will continue a long time, if ye cover [...] about the roote with good Earth againe. There is also upon or by every cluster of Grapes, a small [...]i­on like a Pigs T [...]ile, turning about, which doth take away the Sap from the Grape, if ye pinch it of hard by the st [...]lke of your Grape, your fruit shall be the greater. If your Vine w [...]xe too ra [...]ke and thicke of branches, ye shall digge the root in Winter and open the earth, and fill it up againe with Sand a [...]d Ashes mingle together, and whereas a Vine is unfruitfull a [...]d doth not beare ye shall bore a hole (with an Auger) unto the h [...]art or pith, in the body or thickest part thereof, then p [...] in the said hole a small stone, but fill not the hole close therewit [...], but so that the sicknesse of the Vine may passe ther­by. Then lay all about the roote of good earth mingled w th [Page 81] good Dung, and so shall he not be unfruitfull, but beare well ever after: or also, to tast of old mens urine or pisse, all about the roote of the barren Vine, and if he were halfe lost or mard he should grow againe and waxe fruitfull as before: This is to be done in Winter.

To have Grapes without stones.

FOr to have Grapes without stones, ye shall take young Plants or Branches, and shall set or plant the top or small end downeward in the earth, and so ye may set two of them together for failing, as I have afore declared of the others, and those branches shall bring Grapes without stones.

To make your Vine to bring a Grape to tast like Claret.

TO make your Vine to have a Grape, to tast like Claret Wine, and pleasant withall: ye shall bore a hole in the stock unto the hart, or pith thereof, then shall ye make a Lectu­ary with the Powder of Cloves, of Cinamond mingled with a little Fountaine or running water, and fill the said hole there­with and stop it fast and close with waxe, and so bind it fast thereon with a Linnen cloth, and those Grapes shall tast like Claret-wine.

Of gathering your Grapes.

ALL Grapes that men doe cut, before they are through ripe, the Wine shall not be naturall, nor yet shall long endure good: But if ye will cut or gather Grapes, to have them good, and to have good Wine thereof, ye shall cut them in the Full, or soone after the full of the Moone, when she is in Can­cer; in Leo, in Scorpio, and in Aquarius the Moone being in the waine and under the earth.

To know if your Grape be ripe enough.

FOr to know if your Grape be ripe enough, or not, which ye shall not onely know in the tast, but in sight and tast together, as in tast if they be sweete, and full [Page 82] in eating, and in sight, if the stone will soone fall out being chafed or bruised which is t [...]e b [...]st knowledge, and also whe­ther they be white or blew, it is all one matter: The good Grape is he, which commeth out all watry, or those which be all clammie as Bird-lime: by these signes ye shall know when to cut, being through ripe or not, and whereas you doe presse your Wine, ye must make your place sweet and cleane and your Vessels within to be cleane also, and see that they have strong heads, and those persons which doe presse the Grape, must looke their hands, feet and body be clean washed, when as they goe to presse the Grape, and that no woman be there having her termes: And also ye shall eat of no Chebols, Scalions, On [...]ons, or G [...]rlike, Annisceds, or such like: For all strong savours your Wine will draw the infection thereof, and as soone as your Grape is cut and gathered, you shall presse your Wine after, as soone as ye may, which will make your Wine to be more pleasant and stronger, for the Grapes which tarrieth long unprest, maketh the Wine to be small and ill; ye must see that your vessels be new, and sweet within, and to be washed with sweet water, and then well dryed againe, and to perfume them with M [...]sticke, and such sweet vapour, and if your Vessell chance not to be sweet, then shall ye pitch him on the sides, which pitch will take away all evill, and such stinking savour therein.

To prove or tast Wine.

ANd whensoever ye will prove or tast any Wine, the best time is, early in the Morning, and take with you three or foure sops of bread, then dippe one after another into the Wine, for therein ye shall find (if there be any) sharpe tast of the Wine. Thus I leave (at this present) to speake any fur­ther hereof the Wine and Grape.

If this my simple labour be taken in good part (Gentle Reader) it shall the more hereafter encourage me, to set forth a­nother Booke more at large, touching the Art of Planting and Graffing, with other things necessary to be knowne.

Heere followeth the best times how to order or choose, and to Set or Plant Hoppes.

IN this figure ye shall understand, the placing and making of Hoppe hills, by every Sipher over his head, the first place is shewed, but one Pole set in the middest, and the Hop beneath: The second sheweth, how some doth chop downe a Spade in the middest of the Hills, and therein layes his Hop rootes. The third place sheweth, how other some doe set out one Pole in the middest, and the Hop rootes at holes put in round about. The fourth place sheweth, how some chops in a Spade crosse in the top, and there layes in his rootes. The fifth place sheweth, how some doe set foure Poles therein, and puts the Hop round about the Hill. The sixth place sheweth, that some use to make crosse-holes in the sides, and there layes in the Hop rootes. Thus many practises have beene proved good: Proved alwayes, that your Hills be of good fat earth, specially in the middest downe unto the bottome. This I thought sufficient to shew by this figure, the diversity in set­ting, whereof the laying of the Hop is counted the surest way.

THe best and common setting time of Hoppes, is from the middest of November, to the midst of February, then [Page 84] must ye dig and cleanse the ground of weeds, and mixe it well with good mould and fat earth. Then devide your Hills a yard one form another orderly, in making them a yard a sun­der, and two foot and a halfe broad in the bottome, and when that ye plant them, ye shall lay in every Hill three or foure rootes: Some doe in setting of them lay them crosse-wise in the midst of the Hill, and so covers them againe: some sets the rootes in foure parts of the Hill, other some doe make holes round about the hills, and puts of the rootes therein, and so covers them againe light with earth; of one short roote in a yeare ye may have many plants, to set and lay as ye shall see it good, and it shall be sufficient for every plant, to have two knots within the ground, and one without: then some doe chop a Spade crosse into the Hill, and layes in crosse Hop, and so covers it.

To choose your Hoppe.

YE shall choose your rootes best for your Hop, in the Sum­mer before ye shall plant them, for then ye shall see which beares the Hop, for some there is that brings none, but that which beares, choose for your plants, and set of those in your Hills, for so shall ye not be deceived and they shall prosper well.

To sow the Seeds.

SOme doe hold, that ye may sow among other Seeds, the Seeds of Hops, and they will encrease and be good to set, or else to make beds, and sow them alone, whereby they may encrease to be set, and when they be strong, ye may remove and set them in your Hills, and plant them as the other be­fore mentioned.

The Setting your Poles.

THe best time is in Aprill, or when your rootes be sprung h [...]l [...] a yard long or more, then by every Plant or Hop in your hills, ye shall set up a Pole of xiii. or xiiii. foot long, or thereabouts, as cause shall require. Some doe use to set but [Page 85] foure Poles in every Hill, which is thought sufficient, and when ye shall set them, see that ye set them so fast that great Winds doe not cast them downe.

How to proyne the Hop-tree.

YE shall marke when the Hop doth blossome, and knit in the top, which shall be perceived to be the Hop, then take and cut up all the rest growing thereabouts (not having Hop thereon) hatd by the earth, that all those which carry the Hop might be the better nourished: thus shall ye doe in Summer as ye shall see them encrease and grow, untill the time of ga­thering.

To gather the Hoppe.

AT such time afore Michaelmasse, as ye shall see your hop waxe browne, or somewhat yellow, then he is best to be gathered in a dry day, in cutting your hop by the ground, then pluck up your Pole therewith for shaking of your hop, so cary them into some dry house and when ye have so pluckt them, ye shall lay them on boarded lofts, or on hurdels of cloathes, that the wind may dry them, and the ayre, but not in the Sun, for the same will take away the strength thereof, nor with fire, for that will doe likewise, and ye shall daily tosse and turn them till they be dry: to try them when they are dry, hold them in your hand a space, and if they cleave together when ye open your hand, they are not then dry; but if they shatter a sunder in opening your hand, then ye may be sure they are dry enough. It not let them remaine, and use ye them as is be­fore said. Ye shall understand the drynesse of them is to pre­serve them and long to last, but if need be, ye may occupy them well und [...]yed with lesse portion to sow.

What Poles are best.

YE shall prepare your Poles of such Wood as is light and stiffe, and which will not bow with every Wind, the best and meetest time to get them is in Winter, when the Sap is [Page 86] gone downe, and as soone as ye have taken of your Hop, lay your Poles in sundry places untill the next Spring, whereby they may endure the longer.

How to order and dresse your Hills.

AFter the first yeare is past, your Hop being increased to more plenty of rootes in your Hills, ye shall after Mi­chaelmasse every yeare open your Hills, and cast downe the tops unto the roots, uncovering them, and cut away all the su­perfluous rootes, some doth plucke away all the rootes that spreades abroad without the Hills, then opens the Hills and puts of good new earth unto them, and so covers them again, which shall keepe them from the Frost, and also make the ground fat, so shall ye let them remaine unto the Spring of the yeare in February or March, then againe if ye shall see a­ny superfluous rootes, ye may take them away, and cut them up and your Hop shall be the better, then againe cast up the earth about your Hills, and cleansing them from all weeds and other rootes, which will take away their strength, if the hearbes remaine, so let them rest till your Poles may be set therein.

Of ground best for your Hoppe.

THe Hop delighteth and loveth a good and reasonable fat ground, not very cold, nor yet too moist, for J have seene them prove well in Flanders, in dry Sandy fields, the Hop-hills being of good fat earth, ye may (as some say) for great need make your Hop grow and beare on any kind of Rockie ground, so that your Hills be great and fat earth, but the lower ground commonly proveth best, so that it stand well and hot in the Sunne.

A Note of the rest above-said.

YE shall marke and understand, all this order above said, is to have many Hops and good, with a few rootes and Plants placed in a small plot of ground. Ye shall understand, that wild Hoppe that groweth in the hedges is as good to oc­cupie as the other to set or plant, in any other places but look [Page 87] that ye take not the barren Hoppe to plant, some Hoppe will be barren for want of good earth, and lacke of good dressing which ye shall perceive (as I have told you) in the Summer before, that when they should beare they will be barren, which is for want of good fat earth, or an v [...]kind yeare, or lacke of weeding and good ordering. Therefore such as are minded to bestow labour on the ground, may have as good Hoppe growing in this country, as is in other countries: but if ye will not goe to that cost to make Hoppe yards, ye may with a light charge have hops grow in your hedge-rowes, to serve as well as the other, and shall be as good for the quan­tity as the other in all respects: ye may (for lacke of ground) plant Hoppe rootes in Hedge-rowes, when ye doe quicke set, set up Poles by them when time shall require in the Spring and to bestow every winter after the gathering your Hoppe, on every hill head, a shovell full of dung to comfort the earth for then will they beare the more plenty of Hoppes the next yeare following. To conclude, you that have Grounds may well practise in all things afore-men [...]io [...]ed, and specially to have Hops in this ordering, for your selves, and others: also ye shall give encouragement for others to follow hereafter, J have heard by credible persons, which have knowne a hun­dred Hills, (which is a small plot of Ground) to beare three hundred pound of Hoppes, so that the commodity is much and the gaines great: and one pound of our Hops dryed and ordere [...], will goe as farre as two pound of the best Hops that commeth from beyond the Seas. Thus much I thought meet, and necessary to write, of the ordering and planting of the Hoppe.

How to packe your Hoppes.

VVHen your Hops be well tossed and turned on borded flowres, and well dryed (as I afore have shewed) ye shall put them into great Sackes, according to the quantity of your Hoppes, and let them be troden downe hard together, which will keepe their strength longer, and so ye may re­serve [Page 88] them, and take at your pleasure. Some doe use (which have but small store) to tread them into dry Fattes, and so serve them for their use, which is counted the better way, and the lesse portion doth serve, and will longer kee [...]pe their vertue and strength.

Of apt and unapt Ground for Hoppes.

SOme hold at this day (and ancient Writers witnesse the same) that earth being salt and bitter of tast, Ʋirgilius. is neither good, nor apt to be made good.

It is also often written, and generally received, that such earth as you shall see white and bare (that is to say) wholly [Page 92] chalke, or all sand lacking a mixture of perfect earth, or if it be clay, Didymus. Plinius. or so dry, as thereby it shall gape or coane in the Sum­mer, is nought for this or any like purpose.

It is further said, that if you shall feele a clod (being dissol­ved with water) to be very clammy, or cleaving like Waxe to your fingers in kneading it, the same to be profitable land, &c.

J for my part rely not upon other mens opinions, neither meane to dispute with any man herein, J like not to make my mouth an arbitrater in this matter, mine eye may be deceived and my feeling may erre in the precise distinction of good or bad land, but mine experience hath never failed in this thing (that is to say) that a barren, a moory, or wet soyle (though it perhaps doe content a wild Hoppe) shall never please nor maintaine a good Hoppe.

I will not say with Varro, that a good ground yeeldeth Walwoorts, nor with Collumella, that where Crabs or slowes grow, there the ground is rich. J can say nothing of Floren­tines experience in digging a hole, and filling it up againe, and by the swelling to judge the strength, or by the gaping to define the weaknesse thereof; but J can say againe by sure ex­perience, that a dry ground, if it be rich, mellow, and gentle, is the soyle that serveth best for this purpose, and such a mould must either be sought out, or else by cost and labor be provo­ked.

If it be a very shallow rocke (except you raise it with greet or good earth) you shall not set your Poles deepe, steddy and fast enough, to withstand the force of the wind.

But to redresse the convenience hereof, you shall be taught in the tytle of Poales.

A light mould (though it be very rich) is not very apt for this purpose, for it is a received and a proved rule, that the hea­viest ground will beare the most weight of Hops, I say, so as it be a ground apt for this purpose.

Of the Scituation.

IT were good to place your Garden so as the Sun may have free recourse into it, either the whole day, or the greatest and [Page 93] warmest part thereof, so also as it may be armed against the violence and contagion of the wind; but thus I would wish to be considered rather in the scituation of the place, naturally defended with hills, then artificially be set and garded with Trees. Howbeit, if you be driven hereunto, provide so (if you can) that your trees may stand aloofe, even that the shadow of them, reach not into your Garden, but in any wise that they drop not upon the hills.

There be many which (to purchase the favour and benefit of the Sunne) lay their Gardens very open and bleake to the South, the which J would not wish to be done, for as the fore­part of the yeare admitteth into your Garden the cold Easter­ly winds, whereby insue frosts, the which ingenders Blasts, &c. So the latter part of the yeare maketh it subject to Sou­therly stormes, the which doe much annoy a Hoppe Garden when the Poles are loaden with Hops, and then commonly no other wind hurteth.

It should also be placed neare to your house, except you be able to warrant the fruit thereof from such fingers as put no difference betweene their owne and other mens goods.

Also your Garden being thus placed, there may be made thereunto the more speedy and continuall recourse, besides that, that the Masters eye shall many times withstand and pre­vent the Servants negligence.

By this meanes it may be with most ease and least charge holpen with Dung.

Finally (if it may be) let it not stand bleake to the East, West, North, or specially to the South.

Of the quantity.

THe quantity of your Garden, must either be measured by the proportion of your yearely expences of Hoppes in your house, or by the cost you meane to bestow in the pre­paration and keeping thereof, or by the paines and businesse that you are disposed, or able to employ upon it, or else accor­ding to the profite and gaines, that you meane to levie [Page 94] and winne by it, which later consideration pleaseth and flatte­reth much a covetous mans conceit, whose vaine or humour, (or rather vaine humour) is so resisted in the rules appertai­ning hereunto, as many times the greedinesse of his desire is the overthrow of his purpose, as shall hereafter appeare.

A proportion of the charge and benefite of a Hoppe-Garden.

BUt to be resolved in all these points that concerne the quantity of your Garden, you must make your account in this wise. One man may well keepe two thousand hills, and yet reserve his Winters labour for any other purpose.

Vpon every Acre you may erect seaven, eight, or nine hun­dreth hills, as hereafter shall be declared.

Vpon every hill well ordered, you shall have three pounds of Hops at the least.

Two pounds and a halfe of these Hops will largely serve for the bruing of one quarter of Mault.

One hundreth pounds of these Hops, are commonly worth xxvi. shillens viii. pence. So as one Acre of Ground, and the third part of one mans labour, with small cost besides, shall yeeld unto him that ordereth the same well, forty Markes yearely, and that for ever.

And here is to be noted, that ground orderly used, doth not onely yeeld the more, the greater, the harder, and the weightier Hops, but also they shall go further, they shall endure longer, they shall be holesomer for the body, and pleasanter of verdure or tast, then such as be disorderly handled. And in the savour of the Hop thus much more I say, that whereas you cannot make above eight or nine gallons of indifferent Ale out of one bushell of Mault, you may draw xviii. or xx. gallons of very good Beere, neither is the Hoppe more profitable to en­large the quantity of your drinke, then necessary to prolong the continuance thereof For if your Ale may endure a fort­night, your Beere through the benefit of the Hop shall conti­nue a Moneth, and what grace it yeeldeth to the tast, all men [Page 95] may judge that have sence in their mouthes, and if the contro­versie be betwixt Beere and Ale, which of them two shall have the place of preheminence: it sufficeth for the glory and com­mendation of the Beere, that here in our owne country, Ale giveth place unto it, and that most part of our Countrymen doe abhorre and abandon Ale, as a lothsome drinke, whereas in other Nations Beere is of great estimation, and of strangers entertained as their moist choice and delicate drinke Finally, that Ale which is most delicate and of best account, boroweth the Hoppe, as without the which it wanteth his chiefe grace and best verdure.

These things considered, you may proceed to the making of your Garden, wherein you are yet to have counsell, for the laying out thereof, for the due season and the right trade to cut and set Hoppe rootes, what choice ye shall make of them, what charge you shall be at for them, you are yet also to learn the time, when, and the way how to prepare your ground, and to make it able to entertaine and nourish them, to frame your hills, to maintaine them, and to pull them downe to cut, to fashion, to erect, to pull up, and to preserve your Poales, to ga­ther, to dry, and to pack your Hops, with many other circum­stances necessarily appertaining hereunto. Finally, ye must be taught the reformation of many enormities and abuses which are received in most places for good rules, the which (God willing) I will set forth truly according to the notes of expe­rience, although not learnedly after the Rules of Rhetoricke.

Of the preparation of a Hoppe Garden.

YOu must lay forth the ground which you determine to im­ploy this way, in as levell, square, and uniforme wise as you may.

If your ground be grassie, rough, or stiffe, it should be first [...]owne with Hempe, or Beanes, which naturally maketh the ground mellow, destroyeth weeds, and neverthelesse leaveth the same in good season for this purpose.

But in what plight or state soever your ground be, tyll it [Page 96] in the beginning of Winter with the Plough, if it be great, or with the Spade if it be small, and this doe, not onely the yeare before you plant it, but also every yeare after, even so long as you meane to receive the uttermost commodity of your Gar­den, assuring your selfe that the more paines you take, and the more cost you bestow hereupon, the more you do double your profite, and the nearer you resemble the trade of the Flem­ming.

Howbeit in some cases these paines may be spared (that is to say) where the mould is not deepe, and the hill made both good and great, in this case (I say) the hills being pulled downe, the earth contained in them, will cover the whole Garden, and all the weeds growing therein, and the same shall with helpe of dung maintaine your hills for ever.

The time to cut and set Hoppe Rootes.

IN the end of March, or in the beginning of Aprill, re­paire to some good Garden orderly kept, as wherein the Hops are all of a good kind, all yearely cut, and wherein all the Hills are raised very high, (for there the rootes will be greatest) then compound with the owner or keeper thereof for choice rootes, which in some places will cost sixe pence an hundreth, but commonly they shall be given unto you, so as you cut them your selfe, and leave every hill orderly and fully dressed, but what order you shall use herein, I will hereafter shew.

Rules for the choyce and preparation of Rootes.

ANd now you must choose the biggest roots you can find (that is to say) such as are in bignesse three or foure inches about.

And let every roote which you shall provide to set, be nine or tenne inches long.

Let there be contained in every such Roote, three joynts.

Let all your rootes be but the Springs of the yeare last past.

You must have great regard that you cumber not your Garden with wild Hops, the which are not to be discerned from the good, by the rootes, but either by the fruit, or by the stalke.

Of the good Hoppe.

THe good and the kindly Hoppe beareth a great and a greene stalke, a large, a hard and a greene bell, it appeareth out of the ground naked without leaves, untill it be halfe a foote long.

Of the unkindly Hoppe.

THe Hoppe that likes not his entertainment, namely his seate, his ground, his keeper, his dung, or the manner of his setting, &c. commeth up greene and small in stalke, thicke and rough in leaves, very like unto a Nettle, which will be commonly devoured, or much bitten with a little blacke flye, who also will doe harme unto good Hops where the Garden standeth bleake, or the Hop springeth rath, but be not discom­forted herewith, for the heate of the Summer will reforme this matter, and the latter springs will be little annoyed with this Flye, who (though she leave the leafe as full of holes as a Net) yet she seldome proceedeth to the utter destruction of the Hoppe.

Of the wilde Hoppe.

OF the wild Hop, the fruit is either altogether seed, or else loose and red light bells, the stalke is red, howbeit, here­in the difference betweene the good and the bad Hop is not to be discerned, untill the stalke be two or three yards high, for at their first comming up, the one as well as the other ap­peareth red, and the best Hoppe is then the reddest.

Provide your rootes therefore, where you are before-hand assured of their goodnesse.

Of setting of Hoppe Rootes.

HAving made your provision of rootes in this wise, re­turne therewith to your Garden speedily, and either set them immediately, or lay them in some Puddle neare thereun­to, or bury them in the ground untill conveniency of winde, weather, and leisure (the want whereof may sometimes pre­vent good expedition) shall serve. Provided alwayes that you leave them not in water or puddle above xxiiii. houres, but in the earth you may leave them as long as the time of setting endureth, that is to say, till the middest of Aprill.

Your Garden being dressed, as before I advise you, it shall be easie for you to direct your hills aright, and that in equall distance with a Poale, or rather with a line (that will not stretch) tying thereupon short threds, or placing in it pinnes, according to the proportion of space which you meane to leave betweene your hills, whereof if one be placed out of order, it shall blemish and hurt a great part of your Garden.

The distance of the Hills.

IF your Garden be one Acre in bignesse, and lye square, leave betweene every hole three yards, or eight foot at the least in space, as well that the hills may be made the greater, and that the Hops of one Pole reach not to another, as also that the Sunne may the more freely and universally passe through your Garden, which by this meanes may yearely be ploughed betwixt the Hills, whereas otherwise it must be digged, which is a more tedious and costly businesse.

If your Garden be very little, you may set the hills some­what nearer together, namely, seaven foote asunder.

A Description of the Line.

YOur line being laid levell, you must digge underneath e­very thred or pinne placed upon the same, a hole like a Pit­fall, [Page 99] one foote square, and one foote deepe.

When you have made twenty or thirty holes, take up so many rootes; from where you bestowed them, as ought to be set therein, and goe to work on this wise, alwayes watching a time (if you may) that the wind be in some part pf the South or West, but be not so scrupulous herein, that you over­slip the moneth of Aprill, least Salomons saying, be spoken of you: He that regardeth the Wind shall not sow, and he that hath respect to the Clouds shall not reape. For he that neg­lecteth the Moneth of Aprill, shall have a bad season to cut or plant Hops.

Take two or three of your rootes (which by this time will yeeld forth greene sciences or white buds, and will also have small rootes or beards growing out of them, the which must be, all saving the smaller sort of white buds, pared away by the old roote) joyne them close together, so as (in any wise) they may be even in the tops: set them also together bolt up­right, directly under the foresaid thred or pinne, holding them hard together with one hand, while you fill the hole with the other with fine mould prepared and made ready before hand, regarding that the tops of the rootes be levell with the face or uppermost part of the ground.

Take good heed also that you set not that end downeward, that grew before upward, which you shall know by the buds that appeare in the knots of each roote, and let no part of the dead remaine upon the uppermost part of the joynt thereof.

And when you have thus done, presse downe the earth with your foote hard to the rootes, not treading upon them, but [Page 109] driving the loose earth close to the corner where the rootes are set.

And here is to be noted, that the readiest and evenest way, is alwayes to set your rootes at one certaine corner of the hole, which corner should alwayes be right underneath the said pinne or thred, as is afore shewed.

At this time you must make no hill at all, but onely cover the tops of your rootes about two inches thicke, with the fi­nest mould you can get.

When you are driven to set your rootes late, if there be any greene springs upon them, you may take the advantage there­of, leaving the same spring uncovered, otherwise you both destroy the spring, and endanger the roote.

Abuses and Disorders in Setting.

SOme use to set at every corner of the hole one roote, but this is a naughty and a tedious trade, because a man shall be longer in dressing one of these, then about foure other. To be short, you shall this way so cumber both your selfe and your Garden, that you will soone be weary with working, and your Garden as soone weary of bearing.

Some wind them, and set both ends upward, and herein both the cunning of the workman, and the goodnesse of the rootes, are together very lively expressed, for if the roots were good, they could not be so wound, or if the workeman were skilfull, he would not be so fond to set them in that order.

Some use to lay them thwart or flat, but I say flatly that the same is an overthwart and preposterous way, for they can neither prosper well, (as being set contrary to their nature and kind of growing) nor be kept as they ought to be.

Some use to make hills, and then set their rootes therein, but these conclude themselves from ministring succor unto them at any time after, besides many incōveniences hereby ensuing.

Some set their rootes, and then bury them with a great hill made upon them, and this is all one with the other, saving that the hill so choketh these, as most commonly they grow not at all▪

Finally, there be as many evill wayes to set, as there be ig­norant men to devise.

Provision against annoyance, and spoyle of your Garden.

IF your Garden be small, and very nigh to your house, you may arme every hill with a few thornes to defend them from the annoyance of Poultry, which many times will scope and bath among the hills, and so discover & hurt the springs, but a Goose is the most noysome vermine that can enter into this Garden, for (besides the Allegory that may be applyed in this case) a Goose will knabble upon every young science or Hop bud, that appeareth out of the ground, which never will grow afterwards, and therefore as well to avoid the Goose, as other noysome cattell, let your closure be made strong, and kept tight.

Of Poles.

IT remaineth that I speake now of Poles, because Poaling is the next worke now to be done.

If your hills be distant three yards asunder, provide for e­very hill foure Poles, if you will make your hills nearer toge­ther, three Poles shall suffice.

And note that in the first yeare you may occupy as many Poles as in any yeare after, the reason whereof I will delare in the title of Hills.

Alder Poles are best for this purpose, as whereunto the Hops seeme most willingly and naturally to encline, because both the fashion of these Poles being as a Taper, small above, and great below, and also the roughnesse of the Alder-ryne, stayeth the Hop stalke more firmely from sliding downe, than either Ash or Oke, which for continuance be somewhat better, how­beit, these with the order that I shall prescribe, will endure sixe or seaven yeares.

These are also best cheape, and easiest to be gotten in most places, and soonest growne ready for this purpose.

There is in the Springs of these, least danger in growing, or in being destroyed, or bi [...]ten by cattell.

Finally, by the expence of these, there ensueth the least annoyance to the Common-wealth, as well for the causes a­foresaid, as also because they grow not in so great quantity, to so good tymber, nor for so many purposes as either Oke or Ashe.

The best time to out your Poles, is betweene Alhallon­tide and Christmas, but you must pile them up immediately after they are cut, sharped, reformed in length, and smoothed, least they rot before you occupy them.

You may not leave any scrags upon them, the reason where­of you shall conceive in the title of gathering Hops.

Your Poles may not be above xv. or xvi. foote long at the most, except your ground be very rich, or that you added thereunto great labour in raising up your hills, or else except your hills stand too neare together: if any of these chance to be, or if all these three things meet in one Garden, the best way of reformation, is to set the fewer Poles to a hill, or to let them remaine the longer. Otherwise the Hops will grow from one Pole to another, and so over-shadow your Garden, the fault thereof being especially to be imputed to the neare­nesse of the hills. Therefore chiefly you must measure your Poles by the goodnesse of your ground.

The Hoppe never stocketh kindly, untill it reach higher then the Pole, and returne from it a yard or two, for whilest it tendeth clyming upward, the branches which grow out of the principall stalke (wherein consisteth the abundance of en­crease) grow little or nothing.

Let the quantity of your Poles be great (that is to say) nine, or tenne inches about the lower end, so shall they endure the longer, and withstand the wind the better.

To describe the price of Poles, or what it will cost you to furnish a Garden containing o [...]e Acre of ground, it were a hard matter, because the place altereth the price of Wood. But in a Wayne you may carry a hundreth and fifty Poles, and [...] small cause why a load of these should be much dearer then [...] of any other Wood.

After the first yeare, Poles will be nothing chargeable unto you, for you may either picke them out of your owne provisi­on of Fuell, or buy them of your Neighbours that have no oc­casion to apply them this way. For the yearely supply of two loades of Poles, will maintaine one Acre continually.

Your rotten and broken Poles will doe you good service, for the kindling of your fiers in the Oste, whereupon you should dry your Hops, and they should be preserved chiefly for that purpose.

At Poppering (where both scarcity and experience hath taught them to make carefull provision hereof) they doe com­monly at the East and North side of their Gardens, set and preserve Alders, wherewith they continually maintaine them.

Before you set up your Poles, lay them all alongst your Garden betweene every row of hills by three or foure toge­ther, I meane beside every Hill so many Poles as you deter­mine to set thereon, so shall you make the more speed in your worke.

Of the erection of Poles.

VVHen your Hops appeare above the ground, so as you may discerne where the principall roots stand, set up your Poles, preparing their way with a Crow of Iron, or a forked wooden toole, with a point of Iron, somewhat

like unto these. For if you stay till the Hops be growne to a greater length, one inconveni­ence is, that either in making the holes, or in erecting the poles, or else in ramming the earth to the fastening of them, you shall hazard the bruising or breaking of your Hops: ano­ther is, that you shall be faine to tye every stalke to the Pole, whereas otherwise the most part of them will clime up of their owne accord: the third is, that it will hinder the growth of the Hop, if it remaine unstay'd so long.

You must set every Pole a foot and a halfe deepe, and within two or three inches at the most of the principall roote.

If your ground be rockie and shallow, tarry the longer be­fore you set up your Poles, so as your Hops may be growne two or three foote high, that you may adventure to make a hill or banke at every pole to stay and uphold the same, with­out burying any of the younger Springs, which may after­ward be covered with lesse danger and annoyance of the prin­cipall roote.

Let the Poles of every hill leane a little outward one from another.

Of Ramming of Poles.

THen with a peece of wood as big below as the great end of one of your Poles, ramme the earth that lyeth at the outside of the Pole thereunto, but meddle not within the com­passe of your Poles, as they are placed, lost you spoile the Springs.

Of Reparation of Poles.

IF any of the Poles chance to breake in many peeces when the Hop is growne up, undoe and pull away the same bro­ken Pole, and tye the top of those Hops to the top of a new pole, then winding it a turne or two about according to the course of the Sunne, set it in the hole, or besides the hole where the broken Pole stood, but some being loth to take so much paines, turne it about the other Poles that stand upon the same hill, and so leave it. But if it be not broken above the middest, the best way is, to set a new Pole or stalke beside the broken pole to the same, which may uphold the said broken pole, and preserve the Hop. If the pole be onely broken at the ne­ther end, you may shove the said pole againe into the hill, and so leave it.

Of pulling up Poles.

ANd because, when the hills are made great, and raised high, you can neither easily pull up any, nor possible pull up all your poles except you breake them, &c. especially if the wether or the ground be dry, or else the Poles old or small, J [Page 105] thought good to shew you an Instrument wherewith you shall pull them up without disease to your selfe, destruction to your poles, or expence of your money the charge being

only foure­teene or fif­teen pound of Iron, wherewith the Smith shall make you a paire of tongs, (or rather you may call them) a paire of pinsers, of the fa­shion here set downe, the which may also be made with wood if you thiake good.

The way to make the Instrument wherewith to pull up the Hoppe Poles.

THey must be one yard in length, whereof sixe or seaven inches may be allowed for the mouth or lower end of them, which serveth to claspe or catch hold on the Pole, the same nether end should be the strongest part thereof, and the mouth somewhat hollow in the middest, and there also ben­ding downeward, whereby the extreame point may rise a lit­tle upward.

Vpon the upper edges of the inside thereof, the Smith should hacke or raise a few small teeth, whereby your toole may take the surer hold upon the Pole.

He must also fasten upon every side of this Instrument a ryding hooke, the which may claspe and stay both sides toge­ther when they have caught hold on the pole.

The manner of pulling up the Hoppe Poles.

YOu shall lay a little square block upon the top of the hill, and the better to remove the same from hill to hill, you [Page 106] may thrust therein a pinne. Upon the same blocke you may rest your pinsers when they have clasped the very lowest part of your Pole, and then holding the upper part of each side in your hands, the hooke being clasped, and pulled up hard to­wards you [...] you shall easily weigh up your Poles.

Of the preservation of Poles.

ANd although we are not yet come to the laying up of Poles, I am bold herein, as I began too late, so to make an end too quickly, because J would touch the whole matter of Poles together, laying them by themselves, (I meane) com­prehending under one title, the businesse appertaining unto them.

For the preservation and better continuance of Poles, some make houses of purpose, and lay them up therein.

Some set them upright to a Tree, and over them make a penthouse of boughes or boords.

Some lay a great heape of Hopstalkes upon the ground, and upon them a great heape of Poles, and upon the Poles a­gaine lay another heape of stalkes, &c.

These men doe hereby expresse no great experience, al­though by their diligence they signifie a good desire.

You shall need to doe no more but thus. At the ends or sides of your Garden, take three Poles standing upon three hills placed directly one by another, and three like Poles upon three other hills of the next row right over against them, constraine them to meet together by two and two in the tops, and so hold them till one with a forked wand may put three Withes (like unto three Broome bands, which may be made of the stalkes of Hops) upon each couple of the said sixe Poles, so shall the same sixe Poles being so bound by two and two together, stand like the roofe or rafters of an house.

To keepe the Poles that shall lye nethermost from rotting, by the moystnesse of the ground: within the compasse of your said sixe hills, (underneath the Poles that you have fa­stened [Page 107] together in the tops,) raise three little bankes crosse or thwart from hill to hill, as though you would make your sixe hills to be but three.

Vpon those bankes lay a few Hopstalkes, and upon them your Poles, observing that one stand at one end of the roome, and another at the other end, ordering the matter so, as the tops of the Poles lye not all one way, but may be equally and orderly devided: otherwise one end of the roome would be full before the other, whereas now they shall lye even and sharpe above, like an Haystacke, or the ridge of an house, and sufficiently defend themselves from the weather.

If you thinke that you have not Poles enough to fill the roome, pull downe the Withs or bands lower, and your roome will be lesse, and this doe before you lay in your Poles.

Of tying of Hoppes to the Poles.

VVHen your Hops are growne about one or two foote high, bind up (with a Rush or a Grasse) such as de­cline from the Poles, winding them as often about the same Poles as you can, and directing them alwayes according to the course of the Sunne, but if your leisure may serue (to doe it at any other time of the day) doe it not in the morning when the dew remaineth upon them.

If you lay soft greene Rushes abroad in the dew and the Sunne, within two or three dayes, they will be lythie, tough, and handsome for this purpose of tying, which may not be fore-stowed, for it is most certaine that the Hop that lyeth long upon the ground before he be tyed to the Pole, prospereth no­thing so well as it which sooner attaineth thereunto.

Of Hilling and Hills.

NOw you must begin to make your Hills, and for the better doing thereof, you must prepare a toole of Iron fashioned somewhat like to a Coopers Addes, but not [Page 108] so much bowing, neither so narrow at the head, and therefore likest to the nether part of a shovell, the powle whereof must be made with a round hole to receive a helve, like to the helve of a Mattock, and in the powle also a naile hole must be made, to fasten it to the helve.

This helve should bow somewhat like to a Sithe, or to the steale of a Sithe, and it must be little more then a yard long.

The helve hereof should be straight at the upper end.With this toole you may pare away the Grasse which groweth in the spaces betwixt the hills, and with the same also you may raise your hills, and pull them downe when time requireth.

Some thinke it impertinent and not necessary to make hills the first yeare, partly because their distrust of this yeares pro­fite quallifieth their diligence in this behalfe, and partly for that they thinke that the principall roote prospereth best, when there be no new rootes of them forced and maintained. But experience confuteth both these conjectures, for by indu­stry, the first yeares profit will be great, and thereby also the principall sets much amended, as their prosperity in the second yeare will plainely declare.

But in this worke you must be both painefull and curious, as wherein consisteth the hope of your gaines, and the successe of your worke. For the greater in quantity you make your hills, the more in number you shall have of your Hops, and the fewer weeds you shall have on your ground, the more Hops you shall have upon your Poles.

In consideration whereof I say, your labour must be con­tinuall from this time almost till the time of gathering, in raising your hills and clearing ground from weeds.

In the first yeare that you plant your Hop garden, sup­presse not one science, but suffer them all to clime up to the Poles, for if you should bury or cover all the springs of any one of your three rootes, which you did lately set, the roote thereof perisheth, and perhaps out of some one roote there [Page 109] will not proceed above one or two springs, which being bu­ried, that roote I say dyeth, and therefore the more poles are at this time requisite.

After the first yeare you must not suffer above two or three stalkes at the most to grow up to one Pole, but put downe and bury all the rest.

Howbeit, you may let them all grow till they be foure or five foot high at the least, whereby you shall make the better choice of them which you meane to attaine, whereby also the principall roote will be the better, &c.

Some suffer their Hops to clime up to the tops of the Poles, and then make the hills at one instant in such quantity as they meane to leave them, which is neither the best nor the second way.

But if (for expedition) you be driven hereunto, begin soo­ner (that is to say) when the Hops be foure or five foot long, and afterwards if leisure shall serve, refresh them againe with more earth.

But to make them well, and as they ought to be made, you must immediately after your poles are set, make a little banke or circle round about the outside of them, as a mention how wide your hill shall be, and as a receptacle to retaine and keepe moisture, whereof there cannot lightly come too much, so it come from above.

Jf your Garden be great, by that time that you have made an end of these circles or bankes, it will be time to proceed further towards the building up of your hills.

Now therefore returne againe to the place where you be­gan, or else where you see the Hops highest, and with your toole pare off the uppermost earth from the Allies or spaces betweene the hills, and lay the same in your Hops, upon and within the circle that you made before, alwayes leaving the same highest of any part of the hill, and so passe through your Garden againe and againe, till you have raised your hills by little and little, to so great a quantity as is before de­clared, and looke how high your hill is, so long are your new [Page 110] rootes, and the greater your new rootes or springs be, the more larger and better your Hops will be.

Great and overgrowne weeds should not be laid upon the hills, as to raise them to their due quantity, but when with diligence and expedition you passe through your Garden, continually paring away each greene thing assoone as it ap­peareth, you shall doe well, with the same, and the uppermost mould of your Garden together, to maintaine and encrease the substance of your hills, even till they be almost a yard high.

In the first yeare nake not your hill too rath, least in the do­ing thereof you oppresse some of those springs which would otherwise have appeared out of the ground.

It shall not be amisse now and then to passe through your Garden, having in each hand a forked wand, directing aright such Hops as decline from the poles, but some in stead of the said forked wands, use to stand upon a stoole, and doe it with their hands.

Abuses in Hilling.

SOme observe no time, and some no measure in making their hills, but (having hard say that hills are necessary) they make them they care not when nor how.

Some make hills once for all, and never after plucke down the same, but better it were to make no hill, then so to doe, for after the first yeare it doth derogate, and not adde any comfort to the roote, except the same be every yeare new made and dressed, &c.

Some use to breake off the tops of the Hops when they are growne a xi. or xii. foote high, because thereby they burnish and stocke exceedingly, wherein though I cannot commend their doings, yet doe they much better then such as will have their Poles as long as their Hops.

But if your Pole be very long, and that the Hop have not attained to the top thereof before the middest of Iuly, you shall doe well then to breake or cut off the top of the same Hop, for so shall the residue of the growing time serve to the [Page 111] maintenance and encrease of the branches, which otherwise would expire without doing any good in that matter, because that whole time would then be imployed to the lengthening of the stalke, which little prevaileth (I say) to the stocking or encrease of the Hoppe,

And here is to be noted that many covetous men thinking (in hast) to enlarge their lucre, doe find (at leisure) their com­modity diminished, whilest they make their hills too thicke, their Poles too long, and suffer too many stalkes to grow upon one Pole, wherein (I say) while they runne away flattering themselves with the imagination of double gaines, they are o­vertaken with trebble dammage (that is to say) with the losse of their time, their labour, and their cost.

Of the gathering of Hoppes.

NOte that commonly at St. Margarets day, Hops blow, and at Lammas they bell, but what time your Hops be­gin to change colour (that is to say) somewhat before Mi­chaelmas (for then you shall perceive the seed to change co­lour, and waxe browne) you must gather them, and for the speedier dispatch thereof, procure as much helpe as you can, taking the advantage of faire weather, and note that you were better to gather them too rath then too late.

To doe the same in the readiest and best order, you must pull downe foure hills standing together in the middest of your Garden, cut the rootes of all those hills, as you shall be taught in the title of Cutting, &c. Then pare the plot small, levell it, throw water on it, tread it, and sweepe it, so shall it be a faire floore, whereon the Hoppes must lye to be picked.

Then beginning neare unto the same, cut the stalkes asun­der close by the tops of the hills, and if the Hops of one Pole be growne fast unto another, cut them also asunder with a sharpe hooke, and with a forked staffe take them from the Poles.

You may make the Forke and Hooke (which cutteth asun­der the Hops that grow together) one apt instrument to serve both these turnes.

Then may you with the forked end, thrust up, or shove off, all such stalkes as remaine upon each Hop pole, and carry them to the floore prepared for that purpose.

For the better doing hereof, it is very necessary that your Poles be straight without scrags or knobs.

In any wise cut no more stalkes then you shall carry away within one houre or two at the most, for if in the meane time the Sunne shine hote, or it happen to raine, the Hops remai­ning cut in that sort) will be much impaired thereby.

Let all such as helpe you, stand round about the floore, and suffer them not to pingle in picking one by one, but let them speedily strip them into Baskets prepared ready therefore.

It is not hurtfull greatly though the smaller leaves be. mingled with the Hops, for in them is retained great vertue, insomuch as in Flanders they were sold, Anno Domini 1566. for xxvi shillins viii. pence the hundreth, no one Hop being mingled with them.

Remember alwayes to cleare your floore twice or thrice e­very day, and sweepe it cleane at every such time, before you goe to worke againe.

If the weather be unlike to be faire, you may carry these Hoppes into your house in Blankets or Baskets, &c. and there accomplish this worke. Use no linnen hereabouts, for the Hops will staine it so, as it can never be washed out.

Jf your Poles be scraggie, so as you cannot strip the stalkes from them in this order, you must pull them up with maine force before the Hops be gathered, and this is painfull to your selfe, hurtfull to your Hops, and a delay to your worke.

Then must you lay these poles upon a couple of forked stalkes driven into the ground, being two or three yards di­stant one from another, as Spits upon Ranges, and so dispatch this businesse if the weather be faire, if it be like to be foule, you must be faine to carry the Hops together with the Pole [Page 113] into your Barne or house.

In any wise let not the Hops be wet when you cut them from the hills, neither make any delay of gathering after the same time of cutting, for in standing abroad they will shed their seed, wherein consisteth the chiefe vertue of the Hop, and hereof I cannot warne you too often, nor too earnestly.

Now by order I should declare unto you the manner of drying your Hops, but because I must therewithall describe the places meet for that purpose, with many circumstances appertaining thereunto, I will be bold first to finish the worke within your Hop-garden, and then to lead you out of the same, into the place where you must dry your Hops, &c.

When your Hops are gathered, assoone as you have leisure, take up your poles and pise them (that remaine good) as I have shewed you in the title of Poles.

Then carry out your broken Poles, and the Hop-straw to the fire.

Now may you depart out of your Garden, till the March following, except in the meane time you will bring in dung or good earth to the maintenance thereof, towards the height­ning of your hills, or else will plough it, &c.

What there is to be done in Winter hereen.

TO be curious in laying Dung upon the hills in Winter, as to comfort or warme the rootes (as some doe) it shall bee needlesse, rather plucke downe the hills, and let the rootes lye bare all the Winter season, and this is usually done where Hops are best ordered, especially to restraine them from too rath springing, which is the cause of Blasts and many other Inconveniences.

If the ground be great that you keepe, you shall be driven so to doe, otherwise you shall not be able to overcome your worke in due time.

In any case you must avoid new horse-dung as a very [Page 114] noysome and pernicious thing for your Hops.

Stall dung is the best that can be wished for to serve this turne, so it be throughly rotten.

Rather use no dung than unrotten dung about the dressing of your Hops, but omit not to bring into your Garden dung that may there be preserved till it be good or needfull to be used.

When and where to lay Dung.

ABout the end of Aprill (if your ground be not rich e­nough) you must helpe every hill with a handfull or two of good earth, not when you cut your rootes, for then it will rather doe harme then good, but when the Hop is wound a­bout the Pole, then should you doe it.

The order for reforming your Ground.

IM March you shall returne to your Garden, and find it re­plenished with weedes, except by tillage, &c. you have pre­vented that matter already. It must (as well therefore, as be­cause the earth may be more fine, rich, and easie to be delivered unto the hills) be digged over or plowed, except in the case mentioned.

The order of cutting Hoppe-rootes.

VVHen you pull downe your hills, (which if you have not already done, you must now of necessity goe a­bout to doe) you should (with your Garden toole) undermine them round about, till you come neere to the principall roots, and then take the upper or younger rootes in your hand, and shake of the earth, which e [...]rth being againe removed away with your said toole you shall discerne where the new rootes grow out of the old Sets.

In the doing hereof, be carefull that you spoyle not the old Sets, as for the other roots which are to be cut aw [...]y, you shall not need to spare them to the delay of your work, except such as you meane to set.

Take heed that you uncover not any more then the tops of the old sets in the first yeare of cutting.

At what time soever you pull downe your hills, cut not your rootes before the end of March, or in the begy [...]ning of Aprill, and then remember the wind.

In the first yeare (I meane) at the first time of cutting and dressing of your rootes, you must (with a [...]rpe knife) cut a­way all such rootes or springs as grew the yeare before out of your sets, within one inch of the same.

Every yeare after you must cut them as close as you can to the old rootes, even as you see an O [...]e [...]s head cut.

There groweth out of the old sets certaine Rootes, right downwards not joynted at all, which serve onely for the nou­rishing and comfort of those sets or principall rootes which are not to be cut off. There be other like unto them growing outward at the sides of the sets. If these be not met withall, and cut asunder, they will encumber your whole Garden.

Because it may seeme hard to discerne the old sets from the new Springs, I thought good to advertise you how easie a thing it is to see the difference thereof; for first you shall be sure to find your Sets where you did set them, nothing increa­sed in length, but somewhat in bignesse inlarged, and in few yeares all your Sets will be growne into one, so as by the quantity that thing shall plainely appeare: and lastly, the difference is seene by the colour, the old roote being red, the other white, but if the hills be not yearely pulled downe, and the rootes yearely cut, then indeed the old sets shall not be perceived from the other rootes.

If your Sets be small, and placed in good ground, and the hill well maintained, the new rootes will be greater then the old.

If there grow in any hill a wild Hop, or whensoever the stalke waxeth red, or when the Hop in any wise decayeth, pull up every roote in that hill, and set new in their places, at the usuall time of cutting and setting, or if you list, you may doe it when you gather Hops, with the rootes which you cut a­way, when you make your picking place.

Of divers mens follies.

MAny men seeing the springs so forward, as they will be by this time, are loth to loose the advantage thereof, and more unwilling to cut away so many goodly Rootes, but they that are timerous in this behalfe, take pitty upon their own profit, and are like unto them that refraine to lay dung upon their Corne land, because they would not betray it with so un­cleanly a thing.

And some that take upon them great skill herein, thinke that for the first yeare they may be left unhilled and uncut, &c. deceiving themselves with this conceit, that then the Sets prosper best within the ground when they send least of their nature and state out of the ground. In this respect also they pull away or suppresse all such Springs (as soone as they ap­peare) which grow more, and besides them which they meane to assigne to each Pole, as though when a mans fingers were cut off, his hand would grow the greater. Indeed if there be no hill maintained, then the more Springs are suffered to grow from out of the principall roote, the more burden and punishment it will be to the same. But when the Springs are maintained with a hill, so much as remaineth within the same is converted into rootes, which rather adde then take away a­ny state from the principall roote, in consideration hereof, the suppressing of the Springs may not be too rath, for whatsoe­ver opinion be hereof received, the many Springs never hurt the principall roote, if the hills be well maintained, but it is the cumbring and shadowing of one to another that worketh the annoyance.

When you have cut your Hops you must cover them as you were taught in the title of Setting, and proceeding accor­ding to the order already set downe,

Of Disorders and Maintainers thereof.

SOme there be that despise good order, being deceived with a shew of increase, which sometime appeareth in a disorde­red [Page 117] ground, to them I say, and say it truely, that the same is a bad and a small increase in respect of the other.

I say also that although disorderly doings at the first may have a countenance of good successe, yet in few yeares the same, and all hope thereof will certainely decay.

Some other there be that despise good order, satisfying themselves with this, that they have sufficiently to serve their owne turne, without all these troubles, and surely it were pit­ty that these should be troubled with any great abundance, that in contempt of their owne profite, and of the Common­wealth, neglect such a benefit proferred unto them.

Of an Oste.

NOw have I shewed unto you the perfect Platforme of a Hop-Garden, out of the which J led you for a time, and brought you in againe when time required, and there would I leave you about your businesse, were it not to shew you by de­scription such an Oste as they dry their Hops upon at Poppe­ring, with the order thereof, &c. Which for the small charges and trouble in drying, for the speedy and well drying, and for the handsome and easie doing thereof, may be a profitable patterne, and a necessary instruction for as many as have, or shall have to doe herein.

Of the severall Roomes for an Oste.

FIrst a little house must be built, of length xviii. or xix. foot, of widenesse eight, wherein must be comprehended three severall roomes.

The middle and principall roome must be for your Oste, eight foote square. The fore-part which is to containe your greene Hops, and the hinder part which must receive your dryed Hops, will fall out to be five foote long, and eight foote wide a peece.

The chiefe matters that are to be by me described herein, are the Furnace below, wherein the fire is to be made, and [Page 116] [...] [Page 117] [...] [Page 118] the bed above whereon the Hops must lye to be dryed: this I have chiefly to advise you of, that you build the whole house and every part thereof as close as you can, and to place it neare to your Garden for the better expedition of your work, and somewhat distant from your house to avoid the danger of fire.

Of the Furnace or Keele.

THe floore or nether part of your Furnace must be aboue thirteene inches wide.

The depth or height thereof must be thirty inches,

The length of it must be about sixe or seaven foote (that is to say) reaching from the forepart of the Oste almost to the further end thereof, so as there be left no more roome but as a man may passe betweene the wall and the end of it.

It must be made wide below and narrow above, fashioned in outward shape somewhat like to the roofe of an house.

Jt must have three rowes of holes at each side, the length of one Brick asunder, and the bignesse of halfe a Bricke, placed checkerwise. Before you begin to make your holes, you should lay two rowes of Bricke, and when your three rankes of holes are pl [...]ced upon them, you must lay againe over them ano­ther row of Bricke, and upon the same you must place your last and highest course, and they must stand long-wise (as it were a tiptoe) the tops of the Bricks meeting together above (the nether part of them resting upon the uppermost course) and note that till then, each side must be built alongst direct­ly upward.

You should leave almost a foot space betweene the mouth of your Furnace, and your rowes of holes, especially of that row which is nethermost.

The further or hinder end of your Furnace the which is opposite to the mouth thereof, must be built flat with an up­right wall, and there must also be left holes as at the sides.

The Furnace in the top (J meane from the upper course of h [...]les) must be dawbed very well with morter.

And so upon the top of your Furnace there will remaine a [Page 119] gutter, (whereupon the Flemmins use to bake Apples, &c.) and the highest part thereof will reach within two foote and lesse of the Oste.

Finally, it must be placed upon the ground in the middest of the lower floore of the Oste, the which floore must be made

very perfect, fine, and levell, the reason whereof you shall per­ceive in the tytle of Drying.

Of the bed or upper floore of the Oste, wherein the Hops must be dryed.

THe bed or upper floore whereon the Hops shall lye to be dryed, must be placed almost five foote above the neather floore, whereon the Furnace standeth.

The two walls at each side of the house, serve for the bed to rest upon two wayes.

Now must two other walls be built at each end of your Oste, whereon the other two parts of the bed must rest, and by this meanes shall you have a close square roome beneath, be­twixt the lower floore and the bed, so as the floore below shall be as wide as the bed above.

These two walls must also be made foure foot above the bed (that is to say) about nine foot high.

At the one end below, besides the mouth of the furnace, you must make a little doore into the roome beneath the bed. At [Page 120] the other end above the bed you must make a Window to shove off from the bed the dryed Hops, downe into the room [...] below prepared for them.

The bed should be made as the bed of any other Oste, saving that the Railes or Laths which serve therefore must be sawne very even one inch square, and laid one quarter of an inch a­sunder. But there may be no more beames to stay the Laths but one, and the same must be laid flat and not on edge, in the middest from one end of that roome to the other, and the Laths must be let into the same beame, so as the upper side of the beame and all the Laths may lye even.

If your Garden be very great, you may build your house somewhat larger, namely xxii. foot long, and tenne foot broad, and then you must make in this Oste two Furnaces, three or foure foot asunder, placing the doore betwixt them both, o­therwise in all points like to that which J first described, and

the ground-worke hereof is so set out here, that any Carpen­ter will easily frame the whole house by the same figure.

And now once againe wishing you to make every doore, Window, and joynt of this house close, I will leave building, and proceed to the drying of Hops, saving that I may not o­mit to tell you, that you should either build all the walls of this roome with Brick [...], or else with Lime and Haire pargit them over: and at the least that wall wherein the mouth of [Page 121] the Furnace standeth be made of Bricke.

And although I have delayed you from time to time; and brought you from place to place, and tediously led you in and out, and too and fro in the demonstration hereof, yet must J be bold to bring you round about againe, even to the place where I left you picking, from whence you must speedily con­vey your pickt Hops to the place built and prepared for them, and with as much speed hasten the drying of them.

The orderly Drying of Hoppes.

THe first businesse that is to be done herein, is to goe up to the bed of the Oste, and there to receive Baskets filled with Hops, at the hands of one that standeth below.

Then beginning at the further end (least you should tread on them) lay downe Basketfull by Basketfull, till the floore or bed be all covered, alwayes stirring them even and levell, with a Cudgell, so as they may lye about a foote and a halfe thicke, and note that upon this Oste, there is no Oste-cloth to be used.

Now must you come downe to make your fire in the Fur­nace, for the kindling whereof your old broken Poles are very good, howbeit, for the continuance and maintenance of this fire, that wood is best which is not too dry, and somewhat great.

Your Hop stalkes or any other straw is not to bee used herein.

You shall not need to lay the wood through to the farther end of your Furnace, for the fire made in the fore-pare thereof, will bend that way, so as the heate will universally and indif­ferently ascend and proceed out of every hole.

You must keepe herein a continuall and hote fire, howbeit, you must stirre it as little as you can.

Neither may you stirre the Hops that lye upon the Oste, untill they be throughly dryed.

When they are dry above, then are they ready to be re­moved away, and yet sometimes it happeneth (that through [Page 122] the disorderly laying of them) they are not so soone dry in one place, as they are in another.

The way to helpe that matter, is to take a little Pole (where­with you shall sensibly feele and perceive which be, and which be not dry, by the ratling of the Hops which you shall there­with touch) and with the same Pole of turne aside such Hops as be not dry, abating the thicknesse to the moyst place.

When your Hops are dry, rake up the fire in such sort as there may be no delay in the renuing thereof.

Then with expedition shove them out of the window be­fore mentioned into the roome prepared to receive them, with a Rake fashioned like a Cole-rake, having in stead of teeth a boord, &c.

This being done, goe downe into the lower floore, and sweepe together such Hops and Seeds as are fallen thereinto, and lay them up among the dryed Hops, and then without delay cover the bed againe with greene Hops, and kindle your fire.

Lay your dryed Hops on a heape together till they be cold, and by this meanes such as were not perfectly dryed through some disorder upon the Oste, shall now be reformed.

If they have beene well ordered, they will now be throwne, and yet bright.

If they be blacke and darke, it is a note that they are dis­ordered.

The Flemmings packe them not up before they sell them to the Marchant, but lay them in some corner of a Loft where they tread them close together.

Other manners of Dryings not so good.

SOme use to dry their Hops upon a common Oste, but that way there can be no great speed in your worke, nor small expence of your wood, besides the danger of fire and ill suc­cesse of your doings.

On this Oste you must have an Oste cloth, otherwise the Seed and Hops that fall downe shall not onely perish, but en­danger [Page 123] the burning of your Oste.

Upon this Oste you may not lay your Hops above eight or nine inches thicke, which neverthelesse shall not be so soone dry as they which lye upon the other Oste almost two foote thicke, and therefore this way you shall make more toyle in your worke, more spoyle in your Hops, and more expence in your wood.

Some use to dry their Hops in a Garret, or upon the floore of a Loft or Chamber, in the reproofe whereof I must say, that as few men have roome enough in their houses to containe a­ny great quantity or multitude of Hops, so the dust that will arise, shall empaire them, the chinkes, crevises, and open joynts of your Lofts being not close byrthed, will devoure the seed [...] of them, in the end the leaves will endanger them with heating, when they are packt, as being not so soone dry as the Hops, which thereby shall be utterly spoyled in colour, in scent, and in verdure.

As for any low roomes or earthen floores, they are yet worse for this purpose then the other, for either they yeeld dust in drinesse or moisture in wet weather.

And therefore if you have no Oste, dry them in a Loft as open to the ayre as may be: sweepe, wash, and rub the boords, and let your Broome reach to the walls, and even to the roofe of your Loft, for I can teach you no way to devide the dust from your Hops, but so to prevent the inconvenience hereof.

Stop the holes and chinkes of your floore, lay them not a­bove halfe a foote thicke, and turne them once a day at the least, by the space of two or three weekes.

This being done, sweepe them up into a corner of your Loft, and there let them lye as long more, for yet there remai­neth perill in packing of them.

If the yeare prove very wet, your Hops aske the longer time of drying, and without an Oste will never be well dryed.

The very worst way of drying Hops.

SOme lay their Hops in the Sunne to dry, and this taketh away the state of the Hops, and neverthelesse leaveth the [Page 124] purpose of drying undone.

Of not Drying.

SOme gather them, and brew with them being greene and undryed, supposing that in drying, the vertue and state of the Hop decayeth and fadeth away, wherein they are decei­ved: for the verdure is worse, the strength lesse, and the quan­tity must be more of green Hops that are to be brewed in this sort.

In the first Woort which the Brewers call the Hopwort (be­cause the time of seething thereof is short) there goeth out of these Hops almost no vertue at all, and therefore experience hath taught them that are driven to brew with these greene Hops, to seeth them againe in the Woort, which they call the Ney beere, where after long seething they will leave the state which remaineth in them, and that is not much.

Of the Packing of Hops.

IN the making of your Hop-sackes, use your owne cunning or invention, for I have small skill therein, howbeit, I can tell you that the Hop-sackes that are brought out of Flanders, may be good samplers for you to worke by, the stuffe is not dainty wherewith they are made, the Loome is not costly wherein they are woven, the cunning not curious whereby they are fashioned, but when you have them, and are ready to packe your Hops, doe thus.

Thrust into the mouth of your Sacke (which must be dou­bled and turned in strongly least it breake) foure strong pinnes, a foot long a peece, placed in equall distance the one from the other, then lay two Bats or big Poles crosse or thwart two Beames or Couplings of your house, which two Bats must lye no farther asunder then the widenesse of the Sackes mouth. Fasten upon each pinne a roape, and knit two of those roapes upon each crosse Batte, so as the bottome of the Sacke being empty, may hang within halfe a foot of the floore, then stand within the Sacke, and receive the Hops, treading downe very hard, and before the Sacke be halfe full, it will rest upon [Page 125] the ground, whereby you shall be able to presse them the har­der together.

But the handsommer way were to make a square hole (as wide as the Sackes mouth) in the floore of the Loft, where your Hops lye, and to hang downe your Sacke at that hole, and with a Scuppet or shovell to shove downe your Hops there­into, and to receive them as is aforesaid: when the Sacke is al­most full, undoe the roapes, and wind those pinnes about for the harder shutting of the Sacke, and fasten them therein.

If you list, you may sow (over the mouth of this Sacke) ano­ther peece of Sackcloth, whereof you must leave a little un­sowed, untill you have thrust as many Hops as you can be­tweene the Sacke and the same, but in beholding the Hop­sackes sent from Poppering, you shall better understand and learne the doings hereof.

For your owne provision you may preserve them in Dry-fats, Barrels, or such like Vessels, for want of roome to leave them in, or Sackes to packe them in.

There is according to the Proverbe, much falshood in pac­king, I am unskilfull in that Art, if I were otherwise, I would be loth to teach such doctrine.

But to avoid such deceit, and to make the more perfect and better choise, it is usuall and lawfull in most places where Hops are sold, to cut the Sacke that you mean to buy, in seven or eight places, and to search at each place whether the Hops be of like goodnesse.

Such places as you shall feele with your hand to be softer then the rest, you should specially cut, where perhaps you shall find Hops of another kind, elder or worse then the rest.

The reformation of a Garden of wild Hops.

TO reforme a Garden where the Hops be wild, the work is tedious, and none other way remaineth, but to digge over the same with a Spade, so deepe as you may search out and throw out every roote and piece of roote that [Page 126] may be found in, or neare thereunto, and then to plant accor­ding to the order before declared.

The reformation of a disordered Garden.

TO repaire a ruinous Garden, which through ignorance was disorderly set, and through sloth suffered to over-run and decay, where neverthelesse the Hops remaine of a good kind (though somewhat empaired, as needs they must be, by this meanes) the very best way were to doe as to the wild Hoppe.

The second way is to forget that it is disordered at all, ima­gining that all were well, and to set your Poles in such order, and so farre asunder as is prescribed in that title, alwayes di­recting them right with a line, so as a stranger beholding them, may suppose that your Garden is kept after the best manner, then lead unto each Pole two or three stalkes which you shall find nearest thereunto, and there erect a hill which you may ever after cut and dresse according to the rules before declared, and so by continuall digging, paring, and diligence, you shall at leisute bring it to some reasonable perfection.

If your Garden be very much matted with rootes, so as it be too tedious to digge, set your Poles as you are already taught, and bring into your Garden, and lay neare to every such place where you meane to make a hill, one Cart lode of good earth, with the which, after your Hops are tyed to your Poles, begin to make your hill, and proceed as in the title of Hills, alwayes cutting downe such Hops or weeds as grow betweene the said hills.

If your rootes be set orderly, and your hills made accor­dingly, and yet left undressed by the space of two or three yeares, it will be very hard (I say) to discerne the Sets from the other later rootes: neverthelesse, if your geound be good, you may yet reforme the inconvenience thereof, namely, by pulling downe the hill, and cutting away all the rootes con­tained therein, even with the face or upper part of the earth, searching also each side, and digging yet lower, and round a­bout [Page 127] the roote which remaineth, and to take away from the same all such rootes as appeare out thereof.

Needlesse curiosities used by the unskilfull.

TO water your Garden, as to make the rootes grow the better, it were more tedious then needfull, for the hilling thereof serveth for that purpose, and there is time of growing sufficient for them betwixt the middest of Aprill and August, and yet it never hurteth, but rather doth good, if it be before the hill be made.

To plucke of the leaves, to the end that the Hops may pro­sper the better, is also needlesse, and to no purpose, and rather hindereth then helpeth the growth of the Hops, for they are hereby deprived of that garment which Nature hath necessari­ly provided for them, and clothed them with.

To flaw the Poles, thereby to prolong their continuance, is more then needeth to be done in this behalfe, for it is too tedious to your selfe, and hurtfull to your Hop, and little avai­leth to the purpose afore-said.

To burne the nether part or great end of your Poles, as some doe, to the end they should last or endure the longer, as also endure the longer, is also an unnecessary trouble, onely Wil­low Poles you may so use, to keepe them from growing.

So is it to weed the Hills with the hand, whereas the same weeds shall be buried by the raising of the Hill.

Every Plant will have foure things:

First moistnesse, so that the seeds or stumpe bee moist or green.

Secondly a convenient place, which hath such earth as will lightly be rubbed to ponder, and that Sun may come to it: for where there is filthy lome, a lean ground, or sandy, dry, burnt, or salt ground, there is nothing good to be planted, to have any continuance: neverthelesse where the ground is lean, there you must give more dung; in a fat ground not so much. Take heed the ground be not too moist nor too dry: and muck the trees with hogs dung.

Thirdly, a mediate water or nourishing moyst­nesse, therefore be those Orchards best which are scituated between two waters, for those that are pla­ced by a water side remaine still yong and fruitfull, and have commonly the bark smoother and thinner than the others. And those trees are more fruitfull than others which are planted in a valley, or in the lower part of a deepe hill: for from those hills may come to them nourishment and moistnesse, and the ground which is so scituated is very fruitfull. But he that cannot get for his trees such a ground, must with all diligence seeke to bring to his trees a little spring or pond, of which the trees may sometimes finde some reviving, and if you may not have any of those, and have a garden who by it self is naught, the trees will grow with thicke roots, which hindereth the growing of them, and drieth them at length.

Fourthly, The aire is required, which must be a­greeable to them, and of complexion to beare; for there be some trees that doe prosper in all aires, to wit, apple and peare, cherry and plum-trees. Some will have a cold aire, to wit Chessenut trees; & some a very warme aire, as the palme and pepper trees: therefore they be rare with us. That plant which hath these foure things shall prosper: and if they want one or more of these foure things, they wil de­cay, and their prospering perish.

At what time trees ought to be planted and set.

ALL kind of trees may be planted, transported, and cut in March, but it is better to turn them in October, for then the frost hurteth them not so [Page 3] much as at other times: for learned men say, that in dry townes and warm countries they plant in Octo­ber or November, and that in moist townes and cold vallies they plant in February or March: in none o­ther time may you plant or graffe. When you will plant or set againe wild stumps, if there be any thing broken at the root, cut it off. Euery plant must be set two foot one from another, or at the least one foot, especially when they should beare strong fruits: likewise when thou wilt set strong seeds, as nuts, al­monds and peaches. When a man will plant two stumps, so must they be of two yeare old, except the uine.

These things you must understand of those plants or stumps which are planted with roots.

How the stumps and plants must be prepared and dressed, which you will plant.

THe plant or sprout you must cut round about, so that you leave the very end of it, and put it then into an hole, but if the stump be great, cut it clean off, and then put only the undermost part into a hole, long or short as you will: but if you find two stumps growne together, you may cut the lesser a­way. And above all things you must take heed that the sprout grow upright, and if it will not, you must constraine it, and tie it to a sticke.

Here follow certaine instructions how the trees must be kept and how you must labour them.

SOme trees will have a fat ground, as Figge trees and Mulberrie trees, and some leane ground, but [Page 4] all trees be in that point equall, that they will have in the top dry ground, and in the bottome moist earth.

2 In harvest you must uncover the roots of the trees so deep, that they may partly be seene, and lay dung upon them, which dung must be dissolved of raine in the ground, that it may come to the roots, which mucking giveth good increase to the roots.

3 If the ground wherein the trees stand bee too sandy, then mixe among it faire and new lome: and if it be too lomy then mixe amongst it sand in place of mucke, the which you must not only doe hard by the tree, but also foure or fiue foot off from it round about the tree, according as the tree is in bignes, or that the roots are large and great.

Such diligence giueth to the trees great help, for their nourishment and strength is thereby renewed. Hereafter you shall understand, whereby to know the fruitfull soile.

4 In the fat ground the stumps whereupon you wil graf, must be left long, but in lean ground short.

5 The plants of trees from their youth, till three yeres must not be cut nor shred, but they may bee transported, and if they be too weak you may pricke sticks next unto them.

6 Diligent regard must be taken, that no sprouts spring out of the stump, which might take the nou­rishment from the tree sprouts, and those boughes which spring from the root of the tree at the first planting.

7 When thou perceiuest the yong trees to waxe weake, then uncover the roots and put other fresh ground to them.

[Page 5]8 If the ground be neither too soft nor too hard, then may you chuse all kind of stumps in February for to plant, when the green juice is dispersed in the bark, but when the ground is too hard, then the swet holes or pores of the root doe remaine closed and stopped, so that they cannot draw to them their nou­rishment, such hardnes of the ground or earth, hin­dereth the aire and moistnes which commeth from beneath upward, for it cannot be pearsed of the sofr sprouts, with the small heat which is beneath, ther­fore you must come to help them with a spade, for with a plough you will neuer come to an end, be­cause of the root.

9 There is great diligence to bee taken for pre­seruing of the trees, when they begin to grow great, to scrape from the barke all rudenesse, which is don, when you take from them all superfluitie, & sprouts which come out of the tree. You may cut them in February.

10 It is good for the trees to mucke them often, and moderatively to water their roots.

Also to cleaue the roots, and lay stones into them, to the end they may revive againe of the dri­nesse which they have suffered, or of the barrennes of the ground, or when the young planted trees for the great heat will perish. Also when immoderate heat is, then you must help them with turning of the ground, and, with watering, but the water wherewith you should water them, must not be altogether fresh nor cold, or newly drawne out of the spring: but out of a ditch, pond, or well, or any other foule ditch wa­ter, or with spring water, which hath stood long in the sunne, or put a little dung in the water, and stirre [Page 4] [...] [Page 5] [...] [Page 6] it once or twice well about, and the water wil be fat, wherwith water your trees. You may also keep them with shadowes and straw from the heat: or else put (in great heat) fat green herbs at the stump, tempred with loame: some anoint the stumpe (toward the South or Mid-day) with chalke, some with oile, or with any other ointment that cooleth.

11 When you would transpose a plant, or have wilde stumps digged out to plant again, then mark the part which standeth towards the South of mid-day, and put it so againe when you graffe it.

How to keep plants, stumps, or trees, from the wilde beasts, that they hurt them not.

WHere the path of the beast is free and reme­dilesse, there must be put poles, and with thornes the same yong trees must be inclosed.

That the Deeres spoile them not.

TAke the pisse of a Deere and anoint the Tree therewith.

That the Hares do not hurt them.

SPet in thy hand, and anoint the sprouts there­with, and no Hare will hurt them.

Here follow some instructions of graffing.

FIrst you must know that imping, graffing, and setting, is all one thing.

The imping sprous must be young and new, with great bodies, and many eies: for where many and great buds be, that is a token, that is of a strong fruit.

2 The imping sprouts must be broken off at the sun rising, although that those of the other side bro­ken off grow likewise: yet those of the other side are most naturall and temperate of heat: Some country clownes beleeve, that if you in cutting the sprouts turn them upside downe, that they will never grow right, but be crooked.

3 All graffing and imping is don by putting one [Page 8] into another by a fast binding, that the little sprout may spread his boughs to the stump or tree, wherein it is graffed, that so it may become one tree.

4 Ouer, yong imps (which are so weake that they will breake before they be put into the earth, or into the stump) are naught, and therefore they may not be imped or set.

5 When you impe upon a house, or fruit tree, the fruit will be far better: But if you cut of a Garden tree a branch, and imp into it one of his own sprouts, it will bring forth fruit of another taste, forme and bignesse: for imping maketh all the diuersities in peares, apples, and other fruits.

6 It is far better to impe low in the stumpe, than in the top in the high branches: yet neverthelesse if you will make of wilde apple trees garden trees, you may impe them upon the top.

7 In great trees which have a great bark, it is not so good to impe, for they take not to them so easily the veins of the roots which grow out of the young sprouts, because of their hardnes, & especially when the imping sprouts are too weake. Wherefore they which graffe trees must seek smal and yong stumps, wherein they find much liquor and little hardnesse, and which may endure the binding.

8 It is best imping or graffing when the liquor is in the barke, if you have a great tree upon the which you would impe, and hath many branches, you may cut them all off, and impe into the stumps all kinde of boughs, such as you please: but if the tree be over old, so that her boughes be ranckled, and her moist­nesse consumed, then cut the tree cleane off, and let the stump stand a whole yeare: afterward take the [Page 9] sprouts which are sprung out of that stumpe, and graffe them, and cast the others away. Such a stump is like to bear, and therfore nourish as many sprouts as you please: but if it be a wild stump, graft garden sprouts upon it.

9 If you graffe a sprout or bough upon a Haw­thorne tree, that same bough will grow great, and the stumpe will remaine small, therefore he that will impe upon such a tree, see he cut it off by the root, then will the imped sprout and the stumpe grow all of one thicknesse: but you must have still regard that you Impe kinde upon kinde, as apples upon apples, peares upon peares: for he that graffeth strange upon strange, as peares upon apples, and apples on peares, and such like, although it be don often for pleasures sake, yet will it not last: for the naturall nourishment is so, that it will hardly nourish a strange kinde of fruit.

10 The tree which is graffed in February, in his fruits grow no wormes nor maggots.

11 When the imping sprouts begin to prosper, and will not grow streight and levell, then you must constrain them perforce, that they may grow order­ly. Furthermore you must have a care to keepe the prospering sprouts well with sticks from the wind, if they stand any thing high, and especially when they have stood a yeare or two, and where they are pricked in the stump, it is most needfull, as shall af­ter appeare. And because there be many and diuers waies to graffe and know how wild stumps & trees are to be made garden trees, we thought it good to set some of them here downe.

Divers fashions and waies of graffing there be.

HE that will extraordinarily graffe all manner of trees, he must know that the more one tree is li­ker another, the better it will prosper.

The first sort of graffing is, when the sprout is prickt between the barke and the wood of the stump; which must be don in May or Aprill, when the bark may easily be loosed from the tree, and is done after this sort.

First take a stump or tree, and cut him off with a sharp Saw, knife, or such like instrument, where he is smoothest and cleerest, and full of juice, and polish the place with the barke of the same tree which was cut off. Afterward tie the stump with a peece of barke, and then prick a hole between the bark of the tree with a prick of bone, elder wood, or yron, so that it cleave not, and then put in the place of the pricke, the sprout, which you must have broken off a plaine and even tree, of a good kinde, and one yeare old, which you shall know by this: every branch have rinckled knots like the joynt of a mans finger, cut it at one side under the knot, so that you touch not the heart of the tree: and at the other side you must soft­ly loose the barke, that the sprout may ioyne very close to the stump, then pull out the prick, and take the sprout, and turn the greene barke to the barke of the stump, so that it may stand strait.

The sprout may be foure or five fingers, or eight at the most, high above the stump.

Of this sort of imping, you may see two, three, or more, according to the bignesse of the stump, or as [Page 11] he can beare, provided alwaies that they stand at the least the length of a finger one from another.

Afterward tie it fast (with bark) together, and put over it good mucke, and tie over it a cloath, that no raine or aire may come between it and hurt it. This sort of imping is commonly used in stumps, which are great and old trees, whose barke is thicke and strong as apple trees, pear trees, cherry trees, and wil­low trees, on which are imped oftentimes apples, al­so on figge trees, and chestnut trees.

Such grafting is also done in high stumps, and branches, which be great, but they must be well kept from the wind, that it do not breake them.

After this sort you may graft many sorts and kinds of pears upon one tree, but if you bring peares upon apples, or apples upon peares stumps, it will not last long, as afore is said.

The first way of grafting prospereth best, and hath a good continuance, there be many other sorts of grafting, as followeth.

Another way of grafting is, when the stumps are clo­ven, and the sprouts afterwards are put in, the which doe as followeth.

Take a yong tree which is scant of the bignes of a finger, and cut it smooth and even, & cleave it in the midst, then take the sprout which you wil impe, and cut it three square, and at the one side leave the barke uncut, and then turne the same barke outward at the stump, and tie it fast as I have taught, that the wind nor raine hurt him not.

Otherwise.

When the stump is uncovered and clean burnisht [Page 12] at the soft place, then tie him fast, that he cleave no further than ro the length of your sprout, which you must graffe upon him, and then leave the prick in it, then make your sprout pointed like a pricke, so that the middle be not touched, then put it into the cleft, having clensed the hole first with the point of a knife, so that one bark may touch the other, and out­ward one wood another, to the end the moisture may have the more easier his course, then pull out the pricke, and that which remaines open and bare be­tween the cleft and the sprout, that bind well every where with the barke of the tree, or with hard pres­sing with a little sand, or with dung of an oxe, or with waxe, or with a linnen cloth washed in waxe, that no raine, winde, or wormes may hurt it. This helpeth much to keep the moistnes in, which com­meth from the root, that it cannot breake out, but nourisheth the better the new plant: but when the stumps are great, they bee cleaved after two waies. The first is, that you cut or cleave the tree with a knife at one side only, even to the heart, and that you graft into it but one sprout. The other is, that you cleave it all over, and that you prick or graft on every side one sprout, or one alone, and leave the other side without.

When the stumpe is but a little bigger, then the sprout must necessarily be cloven in two, and you must graft but one sprout into it, as is said in the be­ginning.

This cleaving may be done in February, March, and Aprill, then it is good to cut them before they be greene, for to keepe them the better under the ground, in cold or moist places.

The third way of grafting.

THis sort of grafting is very subtill, witty, and ready; and is done as followeth.

Go to a smooth apple or peare tree, in April, when the trees get liquor, and seeke a branch which hath greene eies, and see that the same be lesse than your little finger, and teare it from the tree, and where you see that the greene sprouts will come off, there cut them off wholly, and clense the middle thereof, that the little red at the wood may turne about, and draw it not off, untill you come unto another good peare or apple tree, and seeke there another branch of the same bignesse that the other was, and cut it off, and take from it likewise the red, as far as you will put them againe, and looke where the branches join, that they may well sit together upon the top, and tie the same place gently and well with a little barke, be­hinde and before, that the water may not hurt them: in the first yeare it bringeth forth leaves and bran­ches, in the second, floures, which you may break off, for the sprout is yet too tender, so that it may beare no fruit, and in the third yeare it bringeth floures and fruit, and by this meanes you may graft divers kinds of pears and apples vpon one tree. I have like­wise set such sprouts upon wilde stumps, and they have prospered.

The fourth way of grafting is,

HOw buds are transported and bound upon ano­ther tree, like as a plaister is tied to a mans body: this sort of grafting is called in Latine Emplastrum. Wee read of such a sort of grafting which is called in Latine Abducellum, and it is much like unto this sort, wherefore we will only speake of it, being done after this sort.

When you see upon a great fruitfull bough, a bud which will prosper without doubt, and wouldst faine plant it upon another tree, take a sharp knife, and lift the bark up two fingers bredth, that the bud be not hurt, then go to another tree, upon the which you will graft, and put into a convenient place, a like hole into the barke, and put the same bud with the bark into it, and tie it with dung (or with a clout which hath lien in a dunghill) over the cut, that it may be kept from the outward damage of weather, and for an especiall nourishment and keeping of the inner juice: then cut off the branches round about it, that the mother may the better nourish the new son: within twenty daies after take away the band, so that you see that the strange bud hath prospered and joined himselfe with the tree. This may be done in March when the bark commeth easily from the tree. Also in April, May, and Iune, and yet she prospereth both before and after a time, when you may conve­niently find such buds.

This sort of planting prospereth best in a willow tree or such like, which is pierced through, and is done after this sort.

The fifth way.

When you pierce a willow stick with a sharp pier­cer, see that betweene every hole be left the space of one foot, and prick therein branches a little scraped, and put the sticke into a ditch, so that the branches stand upright, one part of the sticke remaining over the earth; and within a yeare after take it out of the ditch, and cut the stick asunder, so find you the bran­ches full of roots, and put euery one into a hole in the ground, and 'tis fit the holes were stopped with lome, or with waxe.

Some do take in March a fresh Beech tree, which is of a mans thicknesse, and pierce him ouerthwart with maine and great holes and small holes till unto the lowermost barke, or quite through: then take sprouts or boughes, which be as big and small, that they may fit into the holes: and when you will put them into the Beech stump, you must scrape the up­permost barke off, untill the greene, and no further: then the bough must remaine into the beech, the sprouts must stand a foot or somwhat lesse asunder, then keep your beech stump with the sprouts in a fresh ground, and skant a foot deep, you must first maime the sprouts, that they may not flourish; then the next March ensuing, dig it out with the sprouts, and cut it asunder with a saw, and every block which is cut off with his branch, you must set in a fresh ground, and so they will bring forth the fruit the same yeare.

The sixth Way.

This way teacheth how to graffe, that they may bring forth fruit the first yere, which do as follows.

Pare an old stumpe of what kind soever it be, the uppermost bark till to the lower green barke, a span long or somewhat lesse, which doe in harvest in the wane of the Moone, and anoint it with Oxe dung and earth, and tie it with barke, and after in March when trees are transposed from one place to another then cut the same branch from the tree, and put it into the ground, and it wil bring fruit the same yere. I have seene that one hath prickt sticks on Alhallow eve, in the earth, and hath pulled them out again up­on Christmas eve, and put boughes in the holes, and they have prospered and come out.

The [...] that the fruit bee without [...] sp [...]ut & graffe it into a great stump▪ [...] thicke [...] and lower part of the sprout, then take the upper or thinner end o the sprout, and cut it al [...]o fit to be graffed, and turne it downeward, and [...]raffe it into the said stump; and when the sprout of both sides prospereth, cut it in the midst asunder, so that which is grown right upward with the tree, the fruit of it hath stones, but that which was the top of the sprout that groweth contrary, brings forth fruit without stones. And if so be the turn [...] sprout pros­per, you must break off the other▪ to the end that the turned sprout doe not perish, which you may try a [...] ­ [...]er this sort: for oftentimes it commeth and prospe­ [...]eth, and many times it is perished and spoiled.

How Cherries are to bee graffed, that they may come without stones.

WIll you make that Cherries grow without stones? pare a little Cherry tree of one yere old at the stump, and cleave it asunder from the top to the root, which do in May, and make an Iron fit to [...]raw the heart or marow from both sides of the tree; [Page 17] then tie it fast [...]ther and anoint [...]

H [...] [...]

PLant a V [...]e tree next unto a Ch [...] [...] when it groweth [...]igh, then pierce a [...] [...] Cherry tree right above it, that the ho [...] [...] than the Vine is thick, and pare the up [...] bar [...] of the Vine branch till unto the greene [...] must go through the tree, & looke well to it tha [...] [...] branch of the Vine bee not bruised, and well anoin­ted. You must not suffer any sprouts to come out o [...] the vine from the ground up, but unto the tree only▪ that which commeth out of the other side, let that same grow and bring fruit. Then the next March fol­lowing, if the Vine prosper and grow fast into the tree, then cut the Vine from the tree off, and anoint the place with diligence, and it will bring fruit.

How a grape of a Vine may be brought into a glasse.

WIll you make that a grape grow into a nar­row glasse? take the glasse before the grape cast her bloud, or while she is little, and put her into the glasse, and she will ripen in the glasse.

To graffe Medlers on a Peare tree.

IF you graffe a branch of a Medler upon a Peare tree, the Medlers will be sweet and durable, so that you may keep them longer than otherwise.

How apples or other fruits may be made red.

IF you will graft upon a wild stump, put the sprouts in Pikes bloud, and then graft them, and the fruit will be red.

Otherwise.

Take an apple branch, and graft it upon an alder stump, and the apples will be red. Likewise if you graft them upon cherry trees.

Of the Quince tree.

THe Quince tree commeth not of any grafting, but you must plucke him out by the roots, and plant him againe into a good ground or earth.

Otherwise.

The Quince tree requireth a dry & sweet ground, and he prospereth therein.

How to make that Quinces become great.

TAke a branch of a Quince tree when it hath cast his bloud where a Quince groweth at, and put it into a pot, and set it into the ground, and let the Quince grow in it, and it will be very great.

And if you will shew some cunning therewith, cause to bee made a pot which hath a mans face in the bottome of it, or any other picture whatsoever, and when the quinces have blossomed, then bow the branch, and put the quince into the pot, and she wil grow very bigge, in the shape of a man, which may also be done in pompons, mellons, cucumbers, and other earthly fruits.

The conclusion of graffing.

OVt of all the forewritten causes (gentle reader) is evidently shewne, that although every plan­ting or grafting be better from like to like, and from [Page 19] kinde to kind, yet neverthelesse it agreeth also with contrary kinds, as now is said, wherefore he that will exercise and use the same, and try divers kindes, he may see and make many wonders.

What [...]oy and fruit commeth of trees. The first.

THe first is, that you plant divers & many kinds: for every housholder who hath care to his nourishment, with all diligence causeth oftentimes, such trees to be brought from forrein countries.

The second.

The second is, when the trees bee planted and set orderly and pleasantly, they give no small pleasure to a man, therefore every one should cut his trees or­derly, and he that cannot, should procure other men to do it, which know how to do it.

The third is of well smelling and spited fruit.

Cleave a tree asunder, or a branch of a fruitfull tree, to the heart or pith, and cut a piece out of it, and put therein poudred spices, or what spice soever you will, or what colour you will desire, and tie a barke hard about it, and anoint it with lome and oxe dung, and the fruit will get both the sauour and co­lour according to the spice you have put in it.

How sower fruits be made sweet.

WHich tree beareth sower fruits, in the same pierce a hole a foot or somwhat lesse above the root, and fill that with honey, and stop the hole with a haw-thorne branch, and the fruit will bee sweet.

How trees ought to be kept when they wax old.

WHen trees lose their strength and vertue for age, & the branches break off for the weight of the fruit, or when they wax barren for lack of moi­sture, that they beare not fruit every yeare, but scant every other or third yeare, you must cut some of his heavy branches, which he can little nourish, which is done to the end hee might keep some moistnesse to himselfe for his nourishment, for else the moist­nesse would go all into his branches.

Wheteby you may mark whether you must give them, or take away from them branches, according to their nourishment, and as the earth where shee standeth can abide, that is, you must leave them so much as will nourish them, and no more, which if you doe not, the trees will bring so little fruit; that your labour will not be recompensed.

Which cutting of trees may be done from the be­ginning of November till to the end of March, in warme countries. But it is more naturall to be done from the time that the leaves fall, till the time that they begin to grow greene againe, except where the frost is very great and sharp.

How trees must be kept from divers sicknesses, and first how to keep them from the Canker.

WHen the Canker commeth in any tree, he becommeth barren and dry, for it mounteth from the stumps into the top, and when it taketh a peare or apple tree, the bark will be black and barren thereabouts, which must be cut off with a knife, to the fresh wood, and then the place must be anointed with Oxe dung, and tied with barke, so that neither wind nor rain may hurt it.

Against worms which must be driven out of the tree.

IT happeneth oftentimes, that th [...] superfluities of moistnesse in the trees breaketh out like as some­times to a man or beast betweene the flesh and skin [...] and when that beginneth to rot, wormes grow out of it, which takes his strength away: wherfore mark.

When the barke of a tree at any time swels, cut it presently open that the poison may runne out, and if you find already wormes in it, draw them out with a little yron hooke.

How the wormes are to be killed, if they bee al­ready growne into the tree.

IF you will kill the worms which grow in the tree, take pepper, lawrell, and incense, and mingle all well together with good wine, and pierce a hole into the tree downeward, to the pith or heart of the tree, and poure this mixture into it, and stop it with a hawthorne, and the wormes will die.

Otherwise.

Take ashes or dust and mingle it with sallet oyle, anoint the trees therewith, and the wormes will die.

Otherwise.

Take poudred incense when you graffe, and bring it betweene the barke of the stump, which you will graffe, and no wormes will eat the fruit.

When a tree in many places becommeth chang­able because of wormes, or superfluous humors. Cleave the tree at some end from the top of the stump to the earth, that all the foule liquors may come out and dry. Also when a tree becomes sicke because of evill humors or fault of ground, so that he becommeth worme-eaten, or brings no fruit, take [Page 22] the earth away from the root, and put other sweeter in the place, and pierce a great hole in the stump, and put therein a pinne of Oake, and it helpeth.

A remedy against Caterpillers.

ALl kinde of Caterpillers which eat the greene, and blossomes of the tree, doe hurt them very much, so that thereafter may come no fruit.

Therefore their eggs which lie hidden, as it were in a cobwebbe, must diligently be searched, and bur­ned from the boughes, before they bring forth other Caterpillers, which do in December, Ianuary, and February.

Some were wont to breake them off, and tread them with their feet, but therwith they be not whol­ly killed. The fire consumeth all things, and therfore it is best to burne them.

Against the Pismires or Ants, when they will hurt the yong trees.

CVt the leaves off which are eaten or poisoned of the Ants or Pismires, and where there is any thing made uncleane in the top of the tree, of those little worms, that rub in pieces with your hands, that it may not staine the other leaves, and that the yong sprouts may grow up without any hinderance.

How to keepe the Pismires from the trees.

FIrst make a juice of an herbe, called Portabaca, and mix it with vineger, and sprinckle the stump therewith, or anoint the stumpe with wine dregs. Some take a little weake pitch, but very thinne, that it may not hurt the tree.

Another instruction.

Take a little bundle of cotton, wooll, flax, or towe, and lay it about the stump, and tie likewise a bundle above, about the stump, and draw it out a little, and the Pismires can do no hurt: or put about the stump bird-lime.

In what time of the harvest the fruit must be gathered.

THe fruits are not altogether at one time gathe­red, for they are not ripe all at once, as some pears which shew the ripenesse by the colour, those should be gathered in Summer, and if you let them stand too long, they will not last.

Peares which are ripe in harvest, those may be ga­thered in October, when the weather is cleare & dry: in harvest in the increase of the moon, fruits may be gathered.

A short instruction very profitable and necessary for all those that delight in gardening, to know the times and seasons when it is good to sow and replant all manner of seeds.

CAbbages must be sowne in February, March, or April, at the waning of the Moone, and re­planted also in the decrease thereof.

Cabbage Lettuce, in February, March, or Iuly, in an old Moone.

Onions and Leeks must be sowne in February or March, at the waning of the moone.

Beets must be sowne in February, or March, in a full moone.

Coleworts white and greene in February, or March, in an old moone, it is good to replant them.

Parsneps must be sown in February, April, or Iune, also in an old moone.

Radish must be sown in February, March, or Iune, in a new moone.

Pompions must be sowne in February, March, or Iune, also in a new moone.

Cucumbers and Mellons must be sown in Febru­ary, March or Iune, in an old moone.

Spinage must be sowne in February or March, in an old moone.

Parsley must bee sowne in February or March, in a full moone.

Fennell and Annisseed must be sown in February or March, in a full moone.

White Cycory must be sown in February, March, Iuly or August, in a full moone.

Cardus Benedictus must be sowne in February, March or May, when the moone is old.

Basill must be sowne in March, when the moon is old.

Purslane must be sowne in February or March, in a new moone.

Margeram, Violets and Time, must bee sowne in February, March or April, in a new moon.

Floure-gentle, Rosemary and Lavander, must bee sowne in February or Aprill, in a new moone.

Rocket and Garden cresses, must be sowne in Fe­bruary in a new moone.

Savell must bee sowne in February or March, [...] new moone.

Saffron must be sown in March, when the moone is old.

Coriander and Borage must be sown in Februa­ry or March, in a new moone.

Hart [...]horne and Samphire must be sowne in Fe­bruary, March or April, when the moone is old.

Gilly-floures, Harts-ease, & Wall-floures, must be sowne in March or April, when the moon is old.

Cardons and Artochokes must be sown in April or March, when the moone is old.

Chickweed must be sowne in February or March, in the full of the moone.

Burnet must be sowne in in February or March, when the moone is old.

Double Marigolds must be sowne in February or March, in a new moone.

Isop and Savorie must be sowne in March, when the moone is old.

White Poppey must bee sowne in February or March, in a new moone.

Palma Christi must be sowne in February, in a new moone.

Sparages and Sperage is to be sowne in February, when the moone is old.

Larks foot must bee sowne in February, when the moone is old.

Note that at all times and seasons, Lettuce, Ra­dish, Spinage and Parsneps may be sowne.

Note also, from cold are to bee kept Coleworts, Cabbage, Lettuce, Basill, Cardons, Artochokes, and Colefloures.

Worthy remedies and secrets availing against the stroying of Snailes, Cankerwormes, the long bodied moths, garden fleas, earth-wormes, and Moles.

AFricanus, singular among the Greek writers of husbandry, reporteth, that Garden plants and roots may well be purged and rid of the harmefull wormes, if their dennes or deep holes be smoaked, the winde aiding, with the dung of the Cow or Oxe burned.

That worthy Pliny in his first booke of histories writeth, that if the owner or Gardener sprinckleth the pure mother of the oyle Olive, without any salt in it, doth also drive the wormes away, and defend the plants and herbes from being gnawne of them. And if they shall cleave to the roots of the plants, through malice or breeding of the dung, yet this weedeth them clean away. The plants or herbs will not after be gnawne or harmed by garden-fleas, if with the naturall remedy, as with the herbe Rocket, the Gardener shall bestow his beds in many places.

The Coleworts and all pot-herbs are greatly de­fended from the gnawing of the garden-fleas, by Radish growing among them. The eager or sharp vineger doth also prevaile, tempered with the juice of Henbane, and sprinckled on the garden-fleas. To these, the water in which the herbe Nigella Romana shall be steeped for a night, and sprinckled on the plants, as the Greek Pamphilus reporteth, doth alike prevaile against the garden-fleas.

Paladius Rutilius reporteth, that the noisome ver­min or creeping things will not breed of the Pot-herbs, [Page 27] if the Gardener shall before the committing to the earth, dry all the seeds in the skin of the Tor­toise, or sow the herbe Mint in many places of the garden, especially among the Coleworts. The bitter Fitch and Rocket (as I afore uttered) bestowed a­mong the pot herbs, so that the seeds be sown in the first quarter of the Moone, do greatly availe us. Also the Canker and Palmer worms, which in many pla­ces work great injurie both to the gardens & vines, may the owner or gardener drive away with the fig tree ashes sprinckled on them and the herbs.

There be some which sprinckle the plants and herbes made with the lee of the fig-tree ashes, but it destroies the wormes, to strew (as experience repor­teth) the ashes alone on them.

There bee others which rather will to plant or sow that big onion, named in Latine Scilla or Squilla here and there in beds, or hang them in sundry pla­ces of the garden.

Others also will to fix river Cresses with nailes in many places of the garden, which if they shal yet withstand or contend with all these remedies, then may the Gardener apply to exercise this devise, in taking the Ox or Cow urine, and the mother of oile Olive, which after the well mixing together, and heating over the fire, the same be stirred about until it be hot, and when through cold, this mixture shall be sprinckled on the pot-herbs and trees, doth mar­vellously prevaile, as the skilfull Anatolius of experi­ence reporteth.

The worthy Paladius Rutilius reporteth, that if the owner or Gardener burne great bundles of the Gar­licke blades (without heads) dried, through all the [Page 28] allies of the Garden, and unto these the dung of Backes added, that the sauour of the smoke (by the helpe of the wind) may be driven to many places, es­pecially to those where they most abound & swarm, and the Gardener shall see so speedy a destruction, as is to be wondred at.

The worthy Pliny of great knowledge reporteth, that these may be driven from the pot-herbes, if the bitter Fitch seeds be mixed and sown together with them, or the branches of the trees, Crevises hanged up by the hornes in many places, doth like prevaile. These also are letted from increasing, yea they in heaps presently gathred are destroied, as the Greeks report of observation, if the Gardener by taking cer­taine Palmer or Canker-wormes out of the Garden next ioyning, shall seeth them in water with Dill, and the same being through cold, shall sprinckle on the herbes and trees, that the mixture may wet and soke through the nests, euen unto the young ones, cleaving together, that they may taste thereof, will fpeedily dispatch them. But in this doing, the Gar­dener must bee very wary, and haue an attentive eye, that none of the mixture fall on his face or hands.

Besides these, the owner or Gardener may use this remedy certain, and easily prepared, if about the big armes of trees, or stums of the herbes, he kindle and burne the stronger lime and brimstone together. Or if the owner make a smoake with the Mushromes, growing under the Nut tree, or burne the hoofes of Goats, or the gum Galbanum, or else make a smoake with the Harts horne, the winde aiding, by blowing towards them.

The husbandmen and gardeners in our tune have [Page 29] found out this easie practise, being now common e­very where: which is on this wise, that when these af­ter showres of raine are cropen into the warm sun, or into places standing against the sunne, early in the morning shake either their fruits and leaves of the pot-herbs, or the boughes of the trees, for these be­ing yet stiffe, through the cold of the night, are pro­cured of the same, the lighter and sooner to fall, not able after to recover up againe, so that the Palmer worms thus lying on the ground, are then in a readi­nesse to be killed of the Gardener.

If the owner mind to destroy any other creeping things noyous to herbes and trees, (which Paladius and Rutilius name, both herb and Leek wasters) then let him hearken to this invention and devise of the Greeke Dyophanes, who willeth to purchase the maw of a Weather sheep new killed, and the same as yet full of his excrementall filth, which lightly cover with the earth in the same place, where these most haunt in the Garden, and after two daies shall the Gardener find there, that the mothes with long bo­dies, and other creeping things will bee gathered in divers companies to the place right ouer it, which the owner shall either remove and carry further, or dig and bury very deep in the same place, that they may not after arise and come forth, which when the Gardener shall have exercised the same but twise or thrise, he shall utterly extinguish, and quite destroy all the kinds of creeping things that annoy & spoile the Garden plants.

The husbandmen in Flanders arme the stockes, and compasse the bigger armes of their trees, with wisps of straw handsomely made and fastened or [Page 30] bound about, by which the Palmer wormes are con­strained to creep up to the tops of the trees, & there staid, so that, (as it were by snares and engines laid) these in the end are driven away, or thus in their way begun, are speedily or soone after procured to turne backe againe. As unto the remedies of the Snailes particularly belongs. These may the Gardener like­wise chase from the kitchin herbs, if he either sprin­ckle the new mother of the oyle olive, or soot of the chimney on the herbes, as if he bestowed the bitter sitch in beds among them, which also avails against other noysome wormes, and creeping things, as I a­fore uttered, that if the Gardener would possesse a greene and delectable garden, let him then sprinkle diligently all the quarters, beds, and borders of the Garden, with the mixture of water and pouder of Fenny-greeke tempered together, or set upright in the middle of the garden, the whole bare head with­out the flesh of the unchaste Asse, as I afore wrote.

Excellent inventions and helps against the garden Moles.

THe skilfull Paxanus hath left in writing, that if the Gardener shall make hollow a big nut, or bore a hollow hole into some sound piece of wood being narrow, in filling the one or the other with Rosin, Pitch, Chaffe and Brimstone, of each so much as shall suffice to the filling of the Nut, or hollow hole in the wood, which thus prepared in a readi­nes, stop every where with diligence, all the goings forth, and breathing holes of the mole, that by those the fuming smoke in no manner may issue out, yet [Page 31] so handle the matter, that one mouth and hole bee only left open, and the same so large, that well the nut or vessel kindled within, may be laid within the mouth of it, wherby it may take the wind of the one side, which may so send in the savour both of the ro­sin and brimstone into the hollow tombe, or resting place of the Mole: by the same practise so worke­manly handled, by filling the holes with the smoke, shall the owner or Gardener either drive quite away all the Moles in the ground, or finde them in short time dead.

There bee some that take the white Neesewort, or the rinde of Cynocrambes beaten and farced, and with Barley meale and egges finely tempered toge­ther, they make both Cakes and Pasties wrought with wine and milke, and those they lay within the Moles de [...]ne or hole.

Albertus of worthy memory reporteth, that if the owner or Gardener closeth or diligently stop­peth the mouths of the Moleholes, with the garlick, onion, or leeke, it shall either drive the Moles away, or kill them, through the strong savour stinking or breathing into them.

Many there be, that to drive away these harme­full Moles, do bring up yong Cats in their Garden ground, and make tame Weasels, to the end, that ei­ther of these through the hunting of them, may so drive away this pestiferous annoyance, being taught to watch at their streit passages, and mouthes of the holes comming forth.

Others there bee also which diligently fill and stop up their holes with the red Okare or Ruddell, and juice of the wild Cucumber, or sow the seeds of [Page 32] Palma Christi, being a kind of Satyrion, in beds, through which they will not after cast up, nor tarry thereabout.

But some exercise this easie practise, in taking a live Mole, and burning the pouder of brimstone a­bout him, being in a deep earthen pot, through which he is procured to cry, all others in the meane time as they report, are mooved to resort thither.

There are some besides, which lay silke snares at the mouth of their holes.

To the simple husbandmen may this easie pra­ctise of no cost suffice, in setting downe into the earth a stiffe rod or greene branch of the Elder tree.