SECT. I. Of the Scituation of a Garden.

IT may seem needless to say any thing of the Scituation of a Garden, it being so absolute a Concomitant to your Habita­tion, that a Garden remote or by it self, is nei­ther pleasant nor useful. Therefore where­ever your House is, near it must be your Garden.

But in case you have not yet laid the Foun­dation of your intended Residence; then may you consider what Ground or Soyl is best for your Plantation and Partirre, without which you can never make the other compleat.

Therefore as near as you can, let the Soyl be good, deep, and light, that Trees and Til­lage may prosper in it, and then you need not question but Flowers will thrive there: Let it have the free and open Air to the East [Page 8] and South, but the South-East is to be prefer­red, and the North defended by tall Trees, which are better than Hills, which give too great a reflection of Heat in the Summer, and impede the cool Breezes that frequently come out from that Coast. If the whole Garden be at some distance defended by tall Trees, it will very much break the fierce Winds, and ferene Airs, that in the Winter and Spring usually annoy the most delicate Plants and Flowers, and will also yield a cooling, refresh­ing, sweet, and healthy Air and Shade, in the hottest Seasons.

If the Soyl be dry and warm, a plain Le­vel is best for a Garden, but if it be cold or moist, then declining or shelving towards the Sun, is the best position; because by Fosses, or by the Walks, only the Water naturally glides from it. And in such a Garden, Trees, Plants, and Flowers, will thrive exceedingly.

These Rules are good where you are to make your election, what sort of ground, and whe [...]e you design your Seat: I might have al­so added, the springs of Water in or near your Garden, are great additions to the Improve­ment, Beauty, and Glory of it, but that it's hoped few will seat themselves where that E­lement is wanting; unless it be for the sake of some pleasant Grove, Prospect, or delicate Air, Woods and Water, being two of the best Ornaments of the Seat, which may be had in most places, together with a good Air; but sel­dom Water and a good Prospect.

If you are fixed or limited to a place or scituation, that puts an end to Election, and then you are to consider the Nature of the Soyl you are on, what it is apt to produce, how to be corrected and improved.

SECT. II. Of the different, and most natural Soyls for Gardens.

LAnds are usually inclinable to Loam, Clay, Chalk, Marle, or Sand.

A Loamy Land is usually free, and apt to Vegetation, warm and easie to Till, the sadder the Colour the better; if it be free from Stones and Gravel, with a sandy mixture and mel­low withal, it is esteemed the best for Gar­dens, for the most sorts of Fruits and Flowers.

There is much Land that is mixed with Clay in too great a proportion, which maketh it apt to bind, and is cold and moist in the Winter season, retaining wet too much, and apt to chap in the Summer; it is injurious to most Fruits and Flowers, and therefore hath most need of help of any other.

Chalky Land is generally very sweet, and kind to many Plants that are not very tender, it being cold in the Winter, and suffers not its Plants to put forth early in the Spring; it is [Page 10] not difficult to be corrected, and made more natural to the choicest Fruits and Flowers.

Marle is a very good mixture in Land, so that it be not in too great a quantity, it being much of the nature of Chalk, but easier to be tilled and improved.

Sandy Land is very warm and free, very apt for Vegetation, and amicable to most of our choicest Fruits and Flowers; but if the Sand predominate, it will require a constant supply of proper Soyls to enrich it.

SECT. III. Of the Improvement of such Soyls.

THere are many parcels of Land lying near Towns, Villages, and Houses, that are of that excellent mixture of Loam, and other Earths, that they are capable to entertain most of the delicate Fruits, Flowers, and other Cu­riosities, that are fit to be planted or propaga­ted in your best Partirs, without any other mixture or composition, other than convenient dung of Oxen, Cows, Sheep, Pullen, Pidgeons, and sometimes old and rotten Horse-dung, to preserve it in its due and wonted fertility; it being by continual weeding, and the attraction of the Plants you furnish it withal, apt to steri­lize. So that where your ground is thus natu­rally fertile and prone to vegitate, you need take [Page 11] no other care than to apply proper Soyls or Compositions, according as the nature of your Plant requires, or to maintain it in its full vigour.

Claiy-Land being cold, moist, and stiff, is to be converted by labour, and mixtures of a contrary nature; if you dig it often, the Sun, Rain, and Frost will make it more friable and fertile: For take Clay, and lay it on any other Land, it will in time dissolve, and unite in minute parts with it, that you shall hardly discern it; so also it will be much altered by culture on its own Basis, the wet being care­fully drawn from it by declining Canals for that purpose, Water being the only thing that maintains its stubborn nature, if it rest on it.

But to accelerate the operation, and make it speedily more benign; Sand is an excellent Ingredient, especially that taken up in the bottoms of Rivers, or where hasty currents have left it at the foot of Hills, or Sea-sand where it may be had. Any old Thatch or cor­rupted Vegetables, as Weeds, Fern, &c. buried in the Trenches as you dig it, drains the wet from it, and makes it more mellow. But above a­ny thing, Peat-ashes, Turf-ashes, or any Ashes proportionably, and well mixed, is the high­est Improvement, you can add to your cold, stiff, and moist Land. There are several o­ther Additions that will improve it, as Rot­ten-wood, Saw-dust, the bottoms of Piles of Wood great and small; but these being not to be had in any great quantity, will serve on­ly in these Beds, where you intend to plant [Page 12] your choicest Flowers; but Chalk, Lime, Marle, and such like, although they sweeten it at the first, yet in the end it unites with the Clay, and is soon converted into its own nature.

Chalky-Land usually yields a good rich sur­face, therefore you must avoid planting too deep in it, and where you can with conveni­ency, the sinking your Walks, and with the same matter to raise your Borders, is a very good Improvement of this sort of Land. You may also deal with it, as with the Claiy-Land, though in a more moderate way, for Chalky-Land is naturally cold, and therefore requires warm Applications; and is also sad, and will the better bear with light Composts, which is the reason that Chalk is so great an improver of light, hot and dry Grounds, especially ha­ving suffered a Calcination.

Lands seated on Marle, are usually very rich, although cold and heavy; you need not doubt of the depth of it: for the turning it up, and exposing it to the Air, converts it into good Earth; a mixture of light and warm Soyl exceedingly advantages it.

Sandy-Lands, or Land that hath a compe­tent mixture of Sand in it, is the warmest and lightest of all, and according to its fatness; it is the most free and apt to produce the most of Vegetables you plant in it. Sandy-Lands are best improved by mixture of Chalk, Lime, Marle, the sediments of Ponds, Lakes, or standing Waters, and need a more constant supply of such Additions than any other, un­less [Page 13] you have the command of some Spring or Stream of Water to irrigate it, and prevent the Suns exhaling the moisture it so easily parts withal, for we may constantly observe in rai­ny Summers, what vast products Sandy-Land will afford us, compared with the dry. The same you will find in your Gardens, but the hot Dungs are here to be neglected, and the more cooling made use of.

The best for light Sandy-land, is Cow-dung, being cool and fat.

Some Plants delight in moist and boggy Lands, and where the Scituation of the Garden will not afford a Natural Bogg, an Artificial may be made, if you have the command of a Spring to feed it, or that you draw not wa­ter very deep to moisten it often by hand; it may be made by digging a large Pit in such place you think most convenient, where if the Earth be not tenacious enough to detain the moisture required, you may line the bottom and sides with Clay well temper'd and trodden down, and fill it with Earth taken from a Bogg; in which being duely watered by some small current led thereto, or by frequent irrigations, your curious Aquaticks may be propagated as well as in the Natural.

There are several other sorts of Land, that are known by several other Names, which I might here enumerate, but these being the ge­neral, and most Lands falling under some or one of these capacities, I shall not trouble you with them here, brevity being my study.

But if your Lands or Grounds within the precinct of your Garden, be somewhat of a different nature or quality from these before mentioned, yet may those general directions, as concerning that Land it is nearest of Na­ture unto, serve for your Land. And if you have any Trees, Plants, or Flowers, that de­light in Land different from the more general part of your Plantation, then may you com­pound your Mould in some place proper for such Plant; directions for which you will find dispersed in this succeeding Tract, especially when I come to treat of Esculents.

SECT. I. Of the Form of a Garden.

AS before was observed concerning the Scituation, so now may it be as to the Form, that if ye are already li­mited and bounded, by reason of the Scitua­tion [Page] [Page]

[Page 15] of your House, and the contiguous parts about your intended Plantation, you must cast it into as good a Form and Model as you can; but if you are at liberty, then may you make your Election of what Form pleaseth you best.

The Round is very pleasant, and some cu­rious Gardens there are of that Form in For­reign Parts. The Walls about such a Garden are very good for Fruit, the Winds being not so se­vere against a round, as against a streight Wall. The Walk also that circundates that Garden is not unpleasant, for that you may walk as long as you please in it, always forwards without a­ny short turning; some streight Walks there may be, that tend from the Circumserence to the Centre. The several Quadrants may be sub-divided and planted with Fruits; the Bor­ders of the round Walk, and the cross Walks be­ing sufficient for Flowers and Plants of Beauty and Delight. At the Centre of this Garden, may be placed a Fountain, or in defect of wa­ter a Banquetting House, or House of Plea­sure.

A rude Draught of such a Form is here pre­sented to your View, the outermost Walk be­ing adorned with Cypress Trees, the inner parts of the Grass-Plats with Firr-Trees, and the Quadrants within the lesser Circle, plan­ted with variety of Fruit-Trees, and the prin­cipal Walks round and streight, bordered with Flowers and delightful Shrubs and Plants.

Encompassed with a Pallisade in the Centre of your Garden, is a Fountain of Spring-wa­ter [Page 16] always flowing, serving not only to refresh the Spirits of such that delight in the sight of it, but is necessary in dry and hot Seasons, to preserve your choicest Plants from Injury.

The Square is the most perfect and pleasant Form that you can lay your Garden into, where your Ground will afford it; every Walk that is in it being streight, and every Plant and Tree standing in a direct Line, represents it to your Eye very pleasing. The delight you take in walking in it, being much the more as you are less careful: For when you walk in a Round or Circle, you are more subject to trespass on the Borders, without continual Thoughts and Observation of your Ground.

You may divide the Plot you intend for your Gardens into three parts, by Walls or Pal­lisades: The middle part may be sub-divided into Gravel-walks, Grass-plots, edged with Borders, planted with your most select Plants, Shrubs, and Flowers.

If your Partition-fences on the sides be Walls, there may be raised the choicest Wall-fruits; those that require most heat, on the most Sun­ny-side; and Fruits that r [...]quire but little, on the most shady, as Cherries and Plumbs will thrive where there is not much of the Sun; and Currants flourish most where there is all Shade; under such Walls, that most pleasant Fruit the Rasberry delights to grow, it being a Fruit wherewith that Northern cold Territo­ry of Lapland abounds.

But if your Partition-fences be of Pallisades, they may be adorn'd with perennical Greens, and other hardy Shrubs, and Flower-bearing Trees.

The other two parts, you may convert the one of them into an Orchard, the o­ther into a Kitchin-Garden, which will be no small Advantage or Ornament to your Seat, and middle Garden of Pleasure.

But if you are willing to celebrate so fair a spot of Ground, as the whole Square, to the delights of Flora; then may you divide it in­to larger Squares, and Grass-plots, leaving on­ly Borders on their confines for your variety of Plants.

The new mode of Gravel-walks and Grass-plots, is fit only for such Houses or Palaces, that are scituated near Cities, and great Towns, although they are now become Presidents for many stately Country Residencies, where they have banish'd out of their Gardens Flowers, the Miracles of Nature, and the best Orna­ments that ever were discovered to make a Seat pleasant. But 'tis hoped that this new, useless, and unpleasant Mode, will like many other Vanities grow out of Fashion.

A Draught of the Square Garden I have here given you, which may be varied as every De­signer pleaseth; each principal Walk is border­ed with Flowers; each principal Corner with Flower-pots, and the middles of the greater Squares with Statues. The farther end fen­ced with a Pallisade, that the prospect of the [Page 18] adjacent Orchard may not be lost; where now the Statues stand, if Water be to be ob­tained, Fountains would be placed with more delight.

The infinite variety of Forms that might be drawn and here represented to you, would but encrease your Charge; when perhaps e­very Builder may better please himself in the shape and contrivance of his Garden, than any other can do for him.

But these few Rules are not amiss to be ob­served, viz. That you endeavour to make the principal Entrance into your Garden, out of the best Room in your House, or very near it, your Walks being places of Divertisement after a sedentary repast. The Aromatick O­dors, they yield pleasant Refreshments after a gross Diet; such innocent Exercises being the best digestive to weak Stomachs. Let there be some other Door into your Garden; for Gardeners, Labourers, &c. And let your prin­cipal Walk extend it self as far as you can in length, directly from your House, Adorned with the choicest Plants for Beauty and Scent, and that there may be a Succession of them through the Year, not without Flower-plots, which grace the best of Gardens.

If your Ground you intend for a Garden, lye on the side of a Hill, your Walks may be made the one above the other, and be as Ter­races the one to the other; the declining sides of them, being either of Grass alone, or plan­ted with Fruit.

If your House stand on the side of a Hill, and you must make your Garden either above it, or below it, then make your Garden below it, for it is much more pleasant to view a Gar­den under the Eye, than above it, and to de­scend into a Garden, and ascend into a House, than on the contrary.

As for all other Forms and Scituations of Ground above your House, you must vary your Models according to the place.

SECT. II Of Fences and Inclosures to a Garden.

WHen you have discovered the best Land, and pleased your self with the com­pleatest Form you can imagine for your Gar­den; yet without a good Fence, to preserve it from several Evils that usually annoy it, your labour is but lost. Your Fences must be con­sidered of according to the place you reside in, and nature of the Soyl, and is either of Brick, or Stone, of Earth, Pale, Pallisade, or Quick-setts.

Of all which the Brick-Wall is the best, 1. Of Brick-Walls. it being the warmest (except Board) and very dry and con-natural to Fruit. And where Brick are plenty, it is not a dear Fence, con­sidering that their Form much accelerates the raising your Wall, and their even Joynts re­quire [Page 20] but little Mortar. You may also make the Wall much thinner with Brick, than any other Material, (Square Stone only excepted) because you may make Nieches at a reasonable Distance, or Square Pillasters on both sides or only one side, which will support the Wall, al­though very thin in the Intervals: This Wall needs no other coping than Bricks, set on edge side-ways without any over-hanging or dripping, as hath been used.

By which means of building them thin in the Intervals, with Nieches or Pillasters, at fit distances and slender copings, almost half the materials are saved in the building of them, and most of the workmanship.

These Walls are very kind to Fruits, under which they bear abundantly: The Nieches and Pillasters conduce very much to the break­ing off the cold Winds, and shelter the Fruit from them.

Next unto the Brick, Stone-Walls are prefer­red, 2. Of Stone-Walls. the square hewn Stone out of the Quarry, especially Sand or Free-stone is the best, the cold white Stone like unto Chalk, or Lime-stone is not so good. The rough Heath-stone or Burre is very dry and warm, but by its un­evenness is inconvenient to tack Trees against, unless you disperse here and there in the build­ing some small squares of Timber, or Brick­bats, in the Joynts whereof Nails will enter and take. Flints are very cold and uneven Joynted, and therefore the worst of all Stone for a Garden Fence.

All Stone Walls must be well coped, left wet insinuates it self between the Stones, and decay it in a little time. A coping of Tyle is the best, if made to carry off the drip 3 or 4 inches from the Wall.

In many places where Stone is dear, and 3. Of Walls of Earth. Brick scarce, and Lime and Sand not near, Walls are often made by a Compost of Earth, and Straw tempered with it. This Earth must be either of a clayish nature, or have a little mixture of Clay in it; it must be well wrought and mixed with long Dung or Straw, which serves to hold it together until it be throughly dry; and then according to the skill of the Workman, wrought up into a Wall, and co­vered with Thatch, being not able to bear a more weighty coping.

These Walls well wrought, and well coped and preserved dry, will last many years, and very warm and kind to Fruits, that is, to such that are content to be humble, these Walls being rarely built high.

In the building these Walls, pieces of wood, or hooks of Iron ought to be placed in, at convenient distances, standing three or four inches without the Wall, to which Poles or Rails are to be fastned, and to them your Fruit-trees, there being no tacking Trees to the Wall it self.

This way of Fencing is much used in some parts, and somewhat resembles the French way of making Walls for Fruit; for what-ever they are made of they are plastered over, and hooks [Page 22] of Iron or Sheeps shank-bones placed in the building of the Wall, at some convenient di­stance to affix the Poles unto, as in the small French piece called the Planters Manual, adap­ted only for that Countrey, may be observed. Also Rapinus at large describes the making of that Wall, and both of them prescribe the plaistering of them, as well to destroy the ver­min that would otherwise shelter themselves in the rotten cavities of those Mud-Walls, as to accelerate the maturation of your Fruits.

So that here in England where other Mate­rials are scarce, and such a stiff Loam in the place, these Mud-walls may prove beneficial, not only for security, warmth, and privacy, but for the advancement and melioration of your Fruits, more especially if Lime be not wanting to make a Plaister to cover it after that French mode.

It is not improbable that a mixture of Loam, Lime, Sand and Gravel, or small Sand-stones, may by being raised between two Planks, and so by degrees to the height of a Wall, and then well defended by a light coping, make a ve­ry good and durable Fence and Shelter for your best Fruits. This seems to be the same way that Pliny mentions. The Walls to be made in his time, which then had continued many Years, and not impaired, resisting all wea­thers; he mentions Turrets and Sconces to have been made after this manner, Lib. 35. Chap. 14.

Good Oaken Timber sawn into Pales make 4. Of Pales. a very good Fence, and not dear where that Timber is plenty: Next unto Oak, Fir, or Deal Boards will serve; but scarce any other Board will endure the mutability of the wea­ther long.

These Boards ought to be well season'd, else will they shrink and chap exceedingly, which will be inconvenient, as well by rendring your solitary Walks less private, as by admitting cold breezes to your tender Fruits; but in case your Board do not meet in the dryest and hottest Seasons, you may add a small Battin to each Interval, fixt to each Rail by Nails between the Boards, that the swelling and shrinking of the Board may not injure the Battin.

These boarded Fences are the warmest for your tender Fruits, and maturates them be­yond any other; but being subject to decay, are not repairable without damage to your Trees.

I have already mentioned the most princi­pal, 5. Of Pal­lisades. and best Fences for the outsides of your Garden, for privacy, security, and advantage to your Fruits. There are yet other necessary Fences, for the cantoning or dividing your Garden into lesser parts for the several uses you design them for, or for the security of some particular parts of your Garden, or Fruits, or Flowers, from the hands of every one that may otherwise have liberty or occasion to walk there; yet not to impede or diminish [Page 24] the pleasure in viewing those objects of de­light thus defended.

These open Fences are made of board of a­bout three or four inches broad, and three or four foot long, either nailed to, or let tho­row two Rails, with heads cut either round, or like a Lance, and painted white with Lin-seed Oyl, and white Lead, two or three times over, to make them endure the wea­ther.

But the best material to make these Palli­sades withal is Iron, so framed as are the Iron Balconies in London; save only that these ap­pear above the Rails with square painted heads which seem most beautiful; by reason that Flowers and other delightsom Plants appear so plain through them. This Fence is also per­manent and needs no repair.

In imitation whereof, there is newly made in some few Gardens a Pallisade of Boards, of about three or four inches broad; which as before were set flat▪wise, each place in the Pallisade, is now set edge-wise, the upper Rail running through each Pale, and the foot cut with an Ox Mouth, and set on an Arras Rail, either near the ground, or resting on a ground-pinning of Brick. The head of each Pale is about three or four inches above the upper Rail, divided into two parts, the middle va­cancy being about one third part of the whole breadth, the two extream parts for about four or five inches, being cut with square pyrami­dical points, do very much resemble those [Page 25] made of Iron. As you stand against them they appear open, and every thing very con­spicuous through them like the Iron; but as you view them obliquely they appear full, on­ly their sharp heads more open and not un­pleasant. These Pallisades, although they re­quire somewhat more Timber and Workman­ship than the ordinary sort, yet are by far the more compleat and beautiful, every motion of your Body from its place, begetting a variety in the object.

These open Fences are much more pleasant and useful in your Partirs and inward Gardens, than close Walls; for these prevent not your view of the whole, nor hinder the free Air from your Plants, which is as necessary in some degree as warmth, which ought to be obtained from Shelters and Fences at a distance, not by too great a reverberation of heat, and stifling in the Summer for want of Air, ei­ther of which proves fatal to most Flowers.

Gardens are oftentimes secur'd by quick Fen­ces, 6. Of Quick Fences. whereof the most easie to propagate is that of the white Thorn, which being well planted in double, treble, or more Chests or Rows of Plants, and kept weeded and defend­ed for three or four years, will thrive very well in most sorts of Land; and being kept clipp'd, sheer'd, or cut with a sharp hook, will grow so thick that a Bird cannot find its way through, and from the ground to six it seven foot high, it will prove a very great security against bad Weather, evil Neighbors, [Page 26] and Cattle; but is a shelter for Snails, and o­ther Vermin that will constantly annoy your best Plants, and are not therefore to be plant­ed near your Partir, wherein you plant your best Flowers.

A Quick Hedge of Holly is the most beau­tiful, and most compact of any; but the tedious­ness of its growth is enough to discourage any man from attempting its propagation, its Seed being two years before they appear above the ground, and its Plants long before they let you know of their like or dislike of the Soil.

Pyracantha planted for a Fence, proves ve­ry strong by reason of its sharp Thorns, and stubborn Branches. Sweet-bryar also is very good, and makes a fragrant Fence; but the White-thorn will not give way to either of them, being easily propagated, most tonsile of any, durable, of a delicate colour, and early appearing in the Spring.

SECT. I. Of Walks, and Meterials for them.

WHerefore to accommodate you for all 1. Stone-Walks. Seasons wet or dry, hot or cold, it is convenient to have Walks and Places of Re­pose in your Garden. As for Walks, the best [Page 28] for the Winter and wet Seasons are those pa­ved with Stone, about the breadth of five foot, in the midst of a Gravel-walk, of about five or six foot Gravel on each side the Stone, or of Grass, which you please, for on these flat Stones may you walk securely under-foot in all Weathers, without prejudice to your self or Walks.

Next unto the paved Stone are the Gravel-walks 2. Gravel Walks. walks to be preferred, which if made with a fine skreened red Gravel, do very much a­dorn your Garden; and being laid round, and kept rolled with a Stone-roler, cast off the Wa­ter, and are very useful in moist Weather to walk on.

The Gravel-walks are best under your Fruit-walks, because the beams or rays of the Sun re­flect from them against the Walls, much bet­ter than from Grass, and very much advan­tage your Fruit.

The great inconveniences these Walks are subject unto, are Weeds and Moisture: To prevent the Weeds, you must be sure to re­move all manner of earth clean from the place before you bring in your Gravel; and in case the Earth be not stiff enough of it self, it would not be amiss to support the sides with two or three courses of Brick, or at least a Brick set on end edge by edge, to prevent the falling in, or mixture of the said Earth with your Gra­vel; yet so that the upper part of your Brick may be an inch beneath the surface of your Walk, that it may not be discerned. If your [Page 29] Ground be good and apt to run to Weeds, seven or eight inches deep ought your Gravel to lie, lest the Weeds find their way through: you ought also to cleanse the Ground under, from the Roots of Grass, Weeds, as Net­tles, Docks, &c. least they find their way through the Gravel. You may fill your Walk with ordinary coarse unskreened Gravel five or six inches, and after that is levelled, then lay on your last Course of fine Gravel, and roll it well: if your upper Course of Gravel be two or three inches thick, and at any time your Walk grow discoloured or mossy, you may stir it with a Spade as far as the fine Gravel lyes, and finely rake it, then roll it a­gain, and it will appear to be as fresh as at the first.

The other inconvenience these Walks are subject unto is Moisture, especially after a Frost, which very much loosens the Gravel, and long soaking Rains make it apt to stick to your Feet: For the best red Gravel hath a mixture of Clay or Loam in it, which makes it in dry weather bind the better; to prevent which, several Expedients are lately made use of: Some do grind or beat small the shels of Fish gathered on the Sea-shore, and therewith add a thin coat on the Gravel, which by con­stant rolling incorporates with it, and is not apt to adhere to your Shooes, as is the Gravel it self. Others that live near to Brick-kilns, make use of the refuse parts of Bricks that are under burnt, which will easily pulverize, and [Page 30] lay that on the Gravel-Walks, which prevents the same inconvenience, and adds much to the beauty of your Walk, and is easily renew­ed as there is occasion.

On the edge of your Gravel-Walks, you may lay on each side a narrow Walk of Turf for your use in hot weather; or when you are willing to favour your Feet or your Gravel, which being kept out strait on the edges, beau­tifies your Gravel.

But if you will have your Walk only Gra­vel, then will it be necessary to edge it with Brick three or four inches above the surface to prevent Earth or Rubbish from intermix­ing with it; Bricks set on one end side by side, is the securest and most lasting way for this purpose.

Walks of Grass are very pleasant, and much 3. Green Walks. to be preferred in the Summer to any of the other, being cold and easie to the Feet. They are either made by laying them with Turf, or by raking them fine, and sowing them with Hay-dust or Seed (which may be had at the bottom of a Hay-mow or Rick) and well rol­led and weeded from all gross Weeds, will soon become a fine Grass-walk; if these Walks also be laid a little rounding, they will cast off the water the better, and be more commodi­ous for your use than if flat.

A Water-table on each side, of two or three inches deep, cut every year anew, not only receives the waste water, but preserves the Grass or Weeds from mixing with your Bor­ders, [Page 31] and presents your Walk much more pleasant to your eye, than if it were other­wise.

To destroy Weeds in the Gravel-walks, or paved Walks, where you cannot convenient­ly eradicate them, you must water it with very salt Water, or with the Liquor they have at the Salters, which they call Bittern, which absolutely destroys all Vegetation, where it is cast in an indifferent good quan­tity.

It is none of the least oblectations a Garden 4. Of Terrace-walks. affords, to have Terrace-walks, on which you have the benefit of the Air, and prospect on your Garden. These in former Ages (and now also in more hot Countries) were much cele­brated, the Hortipensiles or Pendant-gardens, were after this manner made above the ordi­nary level, for the advantage of the Air, and pleasure of the Eye, and somewhat to add to the magnificence of the Place, being very beautiful as well as commodious.

They are usually made where much Earth or Rubbish is to spare, which would cost time and labour to remove; and here is disposed of to advantage, with the only expence of a Wall on the out-side to support it; or if you please on both; but the inner-side to your Garden may be made declining, and cloathed with Turf. The Wall on the out-side sur­mounting the Top of the Walk about three foot, and on the Edge towards your Garden may be set a Rail, or Rail and Ballisters, or a [Page 32] Pallisade, or a quick tonsile Hedge of about the same height the Wall is of, that neither side prevent the Air, nor impede your Pro­spect.

In some Gardens where water is at your com­mand, the sinking of an Aquaeduct, or Piscary, will afford you Materials for your Terrace-walk; both of which are best and most pro­per to be made at the farthest distance from your House.

SECT. II. Of Arbors and Places of Repose.

TO make your Garden pleasant at all times, and in all seasons, either in respect of the great variety of weather, or your own dis­position or indisposition, it will be very ne­cessary to accommodate it with places of Shade, to skreen you from the scorching Sun-beams, Canopies to preserve you from the Rain, and Boxes to seclude you from the too cold Bree­zes: That although you are not willing to ex­pose your self too much in the intemperate Air, or your present inability or unaptness for a Walk be such, that you cannot with delight enjoy it, yet that you may not lose those ex­hile rating Pleasures your Garden most times af­fords.

For cool Recessss in the hottest times, it 1. Of Ar­bours. hath been usual to erect or frame Arbors with Poles or Rods, and plant them about with sha­dy Trees, which are an Ornament to some Gardens; but to be rejected, 1. Because they require much repair, and care to preserve them; for in your Garden of Pleasure you ought to be frugal of cost and pains; left your Delights become occasions of Prodigality, and your Recreations burthensome to you. 2. Be­cause the Seats are apt to be moist and foul, it being apt to impair your health to sit on a cold Seat, Salubrity being one of the advantages expected from a Garden. 3. After a shower in the Summer, is the pleasantest time to re­create your Senses amongst your odorous Plants, and then this place of recess is wholly useless, the dripping continuing long after the shower. 4. The usual cool breezes that you will sensi­bly feel in those Arbors to your prejudice, ba­lance all the conveniences you can expect from them.

But if the Weather and time of the day in­vite you to sit in the Air without inconveni­ence, a Seat under the shade of some Plata­nus, Lin-Tree, or the like, is much more plea­sant, than to be Hood-winked in an Ar­bor.

You may have a Seat made of thin and light 2. Of Seats. Materials, and painted with a white colour in Oyl, or as best pleases your fancy, which may be moveable with a little help, and pla­ced sometimes in one place, and sometimes in [Page 34] another, as the weather happens. This Seat may be made close behind, and covered, that being set with the back to the Wind, will be both warm and dry.

In the Nieches of your Wall may you place Seats covered over, that you may rest your self in at your pleasure: At the ends of your Walks are the most proper places for such Seats, that whilst you sit in either of them, you have the view of your Garden.

The best Form for these Seats is round, the one semicircle within the Wall, the other with­out with a Cupulo, the outward part to be sup­ported by three or four, or more columns of Timber or Stone, the other part resting on the Wall, the top covered with Lead, Slate or Shingle, with its due Cornish about that part that is off from the Wall.

Or you may make them of a long square Form, about two Foot in the Niech of the Wall, and as much without, covered as the round, but casting the drip side-ways or back­ward.

Having several of these Seats facing to each Coast, be the Wind or Sun either way, you have a place to defend your self from it.

You may also cover your Benches or Stools with Mat, and lay the Floors with Board, which will much conduce to your own ease and health.

Arbors, Benches, and Seats are very necessa­ry, 3 Of Plea­sure-houses. being present expedients for them that are weary; but that which crowns the pleasure [Page 35] of a Garden, is a place of repose, where nei­ther Wind, Rain, Heat, nor Cold can annoy you.

This small Edifice, usually term'd a Plea­sure-house or Banquetting-house may be made at some remote Angle of your Garden: For the more remote it is from your House, the more private will you be from the frequent disturbances of your Family or Acquaintance, and being made at an Angle, part within your Garden, and part without, you will have the priveledges and advantages of Air and View, which otherwise you will want, and which render it much more pleasant than to be with­out them.

The Windows and Doors, the one or other respecting every Coast, may be glazed with the best and most transparent Glass, to repre­sent every Object through it the more splendid, with skreens of painted and printed Sarcenet, to prevent in the day, and shutters of thin Wainscot in the night, others from disturbing your solitary Repose.

Also you may reap the pleasure and advan­tage of the Air from either Coast, by open­ing that side of your small Edifice, from whence you would receive it, excluding on the other side that which might otherwise an­noy you.

In the other corner of your Garden, or some 4. Of Re­positeries for tender Plants. opposite place to such Pleasure-houses, may you erect another of the same Form to answer it as to your view, which may serve as a place [Page 36] to preserve your tender Plants in, during the extremity of the Winter, and is usually term'd a Green-house, because several Winter-Greens are therein preserved, that will not endure the severity of that Season; in it also may you dispose on shelves your dry Roots of Flowers and Seeds, until the time of the year mind you of interring them.

On these small Edifices may you bestow what cost you can afford, and make them (as they deserve to be) the principal Ornaments of your Ville.

It is not unusual to raise a Mount with the 5. Of Mount. waste Earth or Rubbish, you may otherwise happen to be troubled withal, at some conve­nient distance from your House, on which as on your Terrace-walks, you have the advan­tage of the Air and prospect, and whereon you may erect a Pleasure or Banqueting-house, or such like place of Repose.

The most famous of this kind, is that near Marlborough, whether first raised by Art or Nature is not yet determined, however it hath a most pleasant and easie ascent, and from the Summit whereof you have a good Air, and a fair prospect.

SECT. I. Of Springs.

MAny pleasant Seats, Vills, and Gardens there are, that are very well scituate for Air and Prospect, that are of themselves dry, which defect may be supplied from Springs of Water rising at some distance, and may be conveyed by Pipes to such places in your Vil­le, or Garden as you desire.

In places where Wood is plenty, the Elm is Of Pipes for Water. the most proper material to make Pipes with­al, for the conveyance of water from the Spring to your Garden, not being subject to be torn by Frost, as are the leaden or earthen Pipes, either of which you must be sure to lay deep enough below the surface of the Earth, that the Frost may not reach them.

Leaden Pipes are the most convenient where water is to be raised to any considerable height, being not apt to grow leaky, nor to decay; but you must be sure to lay them deep in Clay as you can; but not in any mixture of Lime, or such like, left it decay the Metal: also you must have a Turn-cock at the lowest part of your Pipe, where must be a passage, that out of it you may let the water at the beginning of a Frost, to prevent the Pipes from break­ing.

Earthen Pipes may be made of about three foot in length, and made to fit the one into the other; and as they are laid deep in a soft Bed of Earth, Clay, or Sand, the joynts may be closed with a cement of Quick-lime, Linseed-oyl, and Cotten-wool, and bound a­bout the joynt with a piece of Leather, and a turn or two of Pack-thread: But these Pipes are not for forcing the water to any height, being apt to break, but are very necessary, cheap and sweet for the conveyance of any Spring without force, to the place you de­sire.

Sometimes it happens that Springs lye con­cealed in the Earth, which may, if discover­ed, prove very useful in your Ville, and plea­sant in your Garden, which to discover, ob­serve the Precepts of Rapinus:

Also several Rusticks there are, that can direct you to the nearest Spring, being ac­quainted with the nature of the Soil and Place.

These if they lie above or level with your Garden, may be brought by Pipes into it; but if they happen to lie below it, then must you [Page 40] erect Cisterns or Receptacles above your Springs, that they may command your Garden, and raise the water into them by Machins made for that purpose, moved by men, horses, or the wind; which when full, may serve to supply your Garden for a certain time, and when expired, the said Cisterns may be again filled by the former means.

SECT. II. Of Rivers.

ALtho' small Crystalline Springs brought in Pipes may be sufficient to irrigate your Groves and Plants, and supply your Grotts and Fountains, and add very much to the Splendor of your Garden; yet,

A fair Stream or Current flowing through or near your Garden, adds much to the Glory and Pleasure of it: On the Banks of it may you plant several aquatick Exoticks, and have your Seats or Places of Repose under their Um­brage, [Page 41] and there satiate your self with the view of the Curling Streams, and its nimble Inhabitants. These gliding Streams refrige­rate the Air in a Summer Evening, and render their Banks so pleasant, that they become re­sistless Charms to your Senses, by the mur­muring Noise, the Undulation of the Water, the verdant Banks and Shades over them, the sporting Fish consin'd within your own li­mits, the beautiful Swans, and by the plea­sant Notes of singing Birds, that delight in Groves, on the Banks of such Rivulets.

Where such a Stream or Rivulet cannot na­turally glide through your Garden, but near unto it, it's probable that part of it may be raised by some Machine, at some distance from your Garden, and by an Aquaeduct con­veyed through it, which will be more commo­dious (the charge only excepted in the bring­ing it thither) than the natural Current. 1. Because natural Currents are usually in the lowest grounds, which are not so proper for a Garden, as a declining or ground above the level of the adjacent Lands. 2. For that an Artificial Current is not subject to those Ex­travagancies, that the natural usually are, by over-flowing after hasty Rains. 3. Those Wa­ters that are brought by Art, are easily carri­ed off again, and may be conducted to seve­ral parts of your Garden, on the Edges of your declining Walks, whether they decline little or much; if but little, then may Canals be made in the natural Earth, without any dan­ger [Page 42] of decay or wearing, as Rapinus observed of the Water running through the Gardens of Lian-Court.

But if your Garden lye on a more declining Bank, then are your Aquaeducts to be paved and edged with Stone or Brick, lest the Ve­locity of the Current by degrees eat away the Earth before it: These Aquaeducts may be carried almost level, and have their Precipi­ces at several distances, as the form of your Garden will bear: These Water-falls will ap­pear very pleasant, if made broad at the end, as the same Poet tells you,

4. Waters brought in by Art, may better be confin'd in Canals regularly made, and Fish kept in them, easier preserved than in the na­tural, where Inundations usually unstock your Piscaries; therefore if you can, chuse rather to bring a fair Current of Water through your Garden, above the level of the main River; if it cannot be done by an ordinary Aquaeduct, yet may it by an Engin placed in the River, where the one part of the Water shall con­stantly [Page 43] raise another for your purpose, the manner of making and ordering whereof is not proper for this place; therefore for your further information,

SECT. III. Of Fountains.

FOuntains are principal Ornaments in a Gar­den; scarce a famous Garden in Europe without its Fountains, which were primarily, intended for Bathing, and are in the more Southern Countries used for that purpose to this day. The Italians bestow very great cost in beautifying them for that use: The French are very prodigal in their Expences about Fountains, and several curious Gardens in Eng­land have them; but here only for Ornament. They are generally made of Stone, some square, others round or oval, and of divers other forms, some flat in the bottom, others round like a Bason.

Into some the Water is cast by Pipes from the sides, out of the Mouths of several Fi­gures representing Animals, or out of the Pipes of Eurs of Stone standing on the brim of the Fountain, or the Water is cast from some Figure or Statue erected in the middle of [Page 44] the Fountain, or from a Pipe standing upright in the midst of it.

There must also be wast Pipes or Cavities to convey away the Water from such Foun­tains, which must be so made, that at your pleasure you may drain your Fountains, and cleanse them, and must be of capacity to car­ry off all the Water as it comes, left it annoy your Garden, for the greater quantity of Wa­ter you have, the more pleasant will it ap­pear.

But where neither Springs nor Rivers can be obtained to compleat your pleasures, yet for use and a little for delight, may Water be procured from the Heavens, by preserving the drips of the House, and conveying it to some Cistern made for that purpose in your Garden, which may resemble a Fountain, or make a fair Receptacle in your Garden, for the Water that may be gained from the declining Walks of your Garden, or from adjacent Hills, as Rapinus directs.

SECT. IV. Of Water-works.

BEsides those natural Courses that are pro­posed, for the leading the Water from the one place of your Garden to the other, after it is entred into its limits, there are se­veral ways of ordering it, where it is either Naturally or Artificially advanced above the level of your Garden.

Therefore the Water must be conveyed from some Cistern or Conduit, standing a­bove your Garden, at some distance by Pipes, or else it must by some Artifice be raised into a Cistern of Lead over some Lodge or Grot in [Page 47] your Garden, that from thence it may by smal­ler Pipes be secretly conveyed to your several Works.

As to the Fountains where it may be cast through various Figures, as before was hinted in the last Section.

Or it may be made to rise in the midst of a Fountain or your Grotto, through the Branch­es of an Artificial Tree, each Sprig being hol­low, that it may continually drop with Spouts on the top, for the erecting of greater quanti­ties of Water.

Or it may rise in one small upright Stream, carrying a Ball of Wood on it, which being exactly round, and placed on the mouth of the Pipe, and the Water by the opening of a stop cock made for that purpose, admitted by degrees; the Ball will rise and be supported by the Spout of Water, to five, six, or seven foot high, after the same manner as a single Pease may be elevated by your Breath on a Straw; but in case your Ball be apt to fall, then may you perforate it through the Centre smoothly and exactly in the middle, and place this small hole directly on the middle of the mouth of the Pipe, and so raise the Ball by degrees, and the small spout of water that passes through the Centre of the Ball will pre­serve it in its due posture.

By a Copper Cylinder made to fit on the top of the Pipe, out of which the water violently flows, to take off and on at pleasure, may you sometimes make the water resemble a large [Page 48] Glass inverted, by placing a flat piece of Cop­per on the top of the Cylinder, and leaving on­ly a narrow circular passage under it, for the water freely to flow out of it on every side. Another Pipe or Cylinder of a lesser size, made to rise off the middle of the said flat piece of Copper or Cap, with a like Cap on the top of it, and a passage left as before, will cause the water issuing out of both the Cylinders the one over the other, to present a Glass within a Glass, both inverted.

Also Crowns, Birds, Beasts, made of light Brass or Copper, hollow and easie to turn on a Cylinder, the one end of the Cylinder is to be set on the top of the Water-pipe, the other end to force the water with certain thin Vanes in the inside of your hollow Figure, which will make it to move swiftly about, ejecting the water out of the sides or mouth of the Fi­gures in its motion, which is very pleasant to behold.

Secret Pipes may be under the Ground, the ends not appearing above it, that when any Ladies unawares, or casually walk or stand o­ver them, by the turning of a stop cock, you may force the water upright under their Coats, to their sudden surprize.

You may also place on Pedestals of about three foot high, several Figures at about three foot distance, ten or twenty of a side: The interval between these Figures may be 8 or 10 foot over. Through these Pedestals and Fi­gures small Pipes must be brought, that the [Page 49] Water may out of the mouth of the Figures be ejected into the Air; the one Figure di­recting it towards its opposite Figure beyond it, and a little sideways, so that at the turning of a stop-cock, each Figure shall cast out a stream of Water over like a Rain-bow, that you may walk under these Spouts, as under so many Arches, without any drop falling on you.

But that which is very delightful, is the sing­ing of the Nightingal, exactly imitated by the motion of the Water, and is thus performed: In some Cavity of your Grott or other Edi­fice where you desire at any time to hear this Musick you must place a large Cistern of Lead, containing ten, twenty, or thirty Gal­lons as you please: This Cistern must be well clothed on every part (except the useful pas­sages for Pipes) into it: near the top must the Water be let in freely through a Pipe of about an inch diameter; then you must have also near the top, two, three, or four small Pipes issuing out, tending a little downwards, at the end of which you must fix your Pipes made of Brass, or other Metal, made before you fix them like an ordinary Fistula, wherewith Chil­dren exercise themselves in their pastimes, so that when you try it with your Breath, and hold the lower end in Water, it shall Pipe and chuck as the Nightingal sometimes both; you may make two, three, or four of these of se­veral sizes, the biggest not large, and they will give some distinction in sound, these being [Page 50] fixed to the ends of the small Pipes issuing out of your Cistern, and the lower ends of them dipping into a Trough of Lead, a little be­low the bottom of the Cistern; when by the turning of a stop-cock, the Water flows into the Cistern, it expelleth the Air through these Pipes, which give you your desired Musick, until your Cistern be full, then must you stop the cock, that the Cistern may empty it self again, and be ready for another time.

The Pipe through which it empties its self, may be at the bottom of the Cistern, of about the diameter of one third part of an inch, so that the Pipe that supplies the Cistern with Wa­ter, must of necessity be of Capacity sufficient to afford Water enough for this under Pipe, and to enforce Air for the musical Pipes, there­fore this emptying Pipe you may lessen as you find occasion.

The Water that runs through this lower Pipe, may descend into the Trough that is under the musical Pipes, to supply that with Water.

Instead of this lower Pipe, you may have a Siphon made in your Cistern, the inner foot of it to reach the bottom of the inside, the neck thereof to be near to the top of it, but not altogether so high, the outer foot of it somewhat lower than the bottom, that when the Water flows into the Cistern, and stops the inner foot of the Siphon, the Air forthwith gives you your Musick until the Cistern be full, then of its self the Water passes through [Page 51] the Siphon until the Cistern be empty. In this way, less Water will make your Musick, because there is no decrease of it until the Ci­stern be filled, but then you must not desist until it be full, else it will not flow out of the Siphon. You must also supply the Through before your musical Pipes with Water from some other Pipe, therefore the former way is the more facile.

By this means may you make many Musi­cal Artificial Sounds, and to continue in pro­portion according to the quantity of your Wa­ter, and capacity of your Cistern; the Wa­ter that flows in wast from it, being made to fall from one precipice to another, which with its murmering Noise intermixed with the Musical Pipes, makes an excellent charming Harmony, especially none of it being in view, but concealed in Rock-work made for that purpose.

SECT. V. Of Grotto's.

IT oftentimes happens that in these Northern Climes, the Aestival heats are more trouble­some than they are nearer the Zodiack, the Sun continuing here longer above the Horizon in the Summer season, than in those parts, which occasions that intemperancy that many times [Page 52] we are sensible of; for as we have less of the presence of the Sun in the Winter, so have we that defect supplied in the Summer.

But those that inhabit more Southerly, and have the Sun more perpendicularly over them, are more sensible of the acute heat of that bright Orb about the middle of the day, ge­nerally than we are; and therefore about the heat of the day, they usually sequester them­selves from their ordinary Occupations, and betake themselves to their shades and cool pla­ces of Recess for some few hours.

Such that have convenient places in their Villes, make themselves Grotto's or Caves in the Earth for that only purpose, on which some have bestowed so much Cost and La­bour, that those Grotts have been the Object of Admiration of, and part of the Subject of several Histories written by several Travellers and Strangers, as are their Baths and Foun­tains.

For the same reason may our Grotts be as necessary for us, to repose our selves in the time of our Summer faint Heats, although they are not here so constant every year as in those parts, yet are they less tolerable, for want of these nocturnal breezes they usually enjoy.

Therefore either in the side of some declive of a Hill, or under some Mount or Terrace artificially raised may you make a place of repose, cool and fresh in the greatest heats. It may be arched over with Stone or Brick, and you may give it what light or entrance you [Page 53] please. You may make secret Rooms and Passages within it, and in the outer Room may you have all those before mentioned Wa­ter-works, for your own or your Friends di­vertisements.

It is a place that is capable of giving you so much pleasure and delight, that you may be­stow not undeservedly what cost you please on it, by paving it with Marble, or immu­ring it with Stone, or Rock-work, either na­tural or artificially resembling the Excellencies of Nature. The Roof may be made of the same supported with Pillars of Marble, and the Partitions made of Tables of the same.

The most famous of this kind that this King­dom affords, is that Wiltonian Gratio near unto Salisbury, on which no Cost was spared to make it compleat, and wherein you may view or might have lately so done, the best of Wa­ter-works, far excelling what Rapinus thus sings of late Richlieu's Place in France.

But they that cannot command the Water to crown the pleasures of their Garden; yet are there few that cannot find some conveni­ent place for this purpose, it being as necessa­ry in them to avoid the liquefying Air, as in other places the unpleasant Breezes.

SECT. I. Of Winter Greens.

OF all the Trees that have been propaga­ted 1. Of the Cypress. in our European parts, none have yet merited that esteem as the Cypress hath done, it being the most uniform, streightest, and most slender of any other, preserving its Verdure throughout the year.

Its natural Country is Candia, where (as Pliny writes) if a man plow the ground, and not sow it with some other thing, Cypresses will come up, and presently shew above ground; from whence they have been spread into the most parts of Europe, so far as the extream cold will give them leave.

Their Seed seldom or never ripens here in England; but such as you have from foreign parts, you must sow about the beginning of April, which when come up and carefully wa­tred and weeded, you may remove.

These Trees may be either planted as Stan­dards, or in Hedges, and clipped as other tonsile Hedges usually are: if you intend them for Standards, at about three or four years the middle shoot ought to be cut off near the top, aad the whole Tree cut into a pyramidical Form, and not bound as is the usual custom, only clip them, not late in the year, left [Page 60] the Frost prove too fierce and kill your Trees.

For if they are not close bound but clipt and stand not in a cold moist Ground, they will endure the hardest Frosts, and sharpest Winds: For I have known many that stood in the lowest part of the Garden killed with the extremity of cold, when others that stood on a Terrace, more obvious to the cold Winds escaped; and for no other reason, as I could judge, but their dry and healthy Soil they grew in.

As the Cypress for its Beauty, so the Laurel 2. Of the Laurel. for its Glory, hath been in great esteem with the Ancients, whose Branches have crowned the Heads of Emperours in their Triumphs; and those that were Victors in War, or any solemn Games; The Laurel Branches are also Emblems of Peace, and of pre-excellency in any ingenious Science or Enterprize, the an­cient Romans attributed unto it an extraordi­nary property it had against the evil effects of Thunder and Lightning, and therefore plant­ed it near unto their Houses and Lodgings.

It is one of the best ornamental Trees you can plant either for beauty or shade, it will cloath your most shady Walls, and will en­dure the most scorching beames of the Sun, it will mount to twenty or thirty foot in height, and be content to be humble and tonsil, no Weather will annoy it, it delights most in moist Ground.

And agrees best with a cool shady place which is equal to a watry.

They grow tall, and bear great plenty of Berries, from which the Trees are easily pro­pagated, or from Layers, or slips, set in a cold moist place.

The Laurus Tinus is a Shrub yielding sweet Laurus Tinus. scented Tufts of white Blossoms in the Winter, as well as the Summer, is easily propagated from Suckers or Layers, and deserves a place amongst the best of your perennial Greens: There are two sorts, the one with a narrow, the other with a broad Leaf.

The Bay-Tree, our old English Plant is a fine The Bay-Tree. oderiferous Tree, but worn out of that great esteem that formerly was had of it, by the more beautiful and hardy Laurel.

Few Greens exceed in Beauty, either in 3. Of the Phylirea. Branch or Leaf the Phylirea, which spreads so fairly, and near the ground, and rises to that height, and so easily managed with the Shears, that it is esteemed one of the most pleasant Plants that Nature yields, it is very hardy and endures our generally most severe Winters, having never known them nipp'd with fierce Cold, but (Anno 1663, and since in Anno 1683.) and then the Branches being for the most part cut off, the Tree reassumed its former Lustre.

It is raised of Seeds, and may be increased by Layers, and sometimes by Slips, it will not easily bear a remove till the coldest Seasons are over.

There are two sorts of it, the one with a smaller and more edged Leaf than the other, which yields great plenty of Blossoms in the Winter, and lasts until the Spring, which Blossoms are of a strong Scent, by reason of a gummy Matter adhering to them, which the Bees wonderfully affect, which blooming Trees, if there were many of them near your Apiary, they would very much help your Bees, be­fore much of other Food was to be found by them in the Spring; but the barren Tree is the more beautiful.

These Trees may be cut into any form high or low, in Hedges or in single Trees, and will cover a Seat or Bower in a short time, and more neatly than any Tree whatsoever.

A Species of the same is the Alaternus, a 4. Of the Alaternus. hardy pleasant Shrub, not aspiring to that height as the Phylirea, but is apt for Hedges, and easily managed.

Most of the ancient Gardens of England 5. Of the Box-Tree. were formerly beautified with this never-dy­ing Box, because you might have reduced it to any form or shape high or low, but by reason of the ill savour emitted from it, and by its spreading Roots continuing long in a place, sterilizing the confining Earth, it is now banished out of our Gardens.

Our modern Planters have brought into 6. Of the Engh-Tree. our Gardens to adorn our Walks, the Engh-Tree, which growing tall and stour against all Weathers, and its small Twigs sticking close to the Trunk, clothing it always green, no Sun nor shade offending it, is one of the most ornamental Trees you can desire. The Engh-Tree may be clipt and reduced to any form, but easily to the compleat form of the Cy­prus.

I should undervalue the Judgment and O­pinion 7. of the Holly. of our best Acborist Mr. Evelin, if I should not numerate the Holly amongst the most select of our Hortense perennial Greens, which he esteems to be the most incomparable for Use, Defence, Sight and Ornament; I need say no more of it, seeing his learned Pea hath sufficiently emblazoned its frame.

The Firr-Tree is rather for the Woods, 8. Of the Firr. than for the Garden, yet by reason of the slender and aspiring Trunk of the streight Firr, and the facil keeping and preserving its Bran­ches in a compleat circular order, it doth very well become a Garden, planted at the corners of your Squares, or in direct lines at a little distance from your Walks.

Having one of these Trees whose top was perished, I clipt it with my Shears, and redu­ced it to a fine Conick shape, and find it as easie to be managed with the Shears, as any other Plant.

The Norway Firr is easily managed with Shears, and kept in the form of a Cypress, growing thick on the sides when clipt, and being planted thick in Hedges, may be clipt as other tonsile Plants, and make a very neat and close Fence.

They are easily propagated from the Seed taken out of the Clogs, and sown in March, and very well endure a remove; all other sorts of Firr and Pines, besides the streight small leaved Firr are to be excluded your Garden of Pleasure, being not capable of being reduced to a compleat form.

For the rarity of it more than for its beau­ty, 9. Of the Cedar. may the famous Cedar find a place in your Garden, the Name whereof is sufficient to re­vive those stupendious relations of the Mag­nitude, Durableness, Excellency and Virtues of that most sacred of Trees.

Not unbecoming your Gardens, is the Ilex, 10. Of the Ilex. or ever green Oak, which is hardy, though slow in growing, and propagated from its Seed, or by Layers.

The greater Tree Stone Crop is a beautiful 11. Of Tree Stone Crop. Green, not common, but raised from Layars, and preserved in some Gardens.

The Strawberry Tree, as it is so termed from 12. Of the Arbutus. the red Berries it usually bears, although diffi­cultly raised from Seeds or Layers, and with the like difficulty removed whilst young, yet thrives very well in the warm part of your Garden, adding much Beauty to it, by its green Leaves all the Winter, and its Berries in the Autumn.

One of the most Vulgar, yet most usefull and 13. Of Rosemary. necessary Greens is the Rosemary, a Plant natu­ral to many places in Spain, but here nourished in the warmest places of our Kitchin-Gardens; I have observed in some Country Gardens, a dwarf-kind of Rosemary kept sheared, that hath been exceeding comely, the Plant is easily mana­ged, did not the most severe colds destroy it, but that dwarf-kind is the more hardy.

The large double Rosemary is the more Orna­mental to a Garden; but that with a double blossom the more rare.

The Pyracantha, or ever green Hawthorn, 14. Of Py­racantha. is a compleat Tree for a Fence, its Thorns being strong and sharp; it is also very beautifull when its Berries are ripe, which are of a Coralline red, its Leaves ever green, but not very thick.

The Arbor vitae, so called from its ever green 15. Of Ar­bor vitae. and hardy Leaf, may be planted to make up your number of Greens, for its Rarity, but not for its Beauty, any more than the Savin, which is much like it.

The Celastrus or Staff-Tree, bearing a few 16. Of Ce­lastrus. green Leaves over the Winter, and as Mr. Rea adviseth, is fit to be mixed with Pyracantha, for the making of the ever green Hedge.

The Juniper-Tree altho' usual in the Woods, 17. Of the Juniper-Tree. or Commons, yet deserves a place amongst our choicest Winter-greens, it being capable of any form, growing tall like the Cypress, or spreading as you are willing to order it.

These ever green Plants have in them a strong resinacious Juice, that fortifies them a­gainst the Cold, and is the cause of the con­tinuing of the Leaf so long on the Stalk, as may be observed in the Firr and Pine, what an abundance of that Terebintine Sap do they contain, enduring the most fierce Colds the Northern Climate yields; the Cypress and the Rosemary both yield a very hot and resiny Sap.

The Holly affords us out of its Bark, that 18. Of the Holly. glutinous Bird-lime, that ensnares the heed­less Fowl, which diffuseth naturally into its Leaves, enables them against all the inconve­niencies of Winter and Cold. The Phylirea hath a very strong Sap that preserves it. And all the other Winter Greens have more or less of the like resinous and glutinous Sap or Juice, that is not so easily preyed upon by extreme Colds.

SECT. II. Of Variegated or Gilded-leafed Plants.

THose perennial Greens are very Orna­mental, planted in their proper places of your Garden and Avenues, by reason of their perpetual Verdure, that the Winter that seems elsewhere most barren, here amongst these Greens appears like a perpetual Spring; yet [Page 67] must they give place to the most beautifull of Trees and Shrubs of the same kind (as to their durableness) by reason of their variegations, much excelling those that are of a plain co­lour.

For what can be more pleasant than to have Groves or Walks (when the Flowers that are but for a day are retired) apparalled with gild­ed party-colour Garments, some with yellow and green, others with white and green, emu­lating the two royal Metals, that by the Gilder's hand adorn the Palaces of Princes. The most excellent of all which gilded Plants is the Holly, 1. Gilded Holly. whose Bark as well as Leaf, is variegated with a bright yellow; the more yellow the Leaf is, the more beautifull is the Plant; some are strip'd throughout the Barks and Berries: If vulgar green Holly be so glorious and refreshing an Object, as Mr. Evelin hath Characterized it to be, then certainly the same with a due mix­ture of a bright yellow must pre-excell. In fine, whosoever hath once seen this Tree, will not think any perennial Green equal to it, for it is like the true Scarlet-dy which present, debaseth all other Colours.

The gilded Laurel is a very pleasant Tree, 2. Gilded Laurel. although inferiour to the Holly, for want of that Oriental Verdure and more polite Leaf; but this Plant is more rare to be obtained than the gilded Holly.

Of Phylirea, also there is a sort that is much 3. Gilded Phylirea and Ala­ternus. variegated with white, and is very pleasant, as the like there is of Alaternus, which is not alto­gether so hardy as that of the Phylirea, yet both both worthy of your care.

The Leaves of Box are on some Trees gild­ed 4. Gilded Box. with an edge round each of them with yellow, but these Trees do not annually pro­duce all their Leaves gilded: sometimes they are green, and sometimes gilded; yet are these Trees not to be wanting in your golden Grove.

There is besides the Rosemary that is gilded 5. Gilded Rosemary. with yellow, a sort of it variegated with white, very delightfull to the Eye, and not so common as the yellow; both these are to be preserved under warm Walls, or other Fences to secure them from the too severe Winds; but the white is the more tender.

The Periwinckle is a low creeping Plant, some 6. Gilded Periwinc­kle. bearing white, some blew Flowers, growing wild in many places, and scarce worthy of a place in a Garden, except for the covering the Ground in the Shades of your Groves and Ave­nues, with its ever green and running Branches; but the gilded Periwinckle whose Leaves are ex­ceeding well variegated, much resembling the gilded Phylirea or Alaternus, is as compleat an Ornament for clothing the Earth of your golden Grove, as any of the gilded Trees are for the more lofty part of it.

And although your gilded Trees are most 7. Gilded [...] becoming in a Grove or Walk, and the Peri­winckle [Page 69] be proper for an humble Ornament, yet some Plants of a middle rank or degree, may not unbecome so splendid an Object; of which none can be more suitable than the Lilly, whose verdant shining pale-green Leaves are curiously painted by Nature's Pencil with yellow, appear­ing at a great distance, as well as near very beau­tifull; these Leaves from the Ground to the top of the Stalk, from the Spring to the Autumn, being much more comely than the Blossom which is the fair white Lilly.

It is known to all Naturalists, that the best 8. Gilded Night-shade and Mugwort. Garden Ground is most prone to Weeds, which are its Spontaneous productions, and seeing that Weeds are expected in our Grove, as well as in our Garden, it were better that it were in part supplied for want of gilded leaved Flowers with gilded Weeds, whereof the Night-shade, other­wise a noisome Weed, but with its variegated Leaves, and here and there thinly dispersed, and gilded Mugwort, another Weed of the like na­ture, would make a good mixture with the o­ther richer Dyes, like the ordinary Colours in a Picture, which serve to illustrate the more ex­cellent.

Some other sorts of gilded Plants there may 9. There is also varie­gated Wood-bine. probably be; but these are all that I have hi­therto observed. As these have been casually met withal, and from them others have been raised, so by the same reason may other sorts be discovered, that yet have not been observed.

For travelling through some part of Glamor­ganshire, and discoursing of these variegated Greens, one of that Country assured me, that in that Country was a very large Holly with all its Leaves curiously gilded, growing wild in a Wood, which was not unlikely, for from the Woods they first came, but that which was most strange, was, that the same Tree should be neglected, and not a great number of Plants raised from it.

The Reasons why such variety of Colours should appear in the Leaves of Trees and Plants, are not easily discovered, seeing that we may observe the like in the various Colours of some sorts of Beasts and Birds, whereof no account has been yet given; and they as well as these are also apt to degenerate. But the reason of such a variegation of Colours may be supposed to be a Defect in Nature, because the more sterile the Land is wherein they grow, the better are their Colours preserved, and the more rich the Ground is, the sooner do they degenerate. And as these curious Plants are by accident, or some secret inclination of Nature undiscovered unto us, so they are the more to be valued, and on them may we the better bestow our delight and admiration.

Thus will we conclude this Section, of mon­strous 10. The Embroide­red Elder. Curiosities in the Leaves of Plants, with that of the Elder-Tree. It hapned that about two years since, (being Anno 1674.) a Gordener near London, by accident discovered in a Hedge an Elder-Tree, whose Leaves seem'd to be em­broidered, [Page 71] by the swelling of the Veins that spread themselves throughout the Leaf, and ap­pearing of a different colour from the rest of it, they being of a curious Texture, made them appear to the Eye most beautifull and rare, which Tree he transplanted into his Garden, as no small curiosity.

These gilded party-colour'd Branches, would well have became those Crowns and Garlands so frequently used by the Ancients, had they been then known, and might (some of them at least) have been incerted in Dr. Brown's Cata­logue of Coronary Plants.

SECT. III. Of other Trees propagated for their Beauty and Shade.

BEsides these perennial Greens and other Rarities in Nature, that seem to take up 1. Of the Platanus. so large a room in your Plantation, yet are there other Trees that in the Spring, and throughout the Summer, do very much adorn your Groves and Avenues, and cool and refresh those that delight to walk in them in the heat of those seasons. The most principal of which is the Platanus, a Tree so much admired by the ancient Romans, that they preferred them before any of their own Native Productions, and that for their Shades only, it so absolutely [Page 72] excluding the Beams of the Sun in the Summer, and admitting them in the Winter. The Bran­ches are but thin and slender, the Leaves broad, and of colour pleasant, the Tree groweth large. Pliny records that in his time, a Plane-Tree was of that bigness, that being hollow within, eigh­teen persons usually sat on Benches in it, and supp'd with Licinius Mutianus its owner. This Tree delights in Water: for the Tree that grew to that bigness, had a cool Fountain adjoyning to it; and those that had not so convenient a place for it, yet it seems by Pliny, out of their extraordinary affection to it, irrigated it with better Liquor. He also tells you of another, that the Emperor Caligula had in his Ville, in which was a capacious Room, that fifteen Per­sons might sit at a Repast, and yet space enough for their Servitors to wait on them. In truth, the World doth not yield a more beautifull Tree for shade than the Plane. It grows and prospers well, if planted in a moist Ground, or be con­stantly watred whilst it is young, and will soon arrive to your desired bigness.

Unto the Platanus, 2. The Ti­lia.

This Tree seems to contend with the Plata­nus for Beauty and Shade, only its Leaves are not so fair, but for its conick or pyramedical [Page 73] Form, it exceeds most Trees, and for its sweet scent, wherewith it persumes the Air in the Months of July and August, there is no Tree comparable to it of that magnitude. The Bees will testifie it, who in innumerable multitudes gather on the rows of these Trees, when they are in Blossom. They are reducible almost to any Form, if planted at a distance they spread, if near they aspire. They delight in moist and good ground, and are very quick of growth. The many large Avenues planted of them in most places, sufficiently demonstrate their Beauty, Shade and Flavour.

The Horse Chesnut for the Beauty of its 3. The Ca­stanea E­quina. Leaves in the Spring, and the compleat from of its Bole, is not unworthy of a place amongst the best of Trees for Shade and Ornament. This Tree is very lately made English, being brought in its Seeds or Nuts, from Constantinople. It pro­spers very well here in good light Mould, it buds all the Winter, and untill it springs, are co­vered with a shining glutinous matter or Gum, and about the beginning of May, it usually makes its whole Years shoot in eight or ten days, and then dilates its Leaves, more pleasant than which scarce any Tree yields. In the same Month it puts forth many Branches of Flowers, so mixed, that they seem to be enamell'd, and are very beautifull; in some years, a few of those Blossoms are succeeded by Nuts, in form of Chesnuts included in a Coat or outward Shell.

Christ's Thorn, so named, for that it is said to 4. Paliu­rus. be the same wherewith our Saviour was Crown'd at Jerusalem, near which is the natural place for its growth. This Tree may be placed in your Garden as a Rarity, as may that which is yet a greater wonder called,

The Glastenbury Thorn, being in appearance 5. The Gla­stenbury Thorn. a vulgar white Thorn, yet budding and yield­ing plentifully its Blossoms in December. I have for several years observ'd it in Blossom at Christ­mas, sometimes it blossoms before, if the Wea­ther be mild, but if the Cold be very severe, it will retard it: Those Blossoms are succeeded by Berries and Leaves, although in the Winter, as the ordinary white Thorns are in the Summer. They that read and believe the Divinity of the Monastery of Glastenbury, may the more easily believe the report of this Tree, that by its blos­soming on the twenty fifth day of December, it doth not only indicate unto us the very day of our Saviour's Nativity, but condemns our sloth and contumacy in not rejoycing with it at so glorious a dispensation.

This Tree flourished many years in Wilton-Garden near Salisbury, and I suppose is there yet, but is not altogether so exact to a day, as its original from whence it came was reported to be, it's probable the Faith of our Ancestors might contribute much towards its certainty of time. For Imagination doth operate on inani­mate things, as some have observed.

Thus have you a brief account of the most delightfull, pleasant, and ornamental Trees wherewith to beautifie your Garden, Avennes, and Groves, which are shady and cool Recesses from the noise and cares of the World, and the hot Gleams of the Sun, and are an artificial E­pitome of the larger Woods, Forests, and Groves, so much celebrated by the Ancients, who attri­buted unto them most Divine Honour.

Here you may in a small Room, and at an easie Expence, reap the advantage of those more ample Possessions.

SECT. IV. Of the Propagating and Planting the said Trees.

THE several Trees before-mentioned, are variously propagated and removed at vari­ous times, being many of them Exoticks: And therefore the nature of the Climate is to be con­sidered.

Such of them that are natural to this, or a more Northerly Climate, may be removed at any time of the Winter, but the nearer the Spring the better, and are generally raised of Seed, as the Holly, the Eugh, the Firr, the Pyracantha, and the Glastenbury-Thorn. The Lawrel, Laurus Tinus, the Bay, the Tilia, the Castanea Equina, although raised by Layers as well as by Seeds, yet will endure a Winter re­moval.

The Cypress, the Pine, the Cedar, and the Celastrus are more tender, and although they are raised of Seed only, yet ought they to be removed in the warmth of the Spring about March or April. As also the Plants, Slips, or Layers of the Phylirea, Alaternus, Ilex, Arbu­tus, and Rosemary, whether from Seed or Lay­ers, because they are brought hither from a more Southerly Country.

The Slips or Layers of all your gilded Plants, [Page 77] deserve your care in removing them, as the plain Trees of the same kind ought to be.

The Box, the greater Tree-stone Crop, Arbor Vitae, Savin, Platanus, and the Paliurus, are increased by Slips and Layers only, which must be laid or slipped in the Spring, and (ex­cept the Paliurus) may be removed all the Win­ter, the Paliurus only in the Spring.

It is observed, that it is the best way of plant­ing the Box, to strip away the Leaves from the Slip, and not to wind the Stem, but to set it whole without winding.

It is also said, that every Slip of a Bay-Tree will grow, if set in March, the great Leaves be­ing stript off, but they must be shaded, and sometimes watred if need require, else they will not so easily take root.

The gilded Trees or Plants must be increased by Layers, Slips, or Graffs, for it is observed, that by raising them from Seed they degenerate, by reason that the Hawes or Seeds of the white Thorn come not up the next year after they are sown: It will be somewhat tedious for such as delight in Curiosities, to wait for the produ­ction of the Glastenbury-Thorn from the Seed; therefore the best and most expeditious way of raising this Rarity, is by grafting it on a com­mon white Thorn.

The Holly-Berry continues the like time in the ground before it springs, but the Berries clean­sed of their mucilage before they are planted, very much accelerates their springing: The Berries of the Eugh require the same ordering.

The Juniper Trees are propugated, either by Plants taken from the Woods, or by their Seeds or Berries, which will soon come up.

SECT. I. Of the various kinds of Roses.

THere is no Flower-bearing Tree that yields so great variety, nor any Blossoms so beau­tifull as the Rose, nor do they only adorn but perfume your Gardens.

Between the Tulip and the Gillyflower, they are the greatest Ornament to a Garden, where­of the yellow Province-Rose is the most beauti­full, 1. Of yel­low Roses. where it brings forth fair and kindly Flow­ers, which hath been obtained by budding a sin­gle yellow Rose on the stock of a flourishing Franc­ford Rose near the Ground; when that single yellow is well grown in that Branch, inoculate your double yellow Rose, then cut off all suck­ers and shoots from the first and second, leaving only your last, which must be pruned very near, leaving but few Buds, which will have the more Nourishment, and yield the fairer and more en­tire Blossom.

This Tree or a Layer, from a Rose of the same kind delights most, and blows fairest in a cold, moist, or shady place, and not against a hot Wall.

The single yellow Rose is scarce worth the planting, except for the use aforesaid.

The nearest in Colour to the former is the 2. The Au­strian Rose. Austrian Rose, being but single, yet in much esteem for its Blossom, whose Leaves are of a Scarlet colour within, and on the outside of a pale yellow.

The sweetest and most usefull of Roses is the 3. The Da­mask Rose. Damask, which in my Lord Bacon's time, was by him observed not to have been in England a­bove one hundred years; of these Damask kinds, there is one that beareth Blossoms with the first, and so continues with new Blossoms, untill the Frosts prevent it, and is therefore called the Monthly Rose, and is not inferiour in smell to 4. The Monthly Rose. the Damask, and deserves a place amongst your most select Plants; this seems to be the Rose that Pliny mentions to be growing in Spain, that blow and flower all the Winter.

The Damask Province Rose differs from the 5. The Da­mask Pro­vince Rose. ordinary Damask, in that only it is very double and fair, but not so sweet.

The Damask-Rose with some of its Leaves 6. The York and Lanca­ster Rose. marked with a faint blush, is usually termed the York and Lancaster-Rose. I suppose because it was the first variegated Rose that was here known after the uniting those two Houses or Roses.

But the best of Damask-Roses and inferiour 7. Mrs. Hart 's Rose. to none other, is the Damask compleatly stri­ped, usually called Mrs. Hart's Rose; it is a very plentiful bearer, the Flowers exceeding sweet and very beautiful, and that Garden is defective that is without it.

There are two Roses bear the name of Bel­gick-Roses, 8. The Bel­gick-Rose. the one of a Blush Colour, bearing many Flowers at the end of a Branch, and those very sweet, and this Tree is esteemed the greatest bearer of all Roses. The other is of a red Colour, very double and beautiful, and in good esteem.

The ordinary Red-Rose is generally known; 9. The Red Rose. the Hungarian-Rose is little better, and the Red Province is esteemed only for its fairness, as is the Dwarf Red Rose for its humility.

The Rose that most illustrates the whole kind 10. Rosa­mundi. is the Rosa-mundi, being Red elegantly strip'd with White, two so divers colours appearing plainly at a distance; its Scent is weak, but that defect is supplied by its Beauty.

The Marbled-Rose is a very fair red Rose, 11. The Marbled Rose. fully and curiously marked or dappled with dark Colours, that it very much resembles Marble, from whence it hath its Name, and deserves a place amongst the best Roses.

The Velvet-Rose is the darkest of all Roses, 12. The Velvet Rose. and its Leaf much resembling Velvet; it's not very double, but some more than others. This Tree, and the Rosa-mundi, are very great En­creasers.

The Francford-Rose yieldeth large shoots, 13 The Francford-Rose. and is fit for the budding of the yellow Rose on it, the Flowers not much to be commended, nor is that of the Rose without Thorns, or the Virgin-Rose.

The Cinamon-Rose is in esteem only for its 14. The Cinamon-Rose. sweet Scent and early Blowing, being the first of Roses.

The Vulgar white and blush Roses are known 15. The white Rose. 16. Rosa Canina. to most. The Rosa Canina, so call'd from its whiteness like unto a Dogs Tooth, yet not so perfectly white as the Vulgar, but much more double, and for that reason is esteemed.

The double Musk-Roses, flower later than a­ny 17. Musk Roses. other Roses except the Monthly-Rose: Their Scent gives them their Name, and deserve a place in your Garden; but the single called the Spanish Musk-Rose, is not of such value.

One sort of the Musk-Roses keepeth on its 18. Ever green Rose. green Leaves all the Winter, which property hath imposed its Name; its Flowers are single, yet not to be slighted by the curious.

The Vulgar Sweet-Briar for its excellent O­dour 19. Double Eglantine. in the Spring, deserves a place near your House or places of Repose; yet not so much as that which bears a double Blossom, for which it is preferr'd to it, and is one of the best of Odoriferous Plants.

The Gelder-Rose, or Gelderland-Rose, suppo­sed 20. The Gelder-Rose. thence to have its Name, or rather Elder-Rose, from the likeness of its Branches to El­der, having the name of a Rose, I place it here, although not in any thing resembling it. It [Page 83] is a hardy Tree, and yields great plenty of Snow-white Bunches of Blossoms, and very well becomes a Garden, or a Chimney with a due mixture.

There are divers other species of Roses, as the Cristal-Rose, the Damask Musk-Rose, the Great Apple-Rose, so called from the bigness of the Berries or Apples that come after its small single Blossoms are fallen, &c. But these must give way to those before mentioned, and therefore it's needless to say any more of them.

SECT. II. Of Ordering of Rose-Trees.

ROses have been in so great esteem from all Antiquity, that the curious have been very diligent in their propagation, amendment and discovery, several having been in several Ages produced that were not known to the Times preceding, and various ways have been invented and found out for their propagation, improvement and preservation.

The more excellent sorts of them have suc­ceeded very well by grafting on the Stock of the common Sweet-Briar.

And by inoculation may they be increased on the Stocks of the common Rose-Trees; the time for this work is about Midsummer.

And when you have thus obtained one Tree of a sort of the more Rare, you may multiply them by laying them, which may be done without the help of Boxes or Pots, the Bran­ches being pliable, and the Tree it self humble, only by bending down the Tree, and laying the Branches in the Earth, and covering the middle of them, being first prickt with an Awl about some joynt, that is to be under the Earth. This may be done in the Spring, some­times watring the Layers in dry Weather, then in the Autumn most of the Sprigs will have ta­ken root, and are in their prime to be remo­ved; these will never degenerate, and all Cions proceeding from them, will be of the same.

To make Roses bear early, they must be planted in a very warm place, or on a decli­ning Bank towards the Sun, and irrigated with Water, enriched with the hottest Dungs or Shavings of Horn and Lime steeped in Wa­ter: Some say warm Water will accelerate their blowing.

To make them bear late, the way approved of by several upon Experience, is at the time when they begin to bud, to clip or shear off all the Buds, and when other Roses have done blowing, these will shoot forth new Buds; thus may you annually continue this pleasant Flower longer than naturally it would, by cut­ting some of your Trees, that they may suc­ceed the other.

Some say, if you cut the tops of the Trees in the first of the encrease of the Moon after the Blossoms are faded, that another shew of Blossoms will appear about Michaelmas; but the other is the more certain way.

To have Roses until Christmas, you may plant the monthly Rose in some Niech of your South-wall, and you will have Rose-buds fresh and fair in October, and in mild Winters in November, which by Shutters artificially made, may be defended from the Cold (sometimes admitting the Sun) until Christmas, you may add artificial warmth to them if you please: I have had fair Roses-buds in November, with younger by them, which might have been thus preserved.

Musk Roses are to be planted against a high Wall or side of some Building, and not check'd in their growth upwards, lest you hinder their bearing.

SECT. III. Of divers other Flower-bearing Trees▪

BEsides the great variety of Colours and de­lightful Scent that the Roses have for the greatest part of the Summer yielded you, yet there are several other sweet and pleasant Ob­jects Nature hath furnished you withal; if you will lend your assistance to convey them into your Garden, of whom none are more gratefully odoriferous than the Jassmins.

The most common is the Yellow Jassmine, 1. Yellow Jassemine. 2. White Jassemine. but the White far exceeds it in Beauty, and yielding one of the most Odoriferous Flowers in Nature, as the perfumes made thereof Wit­ness. In the Autumual Season, these last fur­nish you with many Blossoms for a long time, until the Frost prevent them; both these re­quire the help of a Wall or Pallisade, their Branches being but slender and weak, yet en­during the most severe Colds.

The Indian Jassemine, or the Mexican 1. Indian Jassemine. Tlilxochitle is a Plant requires a tall Wall to a­spire against: At every Joynt it hath small Claws or Tendrils, insinuating into Brick, Wood, or any other penetrable substance, and requires but small assistance to prune it, it af­fords a beautiful Scarlet Blossom in America, being one of the Ingredients to the famous Drink Chocolate.

The two former Jassemines are great En­creasers, and all of them may be increased by Layers.

Nor inferiour to the best of the former, 4. The Per­sian Jasse­mine. is the Persian Jassemine, for that it is a beautiful Shrub, yielding in the prime of the Summer most pleasant and well scented Blossoms, which welcome you to the choicest Flowers, Trees will yield. As the Persian Nuts and Iris, so the [Page 87] Persian Jassemins precede in Blossom, all others in respect of time, and therefore are the more valued; they are easily increased by Layers

Not much unlike in Blossom to the last, is 5. The Li­lack. the blew Syringa Pipe-Tree, or Lilac, the white is more rare, being but of humble growth, the Bark of a whitish Colour, the Leaves of a very pleasant pale Green, affording you Bran­ches of fine scented white Flowers in April and May, and is a Tree yielding Suckers plentifully, but the best is that of a purple Colour, which two last very well merit Room in your choicest Avenues.

This is another Tree, that beareth the name 6. Syringa. of Syringa or Lilac, which never riseth so high as either of the other, but beareth many Clu­sters of Flowers, of a faint white or wild Primrose colour, yielding a strong Sweet, al­most like unto that of Orange Flowers.

The double blossomed Pomegranate Tree, is 7. Balaus­tium. esteemed the rarest of all flowring Trees, yielding so pleasant a Branch, and a much more lustrious Blossom.

This Tree deserves the choicest place in your Garden, and under the warmest Wall, being tender whilst young, but after very hardy; the Flowers are double, fair and beautiful, [Page 88] exceeding all others, born by Trees: they are easily propagated by Layers.

This delicate Plant deserves a little of your Care and Assistance, in separating from it the many Suckers that usually proceed from it, and keep it to a few or but one Branch, and sometimes enrich the Ground with well con­sumed Hog's dung; For it is the plenty of Nou­rishment makes them apt to Blossom, and too many Branches or Suckers rob them of it; You need not House them, but if you doubt your Wall stands too open to the cold Winds, which only can hurt them, it is but taking a Mat, or placing a Skreen before them in the Win­ter, to defend them from it.

The Dwarf Almond is a very humble Shrub, 8. Dwarf Almonds. bearing in April many fine Peach-coloured Blossoms, and is a very pleasant Plant, and yeilds plenty of Cions; it deserves a place in your Garden, and needs not to be Housed, it enduring all Weathers; In some Years it bears Almonds of a very bitter tast.

The Mezerion, from whence soever tran­sported, 9. Meze­rion. is one of the most hardy Plants in Nature, sending forth its pleasant, beautiful, and odoriferous Flowers in the coldest Seasons of this Northen Climate, usually in January, and continues in Blossom in February and March, after them Leaves, and then its Co­ralline Berries, by whom it is increased. The Shrub is of a very soft consistence, and al­though Cold will not kill it, yet is it very ten­der in the choice of its Ground; I suppose a [Page 89] light Ground, or a very moist, are not proper for it, Heat being more offensive to it than Cold.

There are three sorts of them, the one of a Peach colour, another more red being not so 10. The Se­na-Tree. common, the other and the most rare is the white

There are two sorts of Sena-Trees, the great Bastard-Sena, and the Scorpion-Sena, both of them yielding a pleasant Leaf, and fine yel­low blossom, not unbecoming a good Florists Garden; they are slender and require the help of a Wall, endure all Weathers, are tonsile, and therefore reducible into any order, and are increased by Seeds, Layers or Suckers.

The Shrub Spirea is a small Tree, bearing 11. Spirea Frutex. small Peach-coloured Blossoms about the Month of August, it's a hardy Tree, and is in­creased by Layers.

The Judas-Tree yields a fine purplish bright 12. Arbor Judae. red Blossom in the Spring, and is increased by Suckers and Layers.

The Bean-Trefoyl, so termed from the like­ness of its Leaves to the Herb Trefoyl, and its 13. Labur­num. Pods to Beans, it affords many fine yellow Blossoms, and is a very pleasant though com­mon Tree; it is increased by Seeds, Cuttings, and Layers, and requires some artificial helps to support its weak Branches; there are three kinds of these, the smallest is called Cytisus se­cundus Clusii.

Not much unlike to the yellow Jessemine is 14 Spanish Broom. the Spanish-Broom, only its Flowers are like our ordinary Broom, as are the Cods, only lar­ger: It flowers in May, and is increased by Seeds and Suckers.

The double Virgins-Bower is a climbing 15. Virgins Bower. Tree, fit to cover some place of Repose, or to be supported by Props for that purpose; it bears many dark blew double Flowers in July, August, and until the Cold prevents them: You may cut off most of the smallest branches in the Winter, it shoots early, and spreads ve­ry much in a Summer; it is easily increased by Layers.

There are of them single, both purple and red, but this is to be preferred.

The Honey-Suckle, especially either of the 16. Wood­binds. more generous kinds of it, is a Plant which though vulgar, yet deserves our Pains in pro­pagating it. The double and the red are the most choice, and are easily propagated by Layers.

Periploca is a Plant that twists it self about 17. Peri­ploca. a Pole as doth the Hop; it lives over the Winter, and yearly puts forth small blew Blossoms, is increased by Layers, and entertained in Gar­dens only for variety sake, and not for its beau­ty.

Of the Shrub-Mallow, there are two sorts, the Purple and the White; they endure the 18. Althea Fruticosa. Winter, are usually planted Standards, bring forth their Flowers in August and September, until the Wet or Cold prevent them; the Tree is increased by Layers. The Blossoms resemble the Blossoms of a Mallow, whence it hath its Name, and is a fair Autumnal Ornament to your Garden, for it buds and blows very late in the Year.

Hypericum-Frutex is a Shrub yielding abun­dance 19. Hyperi­cum. Frutex. of small slender shoots, which in May, are very thick set with small white Blossoms, that the Tree seems to be all hoary with Frost, or covered with Snow: It is increased by Suckers, and endures all Weathers, and very well becomes the choicest Gardens.

There is a sort of Peach-Tree, yielding dou­ble 20. Double flower'd Peach Tree. Flowers fair and beautiful, deserves a place under your Wall.

The like there is of Cherries, a sort that bears 21. Double flower'd Cherry. a fair white Blossom very double, but yielding no Fruit, as doth that of the Peach, yet a wel­come Plant to a good Florist.

There are Apple-Trees and Pear-Trees, that yield double Flowers, but they are not so much regarded.

Thus by propagating and preserving such Flower-bearing-Trees and Shrubs, may you have your Garden and Groves replete, with great variety of curious Flowers from the end of January, when the hardy Mezerion exposes its several coloured sweet scented Blossoms to your view, until the cruel Frosts and Winds check the Monthly Rose, Althea Fruticosa, Vir­gins-Bower, and white Jessemine; and so throughout the whole Summer between those two extreams, and that without the trouble of removing, altering, shading, skreening from Cold or other inconveniences, which most other Flowers are subject unto, and are there­fore much rather to be preferred; yet if you are willing to undergo the little trouble of de­fending [Page 92] the Monthly Roses or White Jasse­mines, you may have Blossoms from these later, and Roses even until Christmas.

SECT. I. Of Tulips.

OF all Bulbous-rooted Flowers the Tulip hath obtained, and not undeservedly, the preference, yielding so great a Variety, that they are not here to be enumerated, eve­ry year producing new Flowers. Nor is it all the words I can invent, can convince you of the beauty of these Glories of Nature, but must refer you to the choice your self, or Friend for you, can make out of that Magazine of Varieties that are collected by the ingenious Florists.

Their Colours are various, from the deepest dye of any other Flowers to the purest White, intermixt with the brightest Yellow, transcen­dent Scarlet, grave Purple, and many other compounds of these inclining to the Blew and Green.

Many double Tulips are now raised, where­of there is some variety.

Their Season of blowing continues long, the Praecoces or early Tulips, beginning some of them to blow at the Vernal Aequinox, the Medias which are the prime, continue all A­pril, and sometimes the half of May, till the end whereof the Serotines or late flowring Tu­lips continue.

When the principal of them display their Colours in the heat of the day, there is not a more glorious sight in Nature, nor is it to be imitated by Art, no Limner, nor Painter dares pretend to so great skill: But as all things else that are in excess are soonest apt to decline, so these that exceed all others in beauty and lu­stre, soonest fade; not any of them continu­ing in its Glory above eight or ten days, un­less the mildness of the Weather, or some arti­ficial shade preserve them; nor are they suc­ceeded by any other from the same root.

Tulips are not only preserved by taking them up yearly, when the stalks are turning yellow, or begin to be dry, but are by that means mul­tiplied and increased exceedingly. The usual way is to take them up at that convenient time, and spread them thin on some board or [Page 94] floor until they are through dry, then cut off the stalks, and so let the roots lye in some box or boxes, or other convenient places until Sep­tember, or October, in a dry place, but not in the Sun or Wind; then separate the main Bulbs from the lesser Chives, taking all that are large (and round though small) for Roots that will yield you Flowers the next year, and set them in the places appointed for them, but let the ground be digg'd or otherwise loosened, that the Root may the better dilate it self and en­crease, for in a narrow or stiff hole, your Root will remain till the next year as you left it.

It is not good to take them up after they have shot their Fibres or small Sprigs, until after they have flower'd, lest it hinders their flowring, and perhaps perish them.

When you plant them, stick into the ground by them small sticks marked with the numeral Letters, which you may do ad infinitum, and in a small Book for that purpose, may you in­sert the mark and name of the Flower.

When you take them up and disperse them into Boxes or other Receptacles, you may transfer the marks with them.

The ground you plant them in, ought not to be too luxurious; this Noble Flower is con­tent with a little Room and poor Soyl.

The vulgar field or hazle Earth, with a little mixture of Sand in it is best, for the rich­ness of the Soyl causes them to run (as they term it) into dark and plain Colours. But if your ground be naturally rich, or that your Tulips have grown several years in it, you may abate it, and supply it with that which is fit, or lay a bed of sandy Earth about a finger thickness below the bulb, when it is in its proper place, that so the Fibres may receiv a check. Tulips may be raised in January and February on hot beds, but they must be the praecoces that are to flower early.

Some prescribe to plant your Tulips in a natural Earth somewhat impoverished with Sand, so that a little below the root the Earth may be better within reach of the Fibres.

If the ground be digg'd where your Tulips stood the last year, it is equal to a change of Mould, the Roots rarely falling into the same Earth again where they were before.

Your small Cions or Off-sets you may plant in a Bed by themselves, which will furnish you at another time with great variety

As Tulips run or degnerate, take them up and plant them in your outward Groves, your prime Colours will multiply fast enough.

Tulips that are apt to decline towards a sad­der Colour, may be taken up a little before they come to flower, and laid in the Sun to a­bate [Page 96] their luxury, which will make them come better the year following.

From such Tulips that have their Tamis, (that is, the seed-like things that stand up about the Seed-Vessel) and bottoms of dark Colours, and their Seed-Vessel three square, may Seeds be obtained when they are thorough ripe in June or July, that may after a long expectati­on afford you great variety of Flowers. These Seeds may be sown in September, and every two years removed until they yield Blossoms; but this labour and patience are too great for an ingenious, and fit only for a dull Florist.

The often removing of the roots of Tulips and their Off-sets into various ground, gives you a great encrease, and great variety of Co­lours, without that tedious way of raising them.

It is not good to let a Tulip stand too long after it hath blown, lest by weakning the root it may prevent its blooming the next year.

The next of kin to the Tulip is the Fritilla­ry, 2. Of Tri­talines. whereof there is some variety, as the white, yellow, red, dark coloured, some of them checquered, and thence called the checquered Tulip, but the double is the most rare; their seasons and manner of ordering much like that of the Tulip, only the dry Roots ought to be planted about the beginning of August.

SECT. II. Of Hyacinths and Star-Flowers.

THE Hyacinths are all bulbous rooted, except the tuberous rooted Indian Hya­cinth, which we reserve for the Conservatory. The sorts of them that are termed Muscaries or Grape-flowers, whereof there are many di­versities, as yellow, ash-coloured, red, white, blue and Sky-coloured, are pretty things, and may for variety-sake, but not for their beauty be planted.

But there are other varieties of them, as the fair hair'd branched Jacinth, the fair curled hair'd Jacinth, the blue, white, and blush, starry Hyacinth of Peru, and the blue Lilly-leaved starry Hyacinth, that yield fair Flowers on large Stalks that adorn your Garden and Flower-pots These flower in May and may be removed in August, they lose not their Fibres, and are therefore not to be kept long out of the ground.

There are several sorts of them that lose their Fibres, and may be kept longer out of the ground, and are to be preferr'd to the other, for that they come early in the year from Fe­bruary until April, and are very sweet and well coloured.

The principal whereof is the great Orien­tal [Page 98] Hyacinth, called Zimbul Indi, or Pas toot, or Celestial Hyacinth, from its fair blossoms.

Some are more double, as well white as blue, and therefore are to be esteemed; the vulgar are some white, some of a cream colour, others of a deep blue, and some of a pale, but all are very becoming a Garden in the Spring of the year, before they are over-matched with Flowers of a nobler hue.

The nearest of kin unto the Hyacinths, are Of Star-flowers. the Star-flowers, whereof some of them are va­luable, as the Ornithogalum Arabicum, or Star-flowers of Arabia, which flowers in May; the great white Star of Bethlehem in June; the Star-flower of Naples in April, and the Aetho­pian in August: These of Arabia and Aethio­pia are tender, and coming out of so hot Coun­tries, will not endure our severe Winters, there­fore their Bulbs must be planted in rich warm Earth in Boxes or Pots, and secured in Win­ter from Frosts.

SECT. III. Of Daffodills.

THE Narcissus is a Flower so well known, that its needless to spend many words on it, but for its great variety, bright colour, and early flowring, the better kind of them deserve to be planted here and there under [Page 99] your Groves and Avenue's and other Shades, where they prosper very well, and waste no ground: They are hardy Plants, and mul­tiply much; some of them are white and sweet scented, blowing late in the Spring; some are single, others double, and others very double, some bear many Flowers on a Stalk, others but one; so that from the end of February to the beginning of May, they furnish you with Flowers for your Pots.

The Junquils are of the same kinds and af­ford some variety, and flower much about the same time with the Daffodils.

The Leucoium or Bulbous-Violet is reckon­ed amongst the Daffodils; it is sometimes called the Snow-drop, because it shews its Snow-white Flowers sometimes in January, and ge­nerally not long after, for which early blow­ing it is esteemed.

SECT. IV. Of Lillies.

UNder this Name have been of old many famous Flowers. Some imagine the most illustrious Tulip was once intended by it, when Solomon's Glory was esteemed inferior to one of them; but there is little reason for that opinion: for in Pliny's time, near about the time of our Saviour's being upon Earth, the Lilly was in great esteem; than which, no Flower was more in request in the choicest [Page 100] Gardens, except the Rose, which Solomon him­self admired as well as the Lilly; and then the Tulip was but a hedge Flower and so remains in the Asian Continent, as is reported: Nei­ther is there any Flower of that transcendent whiteness (an Emblem of purity and Inno­cency) as the Lilly.

But there are of several Colours and Seasons, Flowers that are of that Family: As for the Spring, the Crown Imperial, single and double Crown Im­perial. orange-coloured, red and yellow, they are but dull Flowers.

Then there are the vulgar Red Lilly; single Red Lilly. and double, whereof only the double is wor­thy your notice,

The White Lillies, both single and double, White Lilly. are planted in most Gardens for their Colour, and the use of their Roots, which in Pliny's time added much to the reputation of the Plant.

Of Martagons there is great diversity, the Martagon. Imperial, the White, white spotted, Red and red spotted, Yellow and yellow spotted, with divers other variations, but none of great value.

SECT. V. Of Saffron Flowers.

THE Colchicums or Meadow Saffron, so Of the Col­chicum. termed, being first taken out of the Meadows. These Flowers are called Naked Boyes, because they appear naked out of the Earth, and are withered and gone before the green Leaves appear.

Of these Colchicums there is some variety be­sides the plain colour, some striped, others chequered, whereof the Colchicum Chio is the most beautiful, but the double is the more splen­did, gracing your Garden in the Autumn when most other Flowers are faded. All these va­riegated and double Flowers are to be esteem­ed for that they come so late in the year, and make a delicate medly: they put forth their green leaves early in the Spring following, and when those wither they may be taken up and encreased, and replanted about the end of Au­gust following.

The Crocus or Saffron-flower, so called from Of the Cro­cus. its resembling that Plant in Root, Leaf, and Flower. There are great variety of these Flowers and much variegated or striped with White, Yellow, and Purple, their three prin­cipal Colours.

They bring forth their pleasant, but short Blossoms in February and March; there are some of them Autuminal that flower in Septem­ber and October, as doth the true Saffron: the Roots are taken up when the Leaves wither, and planted again about a Month or two be­fore their flowring time: they increase very much, and adorn the edges of Borders, or close under Walls or Pales.

SECT. VI. Of several other bulbous roated Flowers.

THere are several other bulbous rooted Flowers, which for variety are to be en­tertained, as the Moly, whereof there are ma­ny Of the Mo­ly. different sorts that are in flower in May, June, and July, and serve to mix in your Flower-pots and Chimnies: they are planted and increased as other hardy Bulbs.

The Asphodils are of no great beauty; but Of Aspho­dils. may be planted and increased as other Bulbs, for their variety,

As may the Phalangium or Spider-wort, where­of Of Spider-wort. there are the White and the Blue; some flower in May and June, but the Blue in Au­gust and September.

Gladiolus or Corn Flagg, there are several Of Corn. Flagg. sorts, Red and white, and serve only for Flow­er-pots and Chimnies, are hardy, and to [Page 103] be planted and increased as the other Bulbs.

Of the Satyrions, or Bee-flowers, or Gnat-flowers, Of the Or­chis. there is some diversity, they are taken out of the Fields and Meadows, are very beau­tiful where they are remote from the place of their extraction, they are very tender, and therefore are cautiously to be removed, they are to be taken up Earth and all, unless you can observe to find them when dry, you must endeavour to plant them in ground connatu­ral to that from whence they came.

The Doggs-tooth Violet, so called from the Of Dens Caninus. likeness of its Bulb to Doggs-tooth, there are of them purple, Red, White, and Yellow they are much in esteem being brought far, and difficult to be obtained, not increasing in this Country; they are planted in good natural (not dunged) Soil, about the middle of Au­gust, and flower in March.

The Cyclamen of Sowbread for their curious Of the Cy­clamen. and odoriferous Blossoms, are received in the Gardens of the best Florists.

Some sorts of them also flower in the Autumn, and one or other of these Beauties adorn your Garden from April to October.

Their Roots do not lose their Fibres, and are therefore difficulty removed, their time of removing is in June or July, or before their time of blowing. They are raised of Seeds [Page 104] which must be sown, as soon as ripe, in Poxes, and then at two years end transplanted into your Garden, where they will endure any Weather.

SECT. VII. Of the Iris, Bulbous, and Tuberose.

TO conclude this Chapter of Bulbous-rooted Of the Bul­bous Iris. Flowers, I shall here insert the Iris, there being of them as well with Bulbous as Tube­rose Roots, not that they are inferiour in beau­ty to any of those preceding, except the Tu­lip, but that I am unwilling to divide them whose Flowers retain the same Form, although they differ in their Roots.

Rapinus.

The Bulbous afford very great variety, some of them (as the Persian) flowering in February or March, others in April, May, June, and July, There are some of them very fair and beauti­ful; their Colours are either blue, purple, Ash-coloured, peach-coloured, Yellow, White, or Variegated. Theire Roots may be taken [Page 105] up as soon as the Leaves begin to wither, for soon after they are quite withered, the Bulbs will issue out more Fibres, and then it is too late to remove them, otherwise you may keep them dry till Auguct.

They delight in a good Ground, but not too rich, on a sunny bank, but not too hot to the South or West; the Eastern Aspect is the best.

Those Flower-de-Luces, white tuberous Roots, Of the Tube-rose Iris. are not altogether so various as the Bulbous, yet affording to the ingenious Florist many curious Flowers; the best and most excellent whereof is the Chalcedonian Iris, vulgarly cal­led the Toad-Flag from its dark marbled Flower. This Species of them ought to be carefully ordered, else it will not thrive well, it requires a warm and rich Soil to be planted in, and because it is apt to shoot forth its green Leaves before Winter, it expects to be a little defended from the Cold. These Bulbs may be taken up when the Leaves begin to be dry, and kept some time in the House, and then re­planted in September, or October, which will make them thrive the better.

The other sorts of the Tuberose rooted Flower-de-Luces, are much more hardy, and increase exceedingly in good Ground, and are there­fore not so fit for your choicest Garden.

SECT. I. Of Anemones.

THE Anemone, which is a Grecism, signi­fying Wind, thence it is called the Wind Flower, for that it is observed never to open, but when the wind blows, or at least in those Countries where it is naturally produced, it may have that property. It was in great e­steem amongst the Ancients, for the beauty of its Flowers mix'd in their Chaplets and Garlands, [Page 107] although then there were not a tenth part of that variety of them, that now the curious have collected and propagated.

It is one of the Beauties of Nature, and the most excellent that Season can afford, bear­ing such different Flowers, that they make the cold March almost equal in Glory to the Sum­mer, which is a wonder that such soft Flowers and Tyrian and Scarlet Dyes should be produ­ced in so early a Season, which are usually the effects of a continued Calidity.

As of the Tulips, so of these, the best way is to please your self in your Election from the view of them. The usual descriptions can ne­ver sufficiently nor satisfactorily inform you of their real worth.

They are generally of two sorts, broad leav'd Anemones, and narrow leav'd Anemones, those with narrow leaves much resemble Pars­ley, [Page 108] whence they were anciently called Rose Parsley, or the Parsley Rose.

The Soil wherein they delight must be fat and rich, manured with Sheeps dung, and Neats dung, with a little mixture of Lime, all thorowly rooted.

About the end of September, or beginning of October, you may plant your Latifoles, or broad leav'd Anemones about three fingers deep, and about a Month after your Tenui­foles or narrow leav'd Anemones which yield their Flowers after the other.

But if you design to have them more early, you may plant them sooner, and with Mats secure them against the Cold, and give them all advantages of the Sun and warm Rains, for the Frosts are very apt to nip their Leaves when above ground, and impede their flow­ering for that year.

If you desire Anemones to flower late, then keep them out of the ground as long as you can, some will abide out of the ground until February or March, and plant them in shady places, or artificially shade them. Thus you have Anemones after the usual natural time of flowering.

When their green Leaves turn yellow, or about the end of June, or in July, you may take them up, and preserve the Roots dry, till the season for interring them, for after they have lost their Fibres, they are apt to perish by the humidity of the Earth: the place you keep them in ought to be cool as well as dry.

It is very injurious to the Latifoles to break their Roots, which should only be parted as they are naturally apt to be divided, but the Tenuifoles will endure an easie Rupture or Scis­sure.

If you preserve your Anemone Roots in a cool place, until the middle of January, and then plant them, they will be the more se­cure from the injuries of bad weather; much Wet prejudiceth as well as severe Cold.

As your Anemones are prejudiced by over­much Wet, so do they require and deserve a little irrigation in very dry Springs, and will sufficiently gratifie you; a little shade will al­so advantage them in the hottest time of the day.

In May will these Flowers bear Seeds, which gathered and sown in July, in good sifted Earth, in Beds or Boxes, will produce great Varieties in the third or fourth year after.

Mix the Down that contains the Seeds, with some fair dry Earth, and rub it together in a wooden Vessel, and the Seeds will mix with the Earth, by which means you may sowe them equally; be sure to sow them not too thin.

After you have sown your Seeds, sift Earth upon them about half a finger in thickness; when they have been come up about a Month, sift more Earth finely over them about half an inch, and cover them at some distance all the next Winter.

The August following, you may remove them into convenient Beds, where they may remain till they bear Flowers, at which time you may cull them as you please.

Forget not a gentle irrigation of your young Anemones in dry Weather, for it will much forward them, as will a little artificial shade at opportune Seasons.

The Ranunculus or Crowfoot, being so near Of Ranun­culus. in resemblance to the Anemone, differ very little from them in their ordering.

They exceed all Flowers whatever in the richness of their Colours, nor is there any Flower so fine and fair, as are the larger sorts of them.

Their times of Flowering, taking up, and planting, are near about the same time as the Anemones, but they agree better with a richer Mold than the other.

They are not so apt to multiply their Roots, unless their Ground be rich and light; there­fore it is by the most skilful prescribed, to lay a broad bed of old Thatch or almost rotten Straw, and on that to sift fine rich Earth six or eight inches thick, and therein to plant your Ranunculus's, wherein they will thrive and increase.

If you plant them early in the Winter, they must be defended from the sharp Winds and Frosts, but if late, there is no necessity of it, they are somewhat more tender than the Anemone.

Irrigation in a dry season, much ad­vantages this Flower, as it doth the Ane­mone

SECT. II. Of Peonyes.

THis although a common Flower, yet yields the fairest and most double Blos­som of any, and very well becomes your Chimney or Flower-pots. But the White, purple, and changeable Peonyes are acceptable in the Gardens of the best Florists, and the single Peonyes in the physick Garden, for their specifical virtues of their Roots against the most dange­rous of Diseases.

The manner of their planting and ordering is known to most that have any interest in a Garden, only it is necessary to understand, that September and october are the fittest times for their transplantation

SECT. I. Of Gilliflowers.

NOtwithstanding the Flower-bearing Trees are compleat Ornaments with little trouble; the Bulbous rooted Flowers so illustrious that they merit great e­steem from the most curious, being less sub­ject to Casualties than most others, and the Tuberose Roots yield such incomparable Beau­ties in the Spring; yet must they concede to the Gilliflower, the pride of the Summer, that hath its scent as pleasing as its variegations beautiful.

Their Colours are not many, but infinitely and variously compounded, and being so easily [Page 113] and frequently raised of Seed, do annually produce new mixtures, and those have impo­sed on them new Names, that it is impossible to give you a true account of them; therefore it will be more proper for you to please your own fancy, or confide in the integrity of a Gardener, than to trust to the lame descriptions you may meet withal, or to the florid Names that are given them, on purpose to beget your admiration of such that little deserve it.

Their times of Flowering are generally in July and August; sometimes the early Buds may yield you Flowers in June, but their latter Buds in September and October and by careful defending them in November.

The right Dutch Gilliflowers rarely produce Seed here, but when they do you must pre­serve it from wet till it be ripe, then gather it and lay it by in the Husk, until the Spring.

In May, after the cold Nights are spent, is a good time to sow these Seeds, which ought to be on good Earth, in some shady place where it may have the Morning or Evening Sun only.

They should be sown thin, and the Earth sifted over it half a Finger thick.

In August or September following, you may remove them into their proper Beds, and the Summer following, they will inform you of their worth by their Flowers. The single and poorer sort reject, and those that blow fair and whole, or are well marked, preserve.

For the first Winter after sowing them, [Page 114] there is little danger of their being hurt by Cold, in that particular they are like the stock Gilliflowers, which in their first Winter are ex­tream heardy, and in the second very tender.

You may plant your best Gilliflowers in Pots filled with Earth for that purpose, that you may give them Sun or Rain, according to the Season of the Year, and as they require.

Plant them not under a Wall or other Fence, that may reflect the heat of the Sun upon them, for they delight in an open Air, and not in intemperate Heat.

Great Rains, especially in the Winter and Spring, Prejudice them much, therefore you are to defend them from it equally as from Cold. Those Flowers that are planted in Beds, and not in Pots, are to be defended from Wet and Cold as there is occasion, by some Cover or Shelter to place over them, which must be open at the top, or on one side: The fittest for this occasion, are old Bee-hives, with a Door of about a Span square on the side that may be open off from the Weather, which you defend them against.

You may increase your Flowers by laying them in June, July and August, but in June or July is the best time, the method is this: First trim your Slip you intend to lay, by clip­ping off the side Leaves, and topping the o­ther, then with a sharp Pen-knife cut a Tongue half through, from one of the middle Joynts under the Slip, to the next Joynt towards you, beginning next the Root, and cutting upwards, [Page 115] loosen the Earth under it, and with a small hooked Stick force it down, that the Tongue or Slit may open, and the end of the Slip point upwards cover it with Earth, and water it, which irrigation must be reiterated according as the drought of the Season requires it.

If the Slips be so high that they cannot be bent to the Ground with ease, then take a small Earthen Pot with a slit on the side, in which you may dispose of your Slip as you desire.

About a Month after, your Layers will have taken Roots, then may you take them off with some of the adhering Earth, and plant them in their places prepared for them.

But if any should not have taken root, you may anew lay them, and make the Cut a little deeper, and so let them remain till the Spring, and then you may plant them out as you see fit.

Plant your Layers not too deep, for there­by many a good Plant hath been spoiled.

A Cave or Pit made in some place in your Garden, would be very convenient to place your Pots of Flowers in for there no Winds nor severe Frosts can annoy them, the driving Rains also cannot much offend them.

The Morning Sun is the most benign to your Gilliflowers; therefore you may defend your most choice from the Afternoon Sun, by some artificial Skreen, in case you have no place na­turally posited for that purpose: This to be done before, and in blowing time.

To have Gilliflowers or Carnations (as they are vulgarly termed from those ancient English Flowers that were usually of a Flesh Colour) during the most part of the Winter, they may be placed in Pots, in some convenient Room open to the South, and to be shut at pleasure to defend them from the Cold, unless to give them the benefit of the warm Sun at Noon sometimes, or a little Southerly Rain; into which Room may be conveyed some warmth from your ordinary Fire, or else a Fire there­in on purpose. I suppose a Lamp may be maintained burning at an easie Expence in a close Room, which may be sufficient to de­fend them from Frost; a constant though small Heat will effect much the Lamp may also be enlarged as the Room or severity of the Wea­thee requires; the smoak of the Lamp may be conveyed away by a Funnel over it for that purpose: thus may many other Rarities be preserved over the Winter at an easie Charge.

The Earrh about your Gilliflowers, ought to be; renewed once in two Years at the least, for by that time they have exhausted the bet­ter and more appropriated part of the Earth or Soyl.

Your Flower Pots ought to have holes in the bottom, to let out the superfluous moi­sture and also in case you are willing to wa­ter your Flowers, you may dip the Pots half way into a Tub of water prepared, the one after the other; and the Earth will attract the Water through the holes, which is much bet­ter than sprinkling.

If you have any Gilliflowers that are broken, small, or single, you may graff on them other Gilliflowers that are more choice, but graff them in the most woody part of the Stalk; the best way is by whip-graffing.

Pidgeons Dung being the hottest of Dungs, applied about the Roots of Gilliflowers, maketh them flower the more early.

To defend your Gilliflowers from the injury of Cold and Frost, such of them that are pla­ced in Beds and not moveable; some have prescribed to take two slender Wands or bend­ing Sticks, and fix each end in the ground on each side of the Flower, that the Sticks may Arch-wise be across over the Flower, which is said to defend them by some Magical Ver­tue.

If your Gilliflower or Layer be inclinable to shoot up in the Summer with one single stem, suffer it not to blossom that Year, but nip or cut the stalk off, lest it give you a fair Flower and never thrive after.

Pinks though mean Flowers singly of them­selves, Of Pinks. yet the common red single sort of them, planted on the Edges of your Walks against the sides of your Banks do not only preserve your Banks from foundring, or mouldring down, but when in Blossom, are a very great Ornament, and most excellently perfume your Garde.

Sweet Williams, Sweet Johns, and London Sweet Williams. Pride, are pretty Fancies, and near of kin to the old English Gilliflower.

SECT. II. Of Stock-Gilliflowers, and Wall-flowers.

THE Lucoium or Stock-Gilliflower is a Flow­er Stock-Gil­liflowers. of much Beauty, delicate Scent, and some Variety; a good Garden cannot be said to be well stored without them, nor a Flower-pot well adorned without some of these; they continuing long in Blossom, from April till the Frost prevents them. They are generally raised of Seed, and the first Winter, because they have not yet spent their finer Spirits; they are very hardy and endure any Weather, but the next Winter they are very tender.

The double, whereof some are strip'd, and some plain, are very pleasant; but the double yield no Seed.

The single have generally four Leaves in a Blossom, but if there be five Leaves, the Seed thence produced, will bring double Flowers.

The white single usually produce double Flowers, as also do those that are strip'd with white.

The yellow double Stock-Gilliflower is the most rare of any.

The Seeds of those kinds that usually pro­duce double Flowers, being often sown in the same Soil, will degenerate into all single, and by degrees into all plain Colours, as I have tryed. Quaere, if they will do the same if sown in barren Earth.

There is another sort of Double Stocks, that are not raised from Seed, only by Slips and Layers, that is more durable than the Seed­lings.

Those raised of Seed will sometimes abide the second Winter if it be mild, or the Stocks well defended; if you take away the blowing Sprigs, the precedent Autumn, it will much further their duration.

They may be laid as other Plants are, and being kept secure from violent Colds, will en­dure the Winter.

They may be planted out in Slips, if you take such as are not spired to blow, and cut them from the Stock, and slit the end in three or four places about half an inch, and peel the Rind back as far as the Slit, and take away the inward Wood: Then set this Slip with the Rind spread every way about two or three fingers deep, water it and shade it, until it hath taken Root; by this means may you maintain your stock of Double-Stocks, without the two years expectation.

The Seeds from which you expect to have double Flowers, must be sown at the full of [Page 120] the Moon, or in two or three days after, and when come up four or five inches high, take them up and plant them out, which prevents their running up to stalk, which labour you may reiterate twice before Winter.

If you remove, water, and shade them e­very time to preserve them, (it being a Sum­mer work) and do it the first time three days after the Full, and twice more before the next Change, and again three days after the next Full, and once more before the succeeding Change, (all these removes to be in barren Ground.) Then at the third Full Moon, eight days after remove them again into rich Ground, wherein they are to stand. It is said that it Sir Hugh Plat. will make them bring forth double Flowers.

It hath been long observed that the Moon hath great influence over Plants, (over Ani­mals it is very conspicuous.) From Pliny to this day, most Authors have been of that O­pinion. And if it hath any such influence, then surely it is in the doubling of Flowers, for we daily observe that many sorts of double Flowers will degenerate themselves into single, and that most of those double we have (which are of the kinds usually single) are propagated by Art and Industry, and why may not the Lunar influence contribute much thereto? The French Poet was of that Opinion, although differing as to the time, [Page 121]

The same Poet adds.

Often removing them doth not only contri­bute to their worth, but duration.

The Keiri or Wall-flowers, so termed, for that the single kind naturally affect to grow on old Walls, and that the double need the assist­ance of some Wall or other support, are hardy Plants, though not altogether secure in the most severe Winters, and the better sort of them, that is, the double white, and the double red, very pleasant both to the Eye and Smell; they are easily increased by Slips and Lay­ers.

SECT. III. Of Auricula's, Cowslips, and Primroses.

BEars-ears or Auricula's, considering their Of Auri­cula's. size, are the finest Flowers the choicest Gardens yield, affording a very great variety in Form as well as in Colour, and are not only beautiful to the Eye, but pleasant in Scent.

In your Election of them, it is better to trust your Eye, or confide in an honest Gardner, than in the lame descriptions of them, as be­fore was hinted concerning the choice of Tu­lips and Gilliflowers, only that the double is the most rare, and the Windsor Auricula the most splendid of all the rest.

Of late years these Flowers are very much improved, not only for their great variety of plain Colours, and their bearing upright large Bunches of Blossoms, but for their many beauti­ful sorts of stripes they yield, that all the Colours that have been observ'd to be in that Flower plain, are now found to be mixed in the va­rious sorts of stripes, that they are lately be­come the most beautiful Ornaments of the Spring. The greatest variety, and the most beautiful of these Flowers, as well as of Tulips and Gilliflowers, are to be seen in the Garden of the great Collector and Propagator of these and all other curious Plants and Flowers, Mr. George [Page 123] Ricketts of Hogsder, who supplies with them the best Florists.

They adorn your Garden in April and May, and some of them again about the end of August, and until the Frost prevent them.

If you crop off the Buds that offer to blow late in the Autumn, it will cause your Auricu­cula's to yield you the fairer Flowers in the Spring.

They delight in rich Soyl and shady, but not under the drip of Trees.

They must be often removed, once in two years at least, and the Ground enriched, else they will decay.

The striped and double must be removed oftner, or else they will degenerate.

If you set them in Pots (which is the best way to preserve them) fill the Pots almost half full with sifted Neats-dung, the rest with a good light Mold enriched with the same Dung.

In the Winter place them in the Sun, but in the Summer in the Shade.

Defend them from wet in the Winter, but they endure all cold very well.

You may raise them from Seeds, by care­fully gathering the Seeds, and preserving them in their Umbels till about August or September, when you must sow them in Boxes almost fil­led with the Mixture you made for the Plants, and about a Finger thick at the top with fine sifted willow Earth, or dryed Cow-dung, beat­en small and mixed with the Earth, in which [Page 124] sow your Seeds mixt with Wood-ashes, then cover them with the same mixture of Earth sifted thereon, about April following they will come up, then may you plant them abroad, and they will yield you Flowers, some the Au­gust following, others the next succeeding year.

There are sown very pleasant Cowslips of Cowslips. several shades of Red, the hose in hose, the green Cowslip, and the double Cowslip, that are worth your Planting, they are very hardy, and must be sometimes removed, or they are apt to de­generate.

The same is observed of the Primroses, which Primroses. yield the like variety of Colours, and are en­tertained for their early welcoming in the Spring.

SECT. IV. Of the Lilly of the Valley and Hellebor.

THE Lilly Conval although wild in some Lilly of the Valley. places Northward (as many fine Plants are in one place or other) is yet entertained in many good Gardens for its rich scent, almost equalling the Orange-flower, the use of this ex­cellent Flower in several preparations, and its specifick properties and vertues in some Di­seases, [Page 125] makes it the more acceptable; it is ea­sily propagated from Plants, is hardy and de­lights in the shade.

The black Hellebor flowereth about Christ­mas, Hellebor. and for that cause only is respected, and not for its Beauty: the best sort of white Hel­lebor with red Flowers, is a Plant in great re­pute amongst Florists, it Leaves making also a comely shew, and Flowers in April and May.

Our Ladies-slipper (an Helleborine) is much Calceolus Mariae. valued by most Florists, although wild in many places of the North of England, it is probable, by reason of its Name occasioned by the like­ness its Blossom hath to a Pantofle or Slip­per.

It yieldeth its Flowers early in the Summer, is a hardy Plant in respect of Cold, but not very apt to be encreased.

SECT. V. Of the Hepatica, Gentianella and Dittany.

THE Hepatica or Liverwort is a very plea­sant Hepatica. humble Flower, never rising high, yet yielding its variety of pretty Blossoms in March; the double and the white are most re­garded, and do deserve your labour and care, which is not much, to plant and propagate them.

The Gentianella is another very low Plant Gentianel­la. yielding in April or May many Blue Flowers of a deep dye, and are therefore regarded by most Florists. Dittany.

Fraxinella or Dittany is a hardy Plant, an­nually furnishing you with tall Stalks full of not unpleasant Flowers in June and July, and is raised by Plants or Seeds.

SECT. I. Of Perennial Greens, and such Plants that cannot endure Cold.

AS in the former part of this Treatise we began at the more hardy Winter Greens, so here it will be not unproper to observe the same order. And as there we named the fa­mous Cypress first, so here shall we begin with the most beloved odoriferous Myrtle, so highly Of the Myrtle. esteem'd by Romans, the great Admirers of Rarities, before the Foundation of Rome: That the sweet perfume thereof when burn'd, be­came an Attonement for the Offence the Ro­mans had committed in ravishing the Sabine Virgins. And its Sacred Branches (being first consecrated I suppose) were sufficient to puri­fie them from so Venial a Sin. In memory of which Offence, and Satisfaction, on that very place the zealous Romans then erected a Sacrd Temple dedicated to Venus Cloacina, the God­dess Cloacina. of such pleasures and patroness of the in­nocent Myrtle. Myrtle Trees were also by the same Romans planted and propagated as O­mens or Prognosticks of good or evil to their State and Government. So superstitious were they ever esteemed.

In Pliny's time there was an old Temple and Altar that had been consecrated to Venus Myr­tea.

Cato mentioned the Conjugal Myrtle, which Pliny supposes to have proceeded from that which was dedicated to Venus Cloacina, and used it seems in their Marriages.

Pliny attributes a strange effect to it, that if a man hath a great Journey to go on foot, and carry in his hand a Stick or Rod of the Myrtle-Tree, he should not be weary nor think his day long and tedious: It's probable its opera­tions are more vigorous in such places where it naturally delights, than here where a kind of force is put upon it. But we here in England can second this Vertue in that of an Elder-stick, which if a young Horseman carry in his poc­ket, although he ride hard and far, yet shall he not be galled; as some affirm.

There are several sorts of Myrtles here known in England; there is the broad leav'd Myrtle, and the narrow leav'd Myrtle, both very fine sweet smelling Shurbs; but the most elegant is that which in the Autumn affords such plenty of double white Blossoms, being a Plant very worthy the care of the most ingenious Florist, and are not so great a vexation as delight; what­ever Mr. Rea's opinion is, Rapinus seems to be of another.

They are not so tender but an easie defence will make them endure hard Winters. I have [Page 135] known many Trees planted on Borders, endure several Winters, that have not been over se­vere, and never in the greatest extremity re­quired but a Tilt from the Wind and Snow.

The Plants produced from Layers are the most hardy, those from Seeds the most tender, the same it is with most odoriferous Herbs, as Thyme, Marjerom, Hysop, &c.

If planted in Pots or Boxes they are easily removed into your more open Green Houses, or Vaults,

There is a sort of Myrtle with a large Leaf called Spanish Myrtle, that will endure all Weather without shelter.

There are the Indian yellow, and the Spanish Of the In­dian Jasse­mine, and Spanish Jassemine. white Jassemines that are very curious Shrubs, and yield most fragrant Flowers, equalling al­most the Orange-flowers, and deserve a place in your more open Green House or Vault, where a mean defence will preserve them from the too great severity of the Winter.

Cytisus Maranthe lunatus, is a Plant sown as Of Cytisus Lunatus. ordinarily in the Asian Territories, as common Pulse are here, and is both Branch and Seed, the best Food for all their Cattel, and is a great encreaser of Milk in Beasts as well as in Women, but here with us preserved as a rari­ty in Pots or Cases, and so to be disposed in great Colds, into the Conservatory.

The Oelander or Rose-bay, is a Plant bearing Oelander. some of them blush, and some white Flowers, and will prosper if secured from the most vio­lent cold, as the other beforementioned Plants are.

The same may be said of Laurus Indica, al­though Indian Bay. as yet a great stranger.

The Maracoc, usually termed the Passion-flower, Maracoc. from the Thorns and pointed Leaves it hath representing the Thorns werewith our Saviour was Crowned, and Nails where­with he was nailed to the Cross as the Au­thors of the name imagined.

This Plant increaseth much by Cions na­turally growing from it, and if the Root be preserved from the extremity of the Frost, it will yield many beautiful Flowers yearly in August.

Snails as naturally affect this Plant, as they do the Fruit of the Nectarine Tree, and as Cats do the Marum Syriacum and therefore care must be taken to defend it from them.

Ornithogalon or the Star-flower of Arabia, Star-flower of Arabia, and of E­thiopia. which yieldeth a beautiful Flower in May, as that of Aethiopia in August, must be preserved as the other plants.

The Indian flowring Reed, if often watered Indian Reed, and Indian Fig. and secured in the Winter, yields store of Flo­wers, but the Indian Fig is a very low Plant growing one Leaf on another, and is there­fore called Leaf upon Leaf, and only preserved Cistus Mas. in the Winter for the rarity of it, no Plant in Nature being like it.

The Male Cistus is a plant of no great e­steem, yet preserved for the rarity thereof, as is the Cistus Ledon.

The Indian Jucca not only affordeth us its Jucca. sharp-pointed Flag-like Leaves, but sometimes its beautiful Flower, and is preserved only for the rarity thereof, and usually prescribed to be defended from the Winter cold, but by some affirmed to endure the most severe Wea­ther.

Periploca or Virginian Silk, of little value, Virginian Silk. is much of the same nature, for the defence of those Plants which only suffer in extream Colds; a slight Shelter may serve, either as they stand abroad in their proper places, or by removing them into some Garden-House, not so close as the Conservatory for the more tender Plants ought to be.

Or a Vault or Cave may be made a little within the surface of the Earth, about the edges wereof may be disposed as you think fit your several Pots or Boxes.

Or you may sink a hole for each single Pot or Box, so that the Plant may be a little be­low the surface of the ground, over which an ordinary Shelter from the Wet may serve, or if you sink it deeper, it will defend your Plant the better.

For as the Earth in the Summer preserves Plants, or what else you place therein, cool from the scorching Rayes of the Sun, so doth it from the extremity of Cold in the Winter: Neither hath the Wind, or Morning Air in that Season, so great an advantage over a Plant thus posited, as it hath if it be on a level.

SECT. II. Of such Plants that least endure the Cold.

OTher Plants there are whose descent have been from a more hot Climate, and are of themselves of a more tender Nature, than the other before mentioned.

Whereof the Orange-Tree is the most prin­cipal, Of the Orange. and deservedly in great esteem, not on­ly for its Beautiful (though acid) Fruit, but for its most fragrant Flowers, of which is made so rich an Essence, and whose distilled Water is of so transcendent Vertues, that they will sufficiently recompence your diligence and care in nourishing and preserving the Tree.

These Trees preserved in strong Boxes may be with ease removed into your Conservatory, and thence in the Summer plac'd in several Places of your Garden.

They are raised of the Kernels sown in March in Cases of rich Earth: These Fruits were unknown in former Ages to the Europe­ans, and the Trees have not been long intro­duc'd; and not many years hath that more noble kind, the China Orange been propaga­ted in Portugal and Spain, which annually fur­nish us with those pleasant Fruits, yet there in a few years have they degenerated, as to size and taste: It's probable the Kernels of those may prosper better with us than the African, China being not so hot.

The Fruit with us, although it ripeneth not so well as in Spain, yet in such years that our old stock of imported Fruit is decay'd; they serve for many Physical uses. But the Flowers here are much more valuable than the Fruit.

Therefore if a Wall be built near the House, and well defended behind, and on either side from cold Winds, and several Leaves or Doors of close Board made to shut before your Wall, and the top well secured from Rain; against this Wall may you plant your Orange-Trees, and prune them against it without ever remo­ving them; only in the Spring season, you may open your Leaves or Doors by Degrees, and at length open it quite before and on the top, only in the main stays until the next Winter. In the building of this Wall may you contrive Concavities, through which the heat of Fire made in several places for that purpose, may pass behind your Trees, or you may have other Fires in this Shed as in your Green-house.

The most proper Earth wherein to Plant your Orange-Trees, is that which is taken out of a Melon, or Cucumber-bed, and equally mix'd or temper'd with a fine loamy Earth, and so to remain the whole Winter, then sift­ed into the Cases.

Instead of the fat Earth of a Melon, or Cu­cumber-bed, you may use Neats-dung, and order it as the Melon Earth.

Before you put your Earth into your Cases, lay on the bottom a good quantity of Osier or Withy Sticks, or such like, which will preserve it light; if they are in a small quantity mixed throughout, it will be the better.

Place them in your Conservatory before any Frosts happen, and in hard Weather give them some warmth.

As the Spring appears, so acquaint them by degrees with the Air, opening the Doors at Noon first, and shutting them again, then for a whole Day, if the Weather permit. The like discretion you must use when you set them into your Conservatory, not to shut them up too close until extremity of Weather require it.

As the Trees grow large, so you may en­large your Cases, and take out the Trees, Earth and all, and place them in your new Cases.

I have heard of a Gentleman that annually makes a Shed or House over his Orange-Tree, and as the Tree encreaseth, so he enlargeth his House, and that his Tree is very large, and beareth plentifully.

You must gather the Flowers as they blow, leaving but few to knit into Fruit, else will your Tree spend it self in Fruit.

You must take care to brush the Spiders Webs off this Tree very gently, for they de­light to work on it; the fragrant Blossoms at­tracting many Flies.

The Kernels may be Planted in hot Beds, and will bring fair Plants the sooner.

Easie Stoves or Heats will serve until the Frosts be very hard; then you must kindle greater Fires, but let not any Fire come too near your Trees, nor any Smoak annoy them. But if your Conservatory be made very close with Mats, that Water will not freeze in it, then there needs not any Fire.

You must water them gently when you find they require it, which may be discerned by the Leaf which will soon complain, but give them rather too little than too much, and wet not the Leaves.

You ought to renew and alter the Earth as tenderly as you can, by abating the upper part of it, and stirring it up with a Fork, ta­king heed to the Roots, and applying the prepared Earth in the room of it, which may be done in May and September.

If you kindle some Charcoal, and when they have done smoaking, put them in a hole sunk a little into the Floor, about the middle of it; it is the best Stove, and least annoys your Plants.

The Water wherewith you irrigate your Orange-Trees, ought to be prepared as well as the Earth, you may therefore mix it with Sheeps-dung, or Neats-dung, and let it stand two or three days in the Air or Sun, and it will be very fit for your purpose.

Lemmons may be ordered after the same Lemmons. manner as the Oranges, but they are not ca­pable of giving you so large a requital.

Amomum Plinii, so called, being a Plant by Amomum Plinii. him esteemed, and by him reported to be na­turally growing in divers parts of Asia, and yielding a rich and costly Berry, used in Per­fumes, is now nursed up in our Climate, by careful preserving it in the Winter in the close Conservatory, where it requires the same care as doth the Orange-Tree.

Geranium nocte olens, which smelleth plea­santly Geranium. in the Night only, is a tender Plant, and deserves a place in your Conservatory.

The Tuberose Hyacinth, famous for its aspi­ring Head and most fragrant Flowers, seem­ing to contend with the Orange-Tree, is a very tender Plant, impatient of Cold or Wet.

The Root must be taken up in April, care­fully parted without breaking the greater Fi­bers, and then replanted, the bottom of the Pot filled with prepared Earth, but the Roots covered only with natural fresh Earth, and then the Pot filled with Earth prepared, as before; place this Pot in a hot Bed, and there let it stand without watering until the Root spring, then set the Pot under a [Page 143] South-wall; in dry Weather water it easily. In August it will yield its rich Flowers, and in September it must be removed into the Con­servatory.

In September you may take up the Bulbs of this Plant, and preserve them in dry Sand, or when the Roots are dry, lay them up in Pa­pers in a warm Closet.

The Blue Borage-leav'd Auricula, being Blue Bo­rage leaved Auricula. leaved like Borage, yieldeth fine blue Flow­ers; it is a rare and tender Plant, and set in a Pot may be preserved in your Conservato­ry, from the extremity of the Winter.

Bears-Ears Sanicle, is almost of the form of Cortusa Matibioli. an Auricula, is a Plant usually raised of Seed, planted in Pots, and preserved as other tender Plants.

Mastich Thyme is a Plant of a curious Scent, Marum. and vulgarly known, apt to be increased by Slips, and as apt to be destroyed by Cold, and is worthy of your care to preserve it.

Assyrian Mastich is of the same nature, but Marum Sy­riacum. so absolute a bait for Cats, that they will come far and near to it, to devour it, unless you preserve it with the sharpest Thorns or Furze. These and Mastichs are best preser­ved by placing them within the Earth, and co­vering them.

But the most rare and curious Exotic, is the Lilly of Japan, which is raised in some more Southerly Climate, and being brought into this Country, yields a fair Branch of Flowers much like red Martagons, and when the Sun [Page 144] shines on it, the whole Flower resembles Cloth of Gold; although the Root may live over the year, yet it's said it never bears any more Flowers in this Climate.

Several others there are, that are not only tender, but rare and acceptable Plants to the ingenious and careful Florist, wherewith, ac­cording to the magnitude or capacity of his Green-House, or measure of his time he can spare about them; he may easily furnish him­self with all from the great Conserver of these Rarities, Mr. George Rickets of Hogsden.

SECT. I. Of Improving Garden Ground by Labour only.

HAving thus briefly given you a particu­lar of ornamental, as well as useful Parts and Materials for your several Gardens, and the specifical ways of preparing, ordering, and managing of the various Plants, Flowers, and other Curiosities usually grow­ing in them, it now remains that something be said as to the more general manner of im­proving your Ground, and preparing of Dungs, Soils, and Composts proper for your use, and making of hot Beds, with many other things necessary to be known by such that delight in the improvement of Hortulans.

Of the general mixtures of the Earth the one with the other, to qualifie their Natures by adding that of a contrary, I have before dis­coursed. [Page 196] Of the preparation of Earth with­out any such mixtures, Sir Hugh Platt hath given you an Aenigmatical Description, calling it his Philosophical Garden; his Precept is, ‘To pave a square Plot with Brick (if covered with Plaister of Paris the better) making up the sides of Brick also, plaistred likewise; let it be of a convenient depth, fill it with the best vegetative Saturn which you can get, that hath stood two years, or one at the least, quite within his own Sphere, make contriti­on of the same; and be sure to avoid all ob­structions, imbibe it with Aqua Coelestis in a true proportion: grind it once a day till it be dry; being dry, let it stand two or three days without any imbibition, that it may the better attract from all heavenly influence, con­tinuing then also a Philosophical Contrition e­very day, (this grinding must also be used in the vegetable works, where the Mercury of Herbs is used instead of Aqua Coelestis) during all the time of preparation: Then plant what rare Flowers, Fruits, or Seeds, you please therein; the same Philosopher then tells you, That (if his Theory of Nature deceive him not) that Saturn so enriched from the Hea­vens, without the help of any manner of Soil, Marl, or Compost (after one years re­volution) will make the same to flourish and fructifie in a strange and admirable man­ner.’

By his Vegetable Saturn may be understood, such Earth that is most prone to send forth [Page 197] Plants; by its standing so long within its own Sphere, is only that it hath been covered ei­ther naturally by Turf, or artificially by Build­ing, or such like, that it hath been prevented from wasting its soecund Nature, by sending forth or bearing Vegetables. The best of such rested fruitful Earth, is to be put in what quan­tity you please into your Brick or Stone Ci­stern (being made proportionable) but not too deep lest it hinder you from stirring the Earth to the bottom, and will not permit it to dry so easily, this must be reduced to a fineness; therefore it would not be amiss to let it pass the Sieve or Screen before you put it in your Ci­stern. The imbibition of this Earth with Aqua Coelestis can be no other than with Rain-water, which is exhaled by the influence of the Sun, and in the Air attracteth a volatile Nitre, which descending with the Rain on the dry Earth is soon imbibed again; this volatile Spirit or Ni­tre that thus ariseth in so great a quantity, is that Spiritus Mundi that causeth all Vegetation, and wherewith the Air it self is filled, and by several ways coagulated, and by the often irri­gating the Earth with it, the Earth is the more fertilized: But this way of continuing the Con­trition, or stirring it every day to dry it, makes the Earth much easier to attract the Water, which being added in a true or so little a pro­portion, that it may not wet but moisten only, the Earth will leave its nitrous or vegetating Vertue behind it, when the Phlegmatick part fumes away again by the stirring of the Earth, [Page 198] which if it were added in too great a quantity would exhaust the nitrous Spirit that was before in the Earth. For it is a general Observation amongst Philosophers, that as the greater over­powereth the lesser, so if the matter you add be volatile, and greater in proportion than that which is fixt, it is apt to volatilize that which be­fore was fixt, being added unto it: And on the contrary, that if the volatile matter be less in proportion than the fixt, to which you add it, then is that which is fixt apt to fix the volatile: Therefore did our Author wisely add, that the imbibition should be made in a true proportion, which is, that the Rain-water should be only for an easie Humectation, and not too great a wetting; then he tells you, that it should stand two or three days without any imbibition, that is, between every humectation the Earth should be throughly dryed as the Air or Wind can dry it, which will take up such a space of time, notwithstanding your daily stirring it; for the drier any open terrestrial Matter is, it doth not only the more easily attract, but more perfect­ly fixeth that which otherwise would be more volatile; although our Author hath not given caution of it, yet it is presumed that the square Plot or Cistern he prescribes should be covered or defended from the Sun, which by his Rays is apt to attract much of the Spiritus Mundi, or Matter of Vegetables, where there is plenty unfixt; as is evident from the various Smells that are exhaled by it, and Colours also much sooner faded by the Sun-beams than by the heat [Page 199] of Fire; and also from the Rain which in great Showers is apt to over-moisten it, and in continued Rains, to prevent its drying; there­fore your Rain-water should be kept in a Ci­stern made for that purpose, where the longer it remains the better it will prove; such Ver­tue always encreaseth whilst it is in its proper Matrix, as appeareth by Urine kept long, which yieldeth much more Spirit than whilst it is new.

By the Author's saying that this grinding is to be used in the Vegetable-work, where the Mercury of Herbs is used instead of Aqua Coe­lestis; it's probable here he means the express'd Juice of green Vegetables, which virtually hath in it the matter of Vegetables, and may have the same effect on the Earth in a small quanti­ty and little time, as the Rain-water hath in a greater quantity by the long continuation of the Operation.

This way of contrition, imbibition, and co­agulation, enricheth the Earth after the same manner, by covering it many years with Build­ing, by which means Salt-petre is increased: only by this Operation you may effect your Design in one year with labour and diligence, which there you must wait many years for: And by this may you heighten the Vertue of your Soil to a far higher degree, it being ma­nual, than the other which is nutural, and will not exceed the ordinary Bounds limited in this Climate.

That our Author's Saturn is our natural and common Earth, and his Aqua Coelestis, Rain-water, may be concluded from his own Ex­pressions, used in the same Description of his Philosophical Garden, which are, ‘That if the Earth it self after it hath thus conceived from the Clouds, were then left to bring forth her own Fruits and Flowers in her own time, and no Seeds or Plants placed therein by the hand of Man, it is held very probable, that this heavenly Earth so manured with the Stars, would bring forth strange and glorious Fruits and Flowers, &c.’ Which is not improbable, if we consider the fertility of the Waters of Nile, which are first exhausted in those hotter African Regions, by the power of the Sun's in­fluence (when in a due Latitude) and con­densed by the Air far more fruitful, as well as the Earth, in Nitre there, than in these cold­er Regions, yielding that great and fertile Flood, whose precipitate or setling Slime so far in­richeth the dried and thirsty Earth, that it not only spontaneously produceth abundance of Vegetables but Animals also.

I know no reason but by observing our Au­thor's Direction in this Climate, a diligent O­perator may advance the Vertue of our Earth to the same degree or greater, than the Egyp­tian Soil, and then may it answer his Expecta­tions, in producing such Rarities, that by no o­ther ways are here attainable; for if any Man would advance or improve Nature, he must tread in Nature's Steps, and trace her to the [Page 201] Foundation. Next unto this extraordinary improvement of Earth by labour without any other mixture than Earth and Rain-water, which many will not experiment, because of the length of time required in it, you may fa­cilitate the Operation by often stirring or dig­ging your Land, and reducing it to a fineness by skreening it, which also is a means to cleanse it from Weeds, Stones, Worms, &c. that an­noy your tender Plants; by reiterating of which Work you expose the Earth thus open­ed to the Air, Frost, Snow and Rain, and capacitate it to receive the benign Influences of the Heavens, and prevent the exhausting of the nitrous Spirit by the growth of any Vege­tables in it. This Operation the longer you continue it the better, the time for the begin­ning of it is not material, so that you let it receive the effects of both extream Seasons: like unto this are your fallowings of Land for several Grains, especially the fallowings and twi-fallowings for Wheat, long before the last plowing at the Seed-time, and in several cases a contrition or dragging after the fallowings, which proves a considerable improvement of stiff Land. Thus may you see how Nature is improved by Industry only, and that but by treading in her own Steps; for Earth often trod on by Men or Beasts in the Streets or High-ways is very much enriched by such exposure, and Earth defended from the Sun and Air, in like manner becomes fertile, al­though from different Causes, the former [Page 202] from the volatile Nitre, and other Influences in the Air, Rain and Snow, the latter from the Condensation of the Spiritus Mundi, or ni­trous Breathings of the Earth, and both by reason that those fertile Qualities are not ex­hausted by Vegetation.

But as this latter Operation is more facile than the former, so you cannot expect that it should produce Effects answerable to the other, which is very much to be preferr'd by such that are curious; although this latter way may yield you a sufficient Recompence for your Labour, yet the former cannot but far tran­scend it.

SECT. II. Of several Ways of enriching Earth by Mixtures.

IT is without question that Earth or Mould is to be made more fertile than naturally it is, by mixing therewith several Materials that contain in them much of the vegetating Spirit, as the Ashes of any manner of burnt Vegetables. For by such burning is wasted the more phlegmatick and useless moisture, and are fix'd the more solid and substantial parts: The same effect hath Fire on the Turf, or rooty surface of the Earth; this smegma­tick or oily Matter that is left by the Fire, in [Page 203] a moderate proportion applyed to any Earth highly enricheth it, and makes it apt for fructi­fication, as appeareth by the vulgar Experi­ment of Burn-beating of Land, which yieldeth so fair Crops of Wheat and other Grain. In which Operation the Rustick observes, that o­ver-burning the Turf is injurious, and that a more moderate burning maketh the Ground more fertile. The Reason is plain; for in the burning of any Vegetable, a gentle, easie, and smothering Fire doth not waste the vola­tile nitrous Spirit so much as a quick, but causeth much more of it to fix and remain be­hind.

These fixed Salts that are thus obtained, are the principal Salts that are so much celebrated for the Improvements of Earth, to render it more fruitful, although there are many other Salts near in affinity to these, that do in some degree meliorate Earth, as the Salts that are in Blood, Urine, Soot, and several other things of the like nature, by the mixture of those Materials with the Earth, or sprinkling it with them, whereby the Rains usually car­ry down their Vertue to the Roots of your Plants.

The parts of Animals, as Skins, Hairs, Fea­thers, Flesh and Bones, Horns, Hoofs, &c. con­tain in them much of these vegetating Salts, although volatile, yet in such compact Bodies, they continue until they are by your Plants attracted, as many Husbandmen have made Experiments, of the extraordinary Vertue that [Page 204] is in old woollen Rags, in fertilizing Land for Corn, giving ten times the price for a load of them to lay on their Corn-ground, that they will for a Load of Dung, and are yet great gainers by it, and fetch them from near London into Hertfordshire into the Bargain: Wooll, Hair, and Feathers, are near of a nature, and therefore have near the same effects.

Fish, and Bones of Beasts, Flesh, &c. are gene­rally known to add very much to the improve­ment of Land; but for Garden uses, it will be more conducing to your purpose, to let the same be throughly putrified, and reduced to a mo­derate compost with Earth before you apply it, for all nauseous and ill savoured Materials are to be excluded your Gardens, either for the Kitchen, or for Delight.

Horns, Hoofs, and Skins, contain in them much of a rich volatile Salt; and it hath been anciently observed, and in such Countries where naturally the ground is more replete with Nitre, and more fertile than here, that these Materials have very much fertilized Gar­den-ground, especially for the Asparagus, that requires strong nourishment; therefore the sha­vings or odd pieces of Horn, and the lesser Horns and the Hoofs, and other excrementi­tious parts of Beasts, at the common Slaughter-houses may be obtain'd, to make your deep Beds for Asparagus, Artichoaks, and such like, and may not be unuseful in enriching your Ground for your choicest Flowers.

The shreds of tann'd Leather, partaking as well of the Salt of the Oaken Bark and Lime, as of the Beast, must of necessity prove a very great Improver of your Garden ground, and may be had in great quantities at the Shooe-makers, where they usually burn them. These shreds soon rot, and with Rags, Hoofs, Horns, Hair, &c. mixed with a good quantity of Earth, and laid in a Pit, and sometimes wa­tered, will make an excellent Compost for your Kitchen Garden, if afterwards disposed of in proper Beds.

Take Sheeps Dung and put Water to it, Of Sheeps Dung. (in some Vessel) so much as by stirring may reduce it to a Pap, and when it is all through­ly dissolved, mix some fine sifted Earth with it; let the Earth be four, five, or six times more in quantity than the Sheeps Dung, ac­cording as the Earth is in goodness: If it be a poor sandy Earth, the more of the Sheeps Dung it requires to enrich it; if it be a stiff Ground, the more it requires to make it light, but an indifferent mellow Earth requires the less; for Sheeps Dung is one of the richest of Dungs, as may be observed from the great improvement that is made by Flocks of Sheep being folded on the poor champion Lands, where such Land yields much Corn, when not being so improved, it will yield but little, and this from one only folding in several Months, or sometimes in a whole Year toge­ther: Deer and Goats Dung are much of the same nature with Sheeps Dung. The reason [Page 206] of which extraordinary fertility in that Soyl is from the well chewing the Food, the long continuance in the Body, and the not (or but little) drinking of the Beast. For Sheep and Neat chew the Cud, by which means their Food is made fine, both these (and so do Deer and Goats) retain their Meat longer than Horses or Swine, who feed more grosly and hastily, the Dung of the one being like whisps of Hay, of the other like a mixture of all sorts of Filth. Also Sheep and Deer drink but little, which make their Dung and their U­rine (which also is very rich could it be pre­served) very fertile. Neat drink much, which very much tempereth and allayeth the heat and fertile Nature of the Soyl. Earth thus mixed with Sheeps Dung dissolved, is very excellent for most sorts of Fibrous rooted Flow­ers, because the decay of the Dung (which will be in time) leaves the ground porous, that the Fibres thereby as well insinuate them­selves and spread abroad, as they do contract the richness the Dung affords them: Tuberous rooted Flowers also affect this mixture: Arti­choaks delight in it exceedingly, and Sheeps Dung applyed to the Roots of them, and then often watered, whereby the Vertue of it may be conveyed into them, makes the Plant yield you fair Fruit; most Garden-Tillage affect it, for it is not only a very rich Soil, but renders the Ground light and porous, which is very advantageous to Tillage.

A mixture of Neats Dung after the same Neats Dung. manner, is very good for most of the same uses, as is that of Sheeps Dung. And better in some particular Cases, for that if you have occasion to remove or plant any good Flower in the Summer time, or out of its proper Sea­son, such a mixture of Earth and Neats Dung made into a liquid Pap and the Tree or Flow­er placed in it, that the liquid Matter may en­compass the Root, will so adhere to it, and be so cool and moist, that it will cause the Plant to thrive as well, as if it had been planted or removed in its proper season.

Horse Dung whilst new is the hottest of Horse Dung. Dungs, laid in a great quantity together, by reason that a Horse chews his Meat but little, feeds hastily, and evacuates it in a short time; so that like chopt Straw or Hay, but begin­ning to ferment in the Belly of the Horse, it continues fermenting after it is in the Dunghil; but if it be laid up with the Litter that is usually moistned with the Urine of the Horse, and after it is throughly rotten, which will be much the sooner if it lie in a moist place, or be often watred by Rain or by Hand, and turned withal, or cast, as the Husband­man usually terms it; it then makes an excel­lent Compost for your Kitchin Garden.

In your Swine-yard, or places where Swine Swines Dung. usually tread or feed, the Earth is very much improved by their dunging and pissing, which trampled into and mixt with the Earth, makes it become a very good Compost, especially [Page 208] to allay that rankness or over-freeness of some very light and rich Soils, that breed the Can­ker in Trees, and too many Worms and other Vermin, and Insects that destroy your choicest Plants. This Dung or Earth so inriched, being a fat cooling Compost, may be with success used in both your Gardens, but rather amongst your Fruit-Trees, where it excels.

Asses Dung is near of the nature of Sheeps Asses Dung. Dung, Deers Dung, &c. spoken of before, altho' not altogether so rich.

The Dung of all Corn fed Fowl is very hot Pigeons Dung. at the first, especially that of Pigeons, because they feed hastily, and evacuate the same dige­sted in a short time, and urine not; so that their Drink is no more but only to digest and nou­rish, and not to carry away any of the Vertue of the Meat, nor lessen the strength or fertility of the Dung. Experience hath taught the Hus­bandman, that in the Champion Countries, where great store of Pigeons Dung is to be had, the same sown but thinly with Barley, makes a poor Ground yield a good Crop; for when but thinly sown, the Rain and Air soon quali­fie its present heat; which if it were laid thick would burn the Corn, especially at that season, or else make it grow too rank, which is as great a fault as its being too short. Therefore you may well conclude, that these Dungs laid in a heap in the open Air, and moistned by the Rain, or otherwise, until their heat is over, will make a most rich Compost for either Garden, but more especially for your Kitchen Garden.

I only here give you a Caution, not to use Malt-dust. Malt-dust in your Garden; for there are many Seeds of pernicious Weeds in it, that have pas­sed all the imbibitions, fermentations, and ex­siccations of the Malt, and yet retain their ve­getating nature, and will furnish you with new species of Weeds out of the Fields, that your Garden before was not acquainted withal.

The Setlings of Waters where there is least Mud of Ponds. Current, is the best; but the Mud or Residence of any Water, unless it be over-much sandy, is excellent to qualifie the Nature of your Ground: If your Ground be light, then use stiff Mud; if your Ground be stiff or cold, then use light or sandy Residences: These Mix­tures are good for all sorts of Garden-ground.

The Washings of Streets or High-ways af­ter Rain, yield great store of Setling or Mud, that is very profitable for Garden-ground, espe­cially the Residency of such Water that de­scends from Chalky Hills, applied to light Ground. The Mud in the bottom of Pools, wherein Horses are usually washed, is also very good, if duely applied.

Any Ashes or other Matter whatsoever that Salts. contains Salt, is good, so that the quantity of the Matter containing the Salt, doth not too far exceed the Salt contained in it, as usually Wood-ashes after they have been in the Wash-house, Soap-house, or elsewhere, have the most of their Salt extracted, and then applied to your Ground, sterilizeth it, unless it be to a strong Clay-ground, then it will make it lighter, al­though not richer.

The Ashes of any burnt Vegetables are ex­cellent, as before we observed; a Mixture of Lime is very good in most Grounds; but the Salt of Lime extracted by Water, and your Ground watered therewith, is much to be pre­ferred. It hath also this singular Property, that it makes the Worm soon leave the Place watered therewith, and expose themselves to the Air, where they soon perish; or to the Birds, who devour them. The same Effect is wrought by any Alkalizate Salts, or Salts pro­duced by Fire.

The Murc or Refuse after the Pressings of Murc. Cider and rotten Fruit, are very good to mix with your Earth; but it must be after it hath lain a long time in some Pit or Heap, until it hath lost its Savour, and until the Seeds or Ker­nels are dead, lest they germinate, and incom­mode your Garden.

Any drezy Wood, or the Dust of the Wood­pile, Rotten Wood. but more especially rotten Willow, is ex­cellent to make the Earth light for most fibrous rooted Flowers. The same is Saw-dust, if it first lie in a moist Place, until it be rotten, and hath its Acidity abated or digested.

Straw or any dry Vegetables become rotten Straw. and mix'd with Earth, maketh it light and fit for your choicest Anemonies, and all fibrous rooted Flowers.

Tobacco dried or cur'd, and afterwards Tobacco. mix'd with your Garden-mould, will doubt­less exceedingly enrich it: For it is of a very high and strong nature, and containeth much [Page 211] of a Volatile Nitrous Salt in it, and is report­ed to be equally as effectual in the tanning of Leather, as the Bark of the Oak; which, if it be true, as I have no reason to doubt it, it may prove a considerable Improvement of many Country Farms, and of great benefit and ad­vantage to the Nation in general; either of which Uses is better than that to which it is now usually put unto.

SECT. I. Of Watering Gardens.

BEsides the Mixture of several Materials Fat Wa­ters. and Composts with Land to make it fruitful, you may add enriched Waters, which serve where you cannot conveniently change your Ground, or remove your Plant, as in several Flower-trees, and Artichoaks, Aspa­ragus, &c.

That Water is very good that is taken out of standing Pools, where Cattel usually resort to shade or cool themselves in hot Weather, and leave their Dung in it, which by the stir­ring of their Feet enricheth the Water; Ducks and Geese also much improve standing Pools where they frequent.

Several Waters may be prepared, in which you may steep or macerate your Seeds or Pulse, to make them sprout the sooner, or come the [Page 212] fairer, and with the same Water may you ir­rigate your Ground: Many Receipts there are to that end, I shall only mention some of them.

Take Sheeps Dung well dissolved in warm Water, and after it hath stood twelve Hours, strain it through a course Cloth with com­pression, for it is so slimy that it comes through with difficulty; therefore I suppose a Decan­tation may serve. To two or three Gallons of this Liquor add a handful of Bay-salt, and somewhat a lesser proportion of Salt-petre, and let them both be dissolved in the former Water, which to expedite, let it be made luke­warm, and stirred often; in which Liquor let your Seeds lie for twenty four hours or more, till they are throughly swelled; Pulse need not lie so long: Then take out your Seeds or Pulse, and expose them thinly on some Floor to the Air, (not the Sun) until they be half dry, then sow them. It is also pre­scribed, that the remainder of the Sheeps Dung that was not made liquid, should be dried and calcined, and the fix'd Salt extracted out of it, and added to the former Composition; but it's more probable that another parcel of Sheeps Dung calcined, would yield more and better Salt, than the remaining part of the dis­solved Dung. This latter part makes the pro­cess too difficult and troublesom, and adds but little to the vertue of it, any other fixed Salt having the same effect as that so hard to be obtained.

This Liquor is more effectual for the wa­tering of Plants, than it is for the maceration of Seeds; and so are any other salt Waters. Some add a greater quantity of Salt-petre, and Bay-salt; some only Salt-petre; others use Pi­geons Dung in stead of Sheeps Dung; also Lime-water after that manner enrich'd with Sheeps Dung, Pigeons Dung, or Neats Dung, is equal in vertue, if not exceeding that, to which Salt-petre or Bay-salt is added. Every Husbandman hath experimented the Effect of Lime, the Salt only extracted by the Rains enriching the Earth, occasioning so plentiful a Crop, the other remaining part like a Caput Mortuum, only tempereth the Land for the future, and maketh it more sad where before it was too light, which if the Land did not re­quire it, then doth Lime (after its Salt is wasted) much injury to the Land whereon it is laid.

Nitre or Salt-petre only, dissolv'd in Water, a Pound to four or five Gallons, is held to be very effectual to enrich barren Mould. This agrees with our Observations about Earth co­vered with Building, or otherwise defended from Sun and Rain, for the generation of Nitre.

Some commend the sprinkling of Milk and Rain-water on the Beds, first sifted over with Lime pulverized, whether by pounding or slacking with Water it mattereth not, (neither of which can improve or abate the vertue or quantity of its Salt, the thing we desire) and after every Watering sifting more Lime. This [Page 214] way may not be amiss for such Lands, that the Caput Mortuum of the Lime remaining af­ter the Salt is extracted, will not prejudice, and for such Plants that the Lime lying on the Ground will not injure. The Milk may be left out, not signifying so much as the value of it amounts unto; the Liquor wherein Flesh Meats (whether Fresh or Salt) have been boy­led, is much better, and easier obtained. The Salt of Lime (extracted with Water in some large wooden Vessel) containeth in it the same improving Vertue, and is less troublesom to make use of, and free from the Inconveni­ences that attend the other way.

Much more might be said concerning these improving Liquids as well as Solids; but that the most learned and experienc'd of Rural or Mr Evelyn. Hortulane Authors hath lately been very co­pious on the same Subject.

Only I may here advise the unexperienced not to water his Plants in either Garden with a cold Spring or Well-water, if he can obtain any other; which if he cannot, then to expose this to the Sun or Air, some time before he useth it, or enrich it by some pinguid Mixtures, as Lime, Ashes, Dung, or such like, which will quickly qualifie it for his purpose, by abating the sudden Coldness of it to the Plant: For it is a very great Injury to most tender Plants, to be diluted with cold Water from the Well or Spring, and checks their Growth exceedingly, as may be observed in a bleeding Vine, to the naked Roots of which if you pour store of cold [Page 215] Spring or Well-water, it suddenly checks the ascension of the Sap, by means whereof the Bleeding ceaseth, and the Wound consolidates again, before the more liberal ascent of the Sap, much more then will it check the Growth of a weak Herb or Flower.

Also as it is observed to sow in the Dust, whereby the Seeds gradually swell from the cold Dews of the Night and Air, and are made ready to sprout with the next Rains; so it is not good to water new-sown Seeds, until the long defect of Showers invite you to it, lest you wash off the Earth from them before they have sprouted, whereby they fasten themselves the better to endure a Watering: Some Seeds, as Radish, Lettuce, Gilliflower-seed, &c. remain not long in the Earth, and therefore may in two or three Days, for want of Rain, be watered by hand; but Tulip, Auricula, Parsley, Carrot-seed, &c. lie longer in the Ground, and require not so speedy an Irrigation.

All Seed ought to be watered by the smallest or Rain-like Drops as you can, and not too much; for hasty Watering, and hasty Showers, discover them.

For most Flowers and Plants whose Leaves lie near the Ground, it is best to water them at some distance, by making a Ring round the Plant a little hollow, and pouring the Water into it, whereby you annoy not the Leaves with your discolouring Water, or chill them with the Coldness of it.

In all warm Weather the Evening is the best Season to water in, because the Water will have time to sink into the Earth, and the Plant to attract it, before the Heat of the Sun exhales it; but in cold Weather, and when the Nights are cold, the Morning is the most proper time that the superfluous Moisture may be evapora­ted before the cold Night overtake you, and chill your Plant.

By no means use Liquors, either naturally hot, as Spirits; or artificially made so, by heat­ing it over the Fire.

A Plant that delights in Moisture, or a droop­ing Plant, that you may suppose Water will preserve, may be watered by Filtration; which is by placing an earthen Pot full of Water near the Plant, and putting therein the end of a List of Woollen-cloth, the other end thereof to hang down on the outside of the Pot to the Ground, near the root of the Plant; by means of which List, if it be thick enough, the Wa­ter will filtrate or distil over the Brim of the Pot, through the List of Woollen, so long as any Water is in reach of the List in the Pot; always observing, that the end of the List in the outside of the Pot, be longer than that in the inside, and that the List be thorowly wet before you add it. The Reasons of this Opera­tion, which many Country Colona's daily ex­periment, we will not here discourse of.

To water your Flower-pot, that the Water Watering of Flower-pots. may the easier descend to the bottom, and throughout the whole Pot, you may before [Page 217] you fill it with Earth, place in it a Pipe of Lead, Latton, or such like, close at the bottom, with divers Holes at the sides of it; let the Pipe extend in height to the top of the Pot, and when the Pot is full of Earth, and plant­ed with Flowers, and that you cannot conve­niently otherwise water it, then with a Funnel fill the Pipe with Water, and reiterate your fil­ling of it, until you think there is enough; and by the Holes on the sides of the Pipe, the Water will moisten the whole Pot of Earth. The Water you use here ought to be meliora­ted by some of the former ways: For Earth thus separated from the Ground, is more apt to decay, than that which is remaining on its na­tural Foundation, which continually receives an Improvement, by perspiration of the vege­tating Spirit.

There are several sorts of Watering-pots in Watering-pots. use for Gardens; the most useful is the common Watering-pot, made of tinn'd Plate or Latton; the Nose or end of the Spout whereof is co­vered with a Cover, wherein are many small Perforations, that the Water may force through in small Streams, and besprinkle your Plants or Seeds like unto Rain. This Cover is made to take off and on, to cleanse, at pleasure.

There is another sort of Watering-pot that hath a small Hole at the bottom, and another at the top; so that when you sink it into a Vessel of Water, it will fill by the lower Pipe or Hole, the Air passing out at the Hole at the top, where the Handle is also: When it is [Page 218] full take it by the Handle, and stop the Hole with your Thumb, and when you come to the Plant you intend to water, you may ease the Hole whereon your Thumb lies, and as you please let the Water out at the Pipe in the bot­tom; for as the Air comes in at the top, the Water will issue out at the bottom; and so may you stop it, and open it with your Thumb at your pleasure: With this Pot you may easily let the Water down on your Plants that can bear with a washing Shower.

You may water any Ground by the first sort of Watering-pot, with any enriched or thick Water, if you take off the Cover of the Pipe, and convey the same Water about the Roots of any Plants, without fouling the Leaves or Flowers.

Also you may have a small Engine made like one of the Engines for the raising of Wa­ter to extinguish Fire withal, and place it in a Frame to drive to and fro about your Garden; you may fill it with Water, and the Spout or Pipe with a perforated Cover, like unto the common Watering-pots (but not so broad as to spread the Water so much) with this Engine may you imitate Rain over any of your Beds at a distance, and wash your Wall-trees from Vermine, and refresh them at your pleasure.

Any of these Watering-pots may be preser­ved To preserue your Water­ing-pots. for many Years from Rust, (to which they are very apt) by painting them over with Lin­seed Oyl and Red Lead.

SECT. IV. Of making Hot-Beds.

IT is evident to all, that most Plants do na­turally observe the Season of the Year in their Germination, Growth, and Maturation; and although they are removed into another Climate, yet do they incline to the Observati­on of the same Time as they did in their own former natural Place of their Growth, as the Persian Iris, American Strawberry, and several others, which make them the more acceptable as they come earlier or later than others of the same Kind. So is it with many other Flowers, Fruits, or Herbs: For we annually observe how acceptable a Dish of early Pease is, over what they are when later and common; and so are Asparagus, Cucumbers, Melons, &c.

The Growth of most Plants is quickned by a warm Position, as under a warm Fence or Wall, and by an artificial Heat, as by being planted against a Place where Fire is usually kept, or by watering them with Waters impregnated by hot Dungs, which will very much accelerate Germination.

If you would have Herbs to sprout imme­diately, To raise a Sallad in few Hours. then lay a Bed of unslak'd Lime pow­dered, with a Mixture of Ashes, if you please, or without; on that a Lay of hot Dung, and [Page 220] on that another Lay of Lime, and then on that a Lay of fine rich Mould, wherein sow your Seeds, as Lettuce, Purslain, Corn-Sallad, Parsley, &c. first steep'd in White-wine, or some of the for­mer prepared Waters, and water them, when sown, with some of the same richest Waters, and they will suddenly appear above ground, and as you water them, so will they prosper. This should be done within doors, lest the cold­ness of the Air should impede their growth; the often watering them facilitates their nou­rishment.

But the Hot-beds that are most useful, and whereon you are to raise your tender Exoticks, and your early Flowers; and also to raise and bring forward your Melons, Cucumbers, Cauly-flowers, &c. is usually made in February or March, and after several manners.

Some prescribe the making of it, by laying of hot Stable-dung that hath lain in a Heap, mixing the newest with the old, and laying it about four Foot broad, the better to preserve its warmth; three, four, or five Foot high, and as long as you have Occasion or Materials. This Bed well trod (to excite the Heat) is to be co­vered about four Inches thick with very fine rich Mould, the top and sides of the Bed be­ing first edged round with Board or Bands of twisted Hay or Straw, to keep up the Mould, and keep in the Heat: Thus must it lie until it hath passed its greatest Heat, which you may prove by your Finger; for it ought to be but warm, not hot. In case its Heat lesseneth at [Page 221] any time, you may encrease it by applying new Dung to the sides of your Bed; on this may you sow your Seeds.

There must be some Frame arch-wise, or flat, over this Hot-bed, that a Covering of Mats or Straw Hurdles▪ may be spread over it every Night, and in cold Days: Make your Covering so that it may as well keep out the Rain and Snow, as the Wind.

But the best Description of a Hot-bed, is that of Mr. Evelyn in his late Philosophical Discourse of Earth, to this Effect; Dig a Pit about four Foot deep, of breadth and length as your Oc­casions require; wall this Pit on every side with Brick, or erect your Wall above the Ground, or part above, and part under; then fill it with hot Dung from the Stable, and tread it well. In this place wooden Cases of about a Foot in depth, bored full of Auger-holes at the bottom; fill them with Earth rich and light, and add hot Dung between them; in which Cases sow your Seeds, and these Cases and the Earth in them will be kept warm by this means during the whole Season wherein a Hot-bed is necessary. You may provide a Shel­ter against Rain and Cold over the whole, if you please; and you may have Frames of Glass over some of your inside Cases where there is most need; others you may leave open, as your Seeds require. By this means have you your Pit and Cases every Year ready to your hand, requiring only a Supply of fresh Dung.

SECT. V.